Maximum Balloon
Studio album by
Maximum Balloon
ReleasedSeptember 21, 2010 (2010-09-21)
GenreIndie rock
Length38:28
Label
ProducerDavid Andrew Sitek

Maximum Balloon is the debut solo studio album by American musician and record producer Dave Sitek. It was released on September 21, 2010, via DGC/Interscope Records. Produced by Sitek himself, it features guest appearances from Aku of D.O.Z, Ambrosia Parsley, David Byrne, Holly Miranda, Karen O, Katrina Ford, Little Dragon and Theophilus London, as well as his TV on the Radio bandmates Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe.

The album was placed at number 24 on Rolling Stone's list of the 30 Best Albums of 2010.[1]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic76/100[2]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Drowned in Sound8/10[4]
musicOMH[5]
NME[6]
Pitchfork7.9/10[7]
PopMatters7/10[8]
Rolling Stone[9]
Spin[10]
The A.V. ClubB[11]
The Guardian[12]

Maximum Balloon was met with generally favourable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 76, based on sixteen reviews.[2]

Neil Ashman of Drowned in Sound praised the project, saying that the album "really about a great producer/songwriter exhibiting his considerable talents free from the pressure and expectation of his day job".[4] Sam Shepherd of musicOMH wrote: "Maximum Balloon is by no means a perfect album, but there are some fantastic performances to be found (Karen O, Ambrosia Parsley's sultry Pink Bricks). It's a shame that Sitek never steps up to the mic, but when you've got friends like these it doesn't really matter".[5] Michael Cragg of The Guardian resumed: "it may lack the emotional depth of some of his previous work, but as instant gratification goes, it's pretty perfect".[12] Chris Martins of The A.V. Club wrote: "the record's only real weakness is what should make it work for radio: There's nothing unexpected. For better or worse, that's also what separates Maximum Balloon from TVOTR".[11] AllMusic's Heather Phares concluded: "overall, though, this is an enjoyable, danceable working holiday from Sitek, one that shows aspects of his music that bode well for his many other projects".[3] Laura Snapes of NME wrote: "it feels like Maximum Balloon is a project that could inflate infinitely. Let's hope it does".[6] Eric Allen Been of PopMatters stated: "Maximum Balloon, obviously, is not your typical TVOTR tour de force. But it doesn't aspire to be. What it simply seeks is to make your ass shake".[8] Will Hermes of Rolling Stone noticed that "for his solo debut, Dave Sitek adds schwing to his smeared synths and swarming guitars, while an A list of New York voices rock midtempo goth-soul beats".[9] Mikael Wood of Spin wrote: "on this solo-ish debut, though, he gives that funk factor full reign, recruiting pals Karen O and David Byrne to sing over synthed-up disco-rock that's brighter and bouncier than his main band's anxious throb. Maximum Balloon deflates when Sitek switches into avant-cabaret mode".[10]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Groove Me" (featuring Theophilus London)
3:44
2."Young Love" (featuring Katrina Ford)
  • Sitek
  • Ford
3:28
3."Absence of Light" (featuring Tunde Adebimpe)
  • Sitek
  • Adebimpe
3:52
4."If You Return" (featuring Little Dragon)
  • Sitek
  • Little Dragon
4:24
5."Shakedown" (featuring Kyp Malone)
  • Sitek
  • Malone
3:34
6."Communion" (featuring Karen O)
  • Sitek
  • O
4:17
7."Tiger" (featuring Aku)
  • Sitek
  • Aku
3:35
8."The Lesson" (featuring Holly Miranda)
  • Sitek
  • Miranda
4:06
9."Apartment Wrestling" (vs. David Byrne)
  • Sitek
  • Byrne
3:39
10."Pink Bricks" (featuring Ambrosia Parsley)
  • Sitek
  • Parsley
3:49
Total length:38:28
Digital deluxe edition bonus tracks[13]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Lovely View" (featuring Nayfo)
  • Sitek
  • Nayfo
3:40
12."Quantum Exit"Sitek4:05
13."Groove Me" (Jneiro Jarel Remix) (featuring Theophilus London)
  • Sitek
  • London
3:40
14."Groove Me" (Doman & Gooding Remix) (featuring Theophilus London)
  • Sitek
  • London
5:34

Charts

Chart (2010) Peak
position
Belgian Alternative Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[14] 42
Belgian Heatseekers Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[14] 6
Belgian Heatseekers Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[15] 15
UK Albums (OCC)[16] 130
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[17] 89
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[18] 5

References

  1. ↑ "30 Best Albums of 2010". Rolling Stone. December 13, 2010. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  2. 1 2 "Critic Reviews for Maximum Balloon - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Phares, Heather. "Maximum Balloon - Maximum Balloon Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Ashman, Neil (September 9, 2010). "Album Review: Maximum Balloon - Maximum Balloon". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Shepherd, Sam (September 13, 2010). "Maximum Balloon - Maximum Balloon | Album Reviews". musicOMH. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Snapes, Laura (September 20, 2010). "Album review: Maximum Balloon - Maximum Balloon (Interscope)". NME. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Maximum Balloon: Maximum Balloon". Pitchfork. August 9, 2010. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  8. 1 2 Been, Eric Allen (November 18, 2010). "Maximum Balloon: Maximum Balloon, PopMatters". PopMatters. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  9. 1 2 Hermes, Will (September 20, 2010). "Maximum Balloon". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  10. 1 2 Wood, Mikael (August 9, 2010). "Maximum Balloon, 'Maximum Balloon' (DGC/Interscope)". Spin. Archived from the original on August 18, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
  11. 1 2 Martins, Chris (September 21, 2010). "Maximum Balloon: Maximum Balloon". The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  12. 1 2 Cragg, Michael (September 9, 2010). "Maximum Balloon: Maximum Balloon". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Maximum Balloon (Deluxe Version) by Maximum Balloon". iTunes Store (US). Retrieved October 8, 2017.
  14. 1 2 "Maximum Balloon – Maximum Balloon" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Maximum Balloon – Maximum Balloon" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Chart Log UK: 1994–2010: M – My Vitriol". Zobbel. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Maximum Balloon Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
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