''Suicide Pact – You First'' is the fifth full-length album by the band
Therapy?, and the first to be released by their third record company
Ark21, following the demise of the band's previous label. It was released on 18 October 1999 and recorded at Great Linford Manor in
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in Buckinghamshire, England, about north-west of London. At the 2021 Census, the population of Milton Keynes urban area, its urban area was 264,349. The River Great Ouse forms t ...
from 13 July to 15 August 1999. The album is by far their longest running record at 71 minutes.
The album was a move away from the pop sensibilities of their previous album, ''
Semi-Detached
A semi-detached house (often abbreviated to semi) is a single-family Duplex (building), duplex dwelling that shares one common party wall, wall with its neighbour. The name distinguishes this style of construction from detached houses, with no sh ...
'', and was considered a dark and twisted effort, seemingly as a retort to the conditions and restrictions imposed upon them and other bands on major labels. Although the album garnered very little radio airplay, and only reached number 61 in the UK Albums Chart, it received mixed reviews in the press.
The album was released on CD and cassette. The US released limited edition
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM (, compact disc read-only memory) is a type of read-only memory consisting of a pre-pressed optical compact disc that contains computer data storage, data computers can read, but not write or erase. Some CDs, called enhanced CDs, hold b ...
included the video of "Little Tongues First".
The song "Six Mile Water" was written by Cairns about the end of his friendship with ex-Therapy? drummer
Fyfe Ewing.
Track listing
All songs written by Therapy?.
The Japanese edition featured two live tracks as bonuses, with album closer and hidden track "Whilst I Pursue My Way Unharmed" moved to the end of the second bonus track:
Singles
*"Hate Kill Destroy" was released on 6 March 2000 with live versions of "Six Mile Water" and "Sister". This single was released in Germany only and a limited edition of 2000 copies. Live tracks recorded in Brussels, Belgium on 8 December 1999.
*"Six Mile Water" was released in 2000 as a radio promotional single, featuring album and radio edits, as well as a live version, of the title track.
Promo videos
*"Little Tongues First": directed by
Nigel Rolfe
Personnel
;Therapy?
*
Andy Cairns – vocals, guitar
*
Graham Hopkins – drums, backing vocals
*
Michael McKeegan – bass, backing vocals
*
Martin McCarrick – guitar, cello, vocals
with:
* Kimberley McCarrick – violin
;Technical
* Head – producer, guitar
*
Nigel Rolfe – photography
* Steve Gullick – photography
* Therapy?/Insect – design
Charts
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Suicide Pact - You First
1999 albums
Therapy? albums
Ark 21 Records albums