The Powers That B

On April 18, 2012, the Death Grips YouTube channel uploaded the music video for the single "I've Seen Footage" from The Money Store, which at the 2:16 and 2:26 mark for a single frame an early version of The Powers That B cover is visible while then appearing as the completed version at 3:14. Additionally in the same video, the opening shot for the screen in the "Inanimate Sensation" video can also be seen at the 2:26 mark for a single frame.

On January 19, 2014, Zach Hill posted to his Facebook page, stating that the group had begun recording a new album.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/zachhillmusic?ref=br_tf|title=ZACH HILL|work=Facebook|access-date=5 January 2015}} On June 8, 2014, the first disc: Niggas on the Moon, was released as a free download via thirdworlds.net, Death Grips' official website. On June 9, 2014, Björk confirmed her vocal contributions, via various social media outlets.{{cite magazine | url=https://www.spin.com/2014/06/death-grips-niggas-on-the-moon-bjork-surprise-stream-download/ | title=Death Grips' Surprise 'Niggas on the Moon' Has Bjork on All Eight Songs | magazine=Spin | date=June 9, 2014 | access-date=June 19, 2014 | author=Hogan, Marc | archive-date=October 7, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007092706/http://www.spin.com/2014/06/death-grips-niggas-on-the-moon-bjork-surprise-stream-download/ | url-status=live }} Death Grips officially announced the completion of The Powers That B via their Facebook page, as well as revealing the album artwork in October.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/deathgripz/photos/a.176170062428181.39239.170869886291532/835268106518370/?type=1&permPage=1|title=Death Grips - Timeline Photos - Facebook|publisher=Facebook.com|access-date=5 January 2015|archive-date=4 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180404043639/https://www.facebook.com/deathgripz/photos/a.176170062428181.39239.170869886291532/835268106518370/?type=1&permPage=1|url-status=live}} On December 9, 2014, Death Grips released a music video for the album's only single, "Inanimate Sensation".{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5GCn1BKkxg|title=Death Grips - Inanimate Sensation|work=YouTube|date=9 December 2014 |access-date=5 January 2015|archive-date=4 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104111041/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5GCn1BKkxg|url-status=live}}

In anticipation of the album, the band released an instrumental soundtrack entitled Fashion Week in January 2015. The track list is as follows: "Runway J", "Runway E" and so on; acrostically spelling out the phrase "JENNY DEATH WHEN", in reference to the second disc of The Powers That B.

On February 13, 2015, Death Grips uploaded a new video to their YouTube channel.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L55PS_dyxkg |title=Death Grips February 13, 2015 |publisher=YouTube.com |date=2015-02-13 |access-date=2015-03-27 |archive-date=2015-02-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219031539/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L55PS_dyxkg |url-status=live }} It showed the group, rehearsing the following songs: "I Break Mirrors with My Face in the United States", "Inanimate Sensation", "Turned Off", "Why a Bitch Gotta Lie" and "Lock Your Doors".

On March 10, 2015, thirty-second snippets of each song from Jenny Death leaked onto the internet, via Dutch retailer Bol.com.{{cite web |url=http://www.bol.com/nl/p/power-that-b-2cd-digipak/9200000039047802/ |title=The Powers That B, Death Grips | Muziek |publisher=Bol.com |date=2014-12-03 |access-date=2015-03-27 |language=nl |archive-date=2015-03-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150326101408/http://www.bol.com/nl/p/power-that-b-2cd-digipak/9200000039047802 |url-status=live }} On March 11, 2015, the Jenny Death song lengths also leaked.{{cite web |url=http://www.cosmox.nl/muziek/the-powers-that-b-death-grips-0602547120083 |title=The Powers That B | Death Grips |CD | 0602547120083 |publisher=Cosmox.nl |date=2010-07-01 |access-date=2015-03-27 |archive-date=2015-04-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402094820/http://www.cosmox.nl/muziek/the-powers-that-b-death-grips-0602547120083 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |author=Death Grips |url=http://www.buecher.de/shop/musik/the-power-that-b-2lp/death-grips/products_products/detail/prod_id/42184663/ |title=The Power That B (2lp) von Death Grips - Vinyl-Schallplatte |publisher=Bbuecher.de |access-date=2015-03-27 |archive-date=2015-04-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404195830/http://www.buecher.de/shop/musik/the-power-that-b-2lp/death-grips/products_products/detail/prod_id/42184663/ |url-status=live }}

On March 12, Death Grips released a video to their YouTube channel for the song "On GP", filmed in an echo chamber located in Studio 1, Sunset Sound Recorders in Los Angeles, California which pictures them in an almost empty room (except for an Altec Lansing A7 loudspeaker) to be almost completely still except for some subtle movement from time to time.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cinJDxLUsNY |title=Death Grips - On GP |publisher=YouTube.com |date=2015-03-12 |access-date=2015-03-27 |archive-date=2015-04-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403014716/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cinJDxLUsNY |url-status=live }} The official music video for "On GP" was released a day later,{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-6gxrK6BQw |title=Death Grips - On GP (Official Video) |publisher=YouTube.com |date=2015-03-13 |access-date=2015-03-27 |archive-date=2015-03-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150324152906/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-6gxrK6BQw |url-status=live }} featuring various magic tricks performed by Sacramento magician Russell Brown.{{cite web |url=http://gooddaysacramento.cbslocal.com/video/10902439-magician-russell-brown/ |title=Magician Russell Brown « Good Day Sacramento |publisher=Gooddaysacramento.cbslocal.com |access-date=2015-03-27 |archive-date=2015-04-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402132922/http://gooddaysacramento.cbslocal.com/video/10902439-magician-russell-brown/ |url-status=live }} On March 17, the group released the song "The Powers That B" to their YouTube channel, as well as the release date and pre-order links for the album via their Facebook page.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVSHMKizsgg/ |title=Death Grips - The Powers That B |publisher=YouTube.com |date=2015-03-16 |access-date=2015-03-27}}{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/deathgripz/posts/927438380634675/ |title=Death Grips - The album comes out March 31st. THE... |publisher=Facebook.com |access-date=2015-03-27 |archive-date=2018-04-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180404043639/https://www.facebook.com/deathgripz/posts/927438380634675/ |url-status=live }} Jenny Death was leaked onto various filesharing websites and shared to 4chan and Reddit. The band later streamed the entire album on their YouTube page. The same day, the group announced on their Facebook that they 'might make some more', hinting that they intend to continue making music.{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/deathgripz/posts/928842713827575 |title=Death Grips - you're right, we might make some more |publisher=Facebook.com |access-date=2015-03-27 |archive-date=2018-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227193323/https://www.facebook.com/deathgripz/posts/928842713827575 |url-status=live }}

On March 24, 2015 Death Grips announced via Facebook that they were going on tour in support of the album.{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/deathgripz/photos/a.176170062428181.39239.170869886291532/931696033542243/?type=1&permPage=1 |title=Death Grips - Timeline Photos |publisher=Facebook.com |access-date=2015-03-27 |archive-date=2016-06-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604101745/https://www.facebook.com/deathgripz/photos/a.176170062428181.39239.170869886291532/931696033542243/?type=1&permPage=1 |url-status=live }}

{{Music ratings

| ADM = 7.4/10{{cite web|url=http://anydecentmusic.com/review/7097/Death-Grips-The-Powers-That-B.aspx|title=The Powers That B by Death Grips reviews|website=AnyDecentMusic?|access-date=December 8, 2019|archive-date=October 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014161654/http://anydecentmusic.com/review/7097/Death-Grips-The-Powers-That-B.aspx|url-status=live}}

| MC = 73/100{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/the-powers-that-b/death-grips|title=Reviews for The Powers That B by Death Grips|website=Metacritic|access-date=April 1, 2015|archive-date=August 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815111056/http://www.metacritic.com/music/the-powers-that-b/death-grips|url-status=live}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-powers-that-b-mw0002804614|title=The Powers That B – Death Grips|website=AllMusic|access-date=March 31, 2015|last=Jeffries|first=David|archive-date=April 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402014147/http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-powers-that-b-mw0002804614|url-status=live}}

| rev2 = Consequence of Sound

| rev2score = C+ (Disc 1){{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2014/06/album-review-death-grips-niggas-on-the-moon/|title=Death Grips – niggas on the moon|work=Consequence of Sound|date=June 13, 2014|access-date=June 19, 2014|last=Madden|first=Michael|archive-date=June 16, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140616034317/https://consequence.net/2014/06/album-review-death-grips-niggas-on-the-moon/|url-status=live}}
B (Disc 2){{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2015/03/album-review-death-grips-jenny-death/|title=Death Grips – Jenny Death|work=Consequence of Sound|date=March 27, 2015|access-date=July 1, 2015|last=Young|first=Alex|archive-date=July 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702141749/https://consequence.net/2015/03/album-review-death-grips-jenny-death/|url-status=live}}

| rev3 = Cuepoint (Expert Witness)

| rev3score = B+{{cite web|url=https://medium.com/cuepoint/robert-christgau-expert-witness-3f1b394c43eb#.8ggsplp83|title=Robert Christgau: Expert Witness|work=Cuepoint|date=May 7, 2015|access-date=March 31, 2015|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|archive-date=September 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905143953/https://medium.com/cuepoint/robert-christgau-expert-witness-3f1b394c43eb#.8ggsplp83|url-status=live}}

| rev4 = Exclaim!

| rev4score = 9/10{{cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/Music/article/death_grips-powers_that_b_ngas_on_moon_jenny_death|title=Death Grips: The Powers That B (N***as On the Moon & Jenny Death)|work=Exclaim!|date=April 1, 2015|access-date=July 1, 2015|last=Slingerland|first=Calum|archive-date=July 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702132800/http://exclaim.ca/Music/article/death_grips-powers_that_b_ngas_on_moon_jenny_death|url-status=live}}

| rev5 = MusicOMH

| rev5score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/death-grips-powers-b|title=Death Grips – The Powers That B|work=MusicOMH|date=March 29, 2015|access-date=May 11, 2019|last=Lee|first=Tim|archive-date=May 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511000539/https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/death-grips-powers-b|url-status=live}}

| rev6 = NME

| rev6score = 8/10 (Disc 2){{cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/death-grips/16037|title=Death Grips – 'Jenny Death'|work=NME|date=April 16, 2015|access-date=July 1, 2015|last=Cooper|first=Leonie|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513011252/http://www.nme.com/reviews/death-grips/16037|archive-date=May 13, 2016|url-status=dead}}

| rev7 = Pitchfork

| rev7score = 6.7/10 (Disc 1){{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19472-death-grips-niggas-on-the-moon/|title=Death Grips: Niggas on the Moon|work=Pitchfork|date=June 13, 2014|access-date=June 19, 2014|last=Fitzmaurice|first=Larry|archive-date=June 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140620174608/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19472-death-grips-niggas-on-the-moon/|url-status=live}}
8.1/10 (Disc 2){{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20451-jenny-death/|title=Death Grips: Jenny Death|work=Pitchfork|date=March 31, 2015|access-date=March 31, 2015|last=O'Connor|first=Andy|archive-date=April 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402210252/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20451-jenny-death/|url-status=live}}

| rev8 = PopMatters

| rev8score = 7/10{{cite web|url=http://www.popmatters.com/review/191886-death-grips-the-powers-that-b/|title=Death Grips: The Powers That B|work=PopMatters|date=April 1, 2015|access-date=July 1, 2015|last=Fitzgerald|first=Colin|archive-date=July 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702144949/http://www.popmatters.com/review/191886-death-grips-the-powers-that-b/|url-status=live}}

| rev9 = Spin

| rev9score = 7/10{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/2015/04/review-death-grips-the-powers-that-b/|title=Review: Death Grips Reach Their Punk Zenith on Double Album 'The Powers That B'|work=Spin|date=April 3, 2015|access-date=April 13, 2015|last=Weiss|first=Dan}}

| rev10 = Tiny Mix Tapes

| rev10score = 4/5 (Disc 1){{cite web|url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/death-grips-niggas-on-the-moon|title=Death Grips – niggas on the moon|work=Tiny Mix Tapes|access-date=May 11, 2019|last=Callaghan|first=Nico|archive-date=May 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511000541/https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/death-grips-niggas-on-the-moon|url-status=live}}
3.5/5 (Disc 2){{cite web|url=https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/death-grips-jenny-death|title=Death Grips – Jenny Death|work=Tiny Mix Tapes|access-date=May 11, 2019|last=Chandler|first=Simon|archive-date=May 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511000545/https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/death-grips-jenny-death|url-status=live}}

}}

Niggas on the Moon received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 70, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", based on 5 reviews.{{cite web | url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/niggas-on-the-moon/death-grips | title=niggas on the moon – Death Grips | website=Metacritic | access-date=June 19, 2014 | archive-date=June 26, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140626160634/http://www.metacritic.com/music/niggas-on-the-moon/death-grips | url-status=live }} Michael Madden of Consequence of Sound stated: "Niggas on the Moon primarily relies on the band’s chaotic, ever-evolving sonic disposition – and as a bonus, we’ve never heard Ride sound quite like this. It’s an exciting proposition." He also described the disc as "an exciting ride" and further wrote: "By virtue of being divisive as all hell, Death Grips have welcomed us back to their jungle." Calum Slingerland of Exclaim! called the first disc "the group's most confounding collection of tracks to date," praising the manic nature of vocalist MC Ride as "a side to the vocalist largely unseen on previous releases."{{cite magazine | url=http://exclaim.ca/Music/article/death_grips-fashion_week | title=Death Grips - Fashion Week | magazine=Exclaim! | date=January 9, 2015 | access-date=January 11, 2015 | author=Slingerland, Calum | archive-date=January 10, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150110235535/http://exclaim.ca/Music/article/death_grips-fashion_week | url-status=live }} Larry Fitzmaurice for Pitchfork described the disc as "the band's least intense album," and stated: "it's hard to shake the feeling that Death Grips might benefit from a change in aesthetic and conceptual focus... Without new tricks and fresh aggression, Death Grips risk coming across as safe and ordinary, a mess of broken teeth summarily replaced by a gap-toothed smile." Patrick Taylor of RapReviews.com commented that "the songs feel more like eight variations on the same concept than eight distinct tracks."

Overall, critical reception for Jenny Death was very positive, with responses generally being better than of Niggas on the Moon. On March 16, 2015, "On GP" from the album's second disc, Jenny Death, was awarded a "Best New Track" review on Pitchfork{{'}}s website. Pitchfork rated the album 8.1/10, calling the album's second half the "strongest material in a while" and that "it’s not on the level of their artistic and commercial breakthrough The Money Store, but it will absolutely remind you of why you loved them in the first place." Calum Slingerland of Exclaim! described the lyrical nature of the second disc as "representative of outward action and thought more than internalization," writing that the incorporation of live instruments is a welcome addition alongside the group's aggressive electronics. Addressing the album as a complete release, Slingerland stated that The Powers That B is "a compelling look at the band's ability to work with sounds both minimal and monumental, while containing some of their most riveting lyrical and musical work in recent memory. Consequence of Sound also gave the album a positive review, saying that "some of their best debris-curdling numbers appear here" and also noted their shift in genre, claiming that "It's their most punk album, both musically and in function."

The album debuted at No. 72 on the Billboard 200,{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2015-04-18 |title=The Billboard 200 |magazine=Billboard |date=April 18, 2015 |access-date=2016-12-04 |archive-date=2015-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523093039/http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2015-04-18 |url-status=live }} No. 15 on Top Rock Albums,{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/rock-albums/2015-04-18 |title=Top Rock Albums |magazine=Billboard |date=April 18, 2015 |access-date=2016-12-04 |archive-date=2016-11-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161110045206/http://www.billboard.com/charts/rock-albums/2015-04-18 |url-status=live }} and No. 8 on Rap Albums,{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/rap-albums/2015-04-18 |title=Rap Albums |magazine=Billboard |date=April 18, 2015 |access-date=2016-12-04 |archive-date=2016-12-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221044321/http://www.billboard.com/charts/rap-albums/2015-04-18 |url-status=live }} selling around 9,000 in the first week. The album has sold 22,000 copies in the United States as of June 2016.{{cite web |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160602113433/http://hitsdailydouble.com/new_album_releases |archive-date= June 2, 2016 |url=http://hitsdailydouble.com/new_album_releases |title=Upcoming Releases |website=Hits Daily Double}}

All tracks written by Death Grips.{{cite web |title=The Powers That B (2015, CD) |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/6816697-Death-Grips-The-Powers-That-B/image/SW1hZ2U6MjA2NjcwODI= |website=Discogs | date=31 March 2015 |access-date=25 January 2022}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Disc 1: Niggas on the Moon

| all_writing =

| title1 = Up My Sleeves

| length1 = 5:17

| title2 = Billy Not Really

| length2 = 3:49

| title3 = Black Quarterback

| length3 = 2:59

| title4 = Say Hey Kid

| length4 = 3:27

| title5 = Have a Sad Cum BB

| length5 = 3:40

| title6 = Fuck Me Out

| length6 = 3:20

| title7 = Voila

| length7 = 3:29

| title8 = Big Dipper

| length8 = 5:28

| total_length = 31:28

}}

{{Track listing

| all_writing =

| headline = Disc 2: Jenny Death

| title1 = I Break Mirrors with My Face in the United States

| length1 = 2:41

| title2 = Inanimate Sensation

| length2 = 6:04

| title3 = Turned Off

| length3 = 4:37

| title4 = Why a Bitch Gotta Lie

| length4 = 4:40

| title5 = Pss Pss

| length5 = 4:33

| title6 = The Powers That B

| length6 = 5:32

| title7 = Beyond Alive

| length7 = 6:07

| title8 = Centuries of Damn

| length8 = 5:32

| title9 = On GP

| length9 = 6:07

| title10 = Death Grips 2.0

| length10 = 3:20

| total_length = 49:13

}}

Notes

• The vinyl release does not have "Death Grips 2.0".
• "Inanimate Sensation" is misspelled "Inanimate Sesnation" on the album's CD release.

Death Grips

• Stefan Burnett – vocals, lyrics
• Zach Hill – synthesizer, keyboards, drums, V-drums, production, arrangement
• Andy Morin – bass on track 9 (Jenny Death), synthesizer, engineer, production

Additional musicians

• Björk – vocal samples on tracks 1–8 (Niggas on the Moon)
• Nick Reinhart – guitar on tracks 3, 4, 7, 8 & 9 (Jenny Death)
• Julian Imsdahl – synthesizer, mellotron, organ, & guitar on tracks 3, 4, 7, 8 & 9 (Jenny Death)

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|http://thirdworlds.net|Official website}}

{{Death Grips}}{{Björk}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Powers That B}}

Category:2014 albums

Category:Albums free for download by copyright owner

Category:Death Grips albums

Category:2015 albums

Category:Björk

Category:Harvest Records albums