Strange Desire

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For other uses, see Strange Desire (disambiguation).
Strange Desire
Studio album by
Bleachers
ReleasedJuly 11, 2014
Recorded2013–2014
Genre
Length38:55
LabelRCA
Producer
Bleachers chronology
Strange Desire
(2014) 		Terrible Thrills, Vol. 2
(2015)
Singles from Strange Desire
  1. "I Wanna Get Better"
    Released: February 18, 2014
  2. "Shadow"
    Released: May 6, 2014
  3. "Rollercoaster"
    Released: June 10, 2014
  4. "Like a River Runs"
    Released: June 23, 2014
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic68/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Alternative Press[3]
Consequence of SoundC−[4]
PopMatters7/10[5]
Rolling Stone[6]
Spin6/10[7]
Sputnikmusic4/5[8]
Under the Radar3.5/10[9]

Strange Desire is the debut studio album released by American indie pop act Bleachers, led by guitarist Jack Antonoff. The album was released on July 11, 2014, through RCA Records, and produced the singles "I Wanna Get Better", "Shadow" and "Rollercoaster".

Release[edit]

"I Wanna Get Better" was released digitally as the lead single from Strange Desire on February 18, 2014.[10][11] It has peaked at number one on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart and number ten on the Hot Rock Songs chart, becoming Bleachers' most successful single to date.[12][13] The song's music video – directed by actress and filmmaker Lena Dunham, Antonoff's then girlfriend – premiered on March 27, and depicts Antonoff as a troubled therapist.[14] "Shadow" was made available for streaming on April 29,[15] before being released as the album's second single on May 6.[16][17] On May 15, Strange Desire was announced for release in July. Antonoff said the name was "the 2 words that perfectly title what this Bleachers album is as a documentation of my life as I can remember it at this point".[18] "Rollercoaster" was released as the third single on June 10[19] and was also made available upon pre-ordering Strange Desire on the iTunes Store.[20] "Like a River Runs" was made available for streaming on June 27.[21] Strange Desire was released on July 15 through RCA Records, and was made available for streaming the following day.[22]

Following the release, the group performed at a number of festivals: Wireless, Osheaga, Lollapalooza, Outside Lands Music, Boston Calling Music and ACL Music.[18] "Rollercoaster" was released to radio on September 9.[23] In late November, the group released Strange Desire (The Demos) for Record Store Day Black Friday, consisting of six album demos.[24] In March and April 2015, the group embarked on a headlining US tour, dubbed Bleachers Come Alive!, with support from Joywave and Night Terrors of 1927.[25] Following this, the band appeared at Rock in Rio festival in May.[26] In June and July, the group went on a mixture of US, European and Canadian shows. In July and August, the group went on a co-headlining US tour with Charli XCX, titled Charli and Jack Do America Tour.[27] On August 12, a music video was released for "Like a River Runs".[28] The group was scheduled to go on a second leg of their tour with Charli XCX in September and October.[27] However, on August 22 it was announced that the leg had been cancelled amid creative and personal differences.[29]

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by and produced by Jack Antonoff and John Hill, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Wild Heart" 
3:20
2."Rollercoaster" 
3:08
3."Shadow"
 3:51
4."I Wanna Get Better"  3:24
5."Wake Me"
  • Antonoff
  • Patrik Berger
  • Hill
 2:43
6."Reckless Love"  3:01
7."Take Me Away" (featuring Grimes)
 2:30
8."Like a River Runs" 
  • Hill
  • Antonoff
  • Clarke[a]
3:33
9."You're Still a Mystery"  4:24
10."I'm Ready to Move On / Wild Heart Reprise" (featuring Yoko Ono)
  • Hill
  • Antonoff
  • Clarke[a]
4:11
11."Who I Want You to Love"
  • Antonoff
  • Hill
  • Haynie
 4:50
Total length:38:55

Strange Desire (Japanese Edition)

No.TitleLength
12."I Wanna Get Better (RZA Remix)"3:25
13."I Wanna Get Better (Vince Clarke Remix)"4:33
14."I Wanna Get Better (Demo Version)"2:43
15."Wild Heart (Demo Version)"3:11
16."Reckless Love (Demo Version)"1:52
Total length:54:39

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer.

Personnel[edit]

  • Jack Antonoff – programming, drums, bass, guitars, keyboards, piano, vocals, string arrangement ("I'm Ready to Move On/Wild Heart Reprise")
  • Cyrus Grace Dunham – spoken word ("Wild Heart," "I'm Ready to Move On/Wild Heart Reprise," "Who I Want You to Love")
  • John Hill – programming, drums, guitars, keyboards
  • Vince Clarke – programming, keyboards
  • Greg Kurstin – synths, electric guitars, drums
  • Sara Quin – background vocals
  • Jon Shiffman – drums
  • Emile Haynie – programming
  • Rachel Antonoff – background vocals
  • Andrew Dost – background vocals
  • Mae Whitman – background vocals
  • Grimes – vocals
  • Kurt Uenala – programming
  • Lena Dunham – background vocals
  • Yoko Ono – spoken word ("I'm Ready to Move On/Wild Heart Reprise")
  • Little Ricky Antonoff – guitar
  • Phillip Peterson – cello, string arrangement ("Who I Want You to Love")
  • Victoria Parker – violin

Charts[edit]

Strange Desire debuted at No. 11 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 21,000 copies in its first week of release.[30]

Chart (2014) Peak
position
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[31] 19
US Billboard 200[32] 11
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[33] 2
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[34] 2

Release history[edit]

Region Date Format Label
Australia[35] July 11, 2014 Digital download RCA Records
United States[36] July 15, 2014

Terrible Thrills, Vol. 2[edit]

Terrible Thrills, Vol. 2
Compilation album by
Bleachers
ReleasedSeptember 25, 2015
Genre
LabelRCA
Bleachers chronology
Strange Desire
(2014) 		Terrible Thrills, Vol. 2
(2015) 		Gone Now
(2017)

Terrible Thrills, Vol. 2 is the first compilation album by American indie pop act Bleachers, released on September 25, 2015, as a companion to Strange Desire.[37] The album features every song from Bleachers' debut album covered by female artists, most of which signed with RCA Records. Its title references Terrible Thrills, Vol. 1, a compilation album released in 2010 by Antonoff's previous band Steel Train.[38]

No.TitleFeatured artist(s)Length
1."Wild Heart"Sara Bareilles2:59
2."Rollercoaster"Charli XCX3:08
3."Shadow"Carly Rae Jepsen3:39
4."I Wanna Get Better"Tinashe3:04
5."Wake Me"Lucius3:17
6."Reckless Love"Elle King2:50
7."Take Me Away"
2:29
8."Like a River Runs"Sia3:58
9."You're Still a Mystery"MØ3:04
10."I'm Ready to Move On/Wild Heart Reprise"Susanna Hoffs4:18
11."Who I Want You to Love"Natalie Maines4:48

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Reviews for Strange Desire by Bleachers". Metacritic. Archived from the original on March 16, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
  2. ^ Sendra, Tim. "Strange Desire – Bleachers". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 11, 2015. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  3. ^ LeRoy, Dan (July 10, 2014). "Bleachers – Strange Desire". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  4. ^ Terry, Josh (July 14, 2014). "Bleachers – Strange Desire". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on March 19, 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  5. ^ McGuire, Colin (August 1, 2014). "Bleachers: Strange Desire". PopMatters. Archived from the original on April 9, 2015. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  6. ^ Dolan, Jon (July 15, 2014). "Strange Desire". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 4, 2015. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  7. ^ Tedder, Michael (July 14, 2014). "Bleachers, 'Strange Desire'". Spin. Archived from the original on March 4, 2015. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  8. ^ SowingSeason (July 15, 2014). "Review: Bleachers – Strange Desire". Sputnikmusic. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  9. ^ Hayden, Mack (August 27, 2014). "Bleachers: Strange Desire (RCA) Review". Under the Radar. Archived from the original on March 27, 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  10. ^ "I Wanna Get Better – Single by Bleachers". iTunes Store (AUS). Apple. 18 February 2014. Archived from the original on February 27, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  11. ^ "I Wanna Get Better (2014)". 7digital (US). Archived from the original on July 25, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  12. ^ "Bleachers – Chart History: Alternative Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  13. ^ "Bleachers – Chart History: Rock Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
  14. ^ Blistein, Jon (March 27, 2014). "Lena Dunham Directs Video for Jack Antonoff's Solo Project, Bleachers". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 28, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  15. ^ Crane, Matt (April 29, 2014). "Bleachers (Jack Antonoff of fun.) release new song, "Shadow"". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  16. ^ "Shadow – Single by Bleachers". iTunes Store (AUS). Apple. 6 May 2014. Archived from the original on March 18, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  17. ^ "Shadow (2014)". 7digital (US). Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  18. ^ a b Crane, Matt (May 15, 2014). "Bleachers (Jack Antonoff of fun.) to release 'Strange Desire' on July 15". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  19. ^ "Rollercoaster (2014)". 7digital (US). Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  20. ^ "Bleachers Debut Album 'Strange Desire' Available For Pre-Order Now". RCA Records. June 10, 2014. Archived from the original on September 21, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  21. ^ Crane, Matt (June 27, 2014). "Bleachers stream new song, "Like A River Runs"". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  22. ^ Crane, Matt (July 16, 2014). "Bleachers stream debut album, 'Strange Desire'". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on July 1, 2015. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  23. ^ "AllAccess.com Alternative eWeekly". AllAccess. September 2, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  24. ^ Heisel, Scott (November 25, 2014). "11 records (and one cassette) you should risk life and limb for this Black Friday Record Store Day". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on March 16, 2016. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  25. ^ Crane, Matt (December 3, 2014). "Bleachers announce North American headlining tour". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  26. ^ Sharp, Tyler (January 15, 2015). "Of Mice & Men, Bleachers, the Pretty Reckless, many more to play Rock In Rio Festival". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on February 28, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  27. ^ a b Bazley, John (June 7, 2015). "Bleachers, Charli XCX announce final routing for co-headlining tour". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on February 28, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  28. ^ Leak, Brian (August 12, 2015). "Bleachers release black and white performance video for "Like A River Runs"". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on February 28, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  29. ^ Bazley, John (August 22, 2015). "Bleachers, Charli XCX cancel co-headlining tour". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on February 28, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  30. ^ Trust, Gary (July 24, 2014). "Sam Smith, Iggy Azalea, 'Weird Al' Yankovic Atop Billboard Artist 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on June 15, 2015. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
  31. ^ "Bleachers Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  32. ^ "Bleachers Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  33. ^ "Bleachers Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  34. ^ "Bleachers Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  35. ^ "Strange Desire by Bleachers". iTunes Store (AUS). Apple. Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  36. ^ "Strange Desire by Bleachers". iTunes Store (US). Apple. Archived from the original on August 13, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  37. ^ "Bleachers: Terrible Thrill, Vol. 2 – Music on Google Play". Google Play. 25 September 2015. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  38. ^ "Terrible Thrill, Vol. 1 | Steel Train". Bandcamp. 29 June 2010. Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
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