Forget What You Know

Forget What You Know
Studio album by Midtown
Released June 29, 2004
Genre Emo, pop punk
Length 52:43
Label Columbia
Producer Butch Walker
Midtown chronology
Living Well Is the Best Revenge
(2002)		 Forget What You Know
(2004)
Singles from Forget What You Know
  1. "Give It Up"
    Released: May 18, 2004

Forget What You Know is the third and final studio album by American rock band Midtown.

Background

In 1999, Midtown signed to independent label Drive-Thru Records, and released their debut album Save the World, Lose the Girl (2000) through them.[1] Sometime afterwards, communication between the label and the group became difficult. Vocalist/bassist Gabe Saporta was concerned that Drive-Thru were focussing their efforts on New Found Glory, which Saporta helped to sign with the label, rather than Midtown. Public feuding between Saporta and the label's founders Richard and Stefanie Reines soon ensured.[2] At the time, Drive-Thru had a distribution deal with major label MCA Records. The deal allowed MCA to acquire Drive-Thru Records' bands over a period of time.[3] The group's next album Living Well Is the Best Revenge (2002) was a joint release between Drive-Thru and MCA.[4]

According to drummer Rob Hitt, MCA had a few groups that performed well commercially and the label "wanted to put every other band into that same cookie-cutter mold. And we didn't want that."[1] The group subsequently had negative experiences with the label, who wanted to feature the band in teen magazines.[1] Around the time, MCA had acquired acts that were dissimilar to the Drive-Thru bands. They were investing in the groups, who had no success, and lost a substantial amount of money.[1] The group then entered into a legal battle to leave the label, which lasted for a year.[5] By mid-2003, MCA was absorbed by Universal Music Group subsidiary Geffen Records, which resulted in its staff and roster being moved to Geffen.[6] As this was occurring, the group were spending time writing for their next record.[1]

Geffen believed the group to be taking a break from touring due to their inactivity. Hitt said the group "didn't put our next album out there at that moment to make it seem like we had all these things going on."[1] Saporta said that "as far as anyone cared, we were dead. No one gave a shit" about the group by the time they were working on their next album.[5] Sometime afterwards, the group played a show with Butch Walker. Following the show, Walker's manager started managing the group. After seeing Walker on a separate occasion, "he was like, ‘Oh, I’ve heard your demos, I think they’re great. I’d love to do your record’".[5] Saporta said "like, ‘Whatever’" as he had grown suspicious of people talking to him after the legal battle.[5]

Recording and composition

The group temporarily moved to Atlanta, Georgia for recording.[7] Despite not being a fan of Walker's work, the group worked with him for the sessions.[5] Saporta said Walker's own work was "all very slick" and they wanted to create something that was "a little more rock and roll".[5] He said they aimed to make the record for themselves and "[we] were just like, ‘Okay, we’re going to make an awesome record for ourselves and prove something to ourselves,’ and that’s all we cared about."[5] With tracking lasting three weeks in November, the group recorded 18 songs.[8]

Musically, the album has been described as emo[9] and pop punk, showing similarity to Alkaline Trio.[10] While writing the album, Saporta was "going through a tough time, where everything that I thought I knew was proven to be false and the world just started redefining itself."[5] The album, which has a darker overtone, was about the "realization that the reality that I knew was fake ... [and that] you’re always going to be okay, there’s always going to be something that gets you through in your new reality."[5]

Release

The album was shopped to various record labels[11] in early 2004.[8] On January 23, "Is It Me? Is It True?" was made available for download through AbsolutePunk.[12] On April 7, Forget What You Know was announced for release in June,[13] and that it would be released through Sony Music Entertainment imprint Columbia Records. In addition, the album's track listing was revealed.[14] "Give It Up" was released to radio on May 18[15] and released as a single two days later.[14] Between late April and early June, the group went on a US tour with Armor for Sleep and Your Enemies Friends. They were supported on select dates by Time and Distance, The Working Title, Stars Hide Fire, Vise Versa, Emanuel and Lance's Hero.[16] On June 12, a music video was released for "Give It Up". A behind-the-scenes making of video was also released.[14] Forget What You Know was released through Columbia Records on June 29.[13] It was subsequently released in Australia (August 16), Canada (August 24), Germany and UK (September 24).[14] Discussing the album title, the band said: "Forget what you know about the world; forget what you know about yourself. Forget what you think you know about Project Mayhem. Embrace nothingness, be everything."[14] To promote the album's release, the group did a few in-store performances.[14]

In July and August, the group went on tour with Lostprophets.[17] Following this, the group played in Japan and Canada.[18] In September and October, the group appeared on the Rock Against Bush tour in the US.[19] The group then toured across Australia and the UK with Hidden in Plain View.[14] They returned to the US in November for a tour with Matchbook Romance[20] and Hidden in Plain View. The Academy Is... and Name Taken appeared on select shows.[14] In mid-December, the group played a three shows with Paulson, Senses Fail and Moneen,[21] and a five shows with Fall Out Boy, The Academy Is... and Gym Class Heroes.[22] In March and April 2005, the group performed across the US as part of the Fueled By Ramen & Friends Tour.[23] On March 18, a music video was released for "Empty Like the Ocean".[24] At the end of April, the group appeared at The Bamboozle festival, before embarking on a headlining tour with Plain White T's, Action Action and Rock Kills Kid.[25] While the group was initially scheduled to appear on Warped Tour between mid-June and mid-August,[26] they pulled out of all of the shows, except for the last five.[27] "Sister Golden Hair", a cover of the America song recorded during the album's sessions, was released in November 2006.[28]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AbsolutePunk96% [29]
AllMusic [30]
Melodic [9]
Punknews.org [10]
SoundsXPFavorable [31]

Track listing

  1. "Armageddon" – 0:45
  2. "To Our Savior" – 2:47
  3. "Give It Up" – 3:39
  4. "Is It Me? Is It True?" – 3:08
  5. "God Is Dead" – 1:04
  6. "Whole New World" – 3:38
  7. "Empty Like the Ocean" – 4:27
  8. "Nothing Is Ever What It Seems" – 3:37
  9. "The Tragedy of the Human Condition" – 1:09
  10. "Waiting for the News" – 2:59
  11. "Until It Kills" – 3:51
  12. "Hey Baby, Don't You Know That We're All Whores" – 2:37
  13. "Help Me Sleep" – 3:04
  14. "Manhattan" – 2:39
  15. "So Long as We Keep Our Bodies Numb We're Safe" – 13:13

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Friedman, David (December 13, 2004). "Fresh start". The News-Times. Shawn Palmer. Archived from the original on April 23, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  2. ↑ Manley 2008, p. 116
  3. ↑ Billboard 1999, p. 74
  4. ↑ Living Well Is the Best Revenge (Booklet). Midtown. Drive-Thru/MCA Records. 2002. 112 886-2.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Koczan, JJ (April 13, 2005). "Midtown: Interview With Gabe Saporta". The Aquarian Weekly. Diane Casazza, Chris Farinas. p. 2. Archived from the original on April 27, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  6. ↑ Billboard (May 20, 2003). "MCA & Geffen Merger". ISM Sound Network. Archived from the original on December 26, 2005. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  7. ↑ Heisel, Scott (December 18, 2003). "New Midtown album update". Punknews.org. Aubin Paul. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  8. 1 2 "Bio of Midtown". PureVolume. Archived from the original on December 11, 2004. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  9. 1 2 Roth, Kaj (July 30, 2005). "Midtown - Forget What You Know". Melodic. Archived from the original on April 23, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  10. 1 2 link Archived 2008-10-11 at the Wayback Machine.
  11. ↑ Proefrock, Stacia. "Midtown | Biography & History". AllMusic. All Media Network, LLC. Archived from the original on September 16, 2013. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  12. ↑ Wippsson, Johan (January 23, 2004). "Midtown Produced By Butch Walker,posts New Song Online". Melodic. Archived from the original on April 23, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  13. 1 2 Roth, Kaj (April 7, 2004). "Midtown Prod.by Butch Walker Out In June". Melodic. Archived from the original on April 23, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Recent News". Midtown. Archived from the original on December 4, 2004. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  15. ↑ "FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock". Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Incorporated. Archived from the original on March 22, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  16. ↑ Heisel, Scott (March 25, 2004). "Midtown/Armor For Sleep/Your Enemies Friends". Punknews.org. Aubin Paul. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Lostprophets Return to the States for Summer Concert Tour". Sony Corporation of America. Archived from the original on April 23, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Tour Dates". Midtown. Archived from the original on August 7, 2004. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  19. ↑ White, Adam (August 17, 2004). "Rock Against Bush Tour". Punknews.org. Aubin Paul. Archived from the original on April 23, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Tour Dates". Midtown. Archived from the original on October 11, 2004. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  21. ↑ Paul, Aubin (October 22, 2004). "Paulson tour dates with Burnthe8Track, Senses Fail, Midtown, and Moneen". Punknews.org. Aubin Paul. Archived from the original on April 23, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Tour Dates". Midtown. Archived from the original on December 4, 2004. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  23. ↑ Shultz, Brian (January 19, 2005). "The Fueled By Ramen & Friends Tour 2005". Punknews.org. Aubin Paul. Archived from the original on April 23, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  24. ↑ Shultz, Brian (March 18, 2005). "Midtown posts video for 'Empty Like The Ocean'". Punknews.org. Aubin Paul. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  25. ↑ "Recent News". Columbia Records. Archived from the original on August 15, 2006. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  26. ↑ Kaufman, Gil (March 3, 2005). "Warped Tour Lineup, Itinerary Officially Announced". MTV. Archived from the original on September 19, 2016. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  27. ↑ Paul, Aubin (April 2, 2005). "Midtown cancels most Warped Tour appearances, recording this summer". Punknews.org. Aubin Paul. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  28. ↑ "Midtown post previously unreleased B-side". Alternative Press. November 13, 2006. Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
  29. ↑ link Archived 2013-02-21 at Archive.is
  30. ↑ link
  31. ↑ Graham S (September 27, 2004). "Midtown Forget What You Know Album Review". SoundsXP. Archived from the original on April 23, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.

Sources

  • Billboard (September 11, 1999). "Newsline..." Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 111 (37). ISSN 0006-2510.
  • Manley, Brendan (June 2008). "Fangs for the Memories" (PDF). Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. (239). ISSN 1065-1667. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-11-23.
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