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American Football - American Football (Deluxe Edition)

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American Football (Deluxe Edition)

Release Date: May 20, 2014

American Football (Deluxe Edition)

Release Date: May 20, 2014

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In the 15 years since its release, American Football's self-titled debut full-length has quietly become one of the most fiercely beloved titles in the Polyvinyl catalog. Though the trio -- Mike Kinsella (Cap'n Jazz, Owen, Owls), Steve Lamos, and Steve Holmes -- only played a few shows and released just one other record (a three-song EP that preceded this full-length), their influence and legacy has steadily continued to grow in the time after they disbanded.

From its now iconic artwork to the band's unique songwriting approach (highlighted by an emphasis on shifting time signatures and sincere lyrics), American Football proves a record doesn't become a true classic through flashiness or catering to trends, but rather the deep emotional connection it forges between the music and the listener.

After guitarist Steve Holmes discovered a set of cassette tapes containing a variety of unreleased recordings, the band curated an album's worth of these rare live recordings, demos, and practice sessions (in which the group rehearsed material they never recorded elsewhere) to complement the original record.

Now available on 2xLP and 2xCD, American Football (Deluxe Edition) features beautifully expanded packaging that incorporates new photographs from Chris Strong along with lyrics, detailed liner notes written by the band, and never-before-seen band pictures.

Tracklist

  • Never Meant
  • The Summer Ends
  • Honestly?
  • For Sure
  • You Know I Should Be Leaving Soon
  • But the Regrets Are Killing Me
  • I'll See You When We're Both Not So Emotional
  • Stay Home
  • The One With the Wurlitzer
  • Intro
  • Five Silent Miles
  • Untitled #1 - The One With the Trumpet
  • Untitled #2
  • Stay Home
  • Untitled #3
  • Never Meant
  • But the Regrets Are Killing Me
  • I'll See You When We're Both Not So Emotional
  • The 7's

Reviews

  • "...the most influential album in the genre."

    - Pitchfork
  • "This is the story of American Football... the story of how three kids going to school in Champaign-Urbana accidentally managed to create a major piece of music that has stood the test of time, regardless of how minor the whole period was to them.”

    - Noisey
  • "One of the most devastating breakup albums in the history of breakup albums."

    - Rolling Stone, 40 Greatest Emo Albums of All Time
  • “Holmes and Kinsella’s guitar playing is the most emotive the genre has been privy to, inverting the typical power trio dynamic and rendering Kinsella’s minimal lyrics as a platform for elaboration rather than the final word.”

    - Pitchfork
  • "We're only now beginning to recognize how American Football struck an emotional chord, one that’s proven to be every bit as resonant."

    - Pitchfork, Best New Reissue
  • "The best moments of American Football occur when the band’s relatability and their development of the genre become obvious.”

    - Consequence of Sound
  • “As the leading forefathers of Midwest emo, American Football guided the genre with twinkly, math-rock riffs and melancholy lyrics that any suburban teenager can relate to. Needless to say, American Football is a quintessential record among the scene, achieving cult status years after with its iconic appeal.”

    - Alt Press