Personality - One Was a Spider, One Was a Bird

Infobox Album | Name = Personality - One Was a Spider, One Was a Bird
Type = Album
Artist = The Sleepy Jackson


Released = June 15, 2006 (Australia) July 1, 2006 (UK) July 3, 2006 (USA)
Recorded = 2006
Genre = Indie rock
Length = 42:53
Label = EMI
Producer = Scott Horscroft& Luke Steele
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:av6tk6axukr0 link]
* The Independent Rating|2|5 [http://arts.independent.co.uk/music/reviews/article1187953.ece link]
*Pitchfork Media (7.8/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/37929-personality-one-was-a-spider-one-was-a-bird link]

| Last album = "Lovers" (2003)
This album = "Personality - One Was a Spider, One Was a Bird" (2006)
Next album =

"Personality - One Was a Spider, One Was a Bird" is the second album by Australian band The Sleepy Jackson. The album was recorded at Big Jesus Burger Studios in Sydney and was produced by Scott Horscroft and Luke Steele. Guests on the album include The Presets, Jim Moginie (Midnight Oil) and Davey Lane (You Am I) among others.

It was released in the U.K to very positive reviews from the NME, Total Guitar, Mojo, Uncut, Q Magazine and The Guardian. Other reviews like The Independent have been more critical:

"Steele's work here has been lazily and mistakenly compared to that of Spector and Wilson, but there's no succulent centre of comparable songcraft hiding inside these over-egged, tune-dodging arrangements, merely the fantasy that ambition is the gateway to genius."

In an interview for PerthMusic [http://perthmusic.norg.com.au/2006/06/30/the-sleepy-jackson-interview/] , drummer Malcom Clarke explains about the title:

"Well the Personality bit has to do with all the people that were involved in making this record and the different aspects that they brought along. The Spider/Bird bit has to do with some religious symbolism. It shows the two different sides - God/Devil, Good/Evil and leaves it up to each person to make up their own mind. Some people might see the Spider as evil and the Bird as good, other people might see the complete opposite."

The album debuted at number 10 on the Australian (ARIA) Album Charts and #69 on the Swedish Album Charts. [ [http://acharts.us/album/17479 Album Chart Listing - "Personality - One Was A Spider, One Was A Bird"] ] . The album has also be nominated for a J Award by Australian radio station, Triple J. Two singles were released from the album, "God Lead Your Soul" in May 2006 and a second single, "Devil Was In My Yard", in September 2006.

Track listing

#"You Needed More" – 3:09
#"Devil Was in My Yard" – 3:21
#"God Lead Your Soul" – 3:29
#"Work Alone" – 3:03
#"God Knows" – 2:58
#"I Understand What You Want But I Just Don't Agree" – 3:20
#"Miles Away" – 2:36
#"Higher Than Hell" – 2:55
#"Play a Little Bit of Love" – 4:30
#"Don't Say" – 3:06
#"You Won't Bring Me Down in My Town" – 3:18
#"Dream On" – 2:58
#"How Was I Supposed to Know?" – 4:04

A special edition was released in Australia which included a DVD containing a "making of" the album documentary and a few other features, including a video of "God Lead Your Soul".

References