Olympian is the 1995 debut album by British rock band Gene, released on 20 March 1995 by Costermonger Records.
Olympian | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 20 March 1995 | |||
Recorded | Autumn 1994 - Townhouse 3, London | |||
Genre | Britpop, alternative rock | |||
Length | 40:31 2:19:12 (2014 remastered & expanded reissue) | |||
Label | Polydor (US and Europe) Costermonger (UK) | |||
Producer | Phil Vinall, Miti Adhikari | |||
Gene chronology | ||||
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It is frequently recognized as one of the crowning achievements of Britpop.[1][2][3]
The album sound is noted for being influenced by The Smiths, The Jam & The Small Faces.[4][5] Aesthetically, the album cover reminds of The Smiths' sleeves.[citation needed]
The album reached number 8 in the UK albums chart, selling 70,000 copies and gaining a silver disc.[citation needed]
The image used for the cover is a still from Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Spin | 6/10[9] |
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic said of the album: "While Gene manages to carve out an identity indebted to the Smiths but not dominated by them, they also fail to produce an album of consistently compelling material - considering that it's a debut album, that's not a fatal flaw. And Gene's best material shows they are capable of transcending their influences."[6]
All tracks are written by Gene.
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Haunted by You" | 3:41 |
2. | "Your Love, It Lies" | 3:18 |
3. | "Truth, Rest Your Head" | 5:00 |
4. | "A Car That Sped" | 3:36 |
5. | "Left-Handed" | 2:20 |
6. | "London, Can You Wait?" | 3:11 |
7. | "To the City" | 4:00 |
8. | "Still Can't Find the Phone" | 3:00 |
9. | "Sleep Well Tonight" | 4:36 |
10. | "Olympian" | 5:25 |
11. | "We'll Find Our Own Way" | 2:24 |
Total length: | 40:31 |
No. | Title | Length |
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12. | "For the Dead" | 3:26 |
13. | "Be My Light, Be My Guide" | 4:03 |
Total length: | 48:02 |
Electra Strings:
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United Kingdom (BPI)[10] | Silver | 60,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
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