Old Crows / Young Cardinals Explained

Old Crows / Young Cardinals
Type:studio
Artist:Alexisonfire
Cover:Alexisonfire - Old Crows - Young Cardinals (2009).jpg
Released:June 23, 2009[1]
Recorded:February – March 2009
Studio:
Length:42:06
Label:Dine Alone (Canada & Australia), Vagrant (USA)
Producer:Julius Butty[2]
Prev Title:Crisis
Prev Year:2006
Next Title:Dog's Blood
Next Year:2010

Old Crows / Young Cardinals is the fourth studio album from Canadian post-hardcore band Alexisonfire, released on June 23, 2009.[3] The album was originally referred to by the shortened title of Young Cardinals,[4] until the name change was announced on April 1, 2009.[3]

Background

Following the release of Crisis, the members kept themselves busy with other projects: vocalist Dallas Green with his other band City and Colour; guitarist Wade McNeil with Black Lungs; and vocalist George Pettit performing with Fucked Up and Bergenfield Four.[5] In October and November 2008, the band toured Europe as part of The Eastpak Antidote Tour.[6] In December, it was revealed that the band would be recording their next album in 2009. McNeil said the record would be "fucking heavy."[7]

Recording

In an interview in January 2009, Wade MacNeil and band manager Joel Carriere confirmed that they have 10 songs ready for recording,[8] one of which being "Emerald St." (given full title "Emerald Street" on the album).[9] The band announced they would begin recording on February 1, 2009, documenting the process as it happened on their internet blog,[10] with MacNeil stating that "For the first time ever we have too many songs".[11] Recording took place in Armoury Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, working with engineer Nick Blagona (who has previously worked with April Wine and Cat Stevens, as well as the band's 2006 album, Crisis).[2] [12] One week later, Dallas Green announced that the band had already completed seven songs, including "Midnight Regulations",[13] and "probably 8 by the time we finish up".[10]

By March 1, 2009, the band announced in their studio blog that they had "drums, bass and most of the guitars completed", and had "now moved on to leads and overdubs".[14] Later the same week, MacNeil announced that work on the album in Vancouver had been completed, with the exception of Green's vocal parts.[9] Upon returning from Vancouver, further recording took place at Silo Studios in Hamilton, Ontario, the same location used on the band's 2004 album Watch Out! and some parts of Crisis.[12] Here, the band co-produced with Julius Butty, who had also worked on the band's previous two albums. Mastering of the album was completed on April 8, 2009,[15] by Brett Zilahi at João Carvalho Mastering.[16]

Release

On April 8, 2009, Old Crows / Young Cardinals was announced for release later in the year.[17] On April 22, 2009, "Young Cardinals" was made available for streaming.[18] On May 18, 2009, a music video was released for "Young Cardinals"; it had been filmed in Niagara Falls, Ontario.[19] [20] On June 2, 2009, "No Rest" was posted online.[21] During the same month, the band played a handful of European festivals, leading up to an appearance at the Edgefest in Canada.[22] Old Crows / Young Cardinals was released on June 23.[23] The album was released on Dine Alone Records, an independent label founded by the band's manager Joel Carriere. It was mark the first time the band have not released through Distort Entertainment in Canada. Dine Alone released the disc in Canada, Australia and South Africa, while the album will be released in the United States by Vagrant Records.[23] Between late June and late August, the band performed on the Warped Tour.[24] An EP was released, featuring "Two Sisters" and "Wayfarer Youth", on July 14, 2009 through Dine Alone Records.[25] Shortly after this, they appeared at the Reading and Leeds Festivals in the UK.[26] They co-headlined the Eastpak Antidote Tour, which trekked across Europe, with Anti-Flag; they were supported by the Ghost of a Thousand and the Fall of Troy.[27]

On January 29, 2010, a music video was released for "The Northern".[28] In February and March 2010, the band performed at Soundwave festival in Australia.[29] On March 3, Dine Alone released Old Crows/Young Cardinals on coloured vinyl discs. After the initial run, a standard black pressing will replace it.[30] The initial run contains the following French quote across all four sides of the album in the deadwax: Et ses mains ourdiraient/Les entrailles du prêtre/Au défaut d'un cordon/Pour étrangler les rois. It is a quote from philosopher Denis Diderot's poem Les Éleuthéromanes, translated to: And his hands would plait the priest's entrails, for want of a rope, to strangle kings. More succinctly, it has been taken to mean, "Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest."[31] Following this, the band went on a Canadian tour with Billy Talent, Against Me! and Gallows.[32] [33] In April and May 2010, the band went on a cross-country US tour with support from Trash Talk, Therefore I Am and La Dispute.[34] In June 2010, Alexisonfire performed at Petite-Nation Rockfest.[35]

Reception

Old Crows / Young Cardinals was met with generally favourable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 69, based on five reviews.

The album debuted at #81 on the Billboard 200, making this Alexisonfire's highest-charting album in the US to date.[36]

Personnel

Alexisonfire

Production

Art

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2009)Peak
position
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[37] 2
US Billboard 200[38] 81
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[39] 9

Year-end charts

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Single Leaked, Album Out June 23rd . 2 April 2009 . 21 April 2009 . dead . https://archive.today/20090929010522/http://alexisonfire.ca/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1240272130&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1& . 29 September 2009 .
  2. Web site: ALEXISONFIRE gets ready to unleash OLD CROWS/YOUNG CARDINALS! . Dine Alone Records official website . Justin . Sheppard . 2009-04-01 . 2009-04-07 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090406011301/http://www.dinealonerecords.com/updates/view/323 . 2009-04-06 .
  3. Alexisonfire Amend New Album Title. Rock Sound. 2009-04-02. 2009-04-02. April 4, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090404042930/http://www.rocksound.tv/news/article/alexisonfire-amend-new-album-title. dead.
  4. Alexisonfire Name New Album. Metal Hammer. 2009-04-02. 2009-01-02. Terry. Bezer. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090414211803/http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/news/alexisonfire-name-new-album/. 2009-04-14.
  5. Web site: Alexisonfire featured in Exclaim! TV episode 13. Punknews.org. Conoley, Ben. February 8, 2008. June 8, 2022.
  6. Web site: Big raffle for the Eastpak Antidote Tour with Anti-Flag. Ox-Fanzine. September 10, 2009. June 18, 2020. DE.
  7. Web site: Alexisonfire to begin recording new album in 2009. Alternative Press. December 18, 2008. July 30, 2017.
  8. Web site: 2009 Album Preview: Alexisonfire - Young Cardinals. Thrash Hits. 2009-04-02. 2009-01-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20090501094412/http://www.thrashhits.com/2009/01/2009-album-preview-alexisonfire-young-cardinals/. 2009-05-01. dead.
  9. Alexisonfire Bassist Solo Project Coming?. Chart Attack. 2009-04-02. 2009-03-06. Kate. Harper. usurped. https://web.archive.org/web/20110607140412/http://www.chartattack.com/news/66920/alexisonfire-bassist-solo-project-coming. 2011-06-07.
  10. Alexisonfire Launch Studio Blog. Chart Attack. 2009-04-02. 2009-02-23. Kate. Harper. usurped. https://web.archive.org/web/20090623043111/http://www.chartattack.com/news/66479/alexisonfire-launch-studio-blog. 2009-06-23.
  11. New Alexisonfire In 2009. Metal Hammer. 2008-12-15. 2009-04-02. usurped. https://web.archive.org/web/20090417110009/http://www.chartattack.com/news/64083/new-alexisonfire-in-2009. 2009-04-17.
  12. Alexisonfire Finishing Young Cardinals. Chart Attack. Kate. Harper. 2009-03-17. 2009-04-02. usurped. https://web.archive.org/web/20090507160953/http://www.chartattack.com/news/67542/alexisonfire-finishing-young-cardinals. 2009-05-07.
  13. Alexisonfire Avoid Narc Sting. Chart Attack. 2009-04-02. 2009-02-07. Kate. Harper. usurped. https://web.archive.org/web/20090627083433/http://www.chartattack.com/news/66669/narc-tried-to-sell-alexisonfire-hash. 2009-06-27.
  14. Alexisonfire's Young Cardinals Release Inches Closer. Chart Attack. 2009-04-02. 2009-03-02. Harper. Kate. usurped. https://web.archive.org/web/20090625190711/http://www.chartattack.com/news/66764/alexisonfires-young-cardinals-release-inches-closer. 2009-06-25.
  15. Web site: Jordan Hastings update. Twitter. 2009-04-08. 2009-04-09.
  16. Web site: João Carvalho Mastering update. Twitter. 2009-04-06. 2009-04-07.
  17. Web site: Alexisonfire announce 'Old Crows/Young Cardinals'. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. April 8, 2009. October 6, 2022.
  18. Web site: Alexisonfire: 'Young Cardinals'. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. April 22, 2009. October 6, 2022.
  19. Web site: Alexisonfire: 'Young Cardinals'. Punknews.org. Yancey, Bryne. May 18, 2009. October 8, 2022.
  20. Web site: Exclusive: Alexisonfire shooting 'Young Cardinals'. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. May 12, 2009. October 8, 2022.
  21. Web site: Alexisonfire: 'No Rest'. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. June 2, 2009. October 8, 2022.
  22. Web site: Alexisonfire. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. May 13, 2009. October 8, 2022.
  23. Alexisonfire Album: Old Crows/Young Cardinals. Chart Attack. 2009-04-02. 2009-04-01. Kate. Harper. usurped. https://web.archive.org/web/20110607140340/http://www.chartattack.com/news/68064/alexisonfire-are-old-crowsyoung-cardinals. 2011-06-07.
  24. Web site: Warped Tour 2009. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. March 26, 2009. May 22, 2018.
  25. http://www.dinealonerecords.com/releases/view/51 Old Crows / Young Cardinals Bonus Tracks (EP)
  26. Web site: Anti-Flag, Faith No More, Rise Against to play Reading and Leeds Festival 2009. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. June 17, 2009. October 10, 2022.
  27. Web site: Alexisonfire / Anti-Flag / Ghost of a Thousand / Fall of Troy. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. June 16, 2009. October 10, 2022.
  28. Web site: Alexisonfire: 'The Northern'. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. January 29, 2010. October 16, 2022.
  29. Web site: My Chem, You Me At Six, Paramore, and Gallows for Soundwave. https://web.archive.org/web/20091016054920/http://www2.kerrang.com/2009/10/my_chem_you_me_at_six_paramore.html. Kerrang!. Dan. October 13, 2009. October 16, 2009. June 4, 2017. dead.
  30. Web site: Old Crows / Young Cardinals - buy VINYL NOW!. 2010-03-06.
  31. Web site: Denis Diderot Author Page. 2010-03-05.
  32. Web site: Billy Talent / Alexisonfire / Against Me! (Canada). Punknews.org. Yancey, Bryne. October 12, 2009. October 12, 2022.
  33. Web site: Gallows to join Billy Talent/Alexisonfire/Against Me! for Canadian Tour in 2010. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. November 11, 2009. October 12, 2022.
  34. Web site: Alexisonfire / Trash Talk / Therefore I Am / La Dispute. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. February 17, 2010. October 16, 2022.
  35. Web site: Misfits, Anti-Flag, Alexisonfire, Planet Smashers playing Petite-Nation Rockfest. Punknews.org. White, Adam. May 14, 2010. October 18, 2022.
  36. Alexisonfire Album & Song Chart History | Billboard.com
  37. AlexisOnFire, CNA. Billboard. May 23, 2021. subscription.
  38. AlexisOnFire, TLP. Billboard. May 23, 2021. subscription.
  39. AlexisOnFire, IND. Billboard. May 23, 2021. subscription.
  40. Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2009. Billboard. May 23, 2021.

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