Sing the Sorrow

Sing the Sorrow is the sixth studio album by American rock band AFI. Recorded at Cello Studios in Los Angeles, California between 2002 and 2003, the album was produced by Jerry Finn and Butch Vig.

Sing the Sorrow
Studio album by AFI
Released	March 11, 2003 (2003-03-11)
Recorded	Cello, Los Angeles, California
Genre	Post-hardcore^[1] emo^[1]
Length	55:54
Label	DreamWorks/Nitro
Producer	Jerry Finn, Butch Vig
AFI chronology
The Art of Drowning (2000) Sing the Sorrow (2003) AFI (2004)
AFI video chronology
Clandestine (2003) I Heard a Voice – Live from Long Beach Arena (2006)
Singles from Sing the Sorrow
"Girl's Not Grey" Released: January 12, 2003 "The Leaving Song Pt. II" Released: August 3, 2003 "Silver and Cold" Released: November 11, 2003

Sing the Sorrow received positive reviews from music critics, who praised its melodies and musicianship, as well as its mature sound in comparison to the band's previous material. The album sold 96,000 copies in its first week of release in the United States,^[2] reaching number 5 on the Billboard 200, and also charted in Canada and the United Kingdom. It has since been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), as well as being certified Platinum in Canada. The album was supported by three singles: "Girl's Not Grey", "The Leaving Song Pt. II" and "Silver and Cold", which have since successfully charted within the Alternative Songs and Rock Songs charts.

Music and lyrics

Musically, Sing the Sorrow is a departure from the hardcore punk and horror punk genres featured in the band's previous material. The album features elements of hardcore punk, post-hardcore, alternative rock, gothic rock, and emo.^[3][4] More experimental than previous AFI albums,^[4] Sing the Sorrow includes instruments other than guitar, bass and drums, such as piano and strings.^[3] Lyrically, the album is darker and more poetic than the band's previous material. The opening track features some electronic programming from Jade Puget.^[5] A hidden song is included, which leads into a spoken word poem accompanied by piano keys and distorted synth sounds.^[6]

Artwork and liner notes

Sing the Sorrow was released with three different covers, featuring different colors for the text, logo, and iconography.^[a] The colors were red, silver and black. The original cover features red artwork.^[9] Several of the first pressings in the United States and United Kingdom featured the silver cover,^[10] but the pressings are now rare and out of print, although the digital version of Sing the Sorrow among iTunes still features the silver artwork. The black cover was solely available at performing shows within the United States tour following the album's release, and through the official fan club's online store as well. The black cover is now rare and out of print, with only 2,500 copies in circulation.^[11]

International versions of the album use different artwork on the album label. Often contain a picture of an inverted octopus whilst other contain a foraminifer or a dead bird. All of the pictures are taken from the book Animals by Jim Harter. Some versions, including the Ukrainian edition, feature no artwork on the album label, and have inconsistent cover artwork from other versions.^{[citation needed]}

Release

The album was released on March 11, 2003, through DreamWorks Records. In mid-to-late June and mid-to-late July, the group appeared on the Warped Tour.^[12]

 

The hard-book cover of the limited edition

Special limited edition

A special limited edition was released that included the short film Clandestine on DVD,^[13] directed by Norwood Cheek.^{[citation needed]} It also contained a 60-page booklet featuring extensive artwork and lyrics as well.^[9]

The film is eight minutes in length and stars all four band members.^{[citation needed]} The film contains references to imagery and concepts from the album. The film focuses on the four band members trying to obtain a mysterious box which bears resemblance to the Sing the Sorrow album cover. The film features two playable soundtracks, one by bassist Hunter Burgan and the other by guitarist Jade Puget.^{[citation needed]} Only 20,000 copies were pressed.

Reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	81/100^[14]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[3]
Alternative Press	5/5^[15]
Blender	^[16]
Entertainment Weekly	D^[17]
Los Angeles Times	^[18]
Q	^[19]
Rolling Stone	^[20]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	^[21]
Slant Magazine	^[6]
Spin	B+^[22]

Critical response to Sing the Sorrow was mostly very positive. The review aggregator Metacritic scored the album an 81 out of 100, based on 11 reviews, with the mention of "universal acclaim".^[14] E! Online called it a "well-crafted mix of hardcore bluster, determined melody and anthemic grandness that boasts depth and texture rarely heard from the Warped Tour ilk."^[14] Alternative Press awarded the album a perfect score, saying that, "Sing the Sorrow soars with the kind of melodies hit singles are made of, yet it somehow persists with AFI's esoteric darkness."^[14] Allmusic awarded the album 4 out of 5 stars and wrote: "Emerging in early 2003 with Sing the Sorrow, it's clear the molting process AFI began with Black Sails in Sunset is complete," and concluded that, "Whatever factions of the band's longterm fans might think of their major-label affiliation, Sing the Sorrow represents a coalescing of the band's sound."^[3] Rolling Stone awarded the album a 4 out of 5, claiming that "Sing the Sorrow is not exactly a concept album, but it does have a singleness of dark purpose that builds in momentum as the disc progresses."^[14] The New York Times rated Sing the Sorrow as the tenth-best album of 2003.^[23] Conversely, Entertainment Weekly gave the album a 'D', commenting that "The songs combine the most pretentious and overworked elements of their influences."^[14] The album ranked number 77 in the October 2006 issue of Guitar World magazine's List of the 100 Greatest Guitar Albums of All Time. The album's lead single, "Girl's Not Grey", received a 2003 VMA for the 'Best MTV2 Music Video' category.^[24] Alternative Press ranked "Girl's Not Grey" at number 63 on their list of the best 100 singles from the 2000s.^[25]

Singles

Three singles, each with an accompanying music video, were released from Sing the Sorrow: "Girl's Not Grey", "The Leaving Song Pt. II," and "Silver and Cold." "Girl's Not Grey" was the highest-charting single, reaching No. 7 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart,^[26] No. 33 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, and No. 22 on the UK Singles Chart. The second single, "The Leaving Song Pt. II" charted at No. 16 on the Alternative Songs chart,^[26] No. 31 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, No. 27 in Australia, and No. 43 in the UK. The third and final single, "Silver and Cold" reached No. 7 on the Alternative Songs chart^[26] and No. 39 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

Track listing

All tracks are written by AFI.

Standard edition

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Miseria Cantare - The Beginning"	2:57
2.	"The Leaving Song Pt. II"	3:31
3.	"Bleed Black"	4:15
4.	"Silver and Cold"	4:11
5.	"Dancing Through Sunday"	2:26
6.	"Girl's Not Grey"	3:10
7.	"Death of Seasons"	3:59
8.	"The Great Disappointment"	5:27
9.	"Paper Airplanes (makeshift wings)"	3:58
10.	"This Celluloid Dream"	4:11
11.	"The Leaving Song"	2:44
12.	"...but home is nowhere" "The Spoken Word" (hidden track) "This Time Imperfect" (hidden track)	15:07
Total length:		55:54

Japanese edition

No.	Title	Length
13.	"Now the World"	4:03
Total length:		59:57

UK edition

No.	Title	Length
12.	"...but home is nowhere"	3:51
13.	"Synesthesia"	3:30
14.	"Now the World" "The Spoken Word" (hidden track) "This Time Imperfect" (hidden track)	15:19
Total length:		1:03:28

Special limited edition DVD

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Clandestine" (short film) (playable in two versions; Jade's soundtrack and Hunter's soundtrack)	8:06
2.	"Death of Seasons" (Audio 5.1 Mix)	3:59
3.	"Silver and Cold" (Audio 5.1 Mix)	4:11
4.	"...but home is nowhere" (Audio 5.1 Mix)	3:51
5.	"The Great Disappointment" (Audio 5.1 Mix)	5:27
6.	"Reivers' Music" (Audio 5.1 Mix)	3:22
Total length:		28:16

B-sides and outtakes

All songs presumably recorded during the Sing the Sorrow sessions unless otherwise noted.

• "Reivers' Music" is featured on the DVD of the special limited edition album and the "Girl's Not Grey" single, as well as the 336 EP (2002), on which it backs the demo version of "Now the World".^[27]
• Demo versions of "Synesthesia", "This Celluloid Dream", "The Great Disappointment", "Paper Airplanes (makeshift wings)", "...But Home is Nowhere", "The Leaving Song", and "Now the World" can be found as b-sides on the album's single releases.
• "Rabbits are Roadkill on Rt. 37" was released on the MySpace Records: Volume 1 compilation^[28] in November 2005 and as a bonus track on the UK and Australian editions of Decemberunderground (2006).^[29]
• "Carcinogen Crush"^[b] was recorded during the Sing the Sorrow sessions, but the band felt that it did not fit the album. It was later re-recorded during the Decemberunderground sessions, but remained unreleased. It was eventually released as a bonus track on the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (2007)^[30] and as a digital single on December 4, 2007.^[31] It was also featured on the "Medicate" UK vinyl and the Japanese version of Crash Love (2009). The Sing the Sorrow version remains unreleased.
• "100 Words"^[b] was not released until 2009 on the deluxe version of Crash Love.

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's booklet.^[32]

AFI Davey Havok – vocals, backing vocals, spoken word vocals Jade Puget – guitar, executive producer, programming, keyboards Hunter Burgan – bass guitar, backing vocals Adam Carson – drums, percussion, backing vocals Additional musicians Susie Katayama – cello Roger Joseph Manning Jr. – additional keys on "...But Home is Nowhere" Anna-Lynne Williams – guest female vocal Jasmine Weist – Guest female vocal Nick 13 – additional backing vocals Geoff Kresge – additional backing vocals Chris Holmes – additional backing vocals Ralph Saenz – additional backing vocals Matt Wedgley – additional backing vocals Steve Cunningham – additional backing vocals St. Mileon's Church – choir Gibson Casian – spoken word vocals Hans Wold – spoken word vocals

Production Jerry Finn – producer, mixing, additional backing vocals Butch Vig – producer, additional backing vocals Joe McGrath – recording, additional backing vocals Chris Holmes – assistant engineer Alan Mason – assistant engineer Dan Chase – assistant engineer Stacey Dodds – assistant engineer, vocoder on "Death of Seasons" Alan Sanderson – assistant engineer Alan Mason – additional technical assistant Garner Knutsen – drum technician Mike Fasano – drum technician Brian Gardner – mastering Luke Wood – A&R, additional backing vocals Jason Noto – art direction, design Doug Cunningham – art direction, design Alan Forbes – icon illustration Matthew Welsh – photography

Certifications and chart positions

Weekly charts

Chart (2003)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[33]	65
Canadian Albums (Billboard)^[34]	10
UK Albums (OCC)^[35]	52
US Billboard 200^[36]	5

Year-end charts

Chart (2003)	Position
US Billboard 200^[37]	107

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)^[38]	Gold	35,000^^
Canada (Music Canada)^[39]	Platinum	100,000^^
United States (RIAA)^[40]	Platinum	1,000,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Standard edition Region Date Label Format Catalogue United Kingdom March 10, 2003 DreamWorks CD 450 448-2, 450 448-2(A), 450 448-2(B) United States March 11, 2003 0044-50380-2 Australia March 31, 2003 450 380-2 Japan April 22, 2003 UICW-1034

Special limited edition Region Date Label Format Catalogue United States March 11, 2003 Adeline Vinyl LP 65522300261 April 22, 2003 DreamWorks CD+DVD 0044-50440-0

Legacy

In November 2022, the band announced that it would play the full album for the first and only time at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on March 11, 2023, the album's 20th anniversary. Jawbreaker, Chelsea Wolfe, and Choir Boy are slated to open the event.^[41]

References

Footnotes

1. An early idea for the album cover depicted a burning rose.^[7] This was repurposed as the cover for some releases of the "Girl's Not Grey" single.^[8]
2. The title can be found in the special limited edition book of Sing the Sorrow.

Citations

1. "Review: AFI - Sing the Sorrow - Sputnikmusic". www.sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
2. "AFI Burns Brightly With No. 1 Debut". Billboard. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
3. Loftus, Johnny. "Sing the Sorrow – AFI". AllMusic. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
4. Punknews.org. "AFI - Sing The Sorrow". www.punknews.org. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
5. "Backspin: AFI on 'Sing the Sorrow'". Yahoo!. February 17, 2017. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved December 18, 2020 – via YouTube.
6. Scott, Aaron (March 21, 2003). "AFI: Sing the Sorrow". Slant Magazine. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
7. Puget, Jade (January 3, 2020). "Early idea for the cover of Sing the Sorrow". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
8. "AFI - Girl's Not Grey". Discogs. Retrieved January 17, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
9. Heisel, Scott (2003). "Sing The Sorrow formats and releases / new AFI tour dates". Punknews.org. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
10. "AFI - Sing The Sorrow". Discogs. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
11. "AFI - Sing The Sorrow". Discogs. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
12. . Warped Tour. February 6, 2003. Archived from the original on October 3, 2003. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
13. "AFI - Sing The Sorrow". Discogs. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
14. "Reviews for Sing The Sorrow by AFI". Metacritic. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
15. "AFI: Sing the Sorrow". Alternative Press (177): 69. April 2003.
16. Miccio, Anthony (April 2003). . Blender (15): 120. Archived from the original on August 3, 2004. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
17. Farber, Jim (March 21, 2003). . Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 2, 2017. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
18. Hochman, Steve (March 9, 2003). "Punk and beyond from A.F.I. quartet". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
19. "AFI: Sing the Sorrow". Q (201): 101. April 2003.
20. Cherry, Robert (February 25, 2003). . Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 4, 2009. Retrieved February 3, 2008.
21. McLeod, Kembrew (2004). "A.F.I.". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 10. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
22. Gross, Joe (April 2003). "Nü Day Rising". Spin. 19 (4): 101–02. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
23. "MUSIC: THE HIGHS; The Albums and Songs of the Year". The New York Times. December 28, 2003.
24. "MTV Video Music Awards". MTV. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
25. Paul, Aubin (November 20, 2009). "At The Drive-In's 'One Armed Scissor' tops AP's 'Haircut 100' singles countdown". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
26. https://www.billboard.com/artist/afi/chart-history/alternative-songs
27. "AFI - 336". Discogs. Retrieved January 3, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
28. Paul, Aubin (2005). "AFI cancels Big Day Out appearance". Punknews.org. Retrieved December 14, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
29. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas, "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - Original Game Soundtrack | Songs, Reviews, Credits", AllMusic, retrieved December 14, 2020
30. "Billboard Bits: 'Guitar Hero III,' Os Mutantes, Isis". Billboard. September 20, 2007.
31. "Carcinogen Crush - Single by AFI", Apple Music, January 2007, retrieved December 14, 2020
32. Sing the Sorrow (booklet). AFI. DreamWorks. 2003. 0044-50380-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
33. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
34. "AFI Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
35. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
36. "AFI Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
37. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2003". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
38. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2009 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
39. "Canadian album certifications – AFI – Sing the Sorrow". Music Canada. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
40. "American album certifications – AFI – Sing the Sorrow". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
41. Sacher, Andrew (November 14, 2022). "AFI playing 'Sing the Sorrow' in full at one-time only show with Jawbreaker, Chelsea Wolfe & more". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved November 22, 2022.

External links

• Clandestine at IMDb