Transmission (The Tea Party album)

{{Short description|1997 album by the Tea Party}} {{Infobox album | name = Transmission | type = studio | artist = the Tea Party | cover = transmissionalbum.jpg | alt = | released = {{Start date|1997|08|19}} | recorded = | studio = Alkemical Studios (Montreal), NRG Studios (Los Angeles), Le Studio (Morin Heights) | genre = Industrial rock, hard rock | length = 49:34 | label = * EMI Music Canada * Atlantic | producer = Jeff Martin | prev_title = Alhambra | prev_year = 1996 | next_title = Triptych | next_year = 1999 | misc = {{Singles | type= studio | single1 = Temptation | single1date = July 1997 | single2 = Babylon | single2date = September 1997 | single3 = Release | single3date = April 1998 | single4 = Psychopomp | single4date = 1998 | single5 = Gyroscope | single5date = 1998 }} }}

{{Music ratings | rev1 = Allmusic | rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}} [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r308623|label=Transmission|pure_url=yes}} link] }}

'''''Transmission''''' is the fourth album recorded by the Canadian band the Tea Party, released in 1997. AllMusic described the album as "Sounding a lot like a Nine Inch Nails of the north... Full of hard rock thrust with industrial edge".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/transmission-mw0000025491 |title=Transmission – The Tea Party |last=Chrispell |first=James |website=AllMusic |access-date=13 February 2024}}</ref>

While still using several exotic instruments and maintaining the "eastern" influence in the recording, many songs also include samples, sequencers and loops alongside the traditional acoustic instruments. The album makes lyrical references to the afterlife ("Psychopomp"), the dystopian works of Aldous Huxley, George Orwell, Yevgeny Zamyatin ("Army Ants") and Giovanni Piranesi's 'Imaginary Prisons' ("Alarum").

''Transmission'' continued to build on the momentum generated by ''The Edges of Twilight'', receiving a 1998 Juno nomination for "Blockbuster Rock Album of the Year". An edited version of the single "Temptation", as well as an instrumental version of "Babylon", can be found on the PlayStation game ''Road Rash 3D'', from the same year.

==Commercial performance== ''Transmission'' reached #3 on the Canadian Albums Chart.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/the-tea-party/chart-history/canadian-albums|title=The Tea Party: Chart History: Billboard Canadian Albums|magazine=Billboard | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822190427/https://www.billboard.com/music/the-tea-party/chart-history/canadian-albums|archive-date=2019-08-22}}</ref> It was among the top 60 best-selling albums in Canada in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/ALBUMS_1997.html|title=ALBUMS : Top 100 of 1997 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010320221621/http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/ALBUMS_1997.html | archive-date=2001-03-20}}</ref> In 1999, the album was certified Double Platinum in Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://musiccanada.com/gold-platinum/?_gp_search=Transmission&_gp_certification=double-platinum-albums|title=Gold & Platinum|website=musiccanada.com}}</ref>

==Track listing== {{Track listing |title1 = Temptation |length1 = 3:25 |title2 = Army Ants |length2 = 3:33 |title3 = Psychopomp |length3 = 5:17 |title4 = Gyroscope |length4 = 2:56 |title5 = Alarum |length5 = 4:58 |title6 = Release |length6 = 4:05 |title7 = Transmission |length7 = 5:17 |title8 = Babylon |length8 = 2:50 |title9 = Pulse |length9 = 4:09 |title10 = Emerald |length10 = 4:51 |title11 = Aftermath |length11 = 5:43 }}

===Hidden tracks=== ''Transmission'' contains two hidden pieces of music, both hidden in the pregap: * An untitled piece consisting solely of electronically processed voices and sounds is located between tracks 6 and 7, lasting approximately 15 seconds * An instrumental piece entitled "Embryo", lasting approximately 2 minutes, can be found between tracks 8 and 9

==Personnel== '''Production''' *Produced and recorded by: Jeff Martin **Recording assistants: Don Hachey and Lee Moro *Recorded at: Alkemical Studios (Montreal), NRG Studios (Los Angeles), Le Studio (Morin Heights) *Mixed by: Jeff Martin ** Tracks 2, 3, and 6 mixed by: Jeff Martin and Adam Kasper *Mixed at: NRG Studios (Los Angeles), Studio Morin Heights (Morin Heights) *Mastered by: Bob Ludwig *Mastered at: Gateway Mastering (Portland) **Assistants: Don Hachey, Brian Virtue and Robert Carranza

'''Design''' *Cover painting: "The Earth We Inherit" by Stuart Chatwood **Concept: Stuart Chatwood and James St. Laurent *Art design: Verve Graphic Design Consultants Inc.

==Charts and sales== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Chart performance for ''Transmission'' ! scope="col"| Chart (1997) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|Australia|5|artist=The Tea Party|album=Transmission|rowheader=true|access-date=October 20, 2022}} |}

===Sales=== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|nocert=true|salesamount=200,000|salesref=<ref name="Sales">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mAgEAAAAMBAJ&q=200%2C000%25sold&pg=PA54|title=Canadian Acts Struggle For U.S. Release|first=Larry|last=LeBlanc|author-link=Larry LeBlanc|access-date=September 10, 2023|date=August 7, 1999|magazine=Billboard|page=54}}</ref>}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|nocert=true|salesamount=32,000|salesref=<ref name="Sales"/>}} {{End}}

==20th anniversary tour==

{{Infobox album | name = Tx 20 | cover = The_Tea_Party_-_Tx_20.jpg | alt = | type = EP | artist = The Tea Party | released = October 19, 2017 | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = | length = 17:44 | label = Eternal Discs | producer = | prev_title = The Ocean at the End | prev_year = 2014 | next_title = Black River EP | next_year = 2019 }} In 2017 The Tea Party celebrated the 20th anniversary of ''Transmission'' with a world tour and release of a remix EP. The ''20 Years of Transmission Tour'' was promoted on social media through hashtag ''#tx20''. From February 2017 to April 2017 the band played 33 shows across Canada, Buffalo, NY and along the US west coast.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.teaparty.com/tour?calendar_page_prev=5|title=The Tea Party - Tour - previous events|access-date=July 27, 2020}}</ref> Six additional concerts were played in Australia October 27 through November 10, 2017. The Tea Party played ''Transmission'' in full, including songs never before played live,<ref name="heavymag">{{cite web|url=https://heavymag.com.au/tea-party-interview/|title=The Tea Party In "Transmission" Through Jeff Martin|website=Heavy Mag|author=Dave Giffiths|date=October 16, 2017|access-date=July 27, 2020}}</ref> then after a break they performed a second set of the band's hit songs."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://girlatarockshow.com/2017/11/02/the-tea-party-20-years-into-transmission/|title=The Tea Party 20 Years Into Transmission - Stuart Chatwood interview|website=girlatarockshow|date=November 2, 2017|access-date=July 27, 2020}}</ref> Fans purchasing a concert VIP package could also receive a special limited edition ''Transmission'' coffee table book<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/chatwood/status/816430497035206656|title=Stuart Chatwood on Twitter|publisher=Twitter|date=January 3, 2017|access-date=July 27, 2020}}</ref> containing a photo essay compiled by band member Stuart Chatwood that covered the album's release period.<ref name="heavymag" />

===Tx 20=== '''Tx 20''' is a studio EP by The Tea Party containing four reworked modern versions of songs from ''Transmission''. Preceding the Australian leg of the 20th anniversary world tour, the digital-only release first appeared on Spotify in the Australia region on October 19, 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/chatwood/status/921156482133045251|title=Stuart Chatwood on Twitter|publisher=Twitter|date=October 19, 2017|access-date=July 27, 2020}}</ref> October 27 it was made available worldwide on streaming music services as well as lossless audio and MP3 digital downloads from the band's web site.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/theteapartyband/status/923845990687244289|title=The Tea Party on Twitter|publisher=Twitter|date=October 27, 2017|access-date=July 27, 2020}}</ref>

===Track listing=== {{Track listing |title1 = Temptation |length1 = 3:29 |note1 = Tx 20 Remix |title2 = Psychopomp |length2 = 4:57 |note2 = Tx 20 Remix |title3 = Release |length3 = 4:00 |note3 = Tx 20 Remix |title4 = Transmission |length4 = 5:18 |note4 = Tx 20 Remix }}

== References == {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transmission (Album)}} Category:1997 albums Category:The Tea Party (band) albums Category:Albums recorded at Le Studio