Under a Billion Suns

Infobox Album |

Name = Under a Billion Suns
Type = Album
Artist = Mudhoney
Released = 7 March 2006
Genre = Alternative rock
Grunge
Length = 43:50
Label = Sub Pop
Producer = Phil Ek
Johnny Sangster
Tucker Martine
Reviews =
*Allmusic rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:xl5k8qxcbtn4 link]
*"Rolling Stone" rating|3|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/mudhoney/albums/album/9408590/review/9777403/under_a_billion_suns link]
*Slant rating|2.5|5 [http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=755 Link]
*Prefix rating|8|10 [http://www.prefixmag.com/reviews/mudhoney/under-a-billion-suns/14971/ Link]
*Entertainment Weekly (B) [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1169395,00.html Link]
*Groove.no rating|4|6 [http://www.groove.no/html/review/68867295.html Link]
*Music Emissions rating|4.5|5 [http://www.musicemissions.com/artists/albums/index.php?album_id=3920 Link]
*Punknews.org rating|3|5 [http://www.punknews.org/review/5084 link]
* Pitchfork Media (6.1/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/20100-under-a-billion-suns link]
* PopMatters rating|7|10 [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/739/mudhoney_under_a_billion_suns/ link]
*Drowned in Sound rating|8|10 [http://www.drownedinsound.com/release/view/6995 link]
Last album = "Since We've Become Translucent"
(2002)
This album = "Under A Billion Suns"
(2006)
Next album = "The Lucky Ones"
(2008)
Misc = Singles
Name = Under a Billion Suns
Type = Studio
single 1 = It Is Us
single 1 date = May 7, 2006

"Under a Billion Suns" is the seventh album by Mudhoney, released in the USA in March 2006. It was recorded with three different producers: Phil Ek, Johnny Sangster and Tucker Martine. [ [http://www.subpop.com/releases/mudhoney/full_lengths/under_a_billion_suns Sub Pop Records: Under a Billion Suns] ]

The album was a further departure from Mudhoney's original grunge sound, and a continuation of the more commercial sound that began with their previous album. Of note is the unusual amount of saxophones and trumpets featured on the album. A few of the songs also feature female backing vocals.

The first few hundred copies pre-ordered from Sub Pop were autographed by the band, and came with a bonus CD featuring demos and remixes.

Writing & Recording

The album includes backing vocals from Christy McWilson and Amy Allison on "Let's Drop In" and "I Saw the Light". Before the album was released co-founder of Sub Pop records Jonathan Poneman said that the album is more political than typical Mudhoney albums, while vocalist Mark Arm said "That may be a little exaggerated. There are four songs where those things are touched on. It's more kind of mocking than the stark, black or white approach." The song "Hard on for War" was written around the time of the U.S.'s 2003 invasion of Iraq. "On the Move," and "I Saw the Light" have been appearing in Mudhoney's recent live shows, Arm says the band wasn't particularly looking to fine-tune the material before it hit the studio. [ [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001432837 Billboard Mudhoney's 'Sun' Rising In March] ]

Mark said that after the release of the album they where goin to make a music video for Touch Me I'm Sick. But it hasn't been any talk about it after the release of the album.

Under a Billion Suns tour

After the release of the album Mudhoney toured around Latin America, The United States and Europe with the famous Seattle grunge band Pearl Jam. Mark Arm sang two Green River songs in Las Vegas, Nevada with the members of Pearl Jam. Mark said after the concert "I think that bummed out the crowd," he says with a laugh. "That was at the height of the 'Eddie' chants in 1993, but because these were Green River songs, Eddie [Vedder] wasn't even on stage. I'm sure people were scratching their head and thinking, 'What the fuck is this?'". [ [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001432837 Billboard New Tour Dates] ]

Track listing

#"Where Is the Future" - 5:38
#"It Is Us" - 3:28
#"I Saw the Light" - 2:23
#"Endless Yesterday" - 4:02
#"Empty Shells" - 2:38
#"Hard-On for War" - 3:57
#"A Brief Celebration of Indifference" - 2:06
#"Let's Drop In" - 4:40
#"On the Move" - 4:46
#"In Search Of..." - 5:02
#"Blindspots" - 5:37

References