Ball Park Music (album)

Ball Park Music is the eponymous sixth studio album by Australian indie rock band Ball Park Music. It was released on 23 October 2020 through Prawn Records and Inertia Music.[2][3]

"Mostly Sunny (album)" redirects here. For the 2016 documentary, see Mostly Sunny.

Ball Park Music
Studio album by
Ball Park Music
Released23 October 2020
Recorded2019–2020
Length38:59
Label
  • Prawn Records
  • Inertia Music
Producer
Ball Park Music chronology
Good Mood
(2018)		 Ball Park Music
(2020)
Singles from Ball Park Music
  1. "Spark Up!"
    Released: 19 March 2020
  2. "Day & Age"
    Released: 5 June 2020
  3. "Cherub"
    Released: 27 August 2020
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Newcastle Herald[1]

Background

A week prior to the announcement of the album, the band's 2011 single "It's Nice to Be Alive" placed at number 17 in Triple J's Hottest 100 of the 2010s.[4] The band's guitarist Dean Hanson discussed the result whilst premiering lead single "Spark Up!" on the station's breakfast program, "Breakfast with Sally and Erica", stating:

"[It's] so good. We could not be happier to see the company that our little song is in, with some big hitters of the decade. I think we all know we're in a simulation at the moment but that solidifies it for us."[4]

The album was initially titled Mostly Sunny, but was retitled in April after the band decided the initial title did not match the overall theme of the album.[5] In an interview with Triple J, keyboardist Paul Furness elaborated on the decision to change the title:

"[It became] clear before our eyes all of a sudden. Mostly Sunny didn't feel right for a number of reasons. We always did like the title – it had a similar rhythm to it as Good Mood and felt like a continuation. As we've finished this album we've realised, it's really not a continuation of Good Mood. It is its own thing with a different emotional palette."[5]

Recording

The band began recording the album in October 2019 at the beginning of the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season.[6] The album was primarily recorded in Stafford, Brisbane.[7]

Release and promotion

The band announced the album as Mostly Sunny on 19 March 2020, alongside the release of lead single "Spark Up!",[4] before announcing on 23 April 2020 that they were retitling the album eponymously.[7]

Singles

The album was preceded by three singles: "Spark Up!", released on 19 March 2020,[4] "Day & Age", released on 5 June 2020,[8] and "Cherub", released on 28 August 2020.[9] All singles were premiered on Triple J prior to their official release.[4][8][9]

Merchandise

On 3 August 2020, the band posted a link on their Twitter account to face masks merchandise, intended for use during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[10] The tweet included a parody of "Spark Up!"'s chorus, with the lyrics "Life is short/The doors are shut/I say we mask up" written in place of the original chorus.[10] The masks feature the band's name in small text and the smiling moon featured on the album's cover artwork.[10]

Live performances

On 16 August 2020, Ball Park Music performed "Day & Age" live from the Black Bear Lodge bar in Brisbane, Queensland for Australian live music program The Sound.[11]

On 11 September 2020, the band performed "Cherub" live from "Prawn Records HQ", which NME Australia premiered exclusively.[12]

On 23 October 2020, the band performed live on Triple J's Like a Version segment, performing a cover of Radiohead's "Paranoid Android" and their track "Cherub".[13]

Artwork

The cover art depicts a smiling yellow moon in the centre, with a light blue background surrounding it.[14]

Commercial performance

On 28 October 2020, Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) announced in their mid-week report that the album was in contention to debut within the top 10 on the ARIA Albums Chart.[15] On 31 October 2020, Ball Park Music debuted and peaked at number 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart for the chart dated 2 November 2020, tying with Puddinghead (2014) as their highest peak in the region.[16]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Sam Cromack, except "Nothing Ever Goes My Way", written by Sam Cromack and Dean Hanson, and "Katkit", written by Sam Cromack, Daniel Hanson, Dean Hanson, and Paul Furness.

Ball Park Music track listing
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Spark Up!"
  • Paul McKercher
  • William Bowden
4:19
2."Head Like a Sieve"
  • McKercher
  • Bowden
2:42
3."Nothing Ever Goes My Way"
  • McKercher
  • Bowden
3:40
4."I Feel Nothing"
  • McKercher
  • Bowden
3:54
5."Bedroom"
  • McKercher
  • Bowden
3:16
6."Katkit"
  • Bowden
  • Sam Cromack
1:24
7."Cherub"
  • McKercher
  • Bowden
5:28
8."Bad Taste Blues, Pt. III"
  • McKercher
  • Bowden
4:18
9."Obit 2020"
  • McKercher
  • Bowden
3:08
10."Day & Age"
  • McKercher
  • Bowden
3:50
11."Turning Zero"
  • McKercher
  • Bowden
3:08
Total length:38:59

Personnel

Adapted from the album's liner notes.[17]

Musicians

Ball Park Music

  • Sam Cromack – writing, vocals, guitar, synthesiser, shaker (all tracks)
  • Jennifer Boyce – vocals, bass guitar, kazoo (all tracks)
  • Daniel Hanson – writing (6), drums, tambourine, wheelbarrow, bongos, vocals (all tracks)
  • Dean Hanson – writing (3, 6), guitar, vocals, bass guitar (all tracks)
  • Paul Furness – writing (6), piano, rhodes, trombone, synthesiser, mellotron, tambourine, vocals (all tracks)

Other musicians

  • Tom Myers – additional vocals (9, 11)
  • Florence the Dog – panting (4)

Technical
  • Paul McKercher – mixing (1–5, 7–11)
  • Sam Cromack – mixing (6)
  • William Bowden – mastering (all tracks)

Studios

Main recording locations

  • Prawn HQ, Ball Park Music's home studio (Brisbane, Queensland, Australia) – vocals, mixing
  • Free Energy Device (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) – mixing
  • King Willy Sound (Launceston, Tasmania, Australia) – mastering

Additional recording locations

  • Jennifer Boyce's bedroom (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) – additional vocals

Artwork
  • Polly Bass Boost – artwork, design
  • Dean Hanson – artwork, design, photography

Charts
Chart performance for Ball Park Music
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[18] 2

References
  1. Leeson, Josh (15 October 2020). "Review: Ball Park Music, Self-titled". The Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  2. Fuamoli, Sose (7 July 2020). "Ball Park Music continue to tease new album with artwork and release date". Triple J. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  3. "Ball Park Music – CD by Ball Park Music at JB Hi-Fi". JB Hi-Fi. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  4. Newstead, Al (19 March 2020). "First Spin: triple j textline reacts to new Ball Park Music stomper 'Spark Up!'". Triple J. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  5. Newstead, Al (23 April 2020). "Ball Park Music change upcoming album title to mark "beginning of a new chapter"". Triple J. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  6. Martin, Josh (17 March 2020). "Ball Park Music announce new album 'Mostly Sunny' with first single, 'Spark Up!'". NME Australia. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  7. Martin, Josh (23 April 2020). "Not so sunny after all: An update on Ball Park Music's new album from isolation". NME Australia. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  8. Newstead, Al (5 June 2020). "First Spin: Ball Park Music conjure dreamy goodness on 'Day & Age'". Triple J. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  9. Newstead, Al (28 August 2020). "First Spin: Ball Park Music share gorgeous slow-burner 'Cherub'". Triple J. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  10. Martin, Josh (4 August 2020). "Ball Park Music are selling their own face masks". NME Australia. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
  11. Triscari, Caleb (17 August 2020). "Ball Park Music perform 'Day & Age' for 'The Sound'". NME Australia. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  12. Gwee, Karen (11 September 2020). "Watch Ball Park Music play 'Cherub' live from their studio". NME Australia. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  13. Bruce, Jasper (23 October 2020). "Ball Park Music cover a Radiohead classic for triple j's Like a Version". NME Australia. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  14. Triscari, Caleb (7 July 2020). "Ball Park Music confirm release date of self-titled album, unveil cover art". NME Australia. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  15. "Bruce Springsteen, Ball Park Music and Ariana Grande set for big debuts on this week's ARIA Charts". Australian Recording Industry Association. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  16. "Letter To You lands Bruce Springsteen fifth ARIA #1 album". Australian Recording Industry Association. 31 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  17. Ball Park Music (booklet). Ball Park Music. Prawn Records / Inertia Music. 2020. 9332727108426.CS1 maint: others (link)
  18. "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 2 November 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
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