Big Mess (Danny Elfman album)

Big Mess is the second solo studio album by American singer, musician, and composer Danny Elfman. It was released by Anti- and Epitaph Records on June 11, 2021.[3][4]

Big Mess
Studio album by
Danny Elfman
ReleasedJune 11, 2021 (2021-06-11)
Recorded2020
GenreIndustrial metal, industrial rock[1][2]
Length72:18
Label
ProducerDanny Elfman
Danny Elfman chronology
So-Lo
(1984)		 Big Mess
(2021)
Singles from Big Mess
  1. "Happy"
    Released: October 2020
  2. "Sorry"
    Released: January 2021
  3. "Love in the Time of COVID"
    Released: February 2021
  4. "Kick Me"
    Released: March 2021
  5. "True"
    Released: April 2021
  6. "Insects"
    Released: May 2021

The album is Elfman's first studio album outside of his film compositions since the 1994 album Boingo with his former band Oingo Boingo, and his first solo pop release since the 1984 album So-Lo[5] (although the latter is often also attributed to Oingo Boingo).

Elfman had initially written two songs, "Sorry" and "Happy"—his first non-commissioned songs since Oingo Boingo disbanded—that were intended to debut at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2020. The show was also planned to feature a number of reworked versions of Elfman's film score compositions and Oingo Boingo songs, but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A complete album was then written, unplanned, with Elfman stating that once he started, he "couldn't stop", ultimately recording a total of 18 songs.[3] The album was teased with a series of singles, beginning with "Happy" in October 2020,[6][7] and continuing on from January 2021, with releases on the 11th date of each month. A remix of "True", featuring additional production and vocals from Trent Reznor, was released as a single in August 2021.[8]

The album comprises two "heavily contrasting" halves and ends with a reworking of the Oingo Boingo song "Insects", from the 1982 album Nothing to Fear.[3]

In December 2021 Anti- and Epitaph Records announced and upcoming deluxe box set which includes four colored vinyl, a 60-pages artbook, a life sized hand of Elfman's as a lamp and a signed poster. Two of the records are remixes and vocal features from musicians such as Trent Reznor, Blixa Bargeld, Rebekah del Rio, Fever333, HEALTH, Squarepusher and Machinegirl.[9]

Track listing

All songs written by Danny Elfman.

  1. "Sorry" – 4:53
  2. "True" – 4:24
  3. "In Time" – 4:27
  4. "Everybody Loves You" – 7:04
  5. "Dance with the Lemurs" – 4:14
  6. "Serious Ground" – 5:00
  7. "Choose Your Side" – 4:33
  8. "We Belong" – 3:50
  9. "Happy" – 4:33
  10. "Just a Human" – 2:46
  11. "Devil Take Away" – 2:49
  12. "Love in the Time of COVID" – 3:31
  13. "Native Intelligence" – 4:23
  14. "Better Times" – 3:14
  15. "Cruel Compensation" – 3:11
  16. "Kick Me" – 2:11
  17. "Get Over It" – 4:06
  18. "Insects" – 3:09

Personnel

Additional musicians

  • Petra Haden – female vocal solo
  • Holly Sedillos – female chorister
  • Anna Schubert – female chorister
  • Danielle Withers – female chorister
  • Lyris Quartet – strings
  • Budapest Art Orchestra – orchestra
  • Budapest Scoring Orchestra – orchestra ("Happy" and "Sorry")

Technical

  • Danny Elfman – producer
  • Steve Bartek – string orchestration
  • Marc Mann – orchestration assistant
  • Noah Snyder – engineer, mixing
  • Zakk Cervini – mixing
  • Joel Hamilton – mixing
  • Pete Rutcho – mixing
  • Randall Dunn – mixing
  • Nik Trekov – mixing assistant
  • Francisco Botero – mixing assistant
  • Ben Greenberg – mixing assistant
  • Garrett de Block – mixing assistant
  • Nick Rives – additional engineering
  • Matt Tuggle – additional engineering
  • Joe LaPorta – mastering

Art/Visuals

  • Berit Gwendolyn Gilma – Creative/Art Director

References
  1. "PipePanic's Review of 'Big Mess' by Danny Elfman".
  2. "Danny Elfman : Big Mess". 30 June 2021.
  3. "About Danny Elfman's Big Mess". Anti. 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  4. Moore, Sam (2021-04-12). "Danny Elfman announces 'Big Mess', his first new solo album in 37 years". NME. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
  5. Grow, Kory (October 29, 2020). "Hear Danny Elfman's First Solo Pop Song in Nearly 40 Years, 'Happy'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  6. "Happy | Danny Elfman". Bandcamp. October 29, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  7. "Happy - Single by Danny Elfman on Apple Music". October 29, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  8. Kreps, Daniel (August 11, 2021). "Danny Elfman Taps Trent Reznor for 'True' Remix". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  9. https://gothammag.com/danny-elfman-berit-gilma-big-mess-box-set-interview
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