Antenna (Cave In album)
| Antenna | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Cave In | ||||
| Released | March 18, 2003 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock, space rock, progressive rock | |||
| Length | 56:17 | |||
| Label |
RCA Hydra Head Records (Vinyl) (HH666-70) |
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| Producer | Rich Costey | |||
| Cave In chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
| Alternative Press |
April 2003, (p.82) |
| Kerrang! | |
| Pitchfork Media | (6.1/10) |
| Q Magazine |
 April 2003, (p.102) |
Antenna is the third studio album and the first major label album by the American rock band Cave In. Released in 2003, it was Cave In's first and only album for RCA before they were dropped by RCA and re-signed with Hydra Head. Antenna marked a more commercial shift in Cave In's style which, while critically praised, was met with uneasiness from the band and distaste from longtime fans. In the midst of such polarization, the band began a return to its previous style, resulting in Perfect Pitch Black in 2005.
Following the success of their 2000 album, Jupiter, Cave In was sought by numerous major labels. Hoping to exceed the limitations of a small label, they eventually settled with RCA for its thorough marketing and promotion plans. The band did, however, maintain a business relationship with Hydra Head, which had released their first major label album on vinyl.
In contrast to Cave In's previous recording, Antenna emphasized spacey, progressive rock tendencies with soaring anthems and clean, melodic vocals. Guitarist Adam McGrath attributed the musical shift to both physical and creative limitations; physically, the singer Stephen Brodsky had alleged concerns over the long-term effects of performing harsh metal vocals. Creatively, Cave In had also grown tired of being pigeonholed within the metalcore genre and being forced to consistently perform amongst such acts. On a much greater budget, Antenna was also given three months of fundamental recording time in contrast to the four days for Jupiter and took a total of six months.
Weeks after the album's release, McGrath described the recording process:
However, months later, he noted that in comparison to small labels, "RCA tried harder to get things done, but more people wanted to put their fingerprints on our record." McGrath elaborated that the label pressured the band to create radio-friendly singles and that the band overtook their lives. "All these new people came into the picture. We had a business manager, lawyer, A&R guy, marketing guy, people that are your quote/unquote friends. We were young and naive to the whole process and it affected how we wrote songs."
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Wikipedia