Mumps, Etc.

Mumps, Etc.
Studio album by
Why?
ReleasedOctober 9, 2012 (2012-10-09)
GenreIndie rock
Length38:48
Label
Producer
Why? chronology
Sod in the Seed
(2012) 		Mumps, Etc.
(2012) 		Golden Tickets
(2013)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic62/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
The A.V. ClubB−[3]
Beats Per Minute78/100[4]
Consequence of SoundC−[5]
NME7/10[6]
Paste7.4/10[7]
Pitchfork2.8/10[8]
Slant Magazine[9]
DIY (magazine)[10]

Mumps, Etc. is the fifth[10] studio album by American band Why?.[11] It was released by Anticon in the United States on October 9, 2012 and by City Slang in Europe on October 8, 2012.[12]

Critical reception

At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, Mumps, Etc. received an average score of 62% based on 19 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[1]

Mike Lechevallier of Slant Magazine said, "Mumps, Etc. isn't a career-defining moment like Alopecia, but it's a celebratory return to form for Why?, reuniting the band with the key attributes that ignited their creativity in the first place."[9] Ryan Reed of Paste called it "their most layered, headphone-friendly set to date, utilizing an eight-member choir and a string quartet, not to mention plenty of harps, flutes and ass-blasting rhythms."[7]

Alarm included it on the "50 Favorite Albums of 2012" list.[13]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Jonathan's Hope"3:17
2."Strawberries"3:18
3."Waterlines"3:33
4."Thirteen on High"3:09
5."White English"2:57
6."Danny"1:28
7."Sod in the Seed"4:43
8."Distance"2:53
9."Thirst"2:28
10."Kevin's Cancer"2:24
11."Bitter Thoughts"2:47
12."Paper Hearts"4:08
13."As a Card"1:43
Total length:38:48

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.

  • Yoni Wolf – music, production, recording, mixing
  • Josiah Wolf – music, production, recording
  • Doug McDiarmid – music
  • Eric Michener – claps
  • James Kerr – flugelhorn
  • Ryan Williams – double bass
  • Kelsey Pickford – woodwinds
  • Buffi Jacobs – cello
  • Brandon Stewart – French horn
  • Stephan Beall – violin, viola
  • Laura Max – harp
  • Elizabeth Knight – vocals
  • Liz Wolf – vocals
  • Andrew Broder – vocals
  • Nathan Goodrich – vocals
  • Brent 'Snake' Benedict – recording
  • Graham Marsh (producer) – mixing
  • John Horesco IV – mastering

References

  1. ^ a b "Mumps, Etc. by Why?". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  2. ^ Hoffman, K. Ross. "Mumps, Etc. - Why?". AllMusic. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  3. ^ Butler, Will (October 9, 2012). "Why?: Mumps, Etc". The A.V. Club. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  4. ^ Finlayson, Ray (October 3, 2012). "WHY? - Mumps, Etc". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  5. ^ Arroyo, Steven (October 9, 2012). "Why? – Mumps, etc". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  6. ^ Malone, Ailbhe (October 5, 2012). "Why? - 'Mumps, etc.'". NME. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  7. ^ a b Reed, Ryan (October 9, 2012). "WHY?: Mumps, Etc". Paste. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  8. ^ Cohen, Ian (October 9, 2012). "WHY?: Mumps, etc". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  9. ^ a b Lechevallier, Mike (October 5, 2012). "Why?: Mumps, Etc". Slant Magazine. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  10. ^ a b Young, Martyn. "Why?: Mumps, Etc". Slant Magazine. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  11. ^ "Exclusive: Download WHY?'s new EP in full, and watch the video for the self-deprecating title track". Fact. August 10, 2012. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  12. ^ Battan, Carrie (July 30, 2012). "WHY? Announce New Album, Mumps, etc". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  13. ^ Morrow, Scott (December 13, 2012). "ALARM's 50 Favorite Albums of 2012". Alarm. Retrieved July 22, 2018.