Sci-Fi Crimes

Sci-Fi Crimes is the fifth studio album by American rock band Chevelle, released on August 31, 2009 through Epic Records.

Sci-Fi Crimes
Studio album by Chevelle
Released	August 31, 2009
Recorded	2009
Studio	Modernist Movement, Nashville, Tennessee
Genre	Alternative metal[1] hard rock[2]
Length	43:23
Label	Epic
Producer	Brian Virtue[3] Chevelle
Chevelle chronology
Vena Sera (2007) Sci-Fi Crimes (2009) Hats Off to the Bull (2011)
Singles from Sci-Fi Crimes
"Jars" Released: June 23, 2009 "Letter from a Thief" Released: December 7, 2009 "Shameful Metaphors" Released: July 13, 2010

Background

The album was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2009 with producer Brian Virtue.^[3] On April 9, 2009, Chevelle debuted two new songs, "Letter from a Thief" and "Sleep Apnea" at a concert in Atlanta, Georgia. Vocalist Pete Loeffler stated that the tracks were "possible singles" off the album.^[4] "Jars" was the first single from the album and began radio airplay on June 23. The track list and artwork were revealed July 21, 2009, in addition to a pre-order being made available which included the ability to download three tracks: "Jars", "This Circus", and "The Clincher (Version 103)" (an alternate version of the track from This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)).^[5] The album cover is an oil painting made by bassist Dean Bernardini on a 24x48 canvas. "Letter from a Thief" was the second single from the album and began radio airplay on December 7, 2009.^[6] "Shameful Metaphors" is the third single from the album and began radio airplay on July 12, 2010. A live performance music video for "Shameful Metaphors" premiered on September 16, 2010.

Recording

Unlike previous albums, Sci-Fi Crimes was recorded live in the studio as a band, without the use of samples.^[7] "We wanted to do a record that was more true to what our live sound is like," explains Sam Loeffler. "We wanted to go in the studio and play the tracks and just record them and not make a perfect record the way I think a lot of our records in the past have been made. We wanted to compete on that same level by not tuning the vocals and not tuning every single chord and not adding samples so every single snare hit is exactly the same. We just went in and recorded. It's not a sonically perfect record; it's more like you get if you go into a studio and just play. And I'm curious to see if people notice a difference."

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
About.com	[1]
AllMusic	[8]
CHARTattack	[9]
FAZER Online Music Magazine	favorable[10]
Hearwax	[11]
Melodic	[12]
Sputnikmusic	3.0/5[13]
USA Today	[14]

Tim Grierson at About.com states "...even at its most accessible, the album never lets up on the unease." in regards to what makes the album so good.^[1] Jared Johnson of Allmusic says "This is most certainly the same band that draws frequent comparisons to Tool, with its crunchy guitar attack and Loeffler's unforgettable vocal delivery. But it's their ability to pull off such flippant tales with their characteristic punch that gives Sci-Fi Crimes a humanizing appeal not found on their previous records."^[8] Sputnikmusic states the album "feels like the fifth installment of music they've produced over their lifetimes."^[13] USA Today comments "Sci-Fi Crimes scrapes some of the polish off the band's sound. What remains is both sturdy and versatile".^[14]

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Sleep Apnea"	3:51
2.	"Mexican Sun"	4:15
3.	"Shameful Metaphors"	4:21
4.	"Jars"	3:19
5.	"Fell into Your Shoes"	5:06
6.	"Letter from a Thief"	3:27
7.	"Highland's Apparition"	4:08
8.	"Roswell's Spell"	4:37
9.	"Interlewd"	1:21
10.	"A New Momentum"	4:25
11.	"This Circus"	4:32
Total length:		43:28

All tracks are written by Pete Loeffler

iTunes bonus track

No.	Title	Length
12.	"Sleep Apnea" (acoustic)	2:22
Total length:		45:45

Hot Topic/ShockHound bonus tracks

No.	Title	Length
12.	"The Gist" (instrumental)	1:44
13.	"Leto's Headache"	4:21
Total length:		49:33

Personnel

Chevelle Pete Loeffler – vocals, guitar Sam Loeffler – drums Dean Bernardini – bass Production Brian Virtue – producer, engineer, mixing Chevelle – co-producer Kyle Mann – assistant engineer John Netti – assistant engineer Ted Jensen – mastering

Artwork Dean Bernardini – album cover Invisible Creature, Inc. – album design Jerad Knudson – photography Mark Samuels – painting photography

Commercial performance

The album was released on August 31, 2009, debuting at No. 6 on the US Billboard 200 with sales of about 46,000, the highest entry on the chart for the band, before being surpassed by their seventh studio album La Gárgola in 2014.^[15][16] As of January 2013, it has sold over 200,000 copies according to Nielsen Soundscan.^{[citation needed]}

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2009–10) Peak position Canadian Albums (Billboard)[17] 21 US Billboard 200[18] 6 US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[19] 1 US Digital Albums (Billboard)[20] 3 US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[21] 1 US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[22] 3 US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[23] 8

Singles Year Song Chart Peak position 2009 "Jars" Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles 10 Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks 3 Billboard Alternative Songs 5 Billboard Rock Songs 2 "Letter from a Thief" Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks 3 Billboard Alternative Songs 5 Billboard Rock Songs 4 2010 "Shameful Metaphors" Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks 28 Billboard Alternative Songs 22 Billboard Rock Songs 25

References

1. Grierson, Tim. "Chevelle Sci-Fi Crimes Review". About.com. Archived from the original on September 14, 2009. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
2. Tarradell, Mario (October 22, 2009). "Rock trio Chevelle more grounded as latest album explores UFOs". Boulderweekly.com. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
3. "Chevelle: Video footage from the studio posted online". Blabbermouth.net. February 20, 2009. Retrieved February 21, 2009.
4. "BLABBERMOUTH.NET - CHEVELLE Frontman Says New Live Songs Are Possible Singles". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
5. "Download New Chevelle Track "This Circus"; Album Cover, Track List Revealed | tunelab™". Tunelab.com. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
6. "Roswell's Spell Songfacts". Songfacts.com. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
7. "Chevelle Commits Sci-Fi Crimes". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
8. Johnson, Jared. "Review: Chevelle – Sci-Fi Crimes". Retrieved September 4, 2009.
9. Hotchkiss, Caitlin. "Chevelle - Sci-Fi Crimes". Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved October 24, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
10. Bax, Mike. "Chevelle - Sci-Fi Crimes review". FAZER. Archived from the original on September 24, 2009. Retrieved October 24, 2009.
11. Bro, Logan. "Review: Chevelle – Sci-Fi Crimes". Hearwax Media. Archived from the original on January 11, 2010. Retrieved September 3, 2009.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
12. Roth, Kaj. "Sci-Fi Crimes". Melodic. Archived from the original on September 26, 2018. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
13. Reed, Julianna. "Review: Chevelle Sci-Fi Crimes". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
14. Mansfield, Brian (September 1, 2009). "Review: Listen Up: Chevelle's 'Sci-Fi Crimes' is arresting rock 'n' roll". USA Today. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
15. Sci-Fi Crimes at AllMusic
16. "BLABBERMOUTH.NET - CHEVELLE's 'Sci-Fi Crimes' Cracks U.S. Top 10". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
17. "Chevelle Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
18. "Chevelle Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
19. "Chevelle Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
20. "Chevelle Chart History (Digital Albums)".^{[dead link]} Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
21. "Chevelle Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
22. "Chevelle Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
23. "Rise Against Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2018.