{{for|the Sanskrit term|Ahimsa}} {{other uses|Harmless (disambiguation){{!}}Harmless}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Harmlessness | type = studio | artist = The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die | cover = Harmlessness_Cover.jpg | alt = | released = September 25, 2015 | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = {{flatlist| * Indie rock<ref>{{cite web|last=Cohen |first=Ian |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-world-is-a-beautiful-place-and-i-am-no-longer-afraid-to-die-made-a-perfect-indie-rock-record-with-harmlessness/ |title=The Emo Revival Ends Here: The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die Made a Perfect Indie Rock Record |publisher=Noisey.vice.com |date= 28 September 2015|access-date=2015-10-12}}</ref><ref name=AP.netTN>{{cite web|url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=3744097|title=Thomas Nassiff - Article|work=AbsolutePunk|author=Nassiff, Thomas |date=December 3, 2015|accessdate=January 7, 2016}}</ref> * emo * post-rock }} | length = 61:03 | label = Epitaph | producer = Chris Teti | prev_title = Whenever, If Ever | prev_year = 2013 | next_title = Always Foreign | next_year = 2017 }} '''''Harmlessness''''' is the second studio album by American indie rock band The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die. It was announced on August 4, 2015, and was released on September 25, 2015. The title of the album is a play on the name of the band's first EP, ''Formlessness''.<ref name="Broken World Media">{{cite web |url=http://store.brokenworldmedia.com/products/556014-twiabp-harmlessness-pre-order|title=Broken World Media - TWIABP - Harmlessness|publisher=Store.brokenworldmedia.com|accessdate=2015-08-10}}</ref>
==Reception== {{Music ratings |MC = 84/100<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/harmlessness/the-world-is-a-beautiful-place-i-am-no-longer-afraid-to-die |title=Reviews for Harmlessness by The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die |publisher=Metacritic |date=2015-10-02 |accessdate=2015-10-12}}</ref> |rev1 = ''AbsolutePunk'' |rev1Score = {{Rating|10|10}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=3733762|title=The World is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die - Harmlessness - Album Review|publisher=Absolutepunk.net|author=Drew Beringer|date=2015-09-25|accessdate=2015-10-04}}</ref> |rev2 = ''Alternative Press'' |rev2Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}} |rev3 =''Blurt'' |rev3Score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blurtonline.com/review/the-world-is-a-beautiful-place-and-i-am-no-longer-afraid-to-die-harmlessness/|title=The World is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die - Harmlessness|publisher=Blurtonline.com|author=Daniel Matti|date=2015-10-02|accessdate=2015-10-04}}</ref> |rev4 = ''Pitchfork'' |rev4Score = 7.9/10<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21037-harmlessness/|title=The World is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die: Harmlessness|publisher=Pitchfork.com|author=Evan Rytlewski|date=2015-09-28|accessdate=2015-10-04}}</ref> |rev5 = ''Punknews.org'' |rev5Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name=Punknewsreview>{{cite web |url=https://www.punknews.org/review/13912/the-world-is-a-beautiful-place-and-i-am-no-longer-afraid-to-die-harmlessness|title=The World is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die - Harmlessness|publisher=Punknews.org|date=2015-09-28|accessdate=2015-10-04}}</ref> |rev6 = ''Under the Radar'' |rev6score = 7.5/10<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dransfield, Scott |date=November 19, 2015 |title=The World is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die: ''Harmlessness'' |work=Under the Radar |url=http://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/the_world_is_a_beautiful_place_i_am_no_longer_afraid_to_die_harmlessness/ |access-date=March 10, 2021}}</ref> }} ''Harmlessness'' charted at number 11 on the Heatseekers Albums chart,<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/6715596/the-world-is-a-beautiful-place-i-am-no-longer-afraid-to-die/chart?f=324|title=The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die - Chart history (Heatseekers Albums)|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=October 21, 2015}}</ref> and at number 46 on the Independent Albums chart.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/6715596/the-world-is-a-beautiful-place-i-am-no-longer-afraid-to-die/chart?f=326|title=The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die - Chart history (Independent Albums)|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=October 21, 2015}}</ref> Upon release, the album received critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from specialized critics, the album received an average score of 84, based on 6 reviews. ''Stereogum'' placed the album at number 13 on their top 50 albums of 2015 list.<ref name=SGEOY>{{cite web |url=http://www.stereogum.com/1845609/the-50-best-albums-of-2015/franchises/2015-in-review/4/|title=The 50 Best Albums Of 2015: The World is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die - Harmlessness|publisher=Stereogum|date=December 1, 2015|accessdate=December 1, 2015}}</ref> James of ''Stereogum'' wrote: "It's not the kind of music that will change the world, but it might just change your life."<ref name=SGEOY/> Aaron Mook of ''AbsolutePunk'' wrote: "''Harmlessness'' is ambitious and intimidating in scope; it is not an easy listen, but with the right amount of time and dedication, it is easily one of the most rewarding listens of 2015." "January 10th, 2014" appeared on a best-of emo songs list by ''Vulture''.<ref name=Vulturesongs>{{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-emo-songs.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213181251/https://www.vulture.com/article/best-emo-songs.html|title=The 100 Greatest Emo Songs of All Time|work=Vulture|author=Garland, Emma|date=February 13, 2020|archivedate=February 13, 2020|accessdate=August 14, 2020}}</ref>
=== Legacy === In 2017, ''Harmlessness'' placed seventh on ''Spin''{{'}}s list of the emo revival's 30 best albums, with writer Ian Cohen dubbing it "one of the most stunningly accomplished indie rock records of the past decade."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2017/06/best-emo-revival-albums-ranked/|author=''Spin'' staff|date=June 14, 2017|title=30 Best Emo Revival Albums, Ranked|work=Spin|access-date=July 22, 2023}}</ref> Several months later, Cohen called it "an astonishing redirection" for indie rock, seeing it anticipate the genre's impending fusion of the late 90's Pacific Northwest scene's "experimental and expanse" with mid-00s Canadian indie's "grandeur" that would give way to the emo revival.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1965054/qa-the-world-is-a-beautiful-place-and-i-am-no-longer-afraid-to-die/interviews/|last=Cohen|first=Ian|date=September 29, 2017|title=Q&A: The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die|work=Stereogum|access-date=July 22, 2023}}</ref> In 2021, ''Exclaim!''{{'}}s Adam Feibel wrote that the album had "frequently been held up as [the band's] crowning achievement".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/the_world_is_a_beautiful_place_and_i_am_no_longer_afraid_to_die_illusory_walls_album_review|last=Feibel|first=Adam|date=October 6, 2021|title=The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die Balance Anger and Ambition on 'Illusory Walls'|work=Exclaim!|access-date=July 22, 2023}}</ref>
===Accolades=== {|class="wikitable" |- ! Publication ! Accolade ! Year ! Rank |- | ''Stereogum'' | The 50 Best Albums of 2015 | 2015 | #13<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stereogum.com/1845609/the-50-best-albums-of-2015/franchises/2015-in-review/4/|title=The 50 Best Albums Of 2015 |publisher=stereogum.com |date=2015-12-01 |accessdate=2015-12-10}}</ref> |- | ''Brooklyn Magazine'' | The 20 Best Rock Albums of 2015 | 2015 | #1<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-12-17 |title=The 20 Best Rock Albums of 2015 |url=http://www.bkmag.com/2015/12/17/the-20-best-rock-albums-of-2015/ |access-date=2015-12-18 |website=Brooklyn Magazine}}</ref> |- | BrooklynVegan | Our 50 Favorite Albums of 2015 | 2015 | --<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-12-31 |title=Our Favorite Albums of 2015 |url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2015/12/our_50_favorite.html |access-date=2016-01-03 |website=Brooklyn Vegan}}</ref> |- | ''Absolutepunk.net'' | Staff's Top 30 Albums of 2015 | 2015 | #5<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=3744073/|title=Staff's Top 30 Albums Of 2015 |publisher=absolutepunk.net |date=2016-01-06 |accessdate=2016-01-06}}</ref> |}
== Track listing == {{track listing | all_music = David F. Bello, Tyler Bussey, Steven K. Buttery, Joshua Cyr, Katie Dvorak, Greg Horbal, Derrick Shanholtzer and Chris Teti<ref>{{cite web |title=ACE Repertory (January 10th 2014) |url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/title/january%2010th%202014/publisher/music%20of%20the%20mothership?at=true&searchFilter=SVW&page=1 |website=ASCAP |access-date=25 September 2025}}</ref>, except as noted | total_length = 61:03 | title1 = You Can't Live There Forever | writer1 = Bello, Buttery, Cyr, Dvorak, Shanholtzer, Teti<ref>{{cite web |title=ACE Repertory (You Cant Live There Forever) |url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/title/you%20can't%20live%20there%20forever/publisher/music%20of%20the%20mothership?at=true&searchFilter=SVW&page=1 |website=ASCAP |access-date=25 September 2025}}</ref> | length1 = 4:01 | title2 = blank #11 | writer2 = Shanholtzer, Teti<ref>{{cite web |title=ACE Repertory (Blank 11) |url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/title/blank%2011/writer/shanholtzer?at=true&searchFilter=SVW&page=1 |website=ASCAP |access-date=25 September 2025}}</ref> | length2 = 1:09 | title3 = January 10th, 2014 | length3 = 5:39 | title4 = The Word Lisa | length4 = 2:03 | title5 = Rage Against the Dying of the Light | writer5 = Bello, Bussey, Buttery, Cyr, Dvorak, Shanholtzer, Teti<ref>{{cite web |title=ACE Repertory (Rage Against the Dying of the Light) |url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/title/Rage%20against%20the%20dying%20of%20the%20light/publisher/music%20of%20the%20mothership?at=true&searchFilter=SVW&page=1 |website=ASCAP |access-date=25 September 2025}}</ref> | length5 = 3:29 | title6 = Ra Patera Dance | length6 = 4:30 | title7 = Mental Health | writer7 = Bello, Bussey, Buttery, Cyr, Dvorak<ref>{{cite web |title=ACE Repertory (Mental Health) |url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/title/mental%20health/publisher/music%20of%20the%20mothership?at=true&searchFilter=SVW&page=1 |website=ASCAP |access-date=25 September 2025}}</ref> | length7 = 4:07 | title8 = Wendover | length8 = 2:57 | title9 = We Need More Skulls | writer9 = Bello, Bussey, Buttery, Cyr, Shanholtzer, Teti<ref>{{cite web |title=ACE Repertory (We Need More Skulls) |url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/title/we%20need%20more%20skulls/publisher/music%20of%20the%20mothership?at=true&searchFilter=SVW&page=1 |website=ASCAP |access-date=25 September 2025}}</ref> | length9 = 4:20 | title10 = Haircuts for Everybody | length10 = 2:44 | title11 = Willie (For Howard) | length11 = 3:10 | title12 = I Can Be Afraid of Anything | length12 = 7:10 | title13 = Mount Hum | note13 = ends at 8:20; hidden track "Make Mistakes" begins at 11:28 | length13 = 15:44 }} {{Track listing | headline = iTunes bonus track<ref name="twiabp">{{cite web |url=http://theworldisabeautifulplace.com/post/126371948001/whats-the-deal-with-make-mistakes-that-isnt |title=Anonymous asked: what's the deal with 'make mistakes'? ...|publisher=theworldisabeautifulplace.com|accessdate=2015-08-10}}</ref> | title14 = Make Mistakes<ref>{{cite web |title=ACE Repertory (Make Mistakes) |url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/title/make%20mistakes/publisher/music%20of%20the%20mothership?at=true&searchFilter=SVW&page=1 |website=ASCAP |access-date=25 September 2025}}</ref> | note14 = hidden track on CD version, see above | writer14 = Bussey, Buttery, Cyr, Shanholtzer, Teti | length14 = 4:16 }}
==Personnel== The lineup for this album is:<ref name="Brooklyn Vegan">{{cite web |url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2015/08/twiabp_detail_n.html |title=TWIABP detail new album 'Harmlessness,' share new single "January 10th, 2014|publisher=brooklynvegan.com|author=Sacher, Andrew|date=10 August 2015 |accessdate=2015-08-10}}</ref> * David Bello - vocals * Nicole Shanholtzer - guitar, vocals * Josh Cyr - bass guitar, acoustic guitar * Katie Dvorak - synthesizer, vocals * Steven Buttery - percussion * Chris Teti - production, engineering, mixing, guitar, vocals, percussion * Nick Kwas - violin * Tyler Bussey - guitar, banjo, vocals * Greg Horbal - guitar
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die}}
{{Authority control}} {{Wikiquote}}
Category:2015 albums Category:The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die albums Category:Epitaph Records albums