{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox album | name = Endless Arcade | type = studio | artist = Teenage Fanclub | cover = Endless Arcade.jpeg | alt = | released = {{Start date|2021|4|30|df=y}} | recorded = January 2019–March 2020<ref name=Richards/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://somethingyousaid.com/2021/04/30/teenage-fanclub-endless-arcade-review/|title=Teenage Fanclub – Endless Arcade, review |first=Gary|last=Page|publisher=Something You Said|date=30 April 2021|access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://guitar.com/features/interviews/teenage-fanclub-new-album-endless-arcade/|title="We've never stopped. This thing is our life and we don't know anything else": Teenage Fanclub on touring with Nirvana and new album Endless Arcade |first=Gary|last=Walker|publisher=Guitar.com|date=16 April 2021|access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref> | studio = {{hlist|Clouds Hill Recordings, Hamburg, Germany|Raymond's place, Glasgow, Scotland|Rockfield Studios, Monmouth, Wales}} | genre = {{hlist|Alternative rock|jangle pop<ref>{{cite web | url=https://glidemagazine.com/254439/teenage-fanclub-offers-its-melancholic-jangle-pop-on-endless-arcade-album-review/ | title=Teenage Fanclub Sticks to Its Melancholic Jangle-Pop on 'Endless Arcade' (ALBUM REVIEW) | date=4 March 2021 }}</ref>}} | length = 44:24 | label = * PeMa (Europe) * Merge (North America) | producer = Teenage Fanclub | prev_title = Here | prev_year = 2016 | next_title = Nothing Lasts Forever | next_year = 2023 | misc = {{Singles | name = Endless Arcade | type = studio | single1 = Everything Is Falling Apart | single1date = February 20, 2019 | single2 = Home | single2date = November 11, 2020 | single3 = I'm More Inclined | single3date = January 25, 2021 | single4 = The Sun Won't Shine On Me | single4date = March 15, 2021 | single5 = In Our Dreams | single5date = April 13, 2021 }} }}
'''''Endless Arcade''''' is the eleventh studio album by Scottish band Teenage Fanclub. Released on 30 April 2021, it is the band's first record since the departure of co-founder Gerard Love in late 2018 and their first with former Gorky's Zygotic Mynci member Euros Childs. The album's title comes from co-founder Raymond McGinley's song of the same name, with McGinley envisioning an endless arcade as "a city that you can wander through, with a sense of mystery, an imaginary one that goes on forever. When it came to choosing an album title, it seemed to have something for this collection of songs."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/teenage-fanclub-announce-new-album-endless-arcade-with-single-home-2817136|title=Teenage Fanclub announce new album 'Endless Arcade' with single 'Home'|first=Will|last=Richards|publisher=NME|date=15 November 2020|access-date=22 December 2020}}</ref>
==Background== After parting ways with Gerard Love following a series of late 2018 shows in which Teenage Fanclub performed the five recently reissued albums they had recorded for Creation Records during the Nineties in full,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/gerry-love-leaving-teenage-fanclub-i-dont-feel-i-was-victim-i-had-part-play-it-1402210|title=Gerry Love on leaving Teenage Fanclub: "I don't feel I was the victim, I had a part to play in it"|first=Fiona|last=Shepherd|publisher=The Scotsman|date=17 November 2019|access-date=27 January 2021}}</ref> the band regrouped in January 2019 with long-time member Dave McGowan switching over from playing keyboards and guitar to fill the bassist position vacated by Love. Euros Childs – who also collaborates with Teenage Fanclub co-founder Norman Blake in the side project Jonny – joined the band on keyboards.
When they started gathering material for a new album, Blake already had a song called "I'm More Inclined" ready to be presented to the rest of the band. Following approval of the song, they soon set about recording their new album.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/teenage-fanclub-im-more-inclined-new-song-1119203/|title=Teenage Fanclub Drop Devotional New Song 'I'm More Inclined'|first=Jon|last=Blistein|publisher=Rolling Stone|date=26 January 2021|access-date=27 January 2021}}</ref>
==Recording== In January 2019 the new-look Teenage Fanclub relocated to Hamburg, Germany, a city that they had grown to love,<ref name=Murray>{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/features/a-gradual-evolution-teenage-fanclub-interviewed|title=A Gradual Evolution: Teenage Fanclub in Conversation|first=Robin|last=Murray|publisher=Clash|date=27 November 2020|access-date=26 January 2021}}</ref> for recording sessions at Clouds Hill Recordings, a facility in which they had mixed their previous album, ''Here''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/features/reference-points/teenage-fanclub-on-the-making-of-new-album-here|title=Teenage Fanclub on the making of new album Here|first=Norman|last=Blake|publisher=The Line of Best Fit|date=9 September 2016|access-date=26 January 2021}}</ref> Following these sessions, they embarked on a tour of Asia, Australia, North America and Europe from February to April.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://badfeelingmag.com/2019/02/03/interview-teenage-fanclubs-norman-blake/|title=Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake on the band's revamped lineup, new music, and what they learned on the OK Computer tour|first=Gabriel|last=Sigler|publisher=Bad Feeling Magazine|date=3 February 2019|access-date=22 December 2020}}</ref> They would then return to Clouds Hill in late November 2019 for more recording.<ref name=Richards>{{cite web|url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/news/teenage-fanclub-announce-new-album-endless-arcade-123451/|title=Teenage Fanclub announce new album, Endless Arcade|first=Sam|last=Richards|publisher=Uncut|date=3 March 2020|access-date=22 December 2020}}</ref> Additional recording was also done at Raymond McGinley's home studio in Glasgow and at Rockfield Studios in Wales.<ref name=AV>{{cite AV media notes |title=Endless Arcade|others=Teenage Fanclub |date=2021|publisher=PeMa}}</ref>
As the remaining ever-present members of Teenage Fanclub, Norman Blake and Raymond McGinley maintained a pragmatic outlook towards the differences in recording with the new line-up, with McGinley commenting, "With Gerry not being there…it’s different. But then Dave is on bass and Euros is there. It’s an inspiring thing!"<ref name=Murray /> Meanwhile, according to Blake, "I think some of the playing is a bit freer and looser than on recent albums. Dave and Euros’ playing is amazing, and [[Francis Macdonald|Francis [Macdonald]]] on drums is really swinging."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/teenage-fanclub-announce-first-album-in-four-years-endless-arcade|title=Teenage Fanclub announce first album in four years Endless Arcade|first=Cerys|last=Kenneally|publisher=The Line of Best Fit|date=11 November 2020|access-date=27 January 2021}}</ref>
After plans to release the album in October 2020 and go on tour for the remainder of the year fell through, Blake and McGinley used the extra time caused by the enforced postponement for further work on mixing the album in Glasgow.<ref name=Murray />
==Release== On 20 February 2019, Teenage Fanclub released the first taste of their recent recording session in the form of "Everything Is Falling Apart", which was written and sung by Raymond McGinley.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/teenage-fanclub-new-song-everything-is-falling-apart-796651/|title=Teenage Fanclub Unveil New Lineup in 'Everything Is Falling Apart' Video|first=Ryan|last=Reed|publisher=Rolling Stone|date=20 February 2019|access-date=22 December 2020}}</ref>
In March 2020 the band announced that their new album, ''Endless Arcade'', was to be released in October to coincide with a UK and Europe tour the following November and December.<ref name=Richards /> However, in June they subsequently rescheduled the tour for April and May 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the album's release also pushed back ahead of the new tour dates.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stereoboard.com/content/view/228468/9|title=Teenage Fanclub Reschedule UK and Ireland Shows For 2021|first=Huw|last=Baines|publisher=Stereoboard|date=12 June 2020|access-date=22 December 2020}}</ref>
On 11 November 2020, Teenage Fanclub announced ''Endless Arcade'''s release date of 5 March 2021, along with the album's track listing. They also released a single edit and video for "Home", the album's opening track which was penned and sung by Norman Blake.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2106741/teenage-fanclub-home/music/|title=Teenage Fanclub – "Home"|first=Chris|last=Deville|publisher=Stereogum|date=11 November 2020|access-date=22 December 2020}}</ref>
On 25 January 2021, Teenage Fanclub released Blake's song “I'm More Inclined” as a single. They also announced that ''Endless Arcade''’s release date had been pushed back to 30 April 2021 due to “circumstances beyond our control.” The band's tour dates in support of the album were also postponed to September 2021 and April and May 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/teenage-fanclub-share-new-single-im-more-inclined-postpone-album-and-tour-dates-2864798|title=Teenage Fanclub share new single 'I'm More Inclined', postpone album and tour dates|first=Alex|last=Gallagher|publisher=NME|date=26 January 2021|access-date=26 January 2021}}</ref>
"The Sun Won't Shine on Me", another Blake-written song from the album, was released on 15 March 2021,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/news/teenage-fanclubs-the-sun-wont-shine-on-me-is-a-gentle-waltz|title=Teenage Fanclub's 'The Sun Won't Shine On Me' Is A Gentle Waltz|first=Robin|last=Murray|publisher=Clash|date=15 March 2021|access-date=15 March 2021}}</ref> followed by the album's final single, McGinley's "In Our Dreams", on 13 April 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2143892/teenage-fanclub-endless-arcade-in-our-dreams/music/|title=Teenage Fanclub – "In Our Dreams"|first=Ryan|last=Leas|publisher=Stereogum|date=13 April 2021|access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.therockpit.net/2021/teenage-fanclub-share-new-single-in-our-dreams-from-new-album-endless-arcade/|title=VIDEO: Teenage Fanclub share new single "In Our Dreams" from new album "Endless Arcade"|publisher=The Rockpit|date=17 April 2021|access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref>
== Reception == ''Endless Arcade'' currently holds a 7.5/10 score on AnyDecentMusic?, which has conglomerated 20 reviews from various publications,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Endless Arcade by Teenage Fanclub reviews {{!}} Any Decent Music|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.co.uk/review/12825/Teenage-Fanclub-Endless-Arcade.aspx|access-date=2021-07-19|website=www.anydecentmusic.co.uk}}</ref> and according to Metacritic, another review aggregation site, a score of 79/100 – based on 18 reviewers – indicates a "generally favorable" consensus.<ref>{{Citation|title=Endless Arcade by Teenage Fanclub|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/endless-arcade/teenage-fanclub|language=en|access-date=2021-07-19}}</ref>
{{Album ratings |rev1=AllMusic |rev1Score={{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/endless-arcade-mw0003450172|title=Endless Arcade Review|first=Matt|last=Collar|publisher=AllMusic|date=2021|access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref> |rev2=The Arts Desk |rev2Score={{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theartsdesk.com/node/86587/view|title=Album: Teenage Fanclub - Endless Arcade|first=Kieron|last=Tyler|publisher=The Arts Desk|date=26 April 2021|access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref> |rev3=''Mojo'' |rev3Score={{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Teenage Fanclub – Endless Arcade|url=https://archive.org/details/mojo-june-2021/page/82/mode/2up|first=James|last=McNair|magazine=Mojo|page=82|date=June 2021|access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref> |rev4=''MusicOMH'' |rev4Score={{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/teenage-fanclub-endless-arcade|title=Teenage Fanclub – Endless Arcade|first=Steven|last=Johnson|publisher=MusicOMH|date=27 April 2021|access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref> |rev5=''The Observer'' |rev5Score={{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/may/02/teenage-fanclub-endless-arcade-review|title=Teenage Fanclub: Endless Arcade review – heartbreak and joy|first=Kitty|last=Empire|publisher=The Observer|date=2 May 2021|access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref> |rev6=Pitchfork |rev6Score=7/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/teenage-fanclub-endless-arcade/|title=Teenage Fanclub: Endless Arcade|first=Sam|last=Sodomsky|publisher=Pitchfork|date=30 April 2021|access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref> |rev7=''PopMatters'' |rev7Score=7/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/teenage-fanclub-endless-arcade-review|title=Teenage Fanclub's Sunny Fatalism on Display in 'Endless Arcade'|first=Kevin |last=Kearney|publisher=PopMatters|date=30 April 2021|access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref> |rev8=''Record Collector'' |rev8Score={{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/endless-arcade|title=Endless Arcade - Teenage Fanclub|first=Mike|last=Goldsmith|publisher=Record Collector|date=25 February 2021|access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref> |rev9=''Slant Magazine'' |rev9Score={{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review-teenage-fanclub-endless-arcade-is-a-welcome-reminder-of-days-gone-by/|title=Review: Teenage Fanclub's Endless Arcade Is a Welcome Reminder of Days Gone By|first=Jeremy|last=Winograd|publisher=Slant Magazine|date=20 April 2021|access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref> |rev10=''Uncut'' |rev10Score={{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/album/teenage-fanclub-endless-arcade-130358/|title=Teenage Fanclub – Endless Arcade|first=Tom|last=Pinnock|publisher=Uncut|date=10 May 2021|access-date=8 May 2022}}</ref> }}
==Track listing== {{Track listing | headline = | total_length = 44:24 | title1 = Home | writer1 = Norman Blake | length1 = 7:04 | title2 = Endless Arcade | writer2 = Raymond McGinley | length2 = 3:25 | title3 = Warm Embrace | writer3 = Blake | length3 = 2:07 | title4 = Everything Is Falling Apart | writer4 = McGinley | length4 = 4:28 | title5 = The Sun Won't Shine on Me | writer5 = Blake | length5 = 2:40 | title6 = Come with Me | writer6 = McGinley | length6 = 3:27 | title7 = In Our Dreams | writer7 = McGinley | length7 = 4:15 | title8 = I'm More Inclined | writer8 = Blake | length8 = 3:20 | title9 = Back in the Day | writer9 = Blake | length9 = 3:49 | title10 = The Future | writer10 = McGinley | length10 = 3:06 | title11 = Living with You | writer11 = Blake | length11 = 2:55 | title12 = Silent Song | writer12 = McGinley | length12 = 3:48 }}
==Personnel== Adapted from the album liner notes.<ref name=AV/>
'''Teenage Fanclub''' * Norman Blake * Raymond McGinley * Francis Macdonald * David McGowan * Euros Childs
'''Technical''' * Teenage Fanclub – producer * David Henderson – engineer * Linda Gerdes – assistant engineer (Clouds Hill) * Sebastian Muxfeldt – assistant engineer (Clouds Hill) * Stephen Black – engineer (credited with recording "some of Euros' backing vocals in Cardiff") * Salvador Daily – mastering * H. Hawkline – design
==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Chart performance for ''Endless Arcade'' ! scope="col"| Chart (2021) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|Germany|57|id=477751|artist=Teenage Fanclub|album=Endless Arcade|rowheader=true|access-date=7 May 2021}} |- {{album chart|Ireland|51|M|url=http://www.irma.ie/index.cfm?page=irish-charts&chart=Albums|title=Irish Albums Chart: 7 May 2021|publisher=Irish Recorded Music Association|artist=Teenage Fanclub|rowheader=true|access-date=8 May 2021}} |- {{album chart|Scotland|2|date=20210507|rowheader=true|access-date=8 May 2021}} |- {{album chart|Switzerland|95|artist=Teenage Fanclub|album=Endless Arcade|rowheader=true|access-date=9 May 2021}} |- {{album chart|UK2|11|date=20210507|rowheader=true|access-date=7 May 2021}} |- {{album chart|UKIndependent|3|date=20210507|rowheader=true|access-date=8 May 2021}} |- {{album chart|Spain|90|artist=Teenage Fanclub|album=Endless Arcade|rowheader=true|access-date=5 May 2025}} |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Teenage Fanclub}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2021 albums Category:Teenage Fanclub albums Category:Merge Records albums