American Football (1999 album)
| American Football | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by American Football | ||||
| Released | September 28, 1999 | |||
| Studio | Private Studios, Urbana, Illinois | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 40:52 | |||
| Label | Polyvinyl | |||
| American Football chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| The A.V. Club | A− |
| Consequence of Sound | A |
| Filter | 83% |
| LAS Magazine | 9/10 |
| The Line of Best Fit | 9/10 |
| Paste | 9.0/10 |
| Pitchfork Media | 7.5/10 (1999) 8.6/10 (2014) |
| Punknews.org |
(2004) (2014)
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| Spin | 7/10 |
American Football is the debut studio album by American rock band American Football. After the break-up of The One Up Downstairs, drummer Steve Lamos started jamming with guitarist Steve Holmes. With the addition of vocalist/guitarist Mike Kinsella, the trio formed American Football. In October 1998 they released a self-titled EP through Polyvinyl. With Brendan Gamble taking producer duties, the group recorded a self-titled album at Private Studios in Urbana, Illinois. The album's sound is a throwback to early Joan of Arc, a band which Kinsella previously played drums in. American Football focused on the interaction between two guitars after listening to Steve Reich. A few of the songs were unfinished by the time the band got to the studio and decided to finish them there.
The album was released on September 28, 1999 through Polyvinyl. The artwork, photographed by Chris Strong, was of a house located within walking distance of the University of Illinois. The album received minor success at college radio stations, however the band broke up soon after due to the members no longer living in the same city. Kinsella started Owen after he wanted complete creative control, and Holmes & Lamos played in The Geese. Since its release, the album has acquired cult status. A deluxe edition was released by Polyvinyl in May 2014 – the demand for which crashed the label's website. The reissue charted at number 68 on the Billboard 200 chart. A month later, a music video was released for the song "Never Meant", directed by Strong. The band have since played shows across the U.S. and the UK.
Frontman Mike Kinsella previously played in Chicago-based bands Cap'n Jazz and Joan of Arc alongside his brother Tim. Mike played drums for both bands. In 1997 Kinsella started The One Up Downstairs, whose line-up consisted of Allen Johnson on bass, Steve Lamos on drums, David Johnson on guitar, and Kinsella himself on vocals. The One Up Downstairs recorded three songs that were planned for a 7" vinyl release by Polyvinyl. However, the band broke up before it was pressed, thus the record was shelved. Shortly afterwards, Lamos was jamming with guitarist Steve Holmes, who was Kinsella's college roommate. Kinsella thought he "could add something", resulting in the trio forming American Football. The band got their name from a poster that Lamos' girlfriend had spotted. The poster read: "Come see American Football, the most overpaid athletes in the world."
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