Cardboard Castles

Cardboard Castles is the second studio album by American spoken word artist and rapper Watsky.^[1] The album was released on March 12, 2013. Unlike his debut album, entitled Watsky, there is a deluxe edition. The deluxe edition includes one extra song, and the CD case folds into a miniature "cardboard castle." Watsky also embarked on an American tour to promote the album (some dates in Canada and the UK were also included). The album is also available on vinyl at request of his fans.

Cardboard Castles

Studio album by

Watsky

Released

March 12, 2013

Recorded

2012

Genre

Alternative hip hop

Length

1:02:11

Label

Watsky, Steel Wool Media

Producer

Watsky (co-exec.), Kush Mody (co-exec.), Mikos, Max Miller-Loran, Daniel J. W!shington, Aaron Carmack, Daniel Riera

Watsky chronology

Nothing Like the First Time
(2012)

Cardboard Castles
(2013)

All You Can Do
(2014)

Singles from Cardboard Castles

"Strong as an Oak"
Released: January 22, 2013
"Moral of the Story"
Released: February 5, 2013
"Hey, Asshole (feat. Kate Nash)"
Released: February 18, 2013

On March 5, one week before Cardboard Castles was released, Watsky leaked the album on Rap Genius. This included the announcement of the deluxe edition bonus track, entitled Dent In The Moon. Along with the leak, Rap Genius held a contest for the 'scholar' who explained the most lyrics on the album. The prize was two tickets to Watsky's concert at Irving Plaza in New York City. The concert took place on March 30.

Throughout the album are various recordings of conversations Watsky has with child actor Norton Leufven.^[2]

Singles

On January 22, 2013, Watsky released the first single from Cardboard Castles, entitled "Strong as an Oak," along with a music video. The video has gained over 7,210,319 view as of September 30, 2020.

On February 5, 2013, Watsky released the second single from Cardboard Castles, entitled "Moral of the Story," along with a music video. The video has gained over 10,706,309 views as of September 30, 2020.

On February 18, 2013, Watsky released the third single from Cardboard Castles, entitled "Hey, Asshole," featuring British singer Kate Nash. As with the first two singles, he released a music video, which has over 6,485,079 views as of September 30, 2020.

On February 24, 2013, Watsky leaked the audio for a song on Cardboard Castles, entitled "Sloppy Seconds" on . The music video for "Sloppy Seconds" was later released on his YouTube page, April 21, 2013, and has gained over 12,629,324 views as of September 30, 2020.

On March 5, 2013, Watsky released the video for the only poem on the CD, entitled "Tiny Glowing Screens, Part 2" on his YouTube page. The video has gained over 2,709,018 views as of September 30, 2020.

On March 12, 2013, Watsky released the video for the song from which the album gets its name, "Cardboard Castles," on his YouTube page. This is the same day that the album was released. The video has gained over 4,097,513 views as of September 30, 2020.

Reception

Cardboard Castles has been received well by critics. Marianne Calnan of Sound And Motion Magazine reviewed it very favorably.

Track listing

"Tiny Glowing Screens, Part 2" is the only poem on Cardboard Castles.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Fireworks"	George Watsky	Daniel J. W!shington	2:32
2.	"Strong as an Oak"	George Watsky	Kush Mody	4:19
3.	"Moral of the Story"	George Watsky	Mikos & Max Miller-Loran	4:01
4.	"Ugly Faces"	George Watsky	Mikos & Max Miller-Loran	2:55
5.	"Skit #1"			0:37
6.	"Kill a Hipster (feat. Chinaka Hodge)"	George Watsky, Chinaka Hodge & DJ Treat-U-Nice	Daniel Riera	4:25
7.	"Hey, Asshole (feat. Kate Nash)"	George Watsky	Mr. Carmack^[3]	4:08
8.	"All I Need Is One"	George Watsky	Mikos	3:46
9.	"Tiny Glowing Screens, Part 1"	George Watsky	Kush Mody	4:55
10.	"Tiny Glowing Screens, Part 2"	George Watsky	Kush Mody	2:44
11.	"Sloppy Seconds"	George Watsky	Kush Mody	4:06
12.	"Dedicated to Christina Li"	George Watsky	Mikos	5:35
13.	"Skit #2"			1:14
14.	"The Legend of Hardhead Ned (feat. Dylan Saunders)"	George Watsky	Daniel Riera	3:48
15.	"Cardboard Castles"	George Watsky	Kush Mody	4:08
16.	"Send In the Sun"	George Watsky	Daniel J. W!shington	4:21
Total length:				57:38

Deluxe Edition bonus track
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
17.	"Dent in the Moon"	George Watsky	Mikos, Pat Dimitri & Kush Mody	4:33
Total length:				1:02:11

Personnel

Executive Producers

George Watsky
Kush Mody

Engineers

Nils Montan (also co-producer)

Producers

Daniel J. W!shington (1, 16)
Kush Mody (2, 4, 9, 10, 11, 15, 17)
Mikos (3, 4, 8, 12, 17)
Max Miller-Loran (3, 4, 17)
Daniel Riera (6, 14)
Aaron Carmack (7)

Mixing and Mastering

Mike Denten at Infinite Studios
Cardboard Castles (song) was mixed by David Boucher
Jeff Sanger (Studio Assistant)
Migui Maloles (Mix Assistant)
Nils Montan (Sound Design on The Legend Of Hardhead Ned)

Additional Vocals

Chinaka Hodge (Kill a Hipster)
Kate Nash (Hey, Asshole)

Kate Nash recorded by: Stephen Good at Vatican Studios in London. Kate Nash appears courtesy of Have 10p Records.

Dylan Saunders (The Legend of Hardhead Ned)
Norton Leufven (Fireworks, Ugly Faces, Skit #1, All I Need Is One, Skit #2 & Dent in the Moon) (Uncredited)
Andrew Oedel (Kill a Hipster)

Choir (Cardboard Castles & Send In The Sun):

Sylvia St. James
Isabel Belloso
Sue Massengale
Alexandra Taylor
Christy Lynch
Danisha Johnson
Chenelle Solomon
Chris Bolton
Patrick Bolton
Ivan Hicks
Marjanae Johnson
Charlie Domingo

Musicians

Chukwudi Hodge: Drums (1, 8, 9, 15) Buckets (2) Percussion (6)
Kush Mody: Synth (1) Organ (1) Bells (3) Tambourine (6) Guitar (8) Organ (16)
Max Miller-Loran: Trumpet (2, 6) Synth (9)
Brandon Intelligator: Acoustic Guitar (2)
George Watsky: Bells (2) Harmonica (2)
Dave Skelly: Trombone (3)
Crystal Alforque: Viola (3, 9, 10)
Robin Ross: Viola (3, 9, 10, 15)
Max Mueller: Cello (3, 9, 10, 15)
Billy Tobenkin: Cello (3, 9, 10, 15)
Andrew Oedel: Guitar (6, 9, 15)
Owen Clapp: Bass (6, 8)
Nils Montan: Piano (6)
Pat Dimitri: Guitar (12)
Charlie Domingo: Bass (17)

Art

Illustrations by: [dadushin.com Dadu Shin]
Art direction & layout by: Carrie Smith
Castle photography: Alan Gwizdowski
Catapult illustration: Jackson Adams

Recorded at The Mothership Studio, Los Angeles, with additional vocals recorded at Studio Sound City.