Breezeblocks (song)

"Breezeblocks"
Single by alt-J
from the album An Awesome Wave
Released 18 May 2012
Format Digital download
Recorded 2011
Genre
Length 3:47
Label Infectious
Writer(s)
  • Joe Newman
  • Gus Unger-Hamilton
  • Gwilym Sainsbury
  • Thom Green
Producer(s) Charlie Andrew
alt-J singles chronology
"Matilda"
(2012)		 "Breezeblocks"
(2012)		 "Tessellate"
(2012)

"Breezeblocks" is a song by British indie rock band alt-J from their debut studio album An Awesome Wave (2012). The song was released on 18 May 2012 as the album's second single. The song was written by Joe Newman, Gus Unger-Hamilton, Gwilym Sainsbury, Thom Green, Murad Merali and produced by Charlie Andrew.

Songwriting

The song's lyrics make direct reference to Maurice Sendak's book Where the Wild Things Are. Newman sings, "Do you know where the wild things go?" In addition, the repeated refrain at the end of the song is a modified version of a portion of the book. Breezeblocks' lyrics are "Please don't go. I'll eat you whole. I love you so." Sendak's words are "Oh, please don't go — we'll eat you up — we love you so!".[1]

Music video

Directed by Ellis Bahl and starring actors Jonathan Dwyer, Jessica DiGiovanni, and Eleanor Pienta, it is the band's first official music video and was created to accompany the release of the song. The video features a violent fight in a darkened apartment between a male and a female character shown in reverse, beginning with the death of the female character at the hands of the male character, who bludgeons her with a breeze block (not in reference to the single's title). As the fight progresses backwards, it is revealed that the female character is the aggressor in the fight, having ambushed the male character by restraining and concealing a second female character, implied as being his wife, in a place where he would be distracted with her while she crept up on him with a knife. The video aired for the first time on YouTube on 23 March 2012 and as of June 2016 has over 100 million views.[2] The video won a UK Music Video Award (UKMVA) for "Best Alternative Video" on 8 November 2012.

Track listing

7" single
  1. "Breezeblocks" – 3:47
  2. Tom Vek's Remix – 3:59
Digital download – single[3]
  1. "Breezeblocks" – 3:47
Digital download – remixes[4]
  1. "Breezeblocks" – 3:47
  2. Tom Vek's Remix – 5:18
  3. B-Ju Remix – 3:59
  4. Rockdaworld Remix – 4:41

Credits and personnel

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (2012–13) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[5] 41
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[6] 75
UK Indie (Official Charts Company)[7] 6
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[8] 21
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[9] 16
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[10] 26
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[11] 9

Year-end charts

Chart (2013) Position
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[12] 36
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[13] 29

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[14] Silver 200,000double-dagger
United States (RIAA)[15] Gold 500,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Radio and release history

Region Date Format Label
United Kingdom 18 May 2012 Digital download – single[3] Infectious
Digital download – remixes[4]

References

  1. ↑ https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/4489.Maurice_Sendak
  2. ↑ alt-J (∆) Breezeblocks. YouTube
  3. 1 2 iTunes - Music - Breezeblocks - Single by Alt-J (∆)
  4. 1 2 iTunes - Music - Breezeblocks (Remixes) - EP by Alt-J (∆)
  5. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Alt-J – Breezeblocks". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  6. ↑ "Alt-J: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  7. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2012-06-02" UK Indie Chart. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  8. ↑ "Alt-J – Chart history" Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 for Alt-J. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  9. ↑ "Alt-J – Awards". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  10. ↑ "Rock Airplay". Billboard. 29 June 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2014. (subscription required (help)).
  11. ↑ "Alt-J – Chart history" Billboard Alternative Songs for Alt-J. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  12. ↑ "Hot Rock Songs: Year End 2013". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Alternative Songs: Year End 2013". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  14. ↑ "British single certifications – Alt-J – Breezeblocks". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 1, 2016. Enter Breezeblocks in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
  15. ↑ "American single certifications – Alt-J – Breezeblocks". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 1, 2016. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH

External links

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