All Hell is the seventh studio album by Welsh indie rock band Los Campesinos!, released on 19 July 2024 via Heart Swells. It is their first album in seven years, following Sick Scenes (2017), as well as their first to not be issued by their longtime label Wichita.[1] All Hell is promoted by four singles, "Feast of Tongues", "A Psychic Wound", "0898 Heartache", and "Kms", a US tour in June 2024, and a UK tour in September.[2][3]
| All Hell | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.webp) | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 19, 2024 | |||
| Recorded | October 2023–February 2024 | |||
| Studio | ||||
| Length | 49:51 | |||
| Label | Heart Swells | |||
| Producer | Tom Bromley | |||
| Los Campesinos! chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from All Hell | ||||
| ||||
Release and promotion
editIn an interview with the Big Issue in December 2023, band member Rob Taylor said Los Campesinos! were working on their seventh studio album.[4] At the band's show at the Troxy in February 2024, frontman Gareth Paisey said the album was complete, set to release that summer. They also debuted their first new original song since 2017, titled "A Psychic Wound".[5]
On 15 May 2024, the title, artwork and track listing of All Hell was announced, and its lead single "Feast of Tongues" was released.[2] Two days later, "A Psychic Wound" was officially released as the album's second single, alongside a music video composed of footage from the Troxy show, and the announcement of a UK tour in September 2024.[6] Two more singles were released prior to the album: "0898 Heartache" and "Kms" in June and July respectively.
A deluxe version of All Hell, featuring five acoustic versions of songs on the standard version plus a cover of "Wait" by the Secret Stars, was released digitally on 22 July 2024.[7][8]
Production
editAll Hell was recorded across three separate sessions between Frome, Somerset and Cardiff, Wales from October 2023 to February 2024.[9] Gareth Paisey said they were not worried about deadlines, with producer Tom Bromley adopting the mantra "it's ready when it's good and we're happy with it".[10]
According to Abby Jones of Stereogum, All Hell is the most polished-sounding Los Campesinos! album, calling back to the production of their 2013 album No Blues. Meanwhile, the title of track four and the group chant "Can we all calm the fuck down?" from "Clown Blood/Orpheus' Bobbing Head" are references to Romance Is Boring (2010).[11]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| DIY |   [12] |
| Dork |  [13] |
| Exclaim! | 8/10[14] |
| Pitchfork | 8.5/10[15] |
| The Skinny | [16] |
Reviewing for DIY, Joe Goggins called the album a satisfying improvement on the band’s established sound and a "triumph".[12] For Pitchfork, reviewer Ian Cohen similarly praised All Hell as "unquestionably the ultimate Los Campesinos! album."[15] Chris Gee of Exclaim! commended David's improved vocal range to create a more dynamic sound, and his "signature inventive wordplay" which is "never overly macabre" but consistently humorous.[14] Dan Harrison of Dork wrote that Bromley had outdone himself as producer, "crafting a sound that’s both intimately familiar and refreshingly new," and further complimented David's distinctive writing style.[13] All Hell was named the album of the week by indie music publication Stereogum.[11]
Track listing
editAll lyrics are written by Gareth Paisey; all music is composed by Tom Bromley.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Coin-Op Guillotine" | 4:19 |
| 2. | "Holy Smoke (2005)" | 2:56 |
| 3. | "A Psychic Wound" | 4:02 |
| 4. | "I. Spit; or, a Bite Mark in the Shape of the Sunflower State" | 1:24 |
| 5. | "Long Throes" | 4:19 |
| 6. | "Feast of Tongues" | 5:02 |
| 7. | "The Order of the Seasons" | 3:57 |
| 8. | "II. Music for Aerial Toll House" | 0:52 |
| 9. | "To Hell in a Handjob" | 4:11 |
| 10. | "Clown Blood/Orpheus’ Bobbing Head" | 3:57 |
| 11. | "Kms" | 2:35 |
| 12. | "III. Surfing a Contrail" | 0:39 |
| 13. | "Moonstruck" | 3:28 |
| 14. | "0898 Heartache" | 5:16 |
| 15. | "Adult Acne Stigmata" | 2:54 |
| Total length: | 49:51 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 16. | "A Psychic Wound (A Cosmic Cheque version)" | 3:56 |
| 17. | "Long Throes (Punks on the Playlist version)" | 3:18 |
| 18. | "To Hell in a Handjob (Shucked)" | 4:02 |
| 19. | "Moonstruck (29 September 2023)" | 3:30 |
| 20. | "The Coin-Op Guillotine (Sharpen the Blade)" | 3:32 |
| 21. | "Wait" (the Secret Stars cover) | 3:25 |
| Total length: | 71:34 | |
Notes
- All tracks are stylised in title case, except for "kms" in all lowercase and "0898 HEARTACHE" in all caps.
Personnel
editLos Campesinos!
- Gareth Paisey – vocals
- Kim Paisey – lead vocals (track 11)
- Jason Adelinia
- Matthew Fidler
- Neil Turner
- Rob Taylor – sleeve image, album design, illustration
- Tom Bromley – production, string arrangements
Additional contributors
- Milo Ferreira-Hayes – engineering
- Gareth Bodman – additional engineering
- Andrei Eremin – mixing and mastering
- Holly Carpenter – violin (tracks 1, 5–7, 13)
- Eileen McDonald Sparks – cello (tracks 1, 6, 13)
- Jon Natchez – saxophone (track 9)
- Gareth Paisey – handwritten text
References
edit- ^ Los Campesinos! [@LosCampesinos] (15 May 2024). "All Hell is our first album without Wichita. We'd not be the band we are without them. I don't think we'd have lasted past the first 2 years tbh ..." (Tweet). Retrieved 15 May 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ a b Kelly, Tyler Damara (15 May 2024). "Los Campesinos! announce seventh studio album, All Hell". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ Monroe, Jazz (15 May 2024). "Los Campesinos! Return With First Album Since 2017, Share New Song: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ Levine, Nick (2 December 2023). "Sparky Deathcap on September, TikTok and Los Campesinos!". The Big Issue. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
- ^ Kelly, Tyler Damara (19 February 2024). "Los Campesinos! tease seventh studio album and debut new song in London". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
- ^ Deville, Chris (17 May 2024). "Los Campesinos! – 'A Psychic Wound'". Stereogum. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
- ^ "All Hell (Deluxe)". 22 July 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2024 – via Bandcamp.
- ^ Molloy, Laura (22 July 2024). "Los Campesinos! share deluxe edition of new album 'All Hell' – available only for a few days". NME. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
- ^ "All Hell". Bandcamp. 19 July 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ Long, Jen (15 July 2024). "Los Campesinos!: 'This is where we're at, we're not going anywhere'". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- ^ a b Jones, Abby (16 July 2024). "Album Of The Week: Los Campesinos! All Hell". Stereogum. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
- ^ a b Goggins, Joe (17 July 2024). "Los Campesinos! – All Hell review". DIY. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ a b Harrison, Dan. "Los Campesinos! – All Hell". Dork. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ a b Gee, Chris (19 July 2024). "Los Campesinos! Grow with Grace on 'All Hell'". Exclaim!. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ a b Cohen, Ian (19 July 2024). "Los Campesinos!: All Hell Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ Wade, Lewis. "Los Campesinos! – All Hell". The Skinny. Retrieved 19 July 2024.