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Hand Built by Robots

For the advertising slogan "Handbuilt by robots" and the car it relates to, see Fiat Ritmo § handbuilt_by_robots.
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Insiders' Guides3.5/5 stars Review
AllMusic3/5 stars Review
BillboardReview
Click Music2/5 stars [1]
entertainment.ie1/5 stars Review
Gilde3.5/5 stars Review
The Guardian4/5 stars Review
IndieLondon4.5/5 stars Review
Times Online2/5 stars Review

Hand Built by Robots is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter Newton Faulkner. Produced by Mike Spencer, it was released on 30 July 2007 on Ugly Truth Records. Preceded by the single "Dream Catch Me", the album initially charted at number 3 in the UK album chart, and subsequently reached number one in its fourth week. Regarding the album's success, Faulkner stated, "I don't think anyone involved in Hand Built by Robots actually thought it would do that at all."[1]

Writing and composition

Regarding the album's composition, Faulkner stated, in 2009, that the album was "actually quite rushed in a lot of ways. 'Dream Catch Me' was actually released before we finished the album, so we had to move really fast to complete Hand Built By Robots. The album wasn't the culmination of ten years worth of writing, but was a few months of panic, and a couple of things I had lying around - a couple of older songs that were still good enough to be used. [...] A lot of Hand Built By Robot's songs were written in the last few months leading up to recording, as I became better at writing."[1]

Four tracks on the album were co-written with former Longpigs vocalist Crispin Hunt and two were co-written by Adam Argyle, who is perhaps best known for writing "Next Best Superstar" for Melanie C.

Lyrics

The album's lyrics mainly explore dreams, aspirations and observations on society.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Newton Faulkner, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Intro" 0:34
2."To the Light" 2:40
3."I Need Something" 2:57
4."All I Got"Newton Faulkner, Crispin Hunt3:21
5."Dream Catch Me"C. Hunt, N. Faulkner, Gordon Mills3:56
6."Feels Like Home" 3:12
7."Teardrop"Robert Del Naja, Grantley Marshall, Andrew Vowles, Elizabeth Fraser3:09
8."Gone in the Morning"N. Faulkner, Toby Faulkner2:21
9."Sitar-y Thing" 1:19
10."Uncomfortably Slow"N. Faulkner, Adam Argyle3:28
11."Straight Towards the Sun"N. Faulkner, C. Hunt3:39
12."People Should Smile More"N. Faulkner, A. Argyle, C. Hunt3:29
13."She's Got the Time"N. Faulkner, T. Faulkner1:20
14."U.F.O"N. Faulkner, T. Faulkner2:36
15."Face (Her)" 0:39
16."Ageing Superhero" 3:22
17."Lullaby" 1:37
Bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
18."Full Fat" (exclusive to iTunes) 2:50
19."Dream Catch Me" (instrumental)C. Hunt, N. Faulkner, G. Mills4:09

Chart performance

Hand Built by Robots was certified platinum and later double platinum,[2] in the United Kingdom, and was the twentieth best-selling album of 2007, selling 444,000 copies.

The album debuted at number 26 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart in March 2008. It subsequently ascended fifteen places the following week to number 11, and then to number 8. The album eventually peaked at number 5 the week after.[3] It has since been certified Gold on the ARIA charts.

The album was released in Germany on 18 April 2008, and in the United States (it did not have massive success in the U.S. but did manage to reach number 42 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart) and Canada on 29 April 2008, with the first single being "Dream Catch Me".[4]

Charts

References

  1. ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 1 August 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  2. ^ "British certification for Hand Built by Robots".British Phonographic Industry. 7 March 2008. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
  3. ^ Top 50 Albums Chart Australian Record Industry Association, 24 March 2008, Retrieved 24 March 2008
  4. ^ Newton Faulkner Album Preview and Tour Dates Archived 7 December 2008 at Archive.today, news.jamradio.org 24 March 2008, Retrieved 24 March 2008
  5. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Newton Faulkner – Hand Built By Robots". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Newton Faulkner – Hand Built By Robots" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  7. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Newton Faulkner". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  8. ^ "Charts.nz – Newton Faulkner – Hand Built By Robots". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  10. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Newton Faulkner – Hand Built By Robots". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  11. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  12. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2007". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  13. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 2008". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  14. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2008". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
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