Death of an Optimist

Death of an Optimist
Death of an Optimist
Studio album by Grandson
Released	December 4, 2020
Recorded	2019–2020
Genre	Rap rock, alternative rock
Length	38:00
Label	Fueled by Ramen
Producer	Travis Barker; Taylor Bird; Boonn; Andrew Dawson; JT Daly; Krupa; No Love for the Middle Child; Mike Shinoda; Gabe Simon;
Grandson chronology
Singles from Death of an Optimist
	"Identity"; Released: June 26, 2020; "Riptide"; Released: July 31, 2020; "Dirty"; Released: September 25, 2020; "We Did It!!!"; Released: November 13, 2020;

Death of an Optimist is the debut studio album by Canadian-American musician Grandson. The album was released on December 4, 2020, through Fueled by Ramen.

Background and recording

Benjamin's EP, A Modern Tragedy, Vol. 3 was released on September 13, 2019. After the release of the third and final EP of the A Modern Tragedy trilogy, Grandson began working on his first studio album.^[3]

The album was first announced on September 23, 2020, with the single "Dirty".^[4]

Music and composition

In an interview with NME, Grandson said that Death of an Optimist is a critical outlook of the current state of affairs and of the year 2020 in general saying, "it is both an origin story and an obituary navigating hope, anxiety, and the state of optimism in 2020."^[4]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Kerrang!	^[5]

Initial reaction to the album has been positive. David McLaughlin of Kerrang! praised grandson's blending of sounds, saying, "Here’s an artist unafraid of flexing his creativity, exploring sounds from whatever genre tickles his fancy."^[5] The Rock Matters Podcast said, "It’s very much a millennial coming of age album. It’s a guy in his mid-20s trying to cling to hope that real change for a better future is possible. And credit to Grandson. He definitely sounds like he's in for the fight."^[6]

Track listing

*Death of an Optimist* track listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Death of an Optimist // Intro"	Jordan Benjamin Chester Krupa Carbone Kevin Hissink Maxwell Joseph	Boonn Krupa	2:31
2.	"In Over My Head"	Benjamin Carbone JT Daly Hissink	Boonn Krupa Daly	3:18
3.	"Identity"	Benjamin Carbone Andrew Dawson Hissink	Boonn Krupa Dawson	3:36
4.	"Left Behind"	Benjamin Carbone Hissink Sam Hollander Andrew Migliore	Boonn Krupa No Love for the Middle Child	3:25
5.	"Dirty"	Benjamin Carbone Hissink Gabe Simon	Boonn Krupa Simon	3:28
6.	"The Ballad of G and X // Interlude"	Benjamin Carbone Hissink	Boonn Krupa	2:22
7.	"We Did It!!!"	Benjamin Carbone Daly Hissink Joseph	Boonn Krupa Daly	2:49
8.	"WWIII"	Benjamin Carbone Hissink	Boonn Krupa	3:22
9.	"Riptide"	Benjamin Taylor Bird Hissink Mike Shinoda	Boonn Bird Shinoda	3:12
10.	"Pain Shopping"	Benjamin Carbone Hissink Daniel Ledinsky	Boonn Krupa	3:17
11.	"Drop Dead"	Benjamin Travis Barker Carbone Hissink	Boonn Krupa Barker	3:09
12.	"Welcome to Paradise // Outro"	Benjamin Carbone Ross Golan Hissink	Boonn Krupa	3:31
Total length:				38:00

Personnel

Grandson – vocals (all tracks), programming (track 3)
Chris Gehringer – mastering (tracks 1, 2, 4–8, 10–12)
Mark Jackson – mastering (track 3)
Taylor Bird – mastering, mixing, programming (track 9)
Krupa – mixing (tracks 1, 3, 6, 12), programming (3, 5, 7)
Adam Hawkins – mixing (tracks 2, 5, 11)
Nick Rad – mixing (tracks 4, 7, 8, 10)
Andrew Dawson – programming (track 3)
Kevin Hissink – programming (track 3)
Boonn – programming (tracks 5, 7)
Gabe Simon – programming (track 5)
JT Daly – programming (track 7)
Mike Shinoda – programming (track 9)

Charts

Chart performance for *Death of an Optimist*
Chart (2020)	Peak position
UK R&B Albums (OCC)^[7]	28
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)^[8]	7

References

^ Lavin, Will (June 26, 2020). "Watch the video for Grandson's explosive new song 'Identity'". NME. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
^ Rogers, Jack (July 31, 2020). "Grandson Has Released a Thought-provoking Video for His New Track 'Riptide'". Rocksound.tv. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
^ Shutler, Ali (September 30, 2019). "Grandson: "We're seeing the last echoes of a dying breed, trying to reign in the limitless potential of young people"". NME. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
^ ^a ^b Rose, Anna (25 September 2020). "Grandson announces details of his debut album, 'Death of an Optimist'". NME. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
^ ^a ^b David McLaughlin (3 December 2020). "Album Review: grandson - Death of an Optimist".
^ Rock Matters Podcast (November 30, 2020). "E32 Death of an Optimist: Grandson's Grand Debut".
^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
^ "Grandson Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2021.

[1] Lavin, Will (June 26, 2020). "Watch the video for Grandson's explosive new song 'Identity'". NME. Retrieved September 28, 2020.

[2] Rogers, Jack (July 31, 2020). "Grandson Has Released a Thought-provoking Video for His New Track 'Riptide'". Rocksound.tv. Retrieved September 28, 2020.

[3] Shutler, Ali (September 30, 2019). "Grandson: "We're seeing the last echoes of a dying breed, trying to reign in the limitless potential of young people"". NME. Retrieved September 28, 2020.

[NME_2020-09-28-4] Rose, Anna (25 September 2020). "Grandson announces details of his debut album, 'Death of an Optimist'". NME. Retrieved 28 September 2020.

[Kerrang!-5] David McLaughlin (3 December 2020). "Album Review: grandson - Death of an Optimist".

[Rock_Matters_Podcast-6] Rock Matters Podcast (November 30, 2020). "E32 Death of an Optimist: Grandson's Grand Debut".

[ac_UKR&B_-7] "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 13, 2020.

[TLN-8] "Grandson Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2021.

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