III (The Lumineers album) explained
| III |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | the Lumineers |
| Cover: | The Lumineers - III.png |
| Released: | September 13, 2019 |
| Studio: | The Clubhouse (Rhinebeck, NY)
Three Flights Studios (Denver)
The Pierce Rooms (London)
Flying Elephants (New York City)[1] |
| Genre: | Folk[2] |
| Length: | 37:47 |
| Label: |
|
| Producer: | Simone Felice |
| Prev Title: | Cleopatra |
| Prev Year: | 2016 |
| Next Title: | Brightside |
| Next Year: | 2022 |
III is the third studio album by American indie folk band the Lumineers, released by Dualtone on September 13, 2019.[3] The album was accompanied by a feature-length film directed by Kevin Phillips.
Background
In addition to being the Lumineers' third album, the album title also references the fact that the album is presented in three chapters, each focusing on a different main character of the fictional Sparks family.[4] Lumineers co-founder Jeremiah Fraites told Rolling Stone, "This collection of songs worked out in a beautiful way, and I feel with this album we've really hit our stride."[5] In an interview with NPR, Fraites and Schultz both discussed how their lives have been impacted by drug addiction, saying that this album was intended to chronicle the effects of addiction on family members and loved ones. "Schultz says he had a childhood friend in New Jersey who slowly came apart as a teenager because of drug addiction. Both band members experienced this because Schultz's friend, Josh Fraites, was the brother of his future bandmate, Jeremiah."[6]
Release
Film
The album was supported by a 44-minute visual accompaniment, written by Schultz with director Kevin Phillips. The film follows three generations of the working class Sparks family as they struggle with addiction and dysfunction in the Northeastern United States. The cast includes Anna Cordell, Nick Stahl, Charlie Tahan and Joshua Close. It was released online in ten installments between May 21 and September 19, 2019.[7]
Commercial performance
III debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 with 86,000 album-equivalent units, including 73,000 pure album sales. It is the Lumineers' third top-two album in the US.[8]
Critical reception
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic wrote, "III moves at a deliberate, nearly dreary pace that forces a listener to pay attention, and while it can take some effort to meet the Lumineers on their own terms, it's nevertheless easy to admire the ambition behind the project."
Personnel
The Lumineers
- Wesley Schultz − vocals, guitar, production (6, 11, 12, 13), engineering
- Jeremiah Fraites − drums, piano, guitar, background vocals, synthesizer, vibraphone, cymbals, scraper, tambourine, production (6, 11, 12, 13), engineering
Additional musicians
- Byron Isaacs − bass, background vocals
- Lauren Jacobson − violin, background vocals
- Simone Felice − maracas, background vocals
- David Baron − synthesizer, keyboards, harmonium
- Anneke Schaul-Yoder − cello
Technical
- Simone Felice – producer (1–10)
- Bob Ludwig – mastering
- David Baron – mixing (1, 3–6, 8–10, 12, 13), engineering
- Ryan Hewitt – mixing (2, 7, 11), engineering
- Alen Adzi Stefanov – engineering
- Darren Heelis – engineering
- Pete Hanlon – engineering
- Connor Milton – assistant engineer
- Will Duperier – assistant engineer
- Dylan Nowik – assistant
Design
- Nicholas Sutton Bell – creative director
- Tomas Cristobal Patlan – portrait photography
- Kevin Phillips – additional photography
- Max Knies – additional photography
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Notes and References
- III. The Lumineers. 2019. liner notes. Dualtone. 80302-01951-27.
- Web site: Album Review: The Lumineers, III. HotPress. Lucy. O'Toole. October 8, 2021.
- Web site: The Lumineers Explain How Hip-Hop, Harry Potter & Fatherhood Impact New Album 'III'. Meek. Andy. April 5, 2019. Billboard.com. April 7, 2019.
- Web site: Lumineers About Page. thelumineers.com. April 7, 2019. April 6, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190406004904/https://thelumineers.com/about/. dead.
- The Lumineers Preview Upcoming Album With New Song 'Gloria'. Rolling Stone. Zemler. Emily. April 5, 2019. April 7, 2019.
- Web site: The Lumineers Trace The Cycle Of Addiction: 'It's A Progressive Disease'. NPR.org. 2019-09-13.
- Bliss. Karen. September 26, 2019. The Lumineers Explore Addiction and Dysfunction In 'III,' a Three-Chapter Visual Exploration of Their New Album. Billboard. March 21, 2024.
- Post Malone Spends Second Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200, The Lumineers & Korn Debut in Top 10. Billboard. Caulfield. Keith. September 23, 2019. September 24, 2019.
- Web site: ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums. Australian Recording Industry Association. September 23, 2019. September 21, 2019.
- Web site: Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Fusionnes – SNEP (Week 38, 2019). https://web.archive.org/web/20191006074007/http://www.snepmusique.com/tops-semaine/top-album-megafusion/?ye=2019&we=38. dead. October 6, 2019. Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. fr. September 23, 2019.
- Web site: Album – Classifica settimanale WK 38 (dal 13.09.2019 al 19.09.2019). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. it. September 21, 2019.
- Web site: Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100). lt. AGATA. September 23, 2019. November 30, 2019.
- Web site: Top 100 Albumes – Semana 38: del 13.9.2019 al 19.9.2019. Productores de Música de España. es. September 24, 2019.
- Americana/Folk Albums – Year-End 2019. Billboard. August 5, 2020.
- Independent Albums – Year-End 2019. Billboard. October 26, 2020.
- Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2019. Billboard. August 5, 2020.
- Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2020. Billboard. December 21, 2020.
