Life on Display

{{Infobox album

| name = Life on Display

| type = studio

| artist = Puddle of Mudd

| cover = Lifeondisplay.jpg

| alt =

| released = November 25, 2003

| recorded = 2003

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Post-grunge

| length = 55:36

| label = {{flatlist|

}}

| producer = {{flatlist|

}}

| prev_title = Come Clean

| prev_year = 2001

| next_title = Famous

| next_year = 2007

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Life on Display

| type = studio

| single1 = Away from Me

| single1date = October 21, 2003

| single2 = Heel Over Head

| single2date = February 17, 2004

| single3 = Spin You Around

| single3date = June 15, 2004

}}

Life on Display is the second studio album by post-grunge band Puddle of Mudd. It was produced by John Kurzweg whose previous work includes Creed, Socialburn, and No Address, and whom produced the band's previous album, and Michael "Elvis" Baskette.

Life on Display was certified gold in the U.S by the RIAA on February 6, 2004.{{cite web|url= https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=puddle+of+mudd&ti=life+on+display&lab=&genre=&format=&date_option=release&from=&to=&award=&type=&category=&adv=SEARCH#search_section|title=Recording Industry Association of America |publisher=RIAA |access-date=January 19, 2025}} To date, Life on Display has sold 706,191 units in the United States.{{Citation needed|date=March 2012|reason=when is "to date"?}}

The album received generally negative reviews, and peaked at #20 on the Billboard 200 album chart, spending 23 weeks on the chart. It was less successful internationally on the charts.

The album spawned one hit single, "Away from Me", which reached #1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks. Two additional minor hits, "Spin You Around" and "Heel Over Head," charted on the U.S. Mainstream Rock and Alternative charts. All three singles had corresponding music videos.

History

Puddle of Mudd began writing material for the second album while on tour for their first in 2002.{{YouTube|KZRDn7AAEak|Puddle of Mudd - Recording Studio (Life On Display) }} 18 songs were recorded for the record.{{cite web|last=Moss |first=Corey |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1472103/20030527/puddle_of_mudd.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071019053934/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1472103/20030527/puddle_of_mudd.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 19, 2007 |title=Next Puddle of Mudd LP Will Have Heartfelt, 'Super Heavy' Songs - Music, Celebrity, Artist News |publisher=MTV |date=May 28, 2003 |accessdate=February 7, 2012}} The band spent over eight months in various studios recording the material.{{cite web|url=http://www.alternativeaddiction.com/musicnews/article/119/Puddle-of-Mudd-Ready-to-put-Life-On-Display |title=Puddle of Mudd Ready to put 'Life On Display' |website=AlternativeAddiction.com |date=September 21, 2003 |accessdate=February 7, 2012}} Singer Scantlin had to learn new chord progression for the track, "Time Flies". A B-side song entitled "Bleed" was loaned for the movie The Punisher. An unreleased song called "Galvanic" garnered some attention due to the fact Scantlin cried during playback for it.{{cite web|url=http://www.vh1.com/artists/news/1485717/20040312/puddle_of_mudd.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308202438/http://www.vh1.com/artists/news/1485717/20040312/puddle_of_mudd.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 8, 2008 |title=Puddle Of Mudd : Wes Scantlin's Songbird Is Back, And It's Making Him Cry - Rhapsody Music Downloads |website=VH1.com |date= |accessdate=February 7, 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/puddle_of_mudd_my_songs_making_me_cry.html|title=Puddle Of Mudd: My Songs Making Me Cry|website=UltimateGuitar}}

Promotion

The "Away from Me" video was featured during the 10th season of Making the Video. Puddle of Mudd also performed four tracks off the album on the November 25 debut episode of Fuse TV's 7th Avenue Drop. "Nothing Left to Lose" served as the main theme song for WWE's Royal Rumble 2004. Also went as one of the soundtrack of the famous TV series The O.C.

Critical reception

{{Music ratings

|MC = 37/100

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite web|last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |url={{AllMusic|class=album |id=r669996 |pure_url=yes}} |title=Life on Display - Puddle of Mudd |website=AllMusic |date=November 25, 2003 |accessdate=February 7, 2012}}

|rev2 = Blender

|rev2Score = {{Rating|2|5}}

| rev3 = E! Online

| rev3score = C{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031221212827/http://www.eonline.com/Reviews/Facts/Music/RevID/0,1107,3093,00.html|title=Puddle of Mudd - Life on Display|website=E! Online|date=December 21, 2003|access-date=March 7, 2025}}

|rev4 = Entertainment Weekly

|rev4Score = B−{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,547935,00.html |title=Life on Display Review |last=Sinclair |first=Tom |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=November 28, 2003 |accessdate=March 23, 2012 |archive-date=April 25, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425163916/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,547935,00.html |url-status=dead }}

| rev5 = Melodic

| rev5score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.melodic.net/album/puddle-of-mudd-life-on-display|title=Puddle of Mudd - Life On Display|website=Melodic|last=Wippsson|first=Johan|date=December 4, 2003|access-date=March 7, 2025}}

| rev6 = Now

| rev6score = {{Rating|1|5}}{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050218021934/http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2003-12-04/music_discs6.php|title=PUDDLE OF MUDD - LIFE ON DISPLAY|website=Now|last=Raynor|first=Brent|date=December 10, 2003|access-date=March 7, 2025}}

|rev7 = Q

|rev7score = {{Rating|2|5}}

|rev8 = Rolling Stone

|rev8score = {{Rating|1|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/298702/review/5940725 |title=Life On Display : Puddle Of Mudd : Review |last=Hoard |first=Christian |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=December 11, 2003 |accessdate=February 7, 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027114209/http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/298702/review/5940725 |archivedate=October 27, 2007 |url-status=dead }}

| rev9 = Spin

| rev9score = DThese hammerheads still sound like the touring company of Grunge-a-Mania. [Jan 2004, p.100]

}}

Initial critical response to Life on Display was generally unfavorable. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 37, based on seven reviews.{{cite web | url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/life-on-display/puddle-of-mudd/critic-reviews | title=Life on Display reviews at Metacritic.com | work=Metacritic | publisher=CNET Networks, Inc | accessdate=September 17, 2009 }} Life on Display received largely average to poor reviews from Entertainment Weekly, E Online, and AllMusic. Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone gave the album a mere 1 out of 5 stars, citing "the predominant emotion transmitted by these tired, hookless tunes is a kind of skull-banging numbness."

Track listing

{{Track listing

| all_writing = Wesley Scantlin except where noted

| title1 = Away from Me

| length1 = 4:00

| title2 = Heel Over Head

| length2 = 4:05

| title3 = Nothing Left to Lose

| length3 = 4:30

| title4 = Change My Mind

| writer4 = Scantlin, Doug Ardito

| length4 = 4:20

| title5 = Spin You Around

| length5 = 4:27

| title6 = Already Gone

| length6 = 4:32

| title7 = Think

| length7 = 4:10

| title8 = Cloud 9

| length8 = 3:34

| title9 = Bottom

| length9 = 5:22

| title10 = Freak of the World

| length10 = 3:36

| title11 = Sydney

| length11 = 4:58

| title12 = Time Flies

| length12 = 7:05

| total_length = 55:36

}}

{{Track listing

|headline = Bonus tracks

|title13 = Life Ain't Fair

|length13 = 3:45

|title14 = Daddy

|length14 = 4:17

|title15 = Bleed

|length15 = 3:34

}}

Personnel

Wesley Scantlin – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Paul Phillips – lead guitar
Doug Ardito – bass, backing vocals
Greg Upchurch – drums
Bill McGathy – tambourine
Peter Katsis – triangle
Ian Montone – triangle

Production

John Kurzweg – executive producer, engineer
Andy Wallace – mixing

Charts and certifications

=Weekly charts=

scope="col"\| Chart (2003–2004) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
{{album chart\|Austria\|55\|artist=Puddle of Mudd\|album=Life on Display\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=June 24, 2019}}
{{album chart\|Germany4\|69\|id=4795\|artist=Puddle of Mudd\|album=Life on Display\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=June 24, 2019}}
{{album chart\|Switzerland\|48\|artist=Puddle of Mudd\|album=Life on Display\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=June 24, 2019}}
{{album chart\|UK2\|90\|artist=Puddle of Mudd\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=June 24, 2019}}
{{album chart\|Billboard200\|20\|artist=Puddle of Mudd\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=June 24, 2019}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"\| Chart (2004) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2004/top-billboard-200-albums\|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2004\|magazine=Billboard\|accessdate=November 10, 2021}} \| 117

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

scope="col"| Chart (2004)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2004/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2004|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=November 10, 2021}}

| 117

=Certifications=

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|title=Life on Display|artist=Puddle of Mudd|relyear=2003|accessdate=June 24, 2019|region=Canada|award=Gold}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|title=Life on Display|artist=Puddle of Mudd|relyear=2003|region=United States|award=Gold|accessdate=June 24, 2019}}

References

External links

{{Metacritic album}}

Category:2003 albums

Category:Puddle of Mudd albums

Category:Geffen Records albums