Knock Knock (Smog album)

"Held" was the first single from Knock Knock. The original Drag City-release featured the second single "Cold Blooded Old Times" as a b-side.

"Held" is sometimes covered during concerts by American indie rock band Spoon,{{Cite web |date=June 21, 2005 |title=Spoon Covers Smog |url=http://www.stereogum.com/archives/001580.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050624011007/http://www.stereogum.com/archives/001580.html |archive-date=June 24, 2005 |access-date=April 8, 2025 |website=Stereogum}} and their cover appears on their 2022 album Lucifer on the Sofa.{{Cite web |last=Bloom |first=Madison |date=November 8, 2021 |title=How Spoon Beat the Devil |url=https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/spoon-lucifer-on-the-sofa-interview-britt-daniel/ |access-date=April 9, 2025 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}} The song also appeared in the 60- and 30-second versions of a commercial advertising the 2008 Cadillac Escalade."[http://stereogum.com/archives/commercial-appeal/bob-dylan-hawks-caddies_006874.html Bob Dylan Hawks Caddies]", stereogum.com (2007-10-22, retrieved on January 8, 2008)

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/knock-knock-mw0000046727|title=Knock Knock – Smog|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=February 25, 2006|last=Phares|first=Heather}}

| rev2 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev2score = B+{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/1999/02/05/knock-knock/|title=Knock Knock|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=February 5, 1999|access-date=April 23, 2017|last=Romero|first=Michele}}

| rev3 = The Independent

| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/pop-album-reviews-5375246.html|title=Pop: album reviews|work=The Independent|date=January 30, 1999|access-date=March 7, 2020|last=Perry|first=Tim}}

| rev4 = Mojo

| rev4score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{Cite magazine |last=Mulvey |first=John |date=December 2022 |title=Bill's, Bill's, Bill's |magazine=Mojo |page=37}}

| rev5 = NME

| rev5score = 8/10{{cite magazine|url=https://www.nme.com:80/reviews/reviews/19990104105016reviews.html|title=Smog – Knock Knock|magazine=NME|date=February 4, 1999|access-date=April 23, 2017|last=Oldham|first=James|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817174122/http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19990104105016reviews.html|archive-date=August 17, 2000|url-status=dead}}

| rev6 = Pitchfork

| rev6score = 9.7/10 {{small|(1999)}}{{cite web |url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/s/smog/knock-knock.shtml |title=Smog: Knock Knock: Pitchfork Review |accessdate=September 25, 2024 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040604122240/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/s/smog/knock-knock.shtml |archivedate=June 4, 2004 }}
8.7/10 {{small|(2020)}}{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/smog-knock-knock/|title=Smog: Knock Knock|work=Pitchfork|date=August 2, 2020|access-date=August 2, 2020|last=Sherburne|first=Philip|author-link=Philip Sherburne}}

| rev7 = Rolling Stone

| rev7score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com:80/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=27606&cf=3108|title=Smog: Knock Knock|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=February 4, 1999|access-date=August 15, 2007|last=Sheffield|first=Rob|author-link=Rob Sheffield|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031027021210/http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=27606&cf=3108|archive-date=October 27, 2003|url-status=dead}}

| rev8 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev8score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite book|chapter=Smog|last=Sheffield|first=Rob|author-link=Rob Sheffield|title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide|title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide|editor1-last=Brackett|editor1-first=Nathan|editor2-last=Hoard|editor2-first=Christian|publisher=Simon & Schuster|edition=4th|year=2004|isbn=0-7432-0169-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/754 754–55]}}

| rev9 = Select

| rev9score = 4/5{{cite magazine|title=Smog: Knock Knock|magazine=Select|issue=105|date=March 1999|last=Male|first=Andrew|pages=81–82}}

}}

Heather Phares of AllMusic gave the album 4.5 out of 5 stars, calling it "Bill Callahan's subtlest collection of songs yet." She added, "It's a moving album on many levels; not only do the songs have Smog's usual emotional intimacy, their subjects move away from difficult, claustrophobic situations toward maturity and acceptance."

Michele Romero of Entertainment Weekly gave the album a grade of B+, saying, "The energy jolt serves him well, making the delicate broken spirit of his lyrics cathartic rather than depressing."

NME listed it as the 10th best album of 1999.{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/bestalbumsandtracksoftheyear/1999-2-1045360|title=Albums And Tracks Of The Year: 1999|work=NME|date=October 10, 2016|access-date=February 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170914033836/http://www.nme.com/bestalbumsandtracksoftheyear/1999-2-1045360|archive-date=September 14, 2017|url-status=live}} Steve Jelbert of The Independent named it the best pop album of 1999.{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/the-best-pop-albums-of-1999-5373296.html|title=The best pop albums of 1999|work=The Independent|date=December 17, 1999|access-date=February 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171225012221/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/the-best-pop-albums-of-1999-5373296.html|archive-date=December 25, 2017|url-status=live}}

{{Track listing

| all_writing = Bill Callahan

| title1 = Let's Move to the Country

| length1 = 3:05

| title2 = Held

| length2 = 4:02

| title3 = River Guard

| length3 = 6:22

| title4 = No Dancing

| length4 = 3:00

| title5 = Teenage Spaceship

| length5 = 3:58

| title6 = Cold Blooded Old Times

| length6 = 4:14

| title7 = Sweet Treat

| length7 = 2:59

| title8 = Hit the Ground Running

| length8 = 6:56

| title9 = I Could Drive Forever

| length9 = 5:15

| title10 = Left Only with Love

| length10 = 2:52

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Japanese edition bonus tracks

| title11 = Look Now

| length11 = 3:24

| title12 = The Only Mother

| length12 = 3:29

}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Discogs master|9707|Knock Knock}}

{{Bill Callahan}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1999 albums

Category:Bill Callahan (musician) albums

Category:Drag City (record label) albums

Category:Domino Recording Company albums

Category:Albums produced by Jim O'Rourke (musician)