''Razzmatazz'' (stylized in all caps; sometimes as ''RΛZZMΛTΛZZ'') is the debut studio album by American musical duo I Dont Know How But They Found Me (often shortened to iDKHOW). It was originally set to be released by

Fearless Records Fearless Records is an American independent record label that was founded in 1994. Fearless is based in Culver City, California, and is best known for its early pop punk moments captured in the ''Fearless Flush Sampler'' and ''Punk Bites'' releas ...

on October 16, 2020, but was pushed back to October 23, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the only studio album to feature

Ryan Seaman Ryan Eric Seaman (born September 23, 1983) is an American musician and singer, best known as the longest tenured drummer for the band Falling in Reverse. He also serves as the drummer and backing vocalist of the rock duo I Dont Know How But The ...

, who left the band in 2023 after "a series of broken trusts", making iDKHOW the solo project of

Dallon Weekes Dallon James Weekes (born May 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is best known as a member of Panic! at the Disco from 2009 to 2017, performing in the band as a bassist, keyboardist, backing vocalist, ...

Promotion

Over two years prior to the album's release, the song "Nobody Likes The Opening Band" was released as a free download on their website on March 14, 2018, accompanied with a music video. On August 5, 2020, the band released a lyric video for the album's lead single "Leave Me Alone" along with the announcement of the album's title and release date. On September 16, the title track "Razzmatazz" and accompanying lyric video were released. Following a video on October 1 explaining the need to push back the album, the band released the third single "New Invention" the next day alongside a lyric video. The band continued promoting the album long after release and performed "Leave Me Alone" on

Jimmy Kimmel Live! ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, Los ...

the following January and on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in February. For Record Store Day 2021, the band released Razzmatazz B-Sides as an exclusive picture disc. This EP included one new track: "Mx. Sinister", a cover of " Debra" by

Beck Beck David Hansen (born Bek David Campbell; July 8, 1970) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his Experimental music, experimental and Lo-fi music, lo-fi style, and became ...

, and reimagined versions of "Leave Me Alone" and "Modern Day Cain". On November 19, the band released Razzmatazz: Deluxe Edition. Included in the bonus tracks were a cover of " Boys Don't Cry" by The Cure, a revision of "New Invention" featuring Tessa Violet, various live performances of tracks from ''Razzmatazz'', and material previously only found on their limited B-Side release. Starting in mid-2021 the band toured internationally to support the album and were featured in various festivals. The tour was split into two parts: the "Razzmatazzmatour" (late 2021) and "The Thought Reform Tour" (early 2022).

Critical reception

''Razzmatazz'' received positive reviews from music critics. On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 from reviews from critics, the album has an average score of 84, which indicates "universal acclaim" based on 4 reviews. '' DIY'' described the album as "melding together '80s synths, baroque piano and pithy, self-deprecating choruses", while adding that it is "fun, flamboyant, and entirely of its time". '' The Line of Best Fit'' praised frontman

' lyricism in the songs "Mad IQs" and "Clusterhug", as well as his bass guitar work in "Sugar Pills" and "New Invention".

Track listing

Personnel

I Dont Know How But They Found Me *

– vocals and bass (all tracks), synthesizer (1, 2, 4–10, 12); piano (3, 9, 10, 12), ukulele (11), production *

– drums (except tracks 3 and 11), percussion Additional personnel * Ian Walsh – guitar (except tracks 3, 7 and 11) * Stu Maxfield – guitar (track 7) * Alex Nauth – trumpet (track 5) * Matt Appleton – saxophone (track 12)

Production

* Tim Pagnotta – engineering and production *Brian Phillips – engineering and production

Charts

Release history

Notes

References

{{Authority control 2020 debut albums Fearless Records albums I Dont Know How But They Found Me albums