- Underclass Hero
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This article is about Underclass Hero (album). For for song, see Underclass Hero (song).
Underclass Hero 
Studio album by Sum 41 Released July 18, 2007 Recorded November 6, 2006–March 14, 2007 at Ocean Way Studios, Los Angeles, California; Sound City Studios, Van Nuys, California; Sage & Sound Studios, Hollywood, California Genre Pop punk
Punk rock
Alternative rockLength 51:49 Label Aquarius (Canada)
Island (US)Producer Deryck Whibley Sum 41 studio album chronology Chuck
(2004)Underclass Hero
(2007)Screaming Bloody Murder
(2011)Singles from Underclass Hero - "Underclass Hero"
Released: May 15, 2007 - "Walking Disaster"
Released: July 23, 2007 - "With Me"
Released: February 28, 2008
Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating AbsolutePunk (74%) [1] Allmusic 
[2]BBC (unfavourable) [3] Robert Christgau 
[4]The Guardian [5]IGN (7.0/10) [6] NME (4/10) [7] PopMatters 4/10) [8] Rolling Stone [9]Sputnikmusic [10]Underclass Hero is Sum 41's fourth studio album and the only record that was released with only three members in the band, since Dave Baksh left a year early to focus on Brown Brigade. The album was first released July 18, 2007 in Japan. It was released under the Island Records label and distributed worldwide by Universal Records, and in Canada by Aquarius Records. This album features more alternative rock songs than their previous albums. Despite mixed reviews, the album gained success on the Canadian and the United States album charts, peaking at #1 on the Canadian Albums Chart and at #7 on the U.S. Billboard 200.
Contents
Background
It was the first new material to be released without former guitarist Dave Baksh. The album title's similarity to John Lennon's hit "Working Class Hero" is not a coincidence, according to the band's front man Deryck Whibley, who in an interview with Sun Media claimed Lennon as his favorite songwriter.
"I had to decide what I wanted to say with my music, I asked myself all these questions and then just pulled up my own answers and started writing songs based on those themes. I wanted to make an album that meant something important from beginning to end. I wanted it to have relevance and significance. It's not a concept album. It's not about fictional characters in a made-up story but there is a constant idea that runs through the record. It's a deeply personal statement that reflects the confusion and frustration in modern society."
— Deryck Whibley
Commercial Performance
In Canada, Underclass Hero debuted at #1 on the Canadian Albums Chart, selling just over 9,000 copies in its first week.[11] In the United States, the album sold 44,601 copies in its first week and debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200, making it their highest chart positioning to date in the U.S. It has sold 183,638 copies as of March 2011, making it their lowest selling album to date.[12]
The album spawned three singles, "Underclass Hero", "Walking Disaster", and "With Me". Another song called "March of the Dogs" had also been released as an album preview. The only single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 was "Underclass Hero" which peaked at number 86.[13]
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Deryck Whibley, except where noted.
Underclass Hero No. Title Length 1. "Underclass Hero" (Deryck Whibley/Steve Jocz) 3:14 2. "Walking Disaster" 4:46 3. "Speak of the Devil" 3:58 4. "Dear Father" 3:52 5. "Count Your Last Blessings" 3:03 6. "Ma Poubelle" (Deryck Whibley/Steve Jocz) 0:55 7. "March of the Dogs" 3:09 8. "The Jester" 2:48 9. "With Me" 4:51 10. "Pull the Curtain" 4:18 11. "King of Contradiction" 1:40 12. "Best of Me" 4:25 13. "Confusion and Frustration in Modern Times" 3:46 14. "So Long Goodbye" 3:01 15. "Look at Me" (not available on all editions; hidden track; starts at 2:00) 4:03 Bonus tracks No. Title Length 1. "Take a Look at Yourself" 3:24 2. "No Apologies" 2:58 3. "This Is Goodbye" 2:28 4. "Walking Disaster" (Live at the studio) 4:22 5. "Count Your Last Blessings" (Live at the studio) 2:41 Personnel
- Sum 41
- Deryck Whibley - guitar, lead vocals, keyboards, piano
- Cone McCaslin - bass guitar, vocals
- Steve Jocz - drums, percussion
- Additional personnel
- David Campbell - string arrangement
- Jamie Muhoberac - keyboards
- Dan Chase - percussion
- Michael Railton - piano
Release history
Region Date Japan July 18, 2007 Canada/Europe July 23, 2007 United States July 24, 2007 Charts
Album
Chart (2007) Peak
positionCanadian Albums Chart 1 U.S. Billboard 200[14] 7 U.S. Alternative Albums 1 U.S. Rock Albums 1 U.S. Digital Albums 7 U.S. Tastemaker Albums 10 Austrian Albums Chart 8 Australian Albums Chart 22 Swiss Albums Chart 9 UK Albums Chart 46 Singles
Year Single Chart Position 2007 "Underclass Hero" U.S. Billboard Hot 100 116 U.S. Hot Modern Rock Tracks 34 U.S. Pop 100 86 Canadian Hot 100 33 UK Singles Chart 188 "Walking Disaster" U.S. Hot Modern Rock Tracks 26 2008 "With Me" Canadian Hot 100 37 U.S. Pop 100 91 Certifications
Country Certification Recording Industry Association Sales Canada Gold[15] CRIA 50,000 Units+ Japan Gold[16] RIAJ 100,000 Units+ References
- ^ "Sum 41 - Underclass Hero - Album Review". AbsolutePunk.net. 2007-07-24. http://absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=254161. Retrieved 2011-11-16.
- ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1074163
- ^ "Music - Review of Sum 41 - Underclass Hero". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/6vxm/. Retrieved 2011-11-16.
- ^ "CG: sum 41". Robert Christgau. http://robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=sum+41. Retrieved 2011-11-16.
- ^ Jude Rogers. "CD: Sum 41, Underclass Hero | Music". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/jul/20/popandrock.shopping3. Retrieved 2011-11-16.
- ^ var authorId = "" by Ed Thompson. "Sum 41 - Underclass Hero Review - Music Review at IGN". Music.ign.com. http://music.ign.com/articles/807/807733p1.html. Retrieved 2011-11-16.
- ^ "NME Album Reviews - Sum 41". Nme.Com. 2007-07-12. http://www.nme.com/reviews/sum-41/8771. Retrieved 2011-11-16.
- ^ Blackie, Andrew. "Sum 41: Underclass Hero < PopMatters". Popmatters.com. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/sum-41-underclass-hero. Retrieved 2011-11-16.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "Sum 41 - Underclass Hero (staff review)". Sputnikmusic. http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=19703. Retrieved 2011-11-16.
- ^ "Sum 41's 'Hero' debuts at No. 1". Jam!. http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/S/Sum_41/2007/08/01/4385468-ca.html. Retrieved 2011-04-04.
- ^ "Upcoming Releases". HITS Daily Double. http://www.hitsdailydouble.com/sales/sales_ur.cgi?032911. Retrieved 2011-11-16.
- ^ http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=401778&model.vnuAlbumId=948088
- ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/album/sum-41/underclass-hero/948088
- ^ "Gold & Platinum Certification - April 2008". Canadian Recording Industry Association. http://www.cria.ca/gold/0408_g.php. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
- ^ "ゴールド等認定作品一覧 2007年7月" (in Japanese). RIAJ. 2007-08-10. http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/gold/200707.html. Retrieved 2010-11-10.
External links
Sum 41 Studio albums
and SinglesUnderclass HeroScreaming Bloody Murder"Screaming Bloody Murder" · "Baby, You Don't Wanna Know"Other songs "Makes No Difference" · "What We're All About" · "Hyper-Insomnia-Para-Condroid" · "Little Know It All" · "Rock You" · "Get Back (Sum 41 Rock Remix)"Live albums Demos and EPs Compilation albums All the Good Shit: 14 Solid Gold Hits 2000-2008DVDs Introduction to Destruction · Cross the T's and Gouge Your I's · Sake Bombs and Happy Endings · Rocked: Sum 41 in Congo · DeeVeeDeeTours "Screaming Bloody Murder Tour"Related ArticlesBandsCategories:- 2007 albums
- Sum 41 albums
- Aquarius Records albums
- Albums certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan
- "Underclass Hero"
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