All Our Favourite Stories is the debut album by British band Dog Is Dead, released by Atlantic Records in October 2012.[1] Music from the track "Heal It" was used for Sky Sports' coverage of the UEFA Champions League,[2] while "Glockenspiel Song" had been featured in an episode of Skins. Music from the album has also featured in the reality TV shows Made in Chelsea and The Only Way is Essex.[3]
| All Our Favourite Stories | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | 8 October 2012 |
| Genre | Indie rock, indie pop |
| Label | Atlantic Records |
| Producer | Guy Elderfield David Kosten Rob Milton |
Recording
editAfter signing to Atlantic Records, the band entered RAK Studios to begin work on their debut album with producer David Kosten. Unhappy with the way that these sessions were heading, the band relocated back to Random Recordings – the Nottingham studio they had previously used to record their early demo tapes. Recording for the album was completed there, with production coming from studio owner/ producer Guy Elderfield and Dog Is Dead's singer Rob Milton.[4]
Artwork
editThe cover of the album features a collage of 1970s schoolchildren walking along a suburban pathway, unwittingly approaching a black hole. The image was inspired by the work of the artist Valero Doval.[5]
Reception
editCommercial performance
editAll Our Favourite Stories entered the UK Albums Chart during the week ending 20 October and peaked at number 45.[6]
Critical response
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 55/100[7] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [8] |
| BBC Music | (neutral)[9] |
| Drowned in Sound | (8/10)[10] |
| The Guardian | [3] |
| Metro | [2] |
| musicOMH | [11] |
| NME | (6/10)[12] |
| The Observer | [13] |
Upon its release, All Our Favourite Stories received a mixed critical response. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews and ratings from mainstream critics, the album has received a score of 55, based on 9 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[7]
The album was described by the Observer as containing "punchy pop songs with immediate, uncomplicated appeal",[13] while its sister publication the Guardian praised the "solid gold indie pop songs ornamented with real precision and flair".[3] The NME was less complimentary, lamenting the loss of the band's early, rougher sound which it considered had been replaced by "earnest but uninspiring anthemic rock".[12] Lack of originality was also a concern for BBC Music, which noted that the album did not "bring anything new to the table".[9] Drowned in Sound were more generous, stating that Dog Is Dead had released "one of 2012's finest debuts".[10] All Our Favourite Stories also found favour with musicOMH, who argued that it was "one of the most entertaining albums of the year".[11]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Get Low" | 4:04 |
| 2. | "Do the Right Thing" | 4:26 |
| 3. | "Teenage Daughter" | 4:12 |
| 4. | "Talk Through the Night" | 3:38 |
| 5. | "Two Devils" | 4:21 |
| 6. | "Hands Down" | 4:22 |
| 7. | "Glockenspiel Song" | 3:28 |
| 8. | "Heal It" | 3:59 |
| 9. | "River Jordan" | 4:42 |
| 10. | "Any Movement" | 4:10 |
References
edit- ^ Murray, Robin (20 August 2012). "Dog Is Dead Unveil Artwork, Remix". Clash Music. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
- ^ a b "Dog Is Dead's All Our Favourite Stories is surprisingly uplifting". Metro. 5 October 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
- ^ a b c Mossman, Kate (4 October 2012). "Dog Is Dead: All Our Favourite Stories – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
- ^ Gourlay, Dom (12 November 2012). "DiS meets Dog Is Dead". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
- ^ Bennett, Matthew (28 November 2012). "The Art of Noise: Dog Is Dead – All Our Favourite Stories". Clash Music. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
- ^ "Dog Is Dead". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
- ^ a b "Critic Reviews for All Our Favourite Stories". Metacritic. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
- ^ Kerr, Scott. "All Our Favourite Stories – Dog Is Dead". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
- ^ a b Denney, Alex (5 October 2012). "Dog Is Dead All Our Favourite Stories Review". BBC Online. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
- ^ a b Gourlay, Dom (6 December 2012). "Drowned in Nottingham's Album of 2012: Dog Is Dead All Our Favourite Stories (Atlantic)". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 8 December 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
- ^ a b Baber, Andy. "Dog Is Dead – All Our Favourite Stories". musicOMH. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
- ^ a b Catling, Simon Jay (5 October 2012). "Dog Is Dead – 'All Our Favourite Stories'". NME. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
- ^ a b Carnwath, Ally (7 October 2012). "Dog Is Dead: All Our Favourite Stories – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 December 2012.