For Screening Purposes Only

For Screening Purposes Only is the debut studio album by UK dance-punk trio Test Icicles, released in 2005. It was critically praised for being unique and compelling in an increasingly homogenous indie music scene. Following the group's split in February 2006, the album remains Test Icicles' only LP.

For Screening Purposes Only
Studio album by Test Icicles
Released	31 October 2005
Recorded	2005 at Black Box Studios, France
Genre	Dance-punk hardcore punk noise rock post-hardcore
Length	55:06
Label	Domino (UK)
Producer	James Ford Simian
Test Icicles chronology
For Screening Purposes Only (2005) Dig Your Own Grave EP (2006)

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	66/100[1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
The Guardian	[3]
NME	8/10[4]
Pitchfork	8.1/10[5]
PopMatters	5/10[6]
Rolling Stone	[7]
Tiny Mix Tapes	[8]

Title

The name of the album is derived from the 1999 film Thicker Than Water. In the movie the phrase "For screening purposes only" appears on screen whenever any violence occurs in the film. Band member Rory Atwell has also stated that the first song on the album, "Your Biggest Mistake", is about the film.^[9]

Composition

The sounds on Screening Purposes fit somewhere between "cleaned-up" death-disco and "manicured" noise rock and dons "dance-punk verve and hardcore mayhem".^[2][7] It also digs into "hook-filled, slash-and burn" post-hardcore.^[5]

However, the trio bring in eclectic sounds of avant-pop, doom metal, funk and hip hop throughout.^[4]

Track listing

Track listings and writing credits.

1. "Your Biggest Mistake" - 4:01 (Sam Mehran)
2. "Pull the Lever" - 3:58 (Rory Attwell)
3. "Interlude" - 0:52 (Instrumental)
4. "Boa vs. Python" - 3:02 (Sam Mehran)
5. "Circle. Square. Triangle" - 3:06 (Sam Mehran, Rory Attwell, Devonte Hynes)
6. "Catch It!" - 3:38 (lyrics by Devonte Hynes, music by Sam Mehran)
7. "Maintain the Focus" - 3:35 (Sam Mehran)
8. "Snowball" – 3:12 (Rory Attwell)
9. "What's Your Damage?" - 4:09 (Sam Mehran)
10. "All You Need Is Blood" - 4:07 (Devonte Hynes + reversed rap by Sam Mehran)
11. "Sharks" – 3:42 (Sam Mehran)
12. "Dancing on Pegs" - 2:16 (Rory Attwell)
13. "Party on Dudes (Get Hype)" - 12:30 (Sam Mehran)
14. "What's Michelle Like?" (Sam Mehran, Rory Attwell, Devonte Hynes) (US Bonus Track) (UK Hidden Track)
15. "What's In the Box?" (Rory Attwell) (US Bonus Track)
16. ""Circle. Square. Triangle (MC Lars Edit)" - 3:06 (Sam Mehran, Rory Attwell, Devonte Hynes) (Japan Bonus Track)
17. ""Circle. Square. Triangle (James Ford Remix)" - 3:14 (Sam Mehran, Rory Attwell, Devonte Hynes) (Japan Bonus Track)

References

1. "Critic Reviews for For Screening Purposes Only - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
2. Allmusic review
3. "CD: Test Icicles, For Screening Purposes Only". The Guardian. 28 October 2005. Archived from the original on 18 April 2023.
4. NME review
5. Ubl, Sam (3 November 2005). "Test Icicles: For Screening Purposes Only Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
6. Robertson, Philip (7 December 200). "Test Icicles: For Screening Purposes Only". PopMatters. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
7. Hoard, Christian (23 January 2006). "Test Icicles - For Screening Purposes Only". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 18 February 2006. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
8. Tiny Mix Tapes review
9. "Test Icicles: 'Our Album Is About Musical Drug Dealing'". NME. Retrieved 29 April 2008.