Puddinghead Explained

Puddinghead
Type:	studio
Artist:	Ball Park Music
Cover:	Ballparkmusic puddinghead.jpg
Released:	4 April 2014
Recorded:	March 2013–May 2013 June 2013–January 2014
Genre:	Indie rock
Length:	41:00
Label:	Stop Start, Inertia Music
Producer:	Ball Park Music
Prev Title:	Museum
Prev Year:	2012
Next Title:	Every Night the Same Dream
Next Year:	2016

Puddinghead is the third studio album by Australian indie pop band Ball Park Music, released on 4 April 2014 by Stop Start and Inertia Music. It was supported by two singles, "She Only Loves Me When I'm There" and "Trippin' the Light Fantastic", as well as two national tours and one European tour in 2014. The album was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 2014 ARIA Music Awards, and Australian Album of the Year at the 2014 J Awards.^[1] It peaked at number two on the ARIA Albums Chart.

Recording

The album was self-produced in a share house in the Northern Suburbs of Brisbane.^[2] Reflecting on the recording process of their previous two albums, frontman Sam Cromack said that "they were done in a real whirlwind," but with Puddinghead the band "could properly sit down and spend some more time just focusing on making a record."^[3]

Release and reception

The album had three songs feature in the Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2014, with the lead single highest-placed at number 19. Puddinghead also placed at number two on the 2014 Triple J Album Poll.^[4]

The title of the album is a reference to a Shakespearean insult. Cromack wrote the album's title track "Puddinghead", however it did not make the album^[5] – it was instead released as a B-side of "Trippin' the Light Fantastic" when it was digitally released as a single on 23 May 2014.Music publication Kill Your Stereo gave the album a five-star writing, praising Puddinghead as a "fantastic release" that is "the strongest thing that they've released throughout their entire career so far." Scenewave Australia wrote the record features "powerful riffs, gorgeous harmonies and soaring vocals, intricately woven into delicious melodies," also calling it "their most accomplished release to date."^[6]

Personnel

Musicians

• Ball Park Music – producer, engineer;
  • Paul Furness – synth (1, 5), Rhodes piano (1–4, 7, 10), 8-bit keys (1), piano (2–5, 7, 9, 11), Nord flutes (2, 8, 10), Roland SH-101 (3, 9, 11), organ (4–8, 11), harpsichord (5, 7, 10), trombone (7)
  • Jennifer Boyce – bass guitar (1, 3–11), vocals (all tracks)
  • Sam Cromack – vocals (all tracks), writing (all tracks), guitar (all tracks), vocoder (1), bass guitar (2), synth (5, 7), acoustic guitar (7, 11), beatbox (7)
  • Dean Hanson – guitar (all tracks), writing (1), trombone (5), vocals (5), hi-hat (7), acoustic guitar (10), ambient noise (11)
  • Daniel Hanson – drums (all tracks), cowbell (1), tambourine (1–2, 6), electronic drums (3, 5), percussion (5, 7), synth (5), vocals (5)
• Chris Darbyshire – tenor sax (5), alto sax (5)

Additional personnel

• Tony Hoffer – mixing
• Dave Cooley – mastering
• Polly Bass Boost – artwork

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Edition(s)	Label	Catalogue
Australia	4 April 2014^[7]		Standard	Stop Start / EMI	SSM77CD
	October 2014		Platinum		SSM77LP

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2014 . J Awards 2014 . 15 August 2020 . Triple J.
2. Web site: 6 April 2014 . Album Review: Ball Park Music - 'Puddinghead' . 5 May 2023 . Kill Your Stereo . en.
3. Web site: Ivanovic . Nicholas . 8 January 2015 . Ball Park Music Are Going Back To School . 5 May 2023 . Scenestr . en-gb.
4. Web site: Hafey . Lisa . 23 April 2015 . Introducing: Ball Park Music . 5 May 2023 . Essentially Pop . en-GB.
5. Web site: Smith . Lucy . 18 March 2014 . Interview :: Ball Park Music - Sam Cromack . 5 May 2023 . FBi Radio . en-US.
6. Web site: 4 April 2014 . Album Review: Ball Park Music – 'Puddinghead' . 5 May 2023 . Scenewave Australia . en-US.
7. Web site: Puddinghead by Ball Park Music – CD. JB HiFi. 30 January 2021.