Free All the Monsters

Free All the Monsters is the eighth full-length album by New Zealand band The Bats, released in 2011.

Free All the Monsters
Studio album by
The Bats
Released15 October 2011
RecordedDecember 2010 at Seacliff Asylum, New Zealand
GenreDunedin sound, Indie pop, Alternative rock[1]
LabelFlying Nun Records
ProducerDale Cotton, The Bats[2]
The Bats chronology
The Guilty Office
(2008)		 Free All the Monsters
(2011)		 The Deep Set
(2017)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [1]
Pitchfork [3]
NZ Herald [4]

Recording and release

In December 2010, The Bats recorded tracks for the album at a backpackers and stables at the old Seacliff Asylum, between Oamaru and Dunedin. The album was recorded and co-produced by Dale Cotton, who had produced Robert Scott's recent solo album.[5]

The album was released on 15 October 2011. In New Zealand, The Bats reunited with their old label Flying Nun. Internationally the album was released by Mistletone Records in Australia, Revolver/Midheaven Distribution in the U.S.A, and Forte Distribution in the U.K. & Europe.[5]

Reception

The album has been praised by critics in New Zealand and internationally. Tim Sendra of Allmusic said, 'The Bats have managed to maintain a ridiculously high level of quality throughout their career, and Free All the Monsters is as good a record as they’ve ever made." It was described by Pitchfork as "...their best record in years, possibly ever".[3]

The album was shortlisted for the 2012 Taite Music Prize.[6]

Track listing

All tracks are written by The Bats/Robert Scott.

No.TitleLength
1."Long Halls"4:27
2."Simpletons"3:56
3."Free All the Monsters"2:57
4."See Right Through Me"4:59
5."It's Not the Same"3:07
6."In the Subway"3:35
7."Fingers of Dawn"4:13
8."Spacejunk"4:47
9."On the Bank"3:49
10."Canopy"2:03
11."When the Day Comes"3:12
12."Getting Over You"1:53

Personnel
  • Malcolm Grant - drums
  • Paul Kean - backing vocals, bass
  • Robert Scott - vocals, guitar, keyboards
  • Kaye Woodward - vocals, guitar

Also credited:

  • Alan Starrett - viola, dulcimer ("Long Halls")
  • John Egenes - mandolin ("Free All the Monsters")
  • Dale Cotton - engineer, co-producer[2]

References
  1. "Free All the Monsters" on All Music Guide. Retrieved on 8 December 2011
  2. "The Bats - Free All the Monsters".
  3. "Free All The Monsters - The Bats Review". Pitchfork. 1 December 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  4. Baillie, Russell (19 November 2011). "Album Review: The Bats, Free All the Monsters". The New Zealand Herald.
  5. "The Bats: Recent Past - Official Site". The Bats. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  6. "Taite Music Prize 2012". IMNZ. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
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