The Teaches of Peaches

The Teaches of Peaches
Studio album by
Peaches
ReleasedSeptember 5, 2000
GenreElectroclash
Length46:57
LabelKitty-Yo, XL
ProducerPeaches
Peaches chronology
Fancypants Hoodlum
(1995) 		The Teaches of Peaches
(2000) 		Fatherfucker
(2003)
Singles from The Teaches of Peaches
  1. "Lovertits"
    Released: July 15, 2000
  2. "Set It Off"
    Released: 2001
  3. "Rock Show"
    Released: 2003

The Teaches of Peaches is the second studio album by Canadian recording artist Merrill Nisker, and her first under the stage name Peaches. It was released on September 5, 2000, by Kitty-Yo. Her roommate Feist contributed vocals for the album.[1]

In 2002, XL Recordings re-released the album and as well put out an "Expanded Edition" featuring a bonus disc.

Writing and development

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After creating a six-track "Lovertits" EP, Peaches moved to Berlin, Germany. While visiting her old friend Jason Beck, who was enjoying modest European success as Chilly Gonzales in Berlin, Peaches landed a one-night gig. On the merits of that show alone, Berlin's Kitty-Yo label signed her on the spot. The label offered her the chance to record The Teaches of Peaches back home in Toronto.[2]

Composition

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Musically, The Teaches of Peaches, like many other electroclash albums, draws from 1980s new wave music.[3] It incorporates the Roland MC-505 and lo-fi beats in songs such as "AA XXX", which also features a roller-rink electro bassline. "Sucker" and "Rock Show" employ guitar and Runaways-like singing.[4]

Lyrically, many of the songs on The Teaches of Peaches deal with pro-sex postfeminist themes.[5] "Felix Partz" is a tribute to Felix Partz, a Canadian artist who was associated with the arts collective General Idea.[3]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic73/100[6]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Blender[8]
Muzik[9]
NME7/10[10]
Pitchfork7.5/10[11]
Q[12]
Rolling Stone[13]
Uncut[14]
The Village VoiceB−[15]

The Teaches of Peaches received generally favorable reviews. The album holds a score of 73 out of 100 on the review aggregator website Metacritic.[6] Heather Phares from AllMusic said, "Funny, sexy, outrageous, and danceable (not to mention endlessly quotable) all at once, The Teaches of Peaches is a great introduction to a unique artist who defines herself by gleefully blurring boundaries."[7] Likewise, Mark Desrosiers of Popmatters described the album as "one of the year's defining albums."[3]

The Guardian included The Teaches of Peaches in its 1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die.[16] Slant Magazine placed it at #236 on its Best of the Aughts: Albums list.[17] SPIN placed it at #10 on the Ten Memorable Albums From Forgotten Genres for electroclash.[18] The Village Voice ranked it among the Best Albums of 2000.[19]

At a performance on July 22, 2015, Trey Anastasio of Phish called The Teaches of Peaches the "greatest album ever".[20]

In 2015, the album won the 2000s category of the inaugural Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize, an annual Canadian music award for classic albums released prior to the creation of the Polaris Music Prize.[21]

The Teaches of Peaches was included on The Guardian's 100 Best Albums of the 21st Century list, based on a 2019 poll of music writers.[22]

"The first four tracks are incredible," remarked Iggy Pop. "The way she uses the drum machine gives it a great sense of space. 'Fuck the Pain Away' is a great song. It sounds like the title to a Stooges track."[23]

Chart performance

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After a glowing review in Q, The Teaches of Peaches sold 10,000 copies in its first three weeks.[24] The Teaches of Peaches sold 50,000 copies worldwide.[25]

As of 2001, sales in the United States have exceeded 15,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.[26]

Singles

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  • "Lovertits" was released as the album's lead single on July 15, 2000[27] by Kitty-Yo. The song was critically appreciated with reviewers complimenting its new wave sound.[3] "Lovertits" appeared on several Best Singles of 2000 lists.[28][29][30]
  • "Set It Off" was released as the album's second single in 2001 by Kitty-Yo. It was later remixed by Tobi Neumann and re-released by Epic Records.[31] "Set It Off" became a top forty hit in the United Kingdom, peaking at number thirty-six.[32]
  • "Rock Show" was released as the third and final single in 2003.

Promotion

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To promote The Teaches of Peaches, Peaches toured as the opening act for British alternative rock band Elastica. Elastica frontwoman Justine Frischmann had personally invited Peaches and Gonzales to open for Elastica's North American tour.[24]

After "Set It Off" became a top forty hit, Peaches appeared on the British TV show Top of the Pops, but her performance was deemed too racy to be aired.[33]

"AA XXX" was used in the 2003 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show[34] and in the 2004 HBO documentary Thinking XXX.[35]

The first track was used in the film Lost in Translation, although it was not included on the soundtrack.

In 2022, Peaches undertook a tour marking the album's 20th anniversary, which was profiled in the 2024 documentary film Teaches of Peaches.[36]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Fuck the Pain Away"Peaches4:08
2."AA XXX"Peaches4:30
3."Rock Show"Peaches2:10
4."Set It Off"Peaches3:15
5."Cum Undun"Peaches4:20
6."Diddle My Skittle"Peaches4:37
7."Hot Rod"Peaches4:43
8."Lovertits"Peaches4:42
9."Suck and Let Go"Peaches6:27
10."Sucker"Peaches3:37
11."Felix Partz"Peaches4:28
Special edition bonus disc
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Keine Melodien"Jeans Team3:26
13."Casanova" (featuring Mignon)Peaches, Mignon3:31
14."Sex (I'm a ...)"Berlin3:39
15."Felix Partz" (Remake with Gonzales)Peaches2:57
16."Fuck the Pain Away" (Kid606 Going Back to Bali Remix)Peaches5:03
17."Set It Off" (Radio Mix by Tobi Neumann)Peaches5:32
18."Set It Off" (Tobi Neumann Video) 3:34
19."Set It Off" (Peaches Original Super 8 Video) 3:18

Personnel

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Source:[37]

Release history

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Country Date Label Catalog
United States September 5, 2000[7] Kitty-Yo KY55233
Germany September 8, 2000 KY00033
United Kingdom October 21, 2002 XL Recordings XL 163
Russia 2003 Soyuz Music, XL Recordings

References

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  1. ^ "FEIST BIOGRAPHY". Sing365.com. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
  2. ^ "Peaches Biography: Contemporary Musicians". Enotes.com. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  3. ^ a b c d Desrosiers, Mark (2000). Peaches: The Teaches of Peaches PopMatters. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
  4. ^ Zachrich, Sarah (2002-11-26). Peaches: The Teaches of Peaches Splendid Magazine. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  5. ^ Christgau, Robert (2000). Robert Christgau: CG: Peaches robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  6. ^ a b "Reviews for The Teaches of Peaches by Peaches". Metacritic. Retrieved April 19, 2010.
  7. ^ a b c Phares, Heather. "The Teaches of Peaches – Peaches". AllMusic. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
  8. ^ Weiner, Jonah (November 2002). "Peaches: The Teaches of Peaches". Blender (11): 139. Archived from the original on August 15, 2004. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  9. ^ Gardner, Neil (October 2000). "Peaches: The Teaches of Peaches (Kitty Yo)". Muzik (65): 74.
  10. ^ "The Teaches Of Peaches". NME. September 12, 2000. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
  11. ^ Abebe, Nitsuh (December 1, 2002). "Peaches: The Teaches of Peaches". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
  12. ^ "Den of Synths". Q (391): 115. November 2018.
  13. ^ Blashill, Pat (March 29, 2001). "Peaches: Teaches of Peaches". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 22, 2004. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  14. ^ "Peaches: The Teaches of Peaches". Uncut (41): 86. October 2000.
  15. ^ Christgau, Robert (November 27, 2001). "Turkey Shoot 2001". The Village Voice. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  16. ^ (2007-11-21). Artists beginning with P The Guardian. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  17. ^ Cinquemani, Sal (2010-02-06). Rest of the Best of the Aughts: Albums & Singles (#101 – 250) Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
  18. ^ Spin Magazine (USA) Lists Rocklist. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  19. ^ Village Voice - Pazz & Jop Lists 2000 Rocklist. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  20. ^ @trey_talks Retrieved 2015-07-25
  21. ^ "Joni Mitchell, Cowboy Junkies, Sloan and Peaches Take Home Polaris Heritage Prizes". Exclaim!, October 9, 2015.
  22. ^ "The 100 best albums of the 21st century". The Guardian. 13 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  23. ^ "Albums of the century". Q. No. 282. January 2010. p. 65.
  24. ^ a b Agbuya, Ernest J. (2000-11-08). 32-ish Things You Should Know About Peaches And Gonzales[usurped] Chart. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  25. ^ Kitty Empire, (2003-08-17). Ripe for stardom The Guardian. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  26. ^ "Billboard". 2002-07-27.
  27. ^ Peaches - Lovertits Discogs. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  28. ^ Les Inrockuptibles End of Year Lists Rocklist. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  29. ^ Muzik End Of Year Lists Rocklist. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  30. ^ NME End of Year Lists 2000 Rocklist. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  31. ^ Peaches - Set It Off Discogs. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  32. ^ Peaches - Set It Off Chart Stats. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  33. ^ William V. Meter (2003-06-23). Peaches: She's a Very Kinky Girl Spin. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  34. ^ Peaches - Filmography IMDb. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
  35. ^ Various - XXX: Music From Thinking XXX (CD) Discogs. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
  36. ^ Savina Petkova, "Review: Teaches of Peaches". Cineuropa, February 26, 2024.
  37. ^ ((( The Teaches of Peaches > Credits ))) AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-07-24.
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