''Point #1'' is the debut album by American
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band
Chevelle, released May 4, 1999. It is the only Chevelle album released by
Squint Entertainment
Squint Entertainment was a record label owned by Word Entertainment, started and run by musician and songwriter Steve Taylor in 1997. Squint pushed Sixpence None the Richer to mainstream success with their single "Kiss Me". The band had been in ...
and their only collaboration with producer
Steve Albini
Steve Albini (pronounced ; born July 22, 1962) is an American musician, record producer, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman and Flour, and is a member of Shellac. He is the founder, owner and principal ...
. The album featured a notable single in its title track but achieved only minor success, especially compared to Chevelle's
major label follow-up in 2002.
Background and recording
After recording a demo, Chevelle played small concerts for three years until being signed to
Steve Taylor's independent
Christian label Squint Entertainment
Squint Entertainment was a record label owned by Word Entertainment, started and run by musician and songwriter Steve Taylor in 1997. Squint pushed Sixpence None the Richer to mainstream success with their single "Kiss Me". The band had been in ...
.
The band recorded for 17 days in
Electrical Audio
Electrical Audio is a recording facility founded in Chicago, Illinois by musician and recording engineer Steve Albini in 1997. Hundreds of independent music projects have been recorded there. Unlike most producers, Albini refuses to take any royal ...
studios with producer
Steve Albini
Steve Albini (pronounced ; born July 22, 1962) is an American musician, record producer, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman and Flour, and is a member of Shellac. He is the founder, owner and principal ...
, famous for his work with the likes of
Nirvana
( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...
,
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, Nielsen ...
, and
PJ Harvey. According to Chevelle frontman
Pete Loeffler
Peter Loeffler is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter of the rock band Chevelle alongside his brother, drummer Sam Loeffler.
Pete, Sam, and bassist Joe Loeffler formed Chevelle in 19 ...
, Albini gave their album an unrefined "
indie
Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Gaming
*Independent video game development, video games created without financial backing from large companies
*Indie game, any game (board ...
feel" in which the recording process was essentially "plug in, he hits record, and you play." Loeffler added, "At the time I was shocked talking to someone who had worked closely to
Kurt Cobain. It was a trip. It was really cool." ''Point #1'' was recorded in
standard D with an
alternative metal
Alternative metal (also known as alt-metal) is a genre of heavy metal music that combines heavy metal with influences from alternative rock and other genres not normally associated with metal. Alternative metal bands are often characterized by ...
approach. However, the band was left unsatisfied and feeling that he didn't achieve the tones and overall sound they were looking for. They called Albini and, much to his surprise, expressed disappointment with the final product. Although they enjoyed working with him, Chevelle wanted to find a different producer to resolve the issue; however, their label gave them no choice but to work with Albini once again. The second phase of recording was, according to Loeffler, much more laid back and relaxed in which Albini "really opened up."
Largely thanks to Albini's influence, ''Point #1'' is notably less intense than future Chevelle material; however, the album's title track has remained a common part of the band's concert set list. Nevertheless, the band's major label debut, ''
Wonder What's Next
''Wonder What's Next'' is the second studio album by American rock band Chevelle, released on October 8, 2002 by Epic Records. Spawning the singles " The Red", " Send the Pain Below", and " Closure". It proved to be Chevelle's breakthrough al ...
'', has since been regarded by the band as their "first" album.
Touring and promotion
Chevelle toured with various
alternative metal
Alternative metal (also known as alt-metal) is a genre of heavy metal music that combines heavy metal with influences from alternative rock and other genres not normally associated with metal. Alternative metal bands are often characterized by ...
bands to promote their debut album. This would influence their shift to a heavier sound on future albums.
Albini and an aspiring comedian named
Fred Armisen
Fereydun Robert Armisen (born December 4, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician. With his comedy partner Carrie Brownstein, Armisen was the co-creator and co-star of the IFC sketch comedy series '' Portlandia''. ...
starred in the band's ''Point #1 EPK'' (electronic press kit)—several years before Armisen became famous on ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock (streaming service), Peacock. ...
''. Several months after the album's debut, a single was released in the title track which landed a marginal spot on
Mainstream Rock Tracks and had an accompanying music video. The following year, "Mia" would be released as a follow-up. It also had a video.
Reception
Critical reception for ''Point #1'' varied. Heather Phares of
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
gave a positive review, noting how Albini helped the band "create forceful, mercurial
indie rock
Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they produc ...
" and added "In line with Chicago's ambitious music scene, Chevelle's challenging take on rock is also a rewarding one."
Chevelle received
GMA Dove Award
A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards are presented annually. Formerly held in Nashville, Tennessee, the Dove Awards ...
s for the more popular song "Mia" in 2000 and "Point #1" in 2001.
["] The album also received an award for "Hard Music Album" in 2000 by the Dove Awards.
["]
''Point #1'' has earned Chevelle many comparisons to the successful
progressive metal
Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified guitar-driven sound of the former with the more experimental, cerebral ...
band
Tool
A tool is an object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many animals use simple tools, only human beings, whose use of stone tools dates ba ...
.
[Button, Israel. Amazon.com Editorial Review. https://www.amazon.com/Point-1-Chevelle/dp/B00000IP2T] The music video for "Mia" was, like some of Tool's videos, completely
stop motion
Stop motion is an animated filmmaking technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they will appear to exhibit independent motion or change when the series of frames i ...
animated. Additionally,
Pete Loeffler
Peter Loeffler is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter of the rock band Chevelle alongside his brother, drummer Sam Loeffler.
Pete, Sam, and bassist Joe Loeffler formed Chevelle in 19 ...
's vocals, like those of
Maynard James Keenan
Maynard James Keenan (born James Herbert Keenan; April 17, 1964) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and winemaker. He is best known as the singer and primary lyricist of the rock bands Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Pusc ...
, range from soft and melodic to brutal and gut-wrenching. "Long", for instance, is notable for Loeffler's climactic twelve-second-long scream.
Track listing
Personnel
Chevelle
*
Pete Loeffler
Peter Loeffler is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter of the rock band Chevelle alongside his brother, drummer Sam Loeffler.
Pete, Sam, and bassist Joe Loeffler formed Chevelle in 19 ...
– guitar, vocals
* Joe Loeffler – bass
* Sam Loeffler – drums
Technical personnel
*
Steve Albini
Steve Albini (pronounced ; born July 22, 1962) is an American musician, record producer, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman and Flour, and is a member of Shellac. He is the founder, owner and principal ...
– producer, engineer, mixing
* Buddy Jackson – art direction
* Hank Williams – mastering
* Mark Smalling – photography
*
Sally Carns – back cover, design
Chart positions
Singles
References
{{Authority control
1999 debut albums
Albums produced by Steve Albini
Chevelle (band) albums
Indie rock albums by American artists