Without Feathers | ||||
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Studio album by The Stills | ||||
Released | May 9, 2006 | |||
Recorded | 2005–2006 | |||
Genre | Indie rock | |||
Length | 43:36 (US) 46:25 (UK) |
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Label |
Vice Drowned in Sound (UK) |
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Producer | Gus Van Go | |||
The Stills chronology | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 65/100 |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | |
NME | (8/10) |
Pitchfork Media | (6.7/10) |
Prefix Magazine | |
Rocklouder | |
Rolling Stone |
Without Feathers is the second album by Montreal indie rock band The Stills. It was released May 9, 2006 by Vice Records. The album was produced by Gus Van Go.
Emily Haines from fellow indie band Metric appeared on "Baby Blues," while Jason Collett of Broken Social Scene and Sam Roberts were featured on the track "Oh Shoplifter".
The album debuted at No. 6 on the Top Heatseekers chart, but failed to hit the Billboard 200. In Canada, the album did not fare well on the charts. It premiered at No. 51 before moving out of the Top 100 the following week. The album was later released in the UK in 2007 by Drowned in Sound Recordings, including two new tracks.
Without Feathers featured a major personnel change; with the departure of original lead guitarist Greg Paquet, drummer Dave Hamelin moved to guitar and sang lead vocals on the majority of the album's tracks. It was also the first Stills album to feature keyboardist Liam O'Neil as a full-time member, and was the debut for drummer Julien Blais.
The album also marked a big chance in sound, from the 1980s-influenced post-punk revivalism of their debut to a happier, more rootsy Americana-oriented sound, which Pitchfork termed "cheerful and heartfelt".