Puzzle (Biffy Clyro album)
Fourth studio album by Scottish rock band Biffy Clyro.
Puzzle is the fourth studio album by Scottish rock band Biffy Clyro, released on 4 June 2007. It reached No. 2 in the UK Albums Chart and received widespread critical acclaim, including perfect ratings from Kerrang! and Rock Sound. The album is certified Platinum in the UK, having sold over 300,000 copies.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Biffy Clyro
- Released
- 4 June 2007
- Studio
- The Warehouse (Vancouver, British Columbia); The Farm (Gibsons, British Columbia)
- Genre
- Alternative rock; alternative metal
- Length
- 48:00
- Label
- 14th Floor; Roadrunner
- Producer
- Biffy Clyro; Garth "GGGarth" Richardson
Facts from the source article.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Living Is a Problem Because Everything Dies | 5:18 |
| 2 | Saturday Superhouse | 3:19 |
| 3 | Who's Got a Match? | 2:23 |
| 4 | As Dust Dances (Contains track "2/15ths" – 1:02) | 4:34 |
| 5 | A Whole Child Ago | 3:07 |
| 6 | The Conversation Is... | 3:40 |
| 7 | Now I'm Everyone | 3:50 |
| 8 | Semi-Mental (Contains track "4/15ths" – 0:45) | 3:22 |
| 9 | Love Has a Diameter | 3:53 |
| 10 | Get Fucked Stud | 3:37 |
| 11 | Folding Stars | 4:15 |
| 12 | 9/15ths | 2:46 |
| 13 | Machines | 3:56 |
Track listing from the source article.
Overview
Biffy Clyro’s album Puzzle was cut between September and November 2006 at two Canadian studios: The Warehouse in Vancouver and The Farm in Gibsons. Garth Richardson produced it, with Mike Fraser engineering, Andy Wallace mixing in New York, and Howie Weinberg mastering at Masterdisk. The band sifted through 40 possible tracks and worked alongside composer Graeme Revell and the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Storm Thorgerson created the album and single artwork.
Lyric meaning and music stylistic changes
After pushing their early sound as far as they could, the band aimed for simpler songwriting on this album. Simon Neil wrote lyrics about his mother Eleanor, who had died years earlier. The music is more direct and accessible, with fewer complex time changes, drawing influence from Sunny Day Real Estate and Red House Painters.
Critical reception
The album received widespread critical acclaim. Kerrang! gave it a perfect score, calling it a "masterpiece" and praising the songs as "inventive yet accessible". Rock Sound also gave a perfect score, noting it as the band's most cohesive and accessible record but also their most ambitious. The Guardian complimented the "ambitious orchestral metal" but criticised a lack of choruses that would turn the songs into anthems.
Track listing
On the US and Japanese version, the first track was split into "Intro" (1:25) and "Living Is a Problem Because Everything Dies" (3:53). On iTunes and Spotify, "2/15ths" and "4/15ths" are included at the beginning of "A Whole Child Ago" and "Love Has a Diameter" respectively. "Help Me Become Captain" (previously known as "Angels Fall") was later renamed "Help Me Be Captain" and released as a B-side to "The Captain". "Captain, Sir..." was developed into "The Captain" and included on Only Revolutions. "I'm Probably in Your Pocket" was cut from Only Revolutions and later included on Opposites as "Pocket". Sections from "The Ghouls of Bymbombidor" were used in a 2006 cover of Weezer's "Buddy Holly" and in the Puzzle track "9/15ths". The limited edition CD/DVD includes a bonus track "Drop It" and a DVD with a 40-minute documentary and videos. Pre-orders of the iTunes download received a 10-minute video called Pieces and two exclusive acoustic bonus tracks: "Semi-Mental" and "As Dust Dances".
Frequently Asked Questions
Which label released Puzzle (Biffy Clyro album)?
Puzzle was released by 14th Floor and Roadrunner.
Who produced Puzzle (Biffy Clyro album)?
Puzzle was produced by Biffy Clyro and Garth "GGGarth" Richardson.
What genre is Puzzle (Biffy Clyro album)?
Puzzle is classified as Alternative rock and alternative metal.
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