''Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow'' (often shortened to ''No World for Tomorrow''), is the fourth studio album by American
progressive rock
Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed " progressive pop", the ...
band
Coheed and Cambria
Coheed and Cambria is an American progressive rock band from Nyack, New York, formed in 1995. It consists of Claudio Sanchez (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Travis Stever (guitars, vocals), Josh Eppard (drums, keyboards, backing vocals), and Za ...
, released on October 23, 2007. The album is a direct sequel to their previous album, ''
Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness''. The album comprises
part four of band's ''
Amory Wars'' narrative. It is the only album to feature
Taylor Hawkins
Oliver Taylor Hawkins (February 17, 1972 – March 25, 2022) was an American musician who was the drummer and a vocalist of the rock band Foo Fighters, sharing vocals with Dave Grohl. He joined the band in 1997, and remained the band's drummer ...
on drums, following the departure of
Josh Eppard
Josh Eric Eppard (born December 6, 1979) is an American musician from Kingston, New York and the drummer for progressive rock band Coheed and Cambria. He has worked as a solo rapper under the name Weerd Science and was the drummer for supergro ...
.
The album is often marketed by the shortened title ''No World for Tomorrow''. Neither the disc itself nor its outer packaging suggest the ''Good Apollo'' title, though it is found printed on the cover of the accompanying lyrics booklet, as well as the rim of the fourth side of the
vinyl
Vinyl may refer to:
Chemistry
* Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer
* Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation
* Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry
* Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl ...
release. Frontman
Claudio Sanchez
Claudio Paul Sanchez III (born March 12, 1978)Sanchez, Claudio: "The Amory Wars Sketchbook", page 30. Evil Ink, 2007. is an American musician and writer best known for being the lead singer, guitarist and primary lyricist for the progressive roc ...
has stated that the full name of the album is in fact ''Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow''.
The album debuted on the
''Billboard'' 200 album chart at No. 6, selling about 62,000 copies in its first week. It sold over 100,000 copies in its first month. As of January 2008, the record has sold over 350,000 copies, with 153,979 being sold in the US.
Promotion
Leading up to the album's release, the songs "Mother Superior" and "
The Running Free" were performed live on the band's tours. A July 2007
MTV
MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
article described the album as more experimental in comparison to the band's previous efforts. Sanchez detailed that for some tracks he had experimented with unfamiliar instrumentation including organs and pianos, creating a sound he described as "
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Gen ...
on
Quaaludes
Methaqualone is a hypnotic sedative. It was sold under the brand names Quaalude ( ) and Sopor among others, which contained 300 mg of methaqualone, and sold as a combination drug under the brand name Mandrax, which contained 250 mg ...
." Some parts initially written on piano were later converted into intricate guitar segments.
In late July 2007 "The Running Free" was announced as the album's first single, and it was released to radio on August 20.
[ ] The song was streamed on the band's
MySpace
Myspace (formerly stylized as MySpace, currently myspace; and sometimes my␣, with an elongated Whitespace character#Substitute images, open box symbol) is a social networking service based in the United States. Launched on August 1, 2003, it w ...
profile and was made available through
digital distribution
Digital distribution, also referred to as content delivery, online distribution, or electronic software distribution, among others, is the delivery or distribution of information or materials through digital platforms. The distribution of digital ...
on August 14.
Also in July 2007 an official website was launched for the album. The site featured weekly updates including a competition, video segments, album artwork and announcements regarding "The Running Free" single and its accompanying
music video
A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
. A
viral marketing
Viral marketing is a business strategy that uses existing social networks to promote a product mainly on various social media platforms. Its name refers to how consumers spread information about a product with other people, much in the same way th ...
video series entitled "The Willing Well" was released in five installments continuing until October 22.
In January 2008 a promotional website for the next single "Feathers" was created.
A guerilla marketing campaign took place in various locations across the country, including an incident on the University of Kansas campus in which someone spray painted the "Keywork" logo and the release date in several locations, resulting in a small panic related to a previous shooting on campus.
Formats
There are three formats of the album; a 'Deluxe Edition' which includes a bonus 24 minute documentary feature on "The Making of NWFT" with interviews, footage from the studio, three never before heard
acoustic demos (the other two from In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 had previously leaked), a booklet with scenes from ''The Amory Wars'', and over 50 photos from recent tours; a 'stripped' version, containing just the CD and a slip sleeve cover; and a 'double gatefold vinyl' version, in which the album comes on 2
LPs, featuring artwork by
Ken Kelly. If pre-ordered, they would come with an autographed booklet but stock ran out the day after the prerelease was announced. Another promotional item, the No World for Tomorrow magnet, is still in stock.
Critical reception
The album received mostly positive reviews, with a
Metacritic
Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
score of 69% based on 16 reviews.
''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' noted that the band "infuse their expansive music with enough grit and melody that you don't give a hoot what, say 'The Hound (of Blood & Rank)' is 'about.'"
''
Q'' gave it a score of four stars out of five and remarked that the album was "accessible" and "hugely appealing" because of how the album is immersed in
Claudio Sanchez
Claudio Paul Sanchez III (born March 12, 1978)Sanchez, Claudio: "The Amory Wars Sketchbook", page 30. Evil Ink, 2007. is an American musician and writer best known for being the lead singer, guitarist and primary lyricist for the progressive roc ...
's personal life.
''
Mojo
Mojo may refer to:
* Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in Hoodoo
Arts, entertainment and media Film and television
* ''Mojo'' (2017 film), a 2017 Indian Kannada drama film written and directed by Sreesha Belakvaadi
* '' ...
'' also gave it four stars and hailed "Feathers" as "unabashed radio-rock"
while ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason.
The magazine was first known fo ...
'' connected it to
Uriah Heep's "
Easy Livin'".
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
remarked that "listeners will find a number of enjoyable would-be singles", as well as stating that "the album is simple ear candy for those who haven't studied the band's previous releases".
''
Blender
A blender (sometimes called a mixer (from Latin ''mixus, the PPP of miscere eng. to Mix)'' or liquidiser in British English) is a kitchen and laboratory appliance used to mix, crush, purée or emulsify food and other substances. A stationary ...
'' voiced that "Coheed have found their sweet spot" and that they indulge "in grandiose, classic-rock, flaunting chops that could shame the showoffs in
Rush".
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Limited is a British telecommunications company which provides telephone, television and internet services in the United Kingdom. Its headquarters are at Green Park in Reading, England. It is owned by Virgin Media O2, a 50:50 ...
gave it four stars out of five, calling the album "an appealing addition to the prog canon". ''
Melodic
A melody (), also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most literal sense, a melody is a combination of pitch and rhythm, while more figuratively, the term c ...
'' gave it all five stars and said, "The band delivers the best album to date and shows their growth and maturity to the fullest."
On the other hand, ''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
'' claimed the album could "have been more inspired".
''
Alternative Press Alternative press may refer to:
Individual publications
* ''Alternative Press'' (magazine), an American music magazine
Alternative journalism
* Alternative media
** Alternative media (U.S. political left)
** Alternative media (U.S. political r ...
'' gave it three stars out of five and reported that the record "simply doesn't deliver on all the suspense that's been loaded into it and built up to."
''
Now
Now most commonly refers
to the present time.
Now, NOW, or The Now may also refer to:
Organizations
* Natal Organisation of Women, a South African women's organization
* National Organization for Women, an American feminist organization
* Na ...
'' also gave it three stars out of five as one of "Perlich's Picks" and said, "The aggression is still there, now tempered with lighter numbers like 'Feathers', but the whole thing still reeks of comic nerd sci-fi awesomeness." Others noted that the album sticks to a reliable formula that does not always help the progression of the album, especially with the outro of the last song "On the Brink" where they scream the word
ail
Ail or AIL may refer to:
* Illness, a state of poor health
* Ail (''Sailor Moon''), a character in the ''Sailor Moon'' anime series
* Acceptance in lieu, an arrangement in the UK for accepting works of art etc. in lieu of tax
* Agilus, a Franki ...
57 times.
''
The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...
'' lamented that Coheed "slipped up" on this album. ''
Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spin (physics) or particle spin, a fundamental property of elementary particles
* Spin quantum number, a number which defines the value of a particle's spin
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thr ...
'' gave the album a score of four out of ten and said it "should ensure that 21-year-old dudes in women's jeans will gobble up reissues of ''
2112 2112 may refer to:
* AD 2112, a year in the 22nd century
* 2112 BC
* ''2112'' (album), an album by Rush
** "2112" (song)
* ''John Byrne's 2112'', a comic book series prequel to '' Next Men''
See also
* Mars 2112, a space themed restaurant in ...
'' for years to come."
Track listing
Deluxe edition bonus DVD
# "Mother Superior" (Taylor Guitars performance @ NAMM 07 – PCM stereo)
# "Kitchen Jam" (PCM stereo)
# "Cuts Marked in the March of Men" (original acoustic demo – PCM stereo)
# "A Favor House Atlantic" (original acoustic demo – PCM stereo)
# "The Willing Well II: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness" (original acoustic demo – PCM stereo)
# "The Suffering" (original Acoustic demo – PCM stereo)
# "Always & Never / Welcome Home" (original acoustic demo – PCM stereo)
# Tour photo album (PCM stereo)
# "Always & Never / Welcome Home" (audio bed)
180-gram vinyl
''No World for Tomorrow'' was also released on 180 gram double LP vinyl, pressed at Nashville's United Record Pressing. The first three sides feature the same songs as the CD version but the fourth side features etched artwork incorporating the band's logo. It is packaged in a double gatefold jacket.
*Side four contains no music but features etched art on the surface of the vinyl.
Personnel
Coheed and Cambria
["Coheed and Cambria Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved January 25, 2008.]
*
Claudio Sanchez
Claudio Paul Sanchez III (born March 12, 1978)Sanchez, Claudio: "The Amory Wars Sketchbook", page 30. Evil Ink, 2007. is an American musician and writer best known for being the lead singer, guitarist and primary lyricist for the progressive roc ...
– lead/backing vocals; rhythm guitar; keyboards; synths
*
Travis Stever
Travis Stever (born November 25, 1978) is an American musician who is best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of progressive rock band Coheed and Cambria.
Coheed and Cambria
Travis Stever is a founding member of Coheed and Cambria. The ...
– lead guitar; backing vocals
*
Michael Todd – bass guitar
*
Taylor Hawkins
Oliver Taylor Hawkins (February 17, 1972 – March 25, 2022) was an American musician who was the drummer and a vocalist of the rock band Foo Fighters, sharing vocals with Dave Grohl. He joined the band in 1997, and remained the band's drummer ...
– recording drums
(
Chris Pennie
Chris Pennie (born May 31, 1977) is an American musician who is the former drummer for the progressive rock band Coheed and Cambria and former drummer and co-founder of mathcore band The Dillinger Escape Plan.
Background
Pennie began playing d ...
wrote the original drum parts but was unable to record due to contract issues)
With:
*
Rami Jaffee
Rami Jaffee (born March 11, 1969) is an American musician. He is the keyboardist for the rock band Foo Fighters, whom he initially joined in a touring and session capacity in 2005. He has contributed to seven of the band's studio albums, and for ...
– piano; synths
*Stevie Blacke – violin; viola; cello; string arrangements
*
Chondra Echert – backing vocals on "Gravemakers and Gunslingers"
*Nicholas Manrique Gardner – backing bass and vocals on "The End Complete II: Radio Bye Bye"
Charts
Album
Singles
References
External links
www.noworldfortomorrow.comOfficial promotional website for the album.
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:No World For Tomorrow
2007 albums
Albums produced by Nick Raskulinecz
Coheed and Cambria albums
Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume 2: No World for Tomorrow
Rock operas
The Amory Wars
Albums with cover art by Ken Kelly (artist)