Media (album)
| Media | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 24, 1998 | |||
| Studio | Whoopass Recording, Lincoln, Nebraska | |||
| Genre | Indie rock, new wave, post-punk revival | |||
| Length | 38:51 | |||
| Label | Saddle Creek | |||
| The Faint chronology | ||||
| ||||
Media is the debut studio album by American band The Faint, released on March 24, 1998, by Saddle Creek Records.[1][2] Recorded at Whoopass Recording in Lincoln, Nebraska, the album documents the group's pre-dance-punk phase, emphasizing guitar-driven indie rock with pop elements.[3][4]
Background
Saddle Creek's describes Media as the band's debut full-length and characterize its style as a mix of 1990s indie rock and 1980s pop vocabulary, featuring hook-centered vocal writing and choruses layered with disjointed guitars and occasional keyboard motifs, aligning the record with indie rock while signaling the band's later electronic interests. [1] AllMusic categorizes the release under Alternative/Indie Rock and New Wave/Post-Punk Revival.[3]
Media was issued on CD and digital formats through Saddle Creek with catalog number LBJ-021-2.[1][2] The band maintains a digital edition with full track audio on its official Bandcamp page.[4]
Reception
AllMusic documents the album within the group's discography and places it stylistically in indie and new wave lineages.[3] In a 2016 retrospective for Vice/Noisey, vocalist Todd Fink ranked Media last among the Faint's studio albums and described it as an early effort prior to the band identifying its signature sound.[5]
Track listing
- "Syntax Lies" – 3:39
- "Some Incriminating Photographs" – 3:08
- "As the Doctor Talks" – 3:16
- "Tandem: City to City" – 2:13
- "Repertoire of Uncommon Depth" – 3:42
- "Typing: 1974–2048" – 2:00
- "Lullaby for the…" – 0:54
- "Acting; On-Campus Television" – 2:34
- "<===> (Getting/Giving the Lock)" – 2:49
- "Amorous in Bauhaus Fashion" – 3:01
- "There’s Something Not as Valid When the Scenery Is a Postcard" – 2:33
- "An Allusion Passes Through the Bar" – 6:57
- "Defy the Ailments" – 2:05
Credits
- Todd Baechle – lead vocals, guitar
- Joel Petersen – guitar
- Matt Bowen – bass, backing vocals
- Clark Baechle – drums
- Recorded at Whoopass Recording, Lincoln, Nebraska
References
- ^ a b c "Media". Saddle Creek. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
- ^ a b "Discography (LBJ-21: The Faint – Media)". Saddle Creek. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Media – The Faint". AllMusic. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
- ^ a b "Media by The Faint". Bandcamp. The Faint/Saddle Creek. March 24, 1998. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
- ^ Pearlman, Mischa (October 27, 2016). "Rank Your Records: Frontman Todd Fink Rates The Faint's Seven Albums". Vice. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
