This Beautiful Mess (1995)
Updated: 21 hours ago
This Beautiful Mess is the second studio album by the Christian alternative rock band Sixpence None the Richer. It was originally released by R.E.X. Music on April 18, 1995. The album was produced by Armand John Petri and was recorded at Omni Sound in Nashville, Tennessee.
This Beautiful Mess represented a critical pivot point where the band expanded into a full five-piece lineup. It features a heavier, more atmospheric, and aggressive alternative rock sound compared to their acoustic-leaning debut, The Fatherless and the Widow. At the time of the album's release, Sixpence were stereotyped as both an indie band and a Christian band, which led to This Beautiful Mess receiving relatively little attention from the secular or "mainstream" music industries. Lead singer Leigh Bingham stated in a 1999 interview, "we really knocked ourselves out for [This Beautiful Mess] and it didn’t really go anywhere." Despite that, the album did get positive reviews.
Christian radio stations, particularly Christian Rock station started to take notice of Sixpence. Two singles were shipped to different formats: their first rock single and music video for "Angeltread" and "Within a Room Somewhere" for Christian CHR. "Within a Room Somewhere" was Sixpence's first Top 10 hit on The CCM Update's Christian CHR chart and peaking at No. 7. Matt Slocum wrote a majority of the album's eleven tracks, except "Disconnect," which was written by band member Tess Wiley. Kim Thomas provided the album cover painting titled "Pearls Please." This Beautiful Mess was later distributed on CD by RED Distribution and then in 1999 with distribution by Light Distribution. The album was reissued and remastered on a double vinyl in 2021 by Lost In Ohio with double red variations on Sides A and B and double white variations and Sides C and D.
In 1996, Sixpence were the first recipients winning in the Dove Award category for Modern Rock/Alternative Album of the Year at the 27th GMA Dove Awards.
Track listing
All songs written by Matt Slocum, except where noted.
1. Angeltread -3:29
2. Love, Salvation, The Fear of Death (Matt Slocum, James Arhelger) -3:52
3. Bleeding -5:05
4. Within a Room Somewhere -5:07
5. Melting Alone -4:04
6. Circle of Error -5:04
7. The Garden (Matt Slocom, Leigh Bingham, Dale Baker, James Arhelger) -4:04
8. Disconnect (Tess Wiley) -4:21
9. Thought Menagerie -3:12
10. Maybe Tomorrow -4:23
11. Drifting -3:43
12. I Can't Explain -3:26
Personnel
Sixpence None the Richer:
Leigh Bingham -vocals
Matt Slocum -guitar, cello
Tess Wiley -guitar, vocals
J.J. Plasencio -bass guitar
Dale Baker -drums
Accolades
Dove Award -Modern Rock/Alternative Album of the Year (This Beautiful Mess)
Radio singles
1995 "Within a Room Somewhere" -#7 Christian CHR
1995 "Thought Menagerie" -#19 Christian CHR
Previous release: The Fatherless and the Widow (1993)
Next release: Tickets for a Prayer Wheel (EP) (1995)
Watch the music video of "Angeltread" here:
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