Beneath This Burning Shoreline
Encyclopedia
Beneath This Burning Shoreline is the second studio album by Cherry Ghost
, released on July 5, 2010 via Heavenly Records
. The band recorded the album themselves with Dan Austin, who co-produced their debut album Thirst for Romance
. The album's opening track, "We Sleep on Stones", was offered as a free digital download
on the band's website in May 2010. The album's twelfth track, "Diamond in the Grind", was posted on YouTube
, set to a clip of Harold Lloyd
's 1924 silent film Girl Shy
, in February 2010.
A music video for the album's first single "Kissing Strangers" premiered in June 2010. Lead singer Simon Aldred describes the song as "Sinatra-esque
," adding that, "I think it's one of the best songs I've ever written... it's nice to have a single I'm really proud of." The album's second single, "Black Fang", was released on September 20, 2010 on 7" vinyl, and came with the exclusive non-album track "Dancehall to Daybreak". The album's third single was "We Sleep on Stones", released on November 8, 2010. The 12" vinyl single featured an exclusive remix of "We Sleep on Stones" by Mr. Chop, as well as Cherry Ghost's cover version of the 1991 CeCe Peniston
hit "Finally" and an extended instrumental version of "Finally". A fourth single, "Only a Mother", was released as a digital download on March 7, 2011.
blog posting that the band were at the writing stage for the second album and had seven songs written, which had been distilled from over 50 different tunes. The bulk of the album was written across Europe, namely Berlin
and Rome
. The band recorded the album between January and December 2009 in Frank Bough Sound III, a converted barn
in Cheshire
, owned by friends and labelmates Doves.
, The Guardian
, The Independent
, and The Times
. The Guardian summarised that "Cherry Ghost are good at purveying glimpses of seedy lives... and exceptionally good arrangers of strings, guitar and thrumming synths into gorgeous symphonic pop." The Independent noted that, "The prevailing tone throughout is akin to that chastened postwar mood captured by Carol Reed
in The Third Man
; certainly, Aldred's characters would not be out of place gazing down upon ant-people from a ferris wheel, or fleeing through sewers." Allmusic reviewer Jon O'Brien finalised that the album "furthers Aldred's reputation as one of the U.K.'s most interesting storytellers."
Personnel
Production
Cherry Ghost
Cherry Ghost is an indie rock band from Bolton, England. Their debut album, Thirst for Romance, was released in July 2007 and entered the UK Album Charts at #7...
, released on July 5, 2010 via Heavenly Records
Heavenly Records
Heavenly Records, aka Heavenly Recordings, is a London-based record label, distributed by EMI. Founded by Jeff Barrett, a former press officer for Creation Records and many successful indie bands of the time including Happy Mondays, Heavenly Recordings' first releases were 7" and 12" singles for...
. The band recorded the album themselves with Dan Austin, who co-produced their debut album Thirst for Romance
Thirst for Romance
Thirst for Romance is the debut album by Cherry Ghost, released on July 9, 2007 in the UK. The album is available on CD, digital download, and double vinyl LP. It was recorded at Ape Studios in Cheshire and Moolah Rouge Studios in Stockport...
. The album's opening track, "We Sleep on Stones", was offered as a free digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
on the band's website in May 2010. The album's twelfth track, "Diamond in the Grind", was posted on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, set to a clip of Harold Lloyd
Harold Lloyd
Harold Clayton Lloyd, Sr. was an American film actor and producer, most famous for his silent comedies....
's 1924 silent film Girl Shy
Girl Shy
Girl Shy is a 1924 romantic comedy silent film starring Harold Lloyd and Jobyna Ralston. The movie was written by Sam Taylor, Tim Whelan and Ted Wilde and was directed by Fred C...
, in February 2010.
A music video for the album's first single "Kissing Strangers" premiered in June 2010. Lead singer Simon Aldred describes the song as "Sinatra-esque
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
," adding that, "I think it's one of the best songs I've ever written... it's nice to have a single I'm really proud of." The album's second single, "Black Fang", was released on September 20, 2010 on 7" vinyl, and came with the exclusive non-album track "Dancehall to Daybreak". The album's third single was "We Sleep on Stones", released on November 8, 2010. The 12" vinyl single featured an exclusive remix of "We Sleep on Stones" by Mr. Chop, as well as Cherry Ghost's cover version of the 1991 CeCe Peniston
CeCe Peniston
CeCe Peniston is an African American recording artist and former beauty queen. At the beginning of the nineties, she was considered to be one of the most successful dance club artists in the history of the U.S...
hit "Finally" and an extended instrumental version of "Finally". A fourth single, "Only a Mother", was released as a digital download on March 7, 2011.
Recording
In March 2008, singer-songwriter Simon Aldred announced through a MySpaceMySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
blog posting that the band were at the writing stage for the second album and had seven songs written, which had been distilled from over 50 different tunes. The bulk of the album was written across Europe, namely Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. The band recorded the album between January and December 2009 in Frank Bough Sound III, a converted barn
Barn
A barn is an agricultural building used for storage and as a covered workplace. It may sometimes be used to house livestock or to store farming vehicles and equipment...
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, owned by friends and labelmates Doves.
Reception
Beneath This Burning Shoreline was released to positive reviews, garnering 4 out of 5 star reviews from major publications such as QQ (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, and The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
. The Guardian summarised that "Cherry Ghost are good at purveying glimpses of seedy lives... and exceptionally good arrangers of strings, guitar and thrumming synths into gorgeous symphonic pop." The Independent noted that, "The prevailing tone throughout is akin to that chastened postwar mood captured by Carol Reed
Carol Reed
Sir Carol Reed was an English film director best known for Odd Man Out , The Fallen Idol , The Third Man and Oliver!...
in The Third Man
The Third Man
The Third Man is a 1949 British film noir, directed by Carol Reed and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, and Trevor Howard. Many critics rank it as a masterpiece, particularly remembered for its atmospheric cinematography, performances, and unique musical score...
; certainly, Aldred's characters would not be out of place gazing down upon ant-people from a ferris wheel, or fleeing through sewers." Allmusic reviewer Jon O'Brien finalised that the album "furthers Aldred's reputation as one of the U.K.'s most interesting storytellers."
Track listing
Release history
| Country | Date | Label | Format | Catalogue # |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | July 5, 2010 | Heavenly Records Heavenly Records Heavenly Records, aka Heavenly Recordings, is a London-based record label, distributed by EMI. Founded by Jeff Barrett, a former press officer for Creation Records and many successful indie bands of the time including Happy Mondays, Heavenly Recordings' first releases were 7" and 12" singles for... (distributed by V2 Music) |
CD | HVNLP79CD |
Credits
Cherry Ghost- Simon Aldred – vocals, guitars
- Jim Rhodes – guitar, banjo, Echoplex, melodica
- Ben Parsons – keyboards, piano, synthesizer, dulcimer, trumpet
- Phill Anderson – bass, synthesizer
- Grenville Harrop – drums, percussion
Personnel
- Additional synths by Dan Austin.
- Brass and string arrangements by Ben Parsons.
- Strings by Belinda Hammond, Sarah Fletcher, Rick Evans, Tim Smedley, Thea Spiers, and Simon Denton.
- Brass by Lucy Pankhurst, Alan Tokeley, Matthew Ball, and Tim Page.
Production
- Produced by Dan Austin and Cherry Ghost.
- Engineered by Dan Austin; recorded at The Barn.
- Mixed by Dan Austin at Moles Recording Studio; assisted by Nick Joplin.
- Mastered by Miles Showell at Metropolis.
- Photography by Emir Ozsahin.
- Sleeve art by Luke Insect.