2009 studio album by Fun
August 25, 2009
Baroque pop
Indie pop
Indie rock
Rock and roll
Blue-eyed soul
Show tune
42:20
Nettwerk
Steven McDonald
Aim and Ignite
(2009)
Some Nights
(2012)
\"At Least I\'m Not as Sad (As I Used to Be)\"
Released: May 5, 2009
\"All the Pretty Girls\"
Released: November 4, 2009
\"Walking the Dog\"
Released: August 16, 2010
Aim and Ignite is the debut studio album by American indie pop band Fun. It was recorded at Appletree Studios.
Professional ratings
AbsolutePunk.net89%AllMusic
The Aquarian WeeklyB+MelodicMusic EmissionsPopMatters5/10RedefineA−Rock Sound8/10Sputnikmusic
Aim and Ignite was released to positive reviews. AbsolutePunk.net\'s Drew Beringer praised the album, calling it \"what a pop album should sound like\" and \"the most essential pop album of 2009\". AllMusic called the album \"progressive, but in the best possible way\" and admired Ruess\'s lyrics for \"investigating the larger truths of life...with a witty approach that keeps the songs bubbling merrily along on a positive note\". Dave de Sylvia of Sputnikmusic wrote, \"Aim and Ignite isn’t the most consistent pop album around,\" but he ultimately commended the album as \"a superbly mixed and arranged album made by musicians who clearly understand the limits and potential of pop music\".
Estella Hung of PopMatters was less impressed with the album, praising songs \"Be Calm\" and \"The Gambler\", but criticizing the lyrics and production of the album\'s early tracks. Hung concluded that while Aim and Ignite is \"pretty original to say the least\", it \"fails to live up to the Format\'s last outing\". Popdose\'s Ken Shane called the album \"an interesting and unusual listen\". Shane applauded the album\'s songwriting and said \"many of the songs are really good\", but he objected to the \"cute\" production, desiring to hear the band \"in a more stripped-down form. He ended his review with: \"I have a similar problem with Dr. Dog, a band that was recommended to me by a number of people. I think much of their recorded work is too fussed over, but when I saw them live and their sound was more stripped down out of necessity, emphasizing their powerful songwriting, I thought they were wonderful. Perhaps the same fate awaits me with Fun.\"
The album reached number 26 on Sputnikmusic\'s top 50 albums of 2009.
Track listing
All tracks are written by Nate Ruess, Andrew Dost, Jack Antonoff and Sam Means except where noted
\"Be Calm\"4:10
\"Benson Hedges\"4:00
\"All the Pretty Girls\"3:23
\"I Wanna Be the One\"3:37
\"At Least I\'m Not as Sad (As I Used to Be)\"4:07
\"Light a Roman Candle With Me\"3:05
\"Walking the Dog\"3:41
\"Barlights\"4:18
\"The Gambler\"4:12
\"Take Your Time (Coming Home)\"7:52
iTunes bonus tracks
\"Stitch Me Up\" (Ruess, Dost, Antonoff) – 4:05
\"Walking the Dog II\" – 4:31
\"Take Your Time\" (Acoustic) – 3:57
\"Walking the Dog\" (RAC Mix) – 4:30
\"All the Pretty Girls\" (RAC Mix) – 4:25
Personnel
fun.
Jack Antonoff – lead guitar, drums, percussion, backing vocals
Andrew Dost – piano, guitars, theremin, percussion, keyboards, flugelhorn, trumpet, synthesizers, glockenspiel, backing vocals
Nate Ruess – lead and backing vocals
Additional musicians
Jas Thor – trombone (tracks: 4, 6, 8)
Double G – saxophones (tracks: 5, 8)
Lara Wickes – oboe (track 4)
Phil Parlapiano – accordion (track 1)
Mike Whits – viola (tracks: 5, 6, 9)
Ina Whits – violin (tracks: 5, 6, 9)
Timothy Loo – cello (tracks: 5, 6, 9)
Vanessa Freebairn-Smith – cello (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 6)
Neel Hammond – violin and viola (tracks: 1–6, 9)
John O\'Reilly – drums (all tracks except: 7, 9)
Steven Shane McDonald – vocals (tracks: 4, 10), bass (all tracks except: 2, 9)
Roger Joseph Manning Jr.. – calliope (track 1)
Christopher Bautista – trumpet (tracks: 1, 8)
Connie Corn – vocals (tracks: 2, 8, 10)
Karen Mills – vocals (tracks: 2, 8, 10)
Ida Relhm – vocals (tracks: 2, 8, 10)
Anna Waronker – vocals (tracks: 1, 5)
Rachel Antonoff – vocals (tracks: 1, 4, 5)
Charts
position
71
20
23
3
