Sumo (album)
Sumo | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | February 1998 | |||
Recorded | 1997[1] | |||
Studio | Triclops Sound Studios, Atlanta[1] | |||
Genre | Alternative rock, post-grunge, hard rock | |||
Length | 46:25 | |||
Label | EastWest Records (Australia) Warner Bros. Records (USA) | |||
Producer | Matt Serletic | |||
The Superjesus chronology | ||||
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Singles from Sumo | ||||
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Sumo is the debut studio album by Australian band The Superjesus in February 1998. The album peaked at number 2 on the ARIA Charts. The album was re-issued in October 1998 under the title Sumo II. It won at the 1998 ARIA Music Awards for Best Rock Album, it was also nominated for Best Group & Breakthrough Artist - Album.
To celebrate 20 years since its release, the album was re-released in August 2018, with bonus tracks and on Vinyl for the first time. The Superjesus toured the album across the second half of 2018.[2][3]
Background and recording[]
After touring with Bush in late 1996 and performing at the 1997 edition of the Big Day Out Festival, the band began work on the album. In an August 1997 interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, guitarist Chris Tennent stated, "We did the Bush tour and the Big Day Out. Then we took time out to get some songs together before recording the album."[4] In 2018, vocalist Sarah McLeod reflected, "we flew to Atlanta, Georgia to record our first full length record for our new label Warner. We chose Triclops Studios because that's where The Smashing Pumpkins recorded our favorite record, Siamese Dream. Once it was in the can, we came back to Australia and were asked to play at the [1997] ARIAs."[5]
Reception[]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Jonathan Lewis from AllMusic said "Sumo was full of guitar-driven alternative radio-friendly songs." adding "Opening with the Helmet-style riffing of the excellent "Down Again", the Superjesus show that guitar rock with McLeod's vocals soaring over the top is definitely their strength. It is also their weakness, with Sumo containing too little variation in style." Lewis said "While the first half of Sumo shows plenty of promise, the second half loses its intensity."[6]
Track listing[]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Down Again" |
| 5:07 |
2. | "Saturation" |
| 4:07 |
3. | "Sandfly" |
| 4:14 |
4. | "Now and Then" |
| 4:05 |
5. | "Ashes" |
| 3:34 |
6. | "I'm Stained" |
| 4:45 |
7. | "Honeyrider" |
| 4:37 |
8. | "Sink" |
| 3:42 |
9. | "Dead Ended" |
| 3:05 |
10. | "Milk" (includes hidden track "Shut My Eyes") |
| 8:44 |
2018 20th Anniversary Edition
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Down Again" |
| 5:07 |
2. | "Saturation" |
| 4:04 |
3. | "Sandfly" |
| 4:17 |
4. | "Now and Then" |
| 4:05 |
5. | "Ashes" |
| 3:36 |
6. | "I'm Stained" |
| 4:45 |
7. | "Shut My Eyes" |
| 4:39 |
8. | "Honeyrider" |
| 4:38 |
9. | "Sink" |
| 3:43 |
10. | "Dead Ended" |
| 3:05 |
11. | "Blisterment" (B-side to "Down Again") |
| 3:03 |
12. | "Milk" |
| 4:23 |
13. | "Strips of You" (originally on the EP Eight Step Rail) |
| 4:54 |
14. | "Confide in Me" (previously unreleased recording from 1996[3]) | 3:54 | |
15. | "Honeyrider" (Triple J Live at the Wireless 1997) |
| 4:45 |
16. | "I'm Stained" (Triple J Live at the Wireless 1997) |
| 4:38 |
17. | "Shut My Eyes" (Triple J Live at the Wireless 1997) |
| 3:34 |
18. | "Saturation" (Triple J Live at the Wireless 1997) |
| 4:28 |
Charts[]
Weekly charts[]
Chart (1998) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[7] | 2 |
Year-end charts[]
Chart (1998) | Rank |
---|---|
Australian Albums Chart[8] | 37 |
Australian Artist Albums Chart | 7 |
Certifications[]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[9] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Personnel[]
- Stuart Rudd – bass
- Paul Berryman – drums
- Jeff Tomei – engineer
- Chris Tennent – guitar, composer (strings)
- Stephen Marcussen – mastered
- Greg Archilla – mixing
- Matt Serletic – producer, mixing, arranger, composer (strings)
- Sarah McLeod – vocals, guitar
Release history[]
Country | Date | Format | Label | Catalogue |
---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | February 1998 | CD | EastWest Records/Warner Music Group | 3984204522 |
Australia | 17 August 2018 | LP[10] | Warner Music Group | 5419700293 |
Australia | 17 August 2018 | CD[2] | Warner Music Group | 5419700727 |
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "/".
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Sumo (20th Anniversary Edition)". JBHiFi. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "The Superjesus 20th Anniversary Tour". Female. July 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
- ^ The Sydney Morning Herald. August 22, 1997, p. 52.
- ^ "/".
- ^ "Superjesus - Sumo". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – The Superjesus – Sumo". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
- ^ "ARIA Top 100 Albums 1998". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 11 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1998 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
- ^ "Sumo (Limited 20th Anniversary Red Vinyl)". JBHiFi. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
- 1998 albums
- The Superjesus albums
- Albums produced by Matt Serletic