Puzzle (Biffy Clyro album)

Infobox Album | Name = Puzzle
Type = Studio album
Artist = Biffy Clyro


Released = 4 June 2007 (UK)
18 September 2007 (USA)
Recorded = The Warehouse Studio
Vancouver, Canada
The Farm Studios
Gibsons, Canada
Genre = Alternative rock
Length =
Label = 14th Floor (UK)
Roadrunner (US)
Producer = Garth "GGGarth" Richardson
Biffy Clyro
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:0pfrxzy5ldke link]
*"Big Cheese" Rating|4.5|5 June 2007, p. 105
*Comfort Comes (8.8/10) [http://www.comfortcomes.com/?page=reviews&id=1722 link]
*Drowned in Sound (7/10) [http://www.drownedinsound.com/release/view/10307 link]
*"The Fly" Rating|4|5 May 2007
*"Guitarist" Rating|5|5 #290, June 2007
* Insiders' Guides (7/10) [http://www.insidersguides.net/musicguides/artists/BiffyClyro/Puzzle.php link]
*"Kerrang!" Rating|5|5 [http://biffyclyro.wmg.com/mailouts/pdfs/kerrang.html #1158, May 2007]
*"The List" Rating|5|5 #576, p.58
* "Metal Hammer" (8/10) Fact|date=July 2007
*"Music Mart" (8/10) #241, May 2007
*musicOHM Rating|4|5 [http://www.musicomh.com/albums/biffy-clyro-3_0507.htm link]
*"NME" (8/10) [http://www.nme.com/reviews/biffy-clyro/8585 26 May 2007]
*"Q" Rating|3|5 June 2007, p. 96
*Rocklouder Rating|5|5 [http://rocklouder.co.uk/articles/2919.html link]
*"The Times" Rating|4|5 [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/cd_reviews/article1866126.ece link]
*"Rock Sound" (10/10) #97, June 2007
*"Total Guitar" (9/10) #161, May 1007
*"TUNED" Rating|5|5 #2, 10 May 2007
*Ultimate-Guitar (9.9/10) [http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/compact_discs/biffy_clyro/puzzle/index.html link]
Last album = "Infinity Land"
(2004)
This album = "Puzzle"
(2007)
Next album = "Singles 2001-2005"
(2008)
Misc = Singles
Name = Puzzle
Type = studio
single 1 = Semi-Mental
single 1 date = 25 December 2006
single 2 = Saturday Superhouse
single 2 date = 5 March 2007
single 3 = Living is a Problem Because Everything Dies
single 3 date = 14 May 2007
single 4 = Folding Stars
single 4 date = 16 July 2007
single 5 = Machines
single 5 date = 8 October 2007
single 6 = Who's Got A Match?
single 6 date = 4 February 2008

"Puzzle" is the fourth studio album by Scottish rock band Biffy Clyro, released 4 June, 2007 - the album was later released in America in August. It is the band's first album since leaving Beggars Banquet.

The album reached #2 in the UK Albums Chart to widespread critical acclaim, and was voted the best album of 2007 by Kerrang! and Rock Sound. The album also reached #17 in Ireland, and #39 in the overall world charts. The album is certified Gold in the UK, having sold over 100,000 copies. [http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=32947]

This album is noted for its departure from the quirky and sometimes unconventional songs, as on their past albums, having a somewhat more straightforward sound while still retaining some more unusual elements. [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:0pfrxzy5ldke]

Overview

The album was recorded from September to November 2006 at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, Canada, and The Farm Studio in Gibsons, Canada. It was produced by Garth Richardson, mixed by Andy Wallace in New York, and mastered by Howie Weinberg at Masterdisk. The band said that they had 40 tracks to choose from ["Rock Sound" magazine interview with Biffy Clyro] , and that they had been recording with composer Graeme Revell and the Seattle Symphony Orchestra whilst making the album ["Kerrang!" magazine interview with Biffy Clyro] . The artwork for Puzzle and its subsequent singles was designed by Storm Thorgerson. The track listing was confirmed on 21 February 2007 ["Kerrang!" #1147, p. 6] .

Track listing

* Songs and lyrics by Simon Neil, Music by Biffy Clyro.
#"Living Is a Problem Because Everything Dies" – 5:18
#"Saturday Superhouse" – 3:19
#"Who's Got A Match?" – 2:23
#"As Dust Dances" – 4:34
#*"2/15ths" - 1:02
#"A Whole Child Ago" – 3:07
#"The Conversation Is..." – 3:40
#"Now I'm Everyone" – 3:50
#"Semi-Mental" – 3:22
#*"4/15ths" – 0:45
#"Love Has A Diameter" – 3:53
#"Get Fucked Stud" – 3:37
#"Folding Stars" – 4:15
#"9/15ths" – 2:46
#"Machines" – 3:56

B-Sides

* "Scared of Lots of Everything"
* "I'm Behind You"
* "Miracle of Survival"
* "Relief or Fight"
* "Loneliness"
* "Kittens, Cakes and Cuddles"
* "Drop It"
* "Asexual Meat Kitchen"
* "A Headline"
* "Coward"
* "Hermaphrofight"
* "But I'm Serious"
* "Cracker"

Unreleased

*"Help Me Become Captain"
*"Captain, Sir..." (A counterpart to "Help Me Become Captain")
*"I'm Probably In Your Pocket"

Other editions

Along with the regular 13-track album, there is a limited edition release with a bonus track, "Drop It" (a re-recording of a demo, "Drop It Dickhead"), as well as a bonus DVD, which includes a 40 minute documentary, "The Making of Puzzle", as well as the videos for "Semi-Mental", "Saturday Superhouse" and "Living is a Problem Because Everything Dies".

* Fans who pre-ordered the iTunes download received a 10 minute video entitled "Pieces", which contains footage of the band at their four night run at King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow, Scotland, in December 2005, as well as two exclusive bonus tracks:
**"Semi-Mental (Acoustic)"
**"As Dust Dances (Acoustic)"These bonus features are as yet unavailable separately.

Personnel

* Simon Neil – vocals, guitar, glockenspiel
* James Johnston – vocals, bass guitar
* Ben Johnston – vocals, drums
* Garth "GGGarth" Richardson – producer
* Andy Wallace - mixing
* Mike Fraser - engineer
* Howie Weinberg - mastering
* Graeme Revell – string and choir orchestrations
* Seattle Symphony Orchestra – violins, violas, cellos, choir
* Ben Kaplan – keyboard
* Mike Norman – keyboard, saxophone on "Now I'm Everyone"
* Dorothy Lawson – cello on "Machines"

Release history

"Puzzle" was released in various countries in 2007.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.biffyclyro.com Official Biffy Clyro Website]
*MusicBrainz release|id=f550ed7d-fc35-435f-90b2-734a62a8e8ca|name=Puzzle