Savages (Breathe Carolina album) explained

Savages
Type:Studio
Artist:Breathe Carolina
Cover:BreatheCarolina SavagesAlbumArt.jpg
Released:April 15, 2014
Recorded:2013
Length:44:51
Label:Fearless
Producer:Ian Kirkpatrick
Prev Title:Hell Is What You Make It
Prev Year:2011
Next Year:2019

Savages is the fourth studio album by electronic band Breathe Carolina released on April 15, 2014 through Fearless Records in the United States. Upon the album's release, it debuted at No. 22 on the US Billboard 200, No. 4 on the Alternative Albums chart, and topped the Dance/Electronic Albums chart, selling 14,000 copies in its first week.[1] The album spawned six singles: "Savages", "Bang It Out" featuring pop duo Karmin, "Sellouts" featuring Danny Worsnop of the metalcore band Asking Alexandria, "Chasing Hearts" featuring Tyler Carter of metalcore group Issues, "Collide" and "I Don't Know What I'm Doing". The album features a more electronic and dance influence rather than the electronic rock and post-hardcore influences seen on the group's previous albums. This is the first album released without former member Kyle Even.

Background

In early 2013 the duo announced a free mixtape would be released as soon as early summer. The mixtape, entitled Bangers, was released for free download on July 6, 2013 via Sol Republic.[2] Although it was intended to contain material that was being written for the upcoming album, the departure of Kyle and addition of Tommy prompted a change in track list. Only one song from the Bangers mixtape, "Mistakes", made it onto the album.[3] The group announced via Facebook and Twitter that a song recorded by the new lineup, called "Savages", would be released soon. The group embarked on the "We Are Savages Tour" in 2014 with supporting acts from Mod Sun, Jonny Craig, Ghost Town, Lionfight and Divided By Friday.[4] The group also performed at the 2014 Warped Tour event.[5] In October and November 2014, they co-headlined a tour with Candyland called "The Friend Zone Tour".[6]

Composition

The album has been described as electropop and emo-pop. David Schmitt spoke about the concept of the album:

And about the sound: "It's super electronic and [filled with] EDM."[7]

Breathe Carolina has hinted that Savages will be a mixture of their musical roots and a new electronic sound, different from all three of their previous full-length albums.[8]

Release

The lead single of the album with the same name was streamed via Fearless's official SoundCloud account and made available for digital download on November 25, 2013.[9] [10] A lyric video for the song was released the following week in Fearless's official YouTube account.[11] On February 18, 2014, the official second single "Sellouts" featuring Danny Worsnop from the band Asking Alexandria was released along with its music video.[12] [13] The third single "Bang It Out", which features Karmin, was streamed and released on March 18, 2014.[14] [15] Another featuring track with Tyler Carter from the metalcore band Issues called "Chasing Hearts" was also streamed on April 7[16] and its music video was premiered by Billboard on April 15, 2014.[17] A live music video from the song "Collide" was released on April 21, 2014.[18] "Bang It Out" was sent to US dance radio on July 1, 2014 by Fearless Records.[19] "I Don't Know What I'm Doing" followed the next week. A reboot version of the song with Oscar Olivo was released on October 17, 2014 along with its music video.[20] On October 29, 2014, the group premiered a music video for "Shadows" via PopCrush.[21]

Critical reception

The album generally received positive reviews. At Alternative Press, Dan Leroy rated the album three-and-a-half stars out of four, saying that "if you are looking for largely a guiltless guilty pleasure for the summer of 2014, you're in the right place". Elysa Gardner of USA Today rated the album two-and-a-half stars out of four, writing that "Breathe Carolina's sound is processed and pumped-up", however "some of the band's strongest grooves to date and canny atmospheric (and acoustic) touches make a number of tracks diverting". Tim Sendra from AllMusic rated the album with three stars out of five and noted the genre shift, praising the tracks "Bang It Out", "Collide", "Shadows" and "Bury Me"; describing it as an "emo-pop album that delivers plenty of frothy fun" if you pick the songs that work.

Personnel

Credits for Savages adapted from AllMusic.[22]

Breathe Carolina
Additional musicians
Production

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2014)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australian Hitseekers Albums (ARIA)[23] 9

Year-end charts

Chart (2014)! scope="col"
Position
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[24] 22

Notes and References

  1. Breathe Carolina Leads Debut Parade On Dance Albums Chart . Gordon . Murray . . April 24, 2014 . October 24, 2022.
  2. Web site: Breathe Carolina Release Free Bangers Mixtape . . July 11, 2013 . https://archive.today/20140130224637/http://www.purevolume.com/news/breathe-carolina-bangers-mixtape-download-free . January 30, 2014 . 2014-04-25.
  3. Web site: Kyle Even leaves Breathe Carolina . Cassie . Whitt . Altpress.com . 2013-10-15 . 2014-04-25.
  4. Breathe Carolina announce We Are Savages tour with Jonny Craig, Divided By Friday, and more . Michele . Bird . . December 3, 2013 . January 25, 2023.
  5. Falling In Reverse, Breathe Carolina, Terror, more announced for Warped Tour 2014 . Matt . Crane . . January 29, 2014 . January 25, 2023.
  6. Web site: Breathe Carolina Announces "The Friend Zone Tour" With Candyland . September 9, 2014 . digitaltourbus.com . January 25, 2023.
  7. Web site: Garland . Emma . ATP! Interview: Breathe Carolina . Alter The Press! . 2009-08-20 . 2014-04-25.
  8. Web site: Breathe Carolina release studio update for 'Savages' . Mamie . Silver . Altpress.com . 2014-01-31 . 2014-04-25.
  9. Web site: STREAM: Breathe Carolina – 'Savages' . Kriston . McConnell . Under the Gun Review . 2013-11-25 . 2024-07-01.
  10. Web site: Savages - Single . iTunes . 2014-04-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131230044649/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/savages-single/id736352198 . 2013-12-30.
  11. Web site: Breathe Carolina release "Savages" lyric video . Michele . Bird . Altpress.com . 2013-11-26 . 2014-04-25.
  12. Web site: Breathe Carolina launch 'Savages' pre-orders; release video for "Sellouts" (ft. Danny Worsnop) . Matt . Crane . Altpress.com . 2014-02-18 . 2014-04-25.
  13. Web site: Sellouts (feat. Danny Worsnop) − Breathe Carolina . February 4, 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140413125441/http://www.amazon.com/Sellouts-feat-Danny-Worsnop/dp/B00IGE3WTS . April 13, 2014 . Amazon .
  14. Web site: Breathe Carolina release new song, "Bang It Out" (ft. Karmin) . Matt . Crane . Altpress.com . 2014-03-18 . 2014-04-25.
  15. Web site: Breathe Carolina: Bang It Out (feat. Karmin) . . 2014-04-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150925150827/https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Breathe_Carolina_Bang_It_Out_feat_Karmin?id=Bcwh7ttefzykrzk3nnfllw4roeq . 2015-09-25.
  16. Web site: Breathe Carolina release new single, "Chasing Hearts" (ft. Tyler Carter of Issues) . Matt . Crane . Altpress.com . 2014-04-07 . 2014-04-25.
  17. Web site: Breathe Carolina, 'Chasing Hearts': Exclusive Video Premiere . . 2014-04-15 . 2024-07-01.
  18. Web site: Breathe Carolina release "Collide" music video . Brian . Kraus . Altpress.com . 2014-04-20 . 2014-04-25.
  19. Web site: Dance/EDM Future Releases . All Access Music Group . https://web.archive.org/web/20140727041108/http://www.allaccess.com/dance/future-releases . live . 2014-07-27.
  20. Breathe Carolina release I Don't Know What I'm Doing (Reboot) video . Matt . Crane . . October 17, 2014 . January 25, 2023.
  21. Breathe Carolina release Shadows music video . Matt . Crane . . October 29, 2014 . January 25, 2023.
  22. Web site: Savages – Breathe Carolina – Credits . . October 24, 2022.
  23. Web site: ARIA Hitseekers Albums – Week Commencing 28th April 2014 . Australian Recording Industry Association . April 28, 2014 . https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20140519043514/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20140517-0000/Issue1261.pdf . May 19, 2014 . March 16, 2023.
  24. Top Dance/Electronic Albums – Year-End 2014 . Billboard . June 12, 2020.