{{use mdy dates|date=May 2024}} {{use list-defined references|date=May 2024}} {{use American English|date=May 2024}} {{Infobox album | name = To All Trains | type = studio | artist = Shellac | cover = Shellac - To All Trains.jpg | alt = The album's cover features a black-and-white photograph taken inside of Chicago's Union Station. | released = {{start date|2024|05|17}} | recorded = *November 5–6, 2017 *October 18–21, 2019 *September 1–6, 2021 *March 2–3, 2022 | studio = Electrical Audio, Chicago, Illinois, US | genre = {{hlist|Math rock<ref name="amg" />|post-punk<ref name="2024q2sg" />}} | length = {{Duration|m=28|s=13}} | label = Touch and Go | producer = Shellac | prev_title = The End of Radio | prev_year = 2019 }} {{quote-box |align=right |width=20%| "It's marketing, which is maybe my most hated thing on earth. Like, fascism is up there, but marketing is right behind, you know?" |—Shellac guitarist Steve Albini on the decision to not send out promotional copies of any of their records to press outlets<ref name="e!" />}} '''''To All Trains''''' is the sixth and final studio album by American rock band Shellac, released by Touch and Go Records on May 17, 2024.<ref name="pm" /> It was their first studio album in a decade and the final recording made before guitarist Steve Albini's death just ten days prior to the album's release.
The album was recorded over several years and was not promoted with advance copies, specific tour dates, or singles.<ref name="pmwork" />
==Reception== {{Music ratings |ADM = 7.9/10<ref name="ADM">{{cite web|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/13966/Shellac-To-All-Trains.aspx|title=To All Trains by Shellac reviews|publisher=AnyDecentMusic?|access-date=June 29, 2025}}</ref> |MC = 84/100<ref name="metacritic"/> |rev1 = AllMusic |rev1score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="amg" /> |rev2 = ''Clash'' |rev2score = 9/10<ref name="clash" /> |rev3 = ''Kerrang!'' |rev3score = 4/5<ref name="k!" /> |rev4 = ''Louder Sound'' |rev4score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="ls" /> |rev5 = ''Louder Than War'' |rev5score = 5/5<ref name="ltw" /> |rev6 = ''Mojo'' |rev6score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="mojo" /> |rev7 = ''Pitchfork'' |rev7score = 8.1/10<ref name="pmrev" /> |rev8 = ''The Scotsman'' |rev8score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref name="scot" /> |rev9 = ''Spin'' |rev9score = B+<ref name="spin" /> |rev10 = Sputnikmusic |rev10score =4.2/5<ref name="sputnik" /> }}
''To All Trains'' received largely positive reviews. {{Metacritic album prose|To All Trains|positive|84|7}}<ref name="metacritic"/> Writing for AllMusic, critic Mark Deming stated that "it's practically impossible to listen to the music without hearing it through the filter of grief, which is odd, since this is music that sounds muscular, vital, and very much alive" and the band is "a lean, mean math rock machine... [with] concision of the songs [that] makes this a breathless, energetic listening experience".<ref name="amg" /> Lux Sparks-Pescovitz of ''BoingBoing'' recommended this album to anyone, including those unfamiliar with Albini's previous work and favorably compared this album to blues rock, the Raconteurs, and David Bowie's final studio album, ''Blackstar''.<ref name="bb" /> At ''Clash Music'', Cal Cashin described the album as "beat-em-up mutant rock" that "showcases a rock band who get every single thing about being a rock band absolutely correct".<ref name="clash" /> In ''Kerrang!'', Olly Thomas hailed the release as "a masterclass in delivering musical precision with an undercarriage of scuzz and tension".<ref name="k!" />
Paul Brannigan at ''Louder Sound'' characterized it as "as thrillingly intense, darkly amusing and pleasingly unsentimental as expected" with emotions that are "grinding [and] typically unsentimental" as well as silly, describing the music as a whole as "never less than compelling throughout, never less than a bleakly beautiful good time".<ref name="ls" /> At ''Louder Than War'', John Robb awarded the album a perfect score and called it "another peep into the tight world of the band and another celebration of their minimalistic genius" that "sounds as thrilling and fresh as anything they have ever done".<ref name="ltw" /> Editors at ''Pitchfork'' included this among a shortlist of the eight best albums of the week, calling it a "record of righteous, riotous noise",<ref name="pmweek" /> with critic Christopher R. Weingarten writing later on that it "naturally walks the same path and, had circumstances permitted, would likely have been appreciated simply as little more than Shellac's sixth excellent record".<ref name="pmrev" />
Writing for ''PopMatters'', Seth Troyer rated this album a 7 out of 10 and used the review to give an overview of Shellac and Steve Albini's career, noting that "it can be hard not to indulge in the creepy feeling that the person who has been telling you these ghost stories was himself a ghost the whole time" and stating that it "feels like a group showing up, punching in, doing the good work, getting the job done, and then punching out for a night at the bar".<ref name="pop" /> Online retailer Qobuz spotlighted this release and Jeff Laughlin called it "classic Shellac" with songs that "epitomizes Shellac's unique style" that invite "reflection on our collective folly".<ref name="qobuz" /> In ''Rolling Stone'', Kory Grow called these songs a mixture of Albini's sarcasm and biting noise rock "with its snarling lyrics and crisp sound" that serves as an appropriate final statement.<ref name="rs" /> In a mixed review, Fiona Shepherd of ''The Scotsman'' called it Albini's "musical epitaph and testament to his tight partnership with bassist Bob Weston and mighty drummer Todd Trainer".<ref name="scot" />
In a May 31 roundup of the best albums of the year, editors at ''Exclaim!'' ranked this 25 stating that this might be Shellac's best release.<ref name="2024q2e!" /> Staff at ''Consequence of Sound'' included this among the best albums of May, with Jonah Krueger writing that it "serves as a masterful, shockingly fitting project for Shellac, even down to the foreboding, black and white album cover"<ref name="2024maycos" /> and a June 4 overview of the best albums of the year so far ranked it 17, where he called it "an idiosyncratic, irreverent, beautiful final offering from Albini and company".<ref name="2024q2cos" /> The same day, ''Stereogum'' did the same and ranked this album 20 and Tom Breihan characterized the release as "a document of a great American rock band, 30 years into its career, making the kind of spiky, scabrous post-punk that they always did better than anyone else".<ref name="2024q2sg" /> Online retailer Qobuz chose this as one of the five best rock albums of May.<ref name="2024mayqobuz" />
==Track listing== All tracks are written by Steve Albini, Todd Trainer, and Bob Weston.
#"WSOD" – 2:24 #"Girl From Outside" – 2:46 #"Chick New Wave" – 2:22 #"Tattoos" – 3:08 #"Wednesday" – 3:18 #"Scrappers" – 2:21 #"Days Are Dogs" – 1:42 #"How I Wrote How I Wrote Elastic Man (cock & bull)" – 4:09 #"Scabby the Rat" – 1:46 #"I Don't Fear Hell" – 4:18
==Personnel== '''Shellac''' *Steve Albini – guitar, vocals, recording, production, mastering at Chicago Mastering Service *Todd Trainer – drums *Bob Weston – bass guitar, vocals, mastering, photography
'''Additional personnel''' *David Babbitt – sleeve design *Matthew Barnhart – tape op *Greg Norman – tape op *Ungiedem Zaneta Ogar – live sound mixing *Jon San Paolo – tape op *Gregoire Yeche – tape op
==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Chart performance for ''To All Trains'' ! scope="col"| Chart (2024) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| Croatian International Albums (HDU)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.top-lista.hr/www/lista-prodaje-strano-43-tjedan-2024/|title=Lista prodaje 43. tjedan 2024.|date=October 14, 2024|publisher=HDU |language=hr|access-date=November 1, 2024|archive-date=November 1, 2024|archive-url=https://archive.today/20241101144545/https://www.top-lista.hr/www/lista-prodaje-strano-43-tjedan-2024/|url-status=live}}</ref> | 36 |- {{album chart|Germany|44|id=535939|artist=Shellac|album=To All Trains|rowheader=true|access-date=May 24, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Switzerland|84|artist=Shellac|album=To All Trains|rowheader=true|access-date=May 26, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Flanders|71|artist=SHELLAC|album=TO ALL TRAINS|rowheader=true|accessdate=August 13, 2020}} |- {{album chart|Scotland|12|date=20240530|rowheader=true|access-date=May 5, 2025}} |}
==References== <references>
<ref name="2024maycos">{{Cite web |url=https://consequence.net/2024/05/best-albums-may-2024-staff-picks/3/ |first=Krueger |last=Jonah |title=Best Albums of May 2024: Staff Picks |website=Consequence of Sound |language=en-US |date=2024-05-31 |access-date=2024-05-31}}</ref> <ref name="2024mayqobuz">{{Cite web |url=https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/magazine/story/2024/06/05/the-qobuz-guide-to-may-2024/ |first1=Sujan |last1=Hong |first2=Jeff |last2=Laughlin |first3=Nitha |last3=Viraporn |date=2024-06-05 |title=Best Albums of May 2024: Staff Picks |website=Qobuz |language=en-US |access-date=2024-06-05}}</ref> <ref name="2024q2cos">{{Cite web |url=https://consequence.net/list/best-albums-of-2024-so-far-list/ |first=Jonah |last=Krueger |title=The 30 Best Albums So Far |website=Consequence of Sound |language=en-US |date=2024-06-04 |access-date=2024-06-04}}</ref> <ref name="2024q2e!">{{Cite magazine |issn=1207-6600 |language=en-CA |magazine=Exclaim! |access-date=2024-05-31 |date=2024-05-31 |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/exclaim-25-best-albums-of-2024-so-far |title=Exclaim!'s 25 Best Albums of 2024 So Far}}</ref> <ref name="2024q2sg">{{Cite web |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2265102/best-albums-2024-so-far/lists/album-list/ |first=Tom |last=Breihan |title=The 50 Best Albums Of 2024 So Far |website=Stereogum |language=en-US |date=2024-06-04 |access-date=2024-06-04}}</ref> <ref name="amg">{{Cite web |url=https://allmusic.com/album/mw0004254693 |title=To All Trains – Shellac |language=en-US |website=AllMusic |publisher=RhythmOne |access-date=2024-05-17 |first=Mark |last=Deming |date=n.d.}}</ref> <ref name="bb">{{Cite magazine |magazine=BoingBoing |date=2024-05-17 |access-date=2024-05-17 |first=Lux |last=Sparks-Pescovitz |url=https://boingboing.net/2024/05/17/steve-albinis-incendiary-final-album-with-shellac-is-his-bowieblackstar.html |title=Steve Albini's incendiary final album with Shellac is his Bowie"Blackstar" |language=en-US}}</ref> <ref name="clash">{{Cite web |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/shellac-to-all-trains/ |title=Shellac – To All Trains |department=Reviews |first=Cal |last=Cashin |date=2024-05-20 |access-date=2024-05-20 |language=en-GB |website=Clash Music}}</ref> <ref name="e!">{{Cite magazine |issn=1207-6600 |language=en-CA |magazine=Exclaim! |access-date=2024-05-17 |date=2024-05-17 |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/steve-albini-shellac-interview |title=Steve Albini on Shellac's New Album, His Love of Music and His Hatred of Promoting It |first=Vish |last=Khana}}</ref> <ref name="k!">{{Cite magazine |department=Reviews |issn=0262-6624 |language=en-GB |magazine=Kerrang! |access-date=2024-05-23 |date=2024-05-23 |first=Olly |last=Thomas |url=https://www.kerrang.com/album-review-shellac-to-all-trains |title=Album review: Shellac – To All Trains}}</ref> <ref name="ls">{{Cite web |url=https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/shellac-to-all-trains-review-steve-albini-epitaph |title="The most bittersweet listening experience of the year cuts close to the bone." Shellac's To All Trains is Steve Albini's epitaph, and it's as thrillingly intense, darkly amusing and pleasingly unsentimental as expected |department=Reviews > Louder |first=Paul |last=Brannigan |date=2024-05-17 |access-date=2024-05-17 |language=en-GB |website=Louder Sound}}</ref> <ref name="ltw">{{Cite web |language=en-GB |website=Louder Than War |department=Album Reviews |access-date=2024-05-18 |date=2024-05-18 |url=https://louderthanwar.com/shellac-to-all-trains-album-review/ |first=John |last=Robb |title=Shellac 'To All Trains' album review}}</ref> <ref name="metacritic">{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/to-all-trains/shellac|title=TO ALL TRAINS by Shellac|website=Metacritic|access-date=2024-05-30}}</ref> <ref name="mojo">{{Cite magazine |issn=1351-0193 |language=en-GB |magazine=Mojo |access-date=2024-05-22 |date=2024-05-21 |first=Grayson Haver |last=Currin |url=https://www.mojo4music.com/articles/new-music/shellac-to-all-trains-review/ |title=Shellac To All Trains Review: Steve Albini's noiseniks bow out on powerful form |department=Articles {{!}} New Music}}</ref> <ref name="pm">{{Cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/shellac-announce-first-new-album-in-a-decade/ |title=Shellac Announce First New Album in a Decade |department=News |first=Matthew |last=Strauss |date=2024-03-20 |access-date=2024-05-09 |language=en-US |website=Pitchfork |publisher=Condé Nast}}</ref> <ref name="pmrev">{{Cite web |publisher=Condé Nast |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US |department=Albums |access-date=2024-05-22 |date=2024-05-21 |first=Christopher R. |last=Weingarten |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/shellac-to-all-trains/ |title=Shellac: To All Trains Album Review}}</ref> <ref name="pmweek">{{Cite web |publisher=Condé Nast |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US |department=News |access-date=2024-05-17 |date=2024-05-17 |first1=Jazz |last1=Monroe |first2=Matthew |last2=Strauss |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/8-new-albums-you-should-listen-to-now-billie-eilish-crumb-shellac/ |title=8 New Albums You Should Listen to Now: Billie Eilish, Crumb, Shellac, and More}}</ref> <ref name="pmwork">{{Cite web |publisher=Condé Nast |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US |department=Afterword |access-date=2024-05-17 |date=2024-05-09 |first=Grayson Haver |last=Currin |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/afterword/remembering-steve-albini/ |title=Steve Albini Did the Work}}</ref> <ref name="pop">{{Cite web |website=PopMatters |department=Reviews |language=en-US |access-date=2024-06-21 |date=2024-06-18 |url=https://www.popmatters.com/shellac-to-all-trains-review |title=Steve Albini's Black Swan Song: Shellac's 'To All Trains' |first=Seth |last=Troyer}}</ref> <ref name="qobuz">{{Cite web |url=https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/magazine/story/2024/05/17/shellac-to-all-trains/ |title=Shellac – To All Trains |department=Qobuz Magazine |first=Jeff |last=Laughlin |date=2024-05-17 |access-date=2024-05-17 |language=en-US |website=Qobuz |url-access=registration}}</ref> <ref name="rs">{{Cite magazine |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US |first=Kory |last=Grow |date=2024-05-20 |access-date=2024-05-20 |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/shellac-to-all-trains-review-1235023286/ |department=Music > Album Reviews |title=Shellac's 'To All Trains' Perfectly Balances Steve Albini's Sarcasm With Biting Noise Rock |issn=0035-791X |oclc=969027590}}</ref> <ref name="scot">{{Cite news |first=Fiona |last=Shepherd |url=https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/album-reviews-lenny-kravitz-paul-weller-shellac-bee-asher-4640749 |title=Album reviews: Lenny Kravitz {{!}} Paul Weller {{!}} Shellac {{!}} Bee Asha |department=What's On |date=2024-05-24 |access-date=2024-05-30 |newspaper=The Scotsman |language=en-GB |issn=0307-5850 |oclc=614655655}}</ref> <ref name="spin">{{Cite magazine |issn=0886-3032 |language=en-US |magazine=Spin |access-date=2024-05-28 |date=2024-05-28 |url=https://www.spin.com/2024/05/shellacs-to-all-trains-review/ |title=Shellac's 'To All Trains' Is a Rousing Requiem for Steve Albini |first=Raymond |last=Cummings}}</ref> <ref name="sputnik">{{Cite web |website=Sputnikmusic |language=en-US |department=Reviews |access-date=2024-05-17 |date=2024-05-17 |first=Simon |last=K. |url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/88590/Shellac-To-All-Trains/ |title=Review: Shellac – To All Trains}}</ref>
</references>
==External links== *{{Discogs master}} *{{MBrgID}} *[https://newnoisemagazine.com/interviews/interview-before-his-passing-steve-albini-talked-to-new-noise-about-to-all-trains-by-shellac/ Albini interview in ''New Noise Magazine'']
{{Shellac (band)}} {{Authority control}}
Category:2024 albums Category:Albums produced by Steve Albini Category:Albums published posthumously Category:Shellac (band) albums Category:Touch and Go Records albums Category:Math rock albums by American artists Category:Post-punk albums by American artists