Broadcaster (album)

{{Infobox album

| name = Broadcaster

| type = studio

| artist = Triple Fast Action

| cover = Broadcaster (album).jpg

| alt =

| released = 1996

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Alternative rock

| length =

| label = Capitol{{cite magazine |last1=Borzillo |first1=Carrie |title=Capitol's tripl3fastaction revs up |magazine=Billboard |date=Feb 24, 1996 |volume=108 |issue=8 |page=13}}

| producer = Don Fleming

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title = Cattlemen Don't

| next_year = 1997

}}

Broadcaster is the first album by the American band Triple Fast Action, released in 1996.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/triple-fast-action-mn0000028953/biography|title=Triple Fast Action Biography, Songs, & Albums|website=AllMusic|access-date=2021-09-20|archive-date=2021-09-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921005537/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/triple-fast-action-mn0000028953/biography|url-status=live}}{{cite news |title=Tripl3fastaction Bests Candlebox at Starz |url=https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-1996-06-08-3088021-story.html |work=The Morning Call |access-date=20 September 2021 |archive-date=2021-10-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019143717/https://www.mcall.com/ |url-status=live }} "Revved Up" was the album's first single.{{cite news |title=Seattle, not Seattle |work=The Morning Call |date=31 May 1996 |page=D7}} The band supported the album with a North American tour.{{cite news |last1=Puckett |first1=Jeffrey Lee |title=One of the better guitar pop albums... |work=Courier Journal |date=11 May 1996 |department=Scene |page=6}} Broadcaster was a commercial failure.{{cite news |last1=Thompson |first1=Stephen |title=Chicago's Triple Fast Action... |work=Wisconsin State Journal |date=29 Jan 1998 |department=Rhythm |page=9}}

Production

The album was produced by Don Fleming in New York, with Brad Wood working on two tracks at Idful Music Corporation in Chicago.{{Cite news|url=http://chicagoreader.com/music/triple-fast-action-waits-for-the-green/|title=Triple Fast Action Waits for the Green|first=Bill|last=Wyman|date=February 15, 1996|work=Chicago Reader|access-date=September 20, 2021|archive-date=September 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210920212631/https://chicagoreader.com/music/triple-fast-action-waits-for-the-green/|url-status=live}} The band finished recording the album in March 1995, although it was not released until April 1996.

Critical reception

{{album ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{rating|3|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/broadcaster-mw0000179964|title=Broadcaster|website=AllMusic|access-date=2021-09-20|archive-date=2021-09-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210920213041/https://www.allmusic.com/album/broadcaster-mw0000179964|url-status=live}}

|rev2 = Chicago Tribune

|rev2score = {{rating|3|4}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1996-04-04-9604040298-story.html|title=Triple Fast Action's 'Broadcaster' Plays Like Radio|first=Greg|last=Kot|work=Chicago Tribune|access-date=2021-09-20|archive-date=2021-10-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019143614/https://www.chicagotribune.com/|url-status=live}}

|rev3 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music

|rev3score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2006 |publisher=MUZE |volume=7 |page=262}}

}}

The Chicago Tribune wrote that "tempos rise and fall like a roller coaster, texture counts as much as hooks, and the studio is used like a mood-enhancing drug." Trouser Press thought that, "on the dreamy 'Don’t Tell', the concussive 'American City World' and the closing ten-minute 'Superstar' (by turns wan and wild), [Wes] Kidd shows that he can do propulsive, smartened-up modern rock as well as anyone else these days."{{cite web |title=Tripl3fastaction |url=https://trouserpress.com/reviews/tripl3fastaction/ |website=Trouser Press |access-date=20 September 2021 |archive-date=28 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228224949/https://trouserpress.com/reviews/tripl3fastaction/ |url-status=live }} The Washington Post noted that the band's "gift for melody overwhelms its more self-conscious tendencies ... The album is occasionally annoying, but its dumb gimmicks are roughly balanced by smart songs."{{cite news |last1=Jenkins |first1=Mark |title=Wide-Roving Dogs; A Smart-Dumb Triple |work=The Washington Post |date=26 April 1996 |page=N14}}

The Richmond Times-Dispatch praised the "breakneck rhythms, guitar pyrotechnics and angst-filled vocals," writing that "each song points to a lot of consideration in arrangements, execution and mix."{{cite news |last1=McCarty |first1=Patrick |title=Tripl3fastaction Members Learned Their Nirvana Grunge Lessons Well |work=Richmond Times-Dispatch |date=April 11, 1996 |page=D25}} The Daily Herald called the album "chock-full of energetic, pop-laced modern rock nuggets distinguished by Kidd's appealingly raspy vocals and his and [Ronnie] Schneider's aggressive guitar work."{{cite news |last1=Kening |first1=Dan |title=Merging into the fast track |work=Daily Herald |date=April 5, 1996 |department=Time Out |page=5}} The Chicago Sun-Times opined that the band's "brand of power pop has an undeterred grace fueled by Wes Kidd's vibrant vocals and the group's solid musicianship."{{cite news |last1=Houlihan-Skilton |first1=Mary |title=Club Hopping |work=Chicago Sun-Times |date=May 24, 1996 |department=Weekend Plus |page=5}}

AllMusic wrote that "the band's full-throttle, post-Nirvana rock would have played better in 1993 than in 1996, when this type of thing was already going out of style."

Track listing

{{Track listing

| all_writing =

| title1 = Aerosmith

| length1 = 3:08

| title2 = Anna (Get Your Gun)

| length2 = 3:23

| title3 = Revved Up

| length3 = 4:11

| title4 = Bird Again

| length4 = 2:27

| title5 = 超級巨星

| length5 = 1:38

| title6 = Don't Tell

| length6 = 5:36

| title7 = American City World

| length7 = 3:38

| title8 = Cheery

| length8 = 3:39

| title9 = Rest My Head

| length9 = 4:59

| title10 = Never Ever Care

| length10 = 3:21

| title11 = Sally Tree

| length11 = 2:59

| title12 = Paris

| length12 = 4:56

| title13 = Superstar

| length13 = 9:59

| total_length =

}}

Personnel

References