Everything Is Wrong (album)

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Everything Is Wrong
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 14, 1995 (1995-03-14)
Recorded1994
StudioMoby's home studio (Manhattan)
Genre
Length46:47
Label
ProducerMoby
Moby chronology
Move
(1993)
Everything Is Wrong
(1995)
Everything Is Wrong: Non-Stop DJ Mix
(1996)
Singles from Everything Is Wrong
  1. "Hymn"
    Released: May 1994
  2. "Feeling So Real"
    Released: October 17, 1994 (1994-10-17)
  3. "Everytime You Touch Me"
    Released: February 13, 1995 (1995-02-13)
  4. "Into the Blue"
    Released: June 19, 1995 (1995-06-19)
  5. "Bring Back My Happiness"
    Released: September 5, 1995 (1995-09-05)

Everything Is Wrong is the third studio album by American electronica musician Moby, released on March 14, 1995, by record labels Mute in the United Kingdom and Elektra in the United States. [4]It was released with a limited-edition bonus disc of ambient music titled Underwater.

Background[edit]

Following the release of two albums, Moby and Ambient, on Instinct, Moby signed to Mute and Elektra and began work on what he felt was his first "legitimate" album, seeking to create a record that encompassed his various musical influences.[5][6] Moby has described Everything Is Wrong as "a record that almost served as a lifeboat for the songs I cared the most about",[6] noting that he attempted to cover as many musical styles as possible not "out of trying to be eclectic, but just because I was in love with all of these genres and I felt like this may be my only chance to make a record."[5]

Moby recorded and mixed the album himself in his apartment on Mott Street in Manhattan, New York, using inexpensive recording equipment.[7] Everything Is Wrong features guest vocal contributions from Rozz Morehead, whom Moby had met while performing on the British television program Top of the Pops, and Mimi Goese, whose work with the band Hugo Largo he admired, and who he later found out lived just a block away from him.[6]

Content[edit]

Moby titled the album Everything Is Wrong and wrote its extensive accompanying liner notes as a means of expressing some ideas that he felt were important to him, later reflecting, "At the time, I was — and am still — a vegan and an animal rights activist, really militant in all my beliefs. So I would wake up really angry every day, and sleep angry every night because I thought the world was in terrible shape, and I thought, 'What small thing can I do to express my beliefs that the world is in such terrible shape?' And that’s where the title of the album came from."[6] Inside the album's booklet, Moby provides two personal essays, quotes from notable figures (from Albert Einstein to St. Francis of Assisi), and facts that he has collected regarding subjects such as vegetarianism, environmentalism, and animal experiments.

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Chicago Tribune[8]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[9]
The Guardian[10]
Los Angeles Times[11]
NME8/10[12]
Q[13]
Rolling Stone[14]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[15]
Spin9/10[16]
The Village VoiceA−[17]

Everything Is Wrong was released to critical acclaim from music critics.[7] Spin's Barry Walters praised its diverse range of musical styles compared to most other "one-dimensional" electronic albums and dubbed it "a hugely passionate album held together by its intensity".[16] Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune felt that Moby "explodes the boundaries of the genre" with an album "as moving as it is adventurous",[8] while Lorraine Ali of the Los Angeles Times wrote that Everything Is Wrong "swoops from agony to ecstasy, leaping from the glittery heights of disco divadom to the rampaging ugliness of speed-metal to the refined feel of classical—while always remaining consistently Moby."[11] In The Village Voice, Robert Christgau remarked: "Where in concert he subsumes rockist guitar and classical pretensions in grand, joyous rhythmic release, on album his distant dreams remain tangents."[17] Everything Is Wrong was voted the third best album of 1995 in The Village Voice's year-end Pazz & Jop critics' poll.[18] By 2002, the album had sold over 180,000 copies in the United States.[19]

In popular culture[edit]

"God Moving Over the Face of the Waters" is featured in the trailer and closing moments of the 1995 film Heat. The song was also featured in the trailer for Syriana along with the 2023 film Gran Turismo.

"First Cool Hive" is featured in the final scene of the 1996 film Scream.

"When It's Cold I'd Like to Die" is featured in The Sopranos,[6] at the end of the episode "Join the Club". Additionally, the song was featured in season 1 and 4 of Stranger Things.[20] An instrumental version features at the end of the 2006 documentary film Deliver Us From Evil.

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Moby, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Hymn" 3:17
2."Feeling So Real" 3:21
3."All That I Need Is to Be Loved" 2:45
4."Let's Go Free" 0:38
5."Everytime You Touch Me" 3:41
6."Bring Back My Happiness" 3:12
7."What Love?" 2:48
8."First Cool Hive" 5:17
9."Into the Blue"5:33
10."Anthem" 3:27
11."Everything Is Wrong" 1:14
12."God Moving Over the Face of the Waters" 7:21
13."When It's Cold I'd Like to Die"
  • Moby
  • Goese
4:13
Total length:46:47
Bonus disc: Underwater
No.TitleLength
1."Underwater (Part 1)"5:14
2."Underwater (Part 2)"5:43
3."Underwater (Part 3)"7:23
4."Underwater (Part 4)"8:02
5."Underwater (Part 5)"16:45
Total length:43:07

Personnel[edit]

Credits for Everything Is Wrong adapted from album liner notes.[21]

  • Moby – engineering, production, programming, writing
  • Kochie Banton – vocals on "Feeling So Real" and "Everytime You Touch Me"
  • Mimi Goese – lyrics and vocals on "Into the Blue" and "When It's Cold I'd Like to Die"
  • Rozz Morehead – vocals on "Feeling So Real" and "Everytime You Touch Me"
  • Myim Rose – vocals on "Feeling So Real"
  • Saundra Williams – vocals on "Bring Back My Happiness"
  • Nicole Zaray – vocals on "Feeling So Real"
Artwork and design
  • Barbie – art direction
  • Jill Greenberg – photography
  • Slim Smith – layout

Charts[edit]

Chart (1995) Peak
position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[22] 43
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[23] 69
Scottish Albums (OCC)[24] 31
UK Albums (OCC)[25] 21
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[26] 21

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[27] Silver 60,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Remix album[edit]

Everything Is Wrong: Non-Stop DJ Mix
Remix album by
ReleasedJanuary 15, 1996 (1996-01-15)
Length119:34
LabelMute
ProducerMoby
Moby chronology
Everything Is Wrong
(1995)
Everything Is Wrong: Non-Stop DJ Mix
(1996)
Rare: The Collected B-Sides 1989–1993
(1996)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[28]
Muzik[29]
NME8/10[30]

A two-disc remix album entitled Everything Is Wrong: Non-Stop DJ Mix by Evil Ninja Moby or Everything Is Wrong: Mixed! Remixed! was released in January 1996 by Mute. The album was mixed by Moby from various remixes that were commissioned by the label.

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Moby, except where noted

Disc one: Hard Techno, Joyous Anthems & Quiet Ambience
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."First Cool Hive" (Minimal Version) 1:24
2."Feeling So Real" (Unashamed Ecstatic Piano Mix) 4:57
3."All That I Need Is to Be Loved" (Hard Trance Version) 5:14
4."Bring Back My Happiness" (Extended Mix) 2:49
5."Move" (Disco Threat Mix) 4:34
6."Everytime You Touch Me" (Pure Joy Mix) 4:00
7."Feeling So Real" (WestBam Mix) 5:49
8."Into the Blue" (Uplifting 4 Beat Mix)4:49
9."Everytime You Touch Me" (NYC Jungle Mix) 3:45
10."Into the Blue" (Spiritual Mix)
  • Moby
  • Goese
8:45
11."Anthem" (Cinematic Version) 2:24
12."Everything Is Wrong" (Quiet Mix) 5:04
Total length:53:34
Disc two: New York Hard House, Groovy Acid & Melodic Trance
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Let's Go Free" (Reversal Mix) 0:33
2."Hymn (I Believe)" 5:59
3."Into the Blue" (Voodoo Child Mix)
  • Moby
  • Goese
3:57
4."Everytime You Touch Me" (Freestyle Version) 3:38
5."Bring Back My Happiness" (Josh Wink Mix) 1:55
6."Hymn" (Lucky Orgasm Mix) 5:10
7."Everytime You Touch Me" (Na Feel Mix) 4:23
8."Feeling So Real" (Old Skool Mix) 4:02
9."Hymn" (Menacing Mix) 4:12
10."Bring Back My Happiness" (Para Los Discos) 3:35
11."Into the Blue" (Simple Mix)
  • Moby
  • Goese
5:49
12."Move" (Electro Mix) 6:36
13."All That I Need Is to Be Loved" (Melodic Mix) 7:06
14."When It's Cold I'd Like to Die" (Instrumental) 9:05
Total length:66:00

Charts[edit]

Chart (1996) Peak
position
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[31] 40
Scottish Albums (OCC)[32] 37
UK Albums (OCC)[33] 25

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[34] Gold 100,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Raggett, Ned. "Everything Is Wrong – Moby". AllMusic. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
  2. ^ a b Cinquemani, Sal (November 2, 2002). "Moby: Everything Is Wrong". Slant Magazine. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  3. ^ Molanphy, Chris (March 29, 2018). "Hit Parade: the Veronica Electronica Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  4. ^ https://magnetmagazine.com/2020/03/14/moby-released-everything-is-wrong-25-years-ago-today-10-years-to-the-day-later-hotel/
  5. ^ a b Lindsay, Cam (June 16, 2016). "Rank Your Records: Moby Spontaneously Ranks His Nine Records". Vice. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d e Unterberger, Andrew (April 9, 2015). "SPIN 30: Moby Recalls His 'Everything Is Wrong' Phase". Spin. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  7. ^ a b Geffen, Sasha (March 14, 2015). "Time Is Weird: Moby On the 20th Anniversary of Everything Is Wrong". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  8. ^ a b Kot, Greg (March 30, 1995). "No Boundaries". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  9. ^ McDonnell, Evelyn (March 17, 1995). "Everything Is Wrong". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 10, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  10. ^ Smith, Andrew (March 17, 1995). "Moby: Everything Is Wrong (Mute)". The Guardian.
  11. ^ a b Ali, Lorraine (March 12, 1995). "Moby, 'Everything Is Wrong' (Elektra)". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  12. ^ Cigarettes, Johnny (March 18, 1995). "Long Play". NME. p. 49. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
  13. ^ Howe, Rupert (2016). "Moby: Everything Is Wrong". Q. No. 361 (30th anniversary special ed.). p. 120.
  14. ^ Evans, Paul (March 23, 1995). "Moby: Everything Is Wrong". Rolling Stone. No. 704. p. 125.
  15. ^ Berger, Arion (2004). "Moby". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 548–49. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  16. ^ a b Walters, Barry (March 1995). "Moby: Everything Is Wrong". Spin. Vol. 10, no. 12. p. 93. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  17. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (June 6, 1995). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  18. ^ "The 1995 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice. February 20, 1996. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  19. ^ Hochman, Steve (February 17, 2002). "What Pressure? Moby Isn't Shooting for 'Play'-Size Sales". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  20. ^ "8 'Stranger Things' songs that prove the series isn't totally period-accurate". uproxx.com. 19 August 2016.
  21. ^ Everything Is Wrong (liner notes). Moby. Mute Records. 1995. STUMM 130.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Moby – Everything Is Wrong" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  23. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Moby – Everything Is Wrong" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
  24. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  25. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  26. ^ "Moby Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  27. ^ "British album certifications – Moby – Everything Is Wrong". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  28. ^ Cooper, William. "Everything Is Wrong: The DJ Mix Album – Moby". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  29. ^ Newsome, Rachel (February 1996). "Moby: Everything Is Wrong – Mixed And Remixed" (PDF). Muzik. No. 9. p. 79. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  30. ^ Ramshaw, Mark (January 13, 1996). "Moby – Everything Is Wrong". NME. Archived from the original on October 13, 2000. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  31. ^ "Moby: Everything Is Wrong (Mixed%2FRemixed)" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  32. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  33. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  34. ^ "British album certifications – Moby – Everything Is Wrong/Mixed & Remixed". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 1, 2022.

External links[edit]