Clancy (album)

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Clancy
The band stands in front of an orange and yellow background with the album title displayed above them. The image of the band members are in black-and-white.
Studio album by
Twenty One Pilots
ReleasedMay 24, 2024 (2024-05-24)
Recorded2021–2024[1]
Genre
Length47:18
Label
Producer
Twenty One Pilots chronology
Scaled and Icy
(2021) 		Clancy
(2024)
Singles from Clancy
  1. "Overcompensate"
    Released: February 29, 2024
  2. "Next Semester"
    Released: March 27, 2024
  3. "Backslide"
    Released: April 25, 2024
  4. "The Craving (Single Version)"
    Released: May 22, 2024

Clancy is the seventh studio album by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots, released on May 24, 2024, through Fueled by Ramen and Elektra Records. Titled after the protagonist introduced in their fifth studio album, Trench (2018), the visual album serves as the final chapter in the band's nearly decade-long conceptual series.[3][4]

Written by frontman Tyler Joseph and produced with frequent collaborator Paul Meany, Clancy was announced on February 29, 2024, following weeks of speculation. Four singles preceded the album's release: "Overcompensate", "Next Semester", "Backslide", and "The Craving".

Background[edit]

In February 2021, while promoting Twenty One Pilots's sixth studio album Scaled and Icy (2021), lead singer Tyler Joseph revealed that the album's closing track "Redecorate" acts as "an intentional hint at what he wants to try to do next", contrasting the song's more ominous tone with the "brand new, sparkling, happy, colorful" sound of its parent album.[5] In a September 2022 interview, Joseph confirmed that the band's next album would conclude the storyline of the character Clancy and the fictional city of Dema that were introduced in their fifth album Trench (2018).[6]

On February 15, 2024, the cover art of Scaled and Icy as well as Vessel (2013), Blurryface (2015) and Trench were updated to be partially concealed with red tape on streaming platforms.[7] Shortly after, people began to post on their social media that they had received mail from the band containing cryptic letters. Around the same time, billboards and posters in numerous countries began displaying a new band logo.[8]

On February 22, 2024, the band released a narrated video on their social media platforms. In the video, the narrator, who reveals himself to be Clancy, summarizes the story of the previous three albums and his multiple attempts to escape from Dema;[a] he ends the video by stating that he would be "returning to Trench".[10][11] Clancy was officially announced on February 29, 2024, with its release initially set for May 17. Its lead single, "Overcompensate", was released on the same day.[12][13]

"It's because I love these songs, and I believe in them enough to pretend to sing in front of a camera to each one. And that's what we're gonna do, because that's how I want to present this album."

–Tyler Joseph on why every song from the album will have a music video[1]

On March 18, Joseph announced that each song on the album would have an accompanying music video, with all set to be released alongside the album;[14] its release was subsequently delayed by a week due to the production timeframe required to complete the videos.[15][16] Despite this, the band announced listening parties that would take place in selected stores through various countries, between May 18 and May 23, before the album's release.[17]

The second single, "Next Semester", was released on March 27.[18][19] The third single, "Backslide", was released on April 25.[20][21] On May 9, the band debuted "The Craving" live during their small-scale concert at the Electric Ballroom in London.[22] The song was released on May 22 as the fourth promotional single; this version is subtitled "(Single Version)" in contrast to the album's "(Jenna's Version)", and features different instrumentation and production.[23]

On May 24, 2024, the day of the album's release, the band premiered the music video for each song on the album (excluding the singles, which had already been released) on YouTube through a livestream wherein the band presented each video and in between offered insights into the motivations behind the creation of each song and its respective video. Each music video was individually uploaded to the band's YouTube channel independent of the livestream after its premiere.[24][25]

Composition and themes[edit]

Clancy was composed and produced in its entirety by the band, alongside Paul Meany, who was a prominent producer on Trench, and assisted in production on two songs from Scaled and Icy. Meany disclosed on Instagram in August 2023 that he was with the band in Ohio while working on their next project.[26] Like previous works in the series, Clancy is framed in the metaphorical world of "Trench" and the dystopian city of "Dema". It follows the titular character as he returns to Trench to free his fellow citizens of Dema after he escaped and was granted a "miraculous power".[11][10]

Tour[edit]

A concert tour in support of the album, the Clancy World Tour, was announced alongside the release of "Next Semester". The tour is set to consist of over 70 shows spanning four continents, beginning at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on August 15, 2024, and concluding at The O2 Arena in London on May 14, 2025.[27] Five small-scale concerts collectively titled "An Evening with Twenty One Pilots" were held prior to the tour, with the first taking place at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City on May 2, 2024,[28] the second at the Metropol in Berlin on May 7,[28] the third at the Electric Ballroom in London on May 9,[28] and the fourth at the Lunario del Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City on May 14.[29][30] The final show of the small-scale series of performances was held at the Newport Music Hall in the band's hometown of Columbus, Ohio on May 24, to coincide with the album's release.[31]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic78/100[32]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
The Arts Desk[33]
Classic Rock[34]
Dork5/5[35]
Kerrang!5/5[36]
NME[37]
Paste6.8/10[38]
Wall of Sound8/10[39]

Clancy has received positive reviews from music critics. On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized score out of 100 to ratings from mainstream publications, the album received a weighted mean score of 78 based on 5 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[32] Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic wrote, "Twenty One Pilots tie a bow on a fascinating narrative that has captured the imagination of a legion of fans... Fortunately for listeners unaware of the backstory, the songs are reliably catchy and intriguing enough to grab their attention, too."[2] According to Tom Carr of The Arts Desk, "Clancy succeeds in balancing finishing a narrative that will satisfy the die-hards, but also be just as fulfilling for the casual passersby."[33] Kiana Doyle of the Associated Press called Clancy an "energizing" and "triumphant" conclusion to the band's arc that is filled with vim, vigor, and nostalgia.[40] Vicky Greer writing for Classic Rock, considered it to be "a very strong outing for Twenty One Pilots" but also wrote "they falter where they fall back into old habits instead of embracing the album's more innovative moments."[34] Ali Shutler of Dork, called it "a gorgeous, intricate record that cycles through tender, heartfelt moments, fiery rage, flexing swagger and frustrated self-destruction."[35]

Manus Hopkins of Kerrang! described the album as "creative, colourful and endlessly charismatic."[36] Jon Dolan of Rolling Stone reviewed the album positively saying it showed the band's "midlife growth," praising Clancy for not feeling scattered in its juggling of many genres and sounds.[41]

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are produced by Tyler Joseph and Paul Meany. All tracks are written by Joseph, except where noted.

Clancy track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Overcompensate"
3:56
2."Next Semester" 3:54
3."Backslide" 3:00
4."Midwest Indigo"
  • Joseph
  • Meany
3:16
5."Routines in the Night"
  • Joseph
  • Meany
  • Jake Torrey
3:22
6."Vignette"
  • Joseph
  • Meany
3:22
7."The Craving (Jenna's version)" 2:54
8."Lavish"
  • Joseph
  • Meany
2:38
9."Navigating"
  • Joseph
  • Meany
3:43
10."Snap Back"
  • Joseph
  • Meany
3:30
11."Oldies Station" 3:48
12."At the Risk of Feeling Dumb" 3:23
13."Paladin Strait"
  • Joseph
  • Meany
6:28
Total length:47:18

Sample credits

  • "Overcompensate" contains an interpolation of "Bandito", written by Joseph and Meany and performed by Twenty One Pilots.[4]

Personnel[edit]

Twenty One Pilots[edit]

  • Tyler Joseph – vocals, programming, production, executive production
  • Josh Dun – drums, drum engineering

Technical[edit]

Additional[edit]

  • Mark Eshleman – creative direction (video)
  • Brandon Rike – creative direction (design)
  • Ashley Osborn – photography
  • Björgvin Sigurdarson – additional photography
  • Laura Proepper – styling
  • Brian Ranney – packaging
  • Alex Wilder – bass drums on "The Craving (Single Version)"
  • Mike Elizondo – upright bass on "The Craving (Single Version)"

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ As depicted in the music videos for "Heavydirtysoul" (2017), "Jumpsuit" (2018), "Nico and the Niners" (2018), "Levitate" (2018), "Saturday" (2021), and "The Outside" (2022), as well as the livestream concert in support of Scaled and Icy (2021)[9]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Weatherbay, Taylor (March 1, 2024). "Everything We Know About Twenty One Pilots' New Album 'Clancy'". Grammy.com. Archived from the original on April 6, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e Yeung, Neil Z. "Clancy - Twenty One Pilots". AllMusic. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  3. ^ Kreps, Daniel (February 29, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots Conclude Decade-Long Narrative With New Album Clancy". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Wilkes, Emma (February 29, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots announce new album Clancy and share hip hop-inspired single "Overcompensate"". NME. Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  5. ^ Kaufman, Gil (February 6, 2021). "Twenty One Pilots Talk Embracing the Light on New Album — And How Their Next LP Might Slip Back Into Darkness". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 1, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  6. ^ 1075 The River (September 8, 2022). "Tyler Joseph (Twenty One Pilots) Talks Creating The Icy Tour Stage, The Air Mattress, & Next Album". Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved March 3, 2024 – via YouTube.
  7. ^ Delores, Bee (February 15, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots fans convinced comeback is imminent after red tape appears on albums". Dexerto. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  8. ^ Dunworth, Liberty (February 19, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots have started teasing their new era". NME. Archived from the original on March 5, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  9. ^ Kaufman, Gil (February 23, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots Hint at Next Era in Cryptic 'I Am Clancy' Video Recap: 'A New Chapter Begins'". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  10. ^ a b Coward, Teddy (February 22, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots Reveal A New Era Is Coming 'Next Week'". Rock Sound. Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  11. ^ a b Rigotti, Alex (February 22, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots: "Next week, a new chapter begins"". NME. Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  12. ^ Kaufman, Gil (February 29, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots Announce 'Clancy' Album, Drop Video For Booming 'Overcompensate' Single". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  13. ^ Carter, Emily (February 28, 2024). "twenty one pilots announce new single, Overcompensate". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on March 1, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  14. ^ Carter, Emily (April 18, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots are recording a music video for every song on Clancy". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on March 22, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  15. ^ Coward, Teddy (April 23, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots To Push Back 'Clancy' Release By One Week". Rock Sound. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  16. ^ Paul, Larisha (April 23, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots Push 'Clancy' Release Date to Film Visual Album". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  17. ^ Nattress, Katrina (May 9, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots Unveil Global Listening Parties Before 'Clancy' Release". iHeartRadio. Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  18. ^ Carter, Emily (March 27, 2024). "twenty one pilots announce The Clancy World Tour, release new single Next Semester". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on March 27, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  19. ^ Wilson-Taylor, James (March 27, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots Release New Single 'Next Semester'". Rock Sound. Archived from the original on April 16, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  20. ^ Carter, Emily (April 23, 2024). "twenty one pilots confirm next single and Josh Dun-directed video". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  21. ^ Kaufman, Gil (April 25, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots Drummer Josh Dun Steps Behind the Camera For 'Backslide' Video". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 25, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  22. ^ Carter, Emily (May 10, 2024). "See twenty one pilots play brand-new song The Craving at intimate London show". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on May 10, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  23. ^ Wilson-Taylor, James (May 22, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots Release Sweet Acoustic Track 'The Craving (Jenna's Version)'". Rock Sound. Archived from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  24. ^ Wilson-Taylor, James (May 24, 2024). "Watch: Twenty One Pilots Unveil 'Clancy' Music Videos". Rock Sound. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  25. ^ "Twenty One Pilots Release New Album "Clancy"". Substream Magazine. May 24, 2024. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  26. ^ Meany, Paul (August 4, 2023). "Paul Meany on Instagram: "2 musts for the new TOP project. It has to be made in Ohio..."". Archived from the original on August 7, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2024 – via Instagram.
  27. ^ Chan, Anna (March 27, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots Are Going on a Massive World Tour & Dropped a New Song to Celebrate". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 27, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  28. ^ a b c Carter, Emily (May 3, 2024). "twenty one pilots are playing a London show in less than a week's time". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  29. ^ Carter, Emily (April 26, 2024). "twenty one pilots are teasing a special New York show next week". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on April 26, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  30. ^ Segoviano, Carlos (May 8, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots anuncia concierto privado en Lunario del Auditorio Nacional, ¿cómo y cuándo conseguir boletos?". Heraldodemexico (in Spanish). Archived from the original on May 9, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  31. ^ "twenty one pilots at Newport Music Hall". Songkick. Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  32. ^ a b "Reviews for Clancy by Twenty One Pilots". Metacritic. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  33. ^ a b Carr, Tom (May 24, 2024). "Album: Twenty One Pilots - Clancy". The Arts Desk. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  34. ^ a b Greer, Vicky (May 24, 2024). ""Conceptually elaborate and packed with easter eggs that will delight their hardcore fans." Twenty One Pilots close out their multi-album saga with Clancy". Classic Rock. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  35. ^ a b Shutler, Ali (May 24, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots - Clancy". Dork. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  36. ^ a b Hopkins, Manus (May 24, 2024). "Album review: twenty one pilots – Clancy". Kerrang!. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  37. ^ Goggins, Joe (May 24, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots – 'Clancy' review: concept-heavy finale falls short". NME. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  38. ^ Feigelson, David (May 24, 2024). "Clancy is twenty one pilots' Past, Present and Future". Paste. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  39. ^ Haskins, Georgia (May 24, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots – Clancy (Album Review)". Wall of Sound. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  40. ^ Doyle, Kiana (May 21, 2024). "Music Review: Twenty One Pilots' concept album Clancy is an energizing end of an era". Associated Press. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  41. ^ Dolan, Jon (May 23, 2024). "Twenty One Pilots: Still Blurry After All These Years". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
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