Brace (album)

Brace is the fifth studio album by Western Australian alternative rock band Birds of Tokyo. It was announced on 21 September, alongside the release of the album lead single, "Brace". The album was released on 4 November 2016.

Brace
Studio album by
Birds of Tokyo
Released4 November 2016 (2016-11-04)
GenreAlternative rock, indie rock, hard rock
Length46:29
LabelEMI
ProducerDavid Bottrill
Birds of Tokyo chronology
Playlist
(2015)		 Brace
(2016)		 Human Design
(2020)
Singles from Brace
  1. "Brace"
    Released: 21 September 2016
  2. "Empire"
    Released: 31 October 2016

In an interview with Triple J in February 2016, the band said the album was written and "radio isn't going to play it", stating "this will be like nothing you've heard before from us".[1] Upon announcement of the album in September 2016, the band described the album as taking a "darker, dirty rock direction", adding "Mums of Australia are going to hate it".[2][3]

A six-date tour was announced in October 2016. Birds of Tokyo lead singer Ian Kenny said: "When we were writing and recording we kept talking about how we wanted to make a really dark and intense rock record that would be great to play live. So we can't wait to finally crank out these new songs as well as lots of others at some gigs."[4]

Singles
  • "Brace" was the album's lead single.[5]
  • "Empire" was released on 31 October 2016 as the album's second single, alongside the music video which was directed by Sean Vandenberg. The band said "We felt it was the right time to start talking about heavier things in our work which are important to us as a matter of daily discourse and we really hope you find something in this."[6]

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Rolling Stone Australia[7]

Rod Yates from Rolling Stone Australia said: "Hats off to Birds of Tokyo – given the success they've had with radio-friendly fodder such as ""Lanterns", they could have been forgiven for riding that wave into a well-funded retirement. Instead, [they have] made an album as dark as the times in which it was written. "Harlequins" sees them embrace their inner Muse, a reference that rears its head perhaps a little too frequently ("Gods", "Brace"), while the brooding "Pilot" finds Ian Kenny asking, "If I had to drown myself in gasoline would you carry the match for me?". Clearly not an album for your next party, it is, however, one that requires – and rewards – full immersion."[7]

Triple J said: "Teaming up with producer David Bottrill, the Perth born five-piece return to the darker, heavier sounds of the band's roots. With dystopian lyrics and crunchy guitars, Brace is an album created to be played live."[8]

Emmy Mack from Music Feeds wrote: "Birds Of Tokyo have come home to roost with their heaviest album in close to a decade", adding "Experimenting with an evil laboratory of sounds to craft an album that simultaneously feels familiar and yet completely different to anything we’ve heard from this band – or any other for that matter — before."[9]

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Harlequins"4:39
2."Brace"4:48
3."Empire"3:27
4."Gods"4:29
5."Discoloured" (featuring Hayley Mary)4:17
6."Pilot"5:33
7."Crown"4:17
8."Above / Below"4:03
9."Catastrophe"4:16
10."Mercy Arms"6:40

Charts
Chart (2016) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[10] 3
New Zealand Heatseekers Albums (RMNZ)[11] 5

Release history
Country Date Format Label
Australia[12][13][14] 4 November 2016 Digital download, CD, LP EMI / Universal Music Australia

References
  1. "Birds Of Tokyo Are Going 'Heavy' On Their New Album & Reckon Radio Won't Play It". MusicFeeds. 9 February 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  2. "Birds Of Tokyo Announce "Darker" New Album 'Brace', Share Heavy Title Track". Music Feeds. 21 September 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  3. "Birds of Tokyo premiere 'Brace', title track of their heaviest album yet". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 21 September 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  4. "BIRDS OF TOKYO BRACE FOR NOV/DEC AUSTRALIAN TOUR". Birds of Tokyo. 10 October 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  5. "NEW ALBUM 'BRACE' OUT NOVEMBER 4, NEW SINGLE OUT NOW". Birds of Tokyo. 21 September 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  6. "NEW SINGLE 'EMPIRE' OUT NOW – WATCH THE VIDEO HERE!". Birds of Tokyo. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  7. "Birds of Tokyo Brace EMI". Rolling Stone Australia. Archived from the original on 12 November 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  8. "Album Review: Brace". ABC. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  9. "album review Birds of Tokyo BRACE". MusicFeeds. November 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  10. "Australiancharts.com – Birds of Tokyo – Brace". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  11. "NZ Heatseekers Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 14 November 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  12. "Brace (album)". iTunes Australia. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  13. "Brace by Birds of Tokyo (CD)". JB Hi-Fi. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  14. "Brace by Birds of Tokyo (LP)". JB Hi-Fi. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
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