Never Happy, Ever After

Never Happy, Ever After
Studio album by As It Is
Released 20 April 2015
Recorded October–November 2014, St. Cloud, Florida
Genre Emo,[1] pop punk[1][2]
Length 36:17
Label Fearless
Producer James Paul Wisner
As It Is chronology
This Mind of Mine
(2014)		 Never Happy, Ever After
(2015)		 okay.
(2017)
Deluxe edition
Deluxe edition album artwork
Singles from Never Happy, Ever After
  1. "Dial Tones"
    Released: 20 January 2015
  2. "Concrete"
    Released: 3 March 2015
  3. "Cheap Shots & Setbacks"
    Released: 14 April 2015

Never Happy, Ever After is the debut studio album by British pop punk band As It Is. Following four self-released EPs, the band signed to Fearless Records in October 2014. A week after the signing, the band went to record with producer James Paul Wisner in St. Cloud, Florida, United States. Never Happy, Ever After was released through Fearless on 20 April 2015.

Background

As It Is was started in spring 2012[3] by vocalist Patty Walters, who posted an advertisement stating that he was looking for musicians to be in a pop punk band using the online service Join My Band.[4] Guitarist Andy Westhead and drummer Patrick Foley replied to the advertisement and were accepted into the band.[5] Walters met guitarist Ben Biss while at university in Brighton.[6] As It Is self-released three EPs.[1] Following the release of a music video for "Can't Save Myself" in early February 2014 the band went on its first tour.[6] The band's fourth EP, This Mind of Mine, was a crowdfunded effort,[7] released in March 2014.[8] On 2 October, it was announced the band signed to Fearless Records,[9] the first UK band to do so.[1] Walters called Fearless "one of my favorite record labels."[9] Bands on Fearless "have played a huge role in my life, inspiring me massively".[9]

Composition and recording

Rock Sound contributor Rob Sayce noted that the album was influenced by All Time Low's Nothing Personal (2009).[10] Sayce wrote that the album "was another milestone release for UK pop-punk, and those sky-scraping choruses bore the unmistakable mark of ATL."[10] The band spent "a stupid amount of time on really making sure that is was the record we wanted", according to Walters.[6] During the writing process, the band members had not seen their girlfriends in a few months.[11] Walters called this "the hardest thing" he has had to face.[11] "Dial Tones" was Walters and guitarist Ben Biss' way of handing the guilt the pair of them were facing.[11] The bridge for the song was written at the Playhouse Theatre in London.[12] The group demoed vocals for the song in the bar of the theatre.[12]

A week after signing to Fearless, the band went to record[9] in a studio located in St. Cloud, Florida, with producer by James Paul Wisner.[1] Recording was done over the course of five-and-a-half weeks.[6] Working with Wisner was "a huge learning curve" for the band, according to Walters.[6]

Release

On 20 January 2015 "Dial Tones" was released as a single.[13] The music video for which was made by LifeIsArtFilms.[14] On 23 February, Never Happy, Ever After was announced for release, and the artwork was revealed.[15] Between late February and early April, As It Is supported Set It Off on the Glamour Kills Spring Break '15 tour.[16] On 3 March, "Concrete" was made available for steaming.[17] On 14 April, the album was made available for streaming.[7] On the same day, the music video for "Cheap Shots & Setbacks" was released.[7] The video was made by Dan Centrone.[18] Never Happy, Ever After was released by Fearless Records on 20 April.[19] In May, the band went on a co-headlining tour with This Wild Life with support from Seaway and Boston Manor.[20] The band played on the 2015 edition of Warped Tour.[17]

A deluxe edition of the album was released on April 8, 2016.[21] This edition features a new song, "Winter's Weather", and acoustic versions of three tracks: "Dial Tones", "Cheap Shots & Setbacks" and "Concrete".[21]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Alternative Press (Japan)[22]
idobi Radio9/10[2]
Kerrang![23]

"Dial Tones" was included on Alternative Press's "12 New Songs You Need To Hear From January 2015" list.[24] The album was included at number 19 on Rock Sound's top 50 releases of 2015 list.[25]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Patty Walters and Ben Biss, all music composed by As It Is.

Standard edition
No.TitleLength
1."Speak Soft"  3:16
2."Cheap Shots & Setbacks"  2:53
3."Sorry"  2:59
4."Drowning Deep in Doubt"  3:48
5."Dial Tones"  3:19
6."My Oceans Were Lakes"  3:48
7."Concrete"  2:58
8."Turn Back to Me"  2:57
9."Can't Save Myself"  3:46
10."Silence (Pretending's So Comfortable)"  3:43
11."You, the Room & the Devil on Your Shoulder"  2:56
Bonus tracks

Personnel

As It Is
Production

Chart positions

Charts (2015) Peak
position
Scottish Albums Chart[27] 40
UK Albums Chart[28] 39
UK Album Downloads Chart[29] 37
UK Albums Sales Chart[30] 33
UK Physical Albums Chart[31] 52
UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart[32] 2
US Billboard 200[33] 159
US Billboard Alternative Albums[34] 17
US Billboard Heatseekers Albums[35] 2
US Billboard Independent Albums[36] 14
US Billboard Top Album Sales[37] 77
US Billboard Top Rock Albums[38] 23

References

Citations
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Monger, Timothy. "Never Happy, Ever After - As It Is - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  2. 1 2 Marvel, Emillie (22 April 2015). "Album Review: As It Is – Never Happy, Ever After | idobi Network". Idobi.com. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  3. ↑ Biddulph 2015, p. 36
  4. ↑ "As It Is - DSCVR Interview". YouTube.com. DSCVR. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  5. ↑ "5 Things You Never Knew About... As It Is". YouTube.com. Rock Sound. 29 March 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Ritchie 2015, p. 34
  7. 1 2 3 Sharp, Tyler (14 April 2015). "Stream As It Is' new album, 'Never Happy, Ever After'". Alternative Press. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  8. ↑ "iTunes - Music - This Mind of Mine - EP by As It Is". iTunes. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Sharp, Tyler (2 October 2014). "As It Is sign to Fearless Records". Alternative Press. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  10. 1 2 Sayce 2015, p. 32
  11. 1 2 3 Willcocks, Matthew (20 January 2015). "Behind The Scenes of As It Is' "Dial Tones" music video". Alternative Press. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  12. 1 2 McMahon, ed. 2015, p. 19
  13. ↑ "iTunes - Music - Dial Tones - Single by As It Is". iTunes. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  14. ↑ Fearless Records (19 January 2015). As It Is - Dial Tones (Official Music Video). YouTube. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  15. ↑ Ritchie, Andy (23 February 2015). "This Is What The Artwork For The Debut As It Is Album Looks Like". Rock Sound Magazine. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  16. ↑ Sharp, Tyler (7 January 2015). "Set It Off, Against The Current, more announced for Glamour Kills: Spring Break '15 Tour". Alternative Press. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  17. 1 2 Sharp, Tyler (3 March 2015). "As It Is stream "Concrete" from new album, 'Never Happy, Ever After'". Alternative Press. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  18. ↑ asitisVEVO (13 April 2015). As It Is - Cheap Shots & Setbacks. YouTube. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  19. ↑ Biddulph, Andy (14 April 2015). "As It Is Just Dropped A MASSIVE New Song". Rock Sound Magazine. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  20. ↑ Ritchie, Andy (20 February 2015). "As It Is And This Wild Life Will Hit The UK Together In May". Rock Sound Magazine. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  21. 1 2 Ralph, Caityln (26 February 2016). "As It Is Announce New Song with Deluxe Edition of 'Never Happy, Ever After'". Alternative Press. Alternative Press. Archived from the original on 26 February 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  22. ↑ Kamada, Yuji. "As It Is - Never Happy, Ever After AltPress Album Review". altpress.jp. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  23. ↑ "As It Is - Timeline Photos". Facebook.com. Retrieved 2015-05-04.
  24. ↑ Whitt, Cassie (28 January 2015). "12 New Songs You Need To Hear From January 2015". Alternative Press. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  25. ↑ Bird, ed. 2016, p. 26
  26. ↑ "Never Happy, Ever After (Deluxe Edition) by As It Is on iTunes". iTunes. Apple. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  27. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  28. ↑ "AS IT IS". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  29. ↑ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  30. ↑ "Official Albums Sales Chart Top 100". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  31. ↑ "Official Physical Albums Chart Top 100". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  32. ↑ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  33. ↑ "As It Is - Chart history (Billboard 200)". billboard.com. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  34. ↑ "As It Is - Chart history (Alternative Albums)". billboard.com. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  35. ↑ "As It Is - Chart history (Heatseekers Albums)". billboard.com. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  36. ↑ "As It Is - Chart history (Independent Albums)". billboard.com. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  37. ↑ "As It Is - Chart history (Top Album Sales)". billboard.com. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  38. ↑ "As It Is - Chart history (Top Rock Albums)". billboard.com. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
Sources
  • Biddulph, Andy (April 2015). Bird, Ryan, ed. "New Noise: As It Is". Rock Sound. London: Freeway Press Inc. (198). ISSN 1465-0185. 
  • Bird, Ryan, ed. (January 2016). "Top 50 Releases of the Year". Rock Sound. London: Freeway Press Inc. (208). ISSN 1465-0185. 
  • McMahon, James, ed. (8 August 2015). "Rock's Biggest Secrets Revealed!". Kerrang!. London: Bauer Media Group (1580). ISSN 0262-6624. 
  • Ritchie, Andy (February 2015). Bird, Ryan, ed. "The Sounds of 2015: As It Is". Rock Sound. London: Freeway Press Inc. (196). ISSN 1465-0185. 
  • Sayce, Rob (Summer 2015). Bird, Ryan, ed. "Hall of Fame: Nothing Personal". Rock Sound. London: Freeway Press Inc. (203). ISSN 1465-0185. 
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