Misery Is a Butterfly

Misery Is a Butterfly is the sixth studio album by American alternative rock band Blonde Redhead. The album was released on March 15, 2004 through 4AD.

Misery Is a Butterfly
Studio album by Blonde Redhead
Released	March 15, 2004
Recorded	March 16 – May 3, 2003
Studio	Long View Farm (North Brookfield, Massachusetts)
Genre	Dream pop art rock baroque pop trip hop
Length	45:34
Label	4AD
Producer	Guy Picciotto Ryan Hadlock
Blonde Redhead chronology
Mélodie Citronique (2000) Misery Is a Butterfly (2004) The Secret Society of Butterflies (2005)
Blonde Redhead studio album chronology
Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons (2000) Misery Is a Butterfly (2004) 23 (2007)
Singles from Misery Is a Butterfly
"Elephant Woman" Released: February 23, 2004[1] "Equus" Released: May 24, 2004[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	78/100[3]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
The Boston Phoenix	[5]
Entertainment Weekly	B−[6]
Mojo	[7]
Now	4/5[8]
Pitchfork	7.9/10[9]
Q	[10]
Rolling Stone	[11]
Spin	B[12]
Uncut	9/10[13]

Misery Is a Butterfly ranked at number 18 on CMJ's "Top 20 Albums of 2004" list.[14]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Blonde Redhead (Kazu Makino, Amedeo Pace and Simone Pace).

No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Elephant Woman"	Kazu Makino	4:49
2.	"Messenger"	Amedeo Pace	3:21
3.	"Melody"	Makino	4:36
4.	"Doll Is Mine"	A. Pace	3:06
5.	"Misery Is a Butterfly"	Makino	5:07
6.	"Falling Man"	A. Pace	3:26
7.	"Anticipation"	Makino	4:04
8.	"Maddening Cloud"	A. Pace	3:20
9.	"Magic Mountain"	Makino	3:02
10.	"Pink Love"	A. Pace & Makino	6:13
11.	"Equus"	Makino	3:50
Total length:			45:34

B-sides

No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Misery" (Wicked version)	Makino	4:42
2.	"Tons Confession"	A. Pace	3:37
3.	"Messenger" (featuring David Sylvian)	David Sylvian	3:23
4.	"Melody" (French version)	Makino	4:37

Personnel

Credits for Misery Is a Butterfly adapted from album liner notes.[15]

Blonde Redhead

• Kazu Makino – vocals, clavinet, guitar
• Amedeo Pace – vocals, guitar, baritone guitar
• Simone Pace – drums, percussion, machines
• Blonde Redhead – string arrangements

Additional personnel

• John Goodmanson – mixing
• Ryan Hadlock – additional production
• Eyvind Kang – strings, string arrangements
• Guy Picciotto – production
• Jane Scarpantoni – strings
• Skúli Sverrisson – bass

Charts

Chart (2004)	Peak position
French Albums (SNEP)[16]	77
Italian Albums (FIMI)[17]	50
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[18]	41
US Billboard 200[19]	180
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[20]	10
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[21]	11

References

1. "Elephant Woman – EP by Blonde Redhead". United States: iTunes Store. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
2. "Equus". United Kingdom. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
3. "Reviews for Misery Is A Butterfly by Blonde Redhead". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
4. Phares, Heather. "Misery Is a Butterfly – Blonde Redhead". AllMusic. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
5. Skruck, Jeff (April 9–15, 2004). "Blonde Redhead: Misery Is a Butterfly (4AD/Beggars Group)". The Boston Phoenix. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
6. Vincentelli, Elisabeth (March 19, 2004). "Misery Is a Butterfly". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 10, 2016. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
7. "Blonde Redhead: Misery Is a Butterfly". Mojo (126): 106. May 2004.
8. Young, Dylan (April 1, 2004). "Blonde Redhead". Now. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
9. Carr, Eric (April 12, 2004). "Blonde Redhead: Misery Is a Butterfly". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
10. "Blonde Redhead: Misery Is a Butterfly". Q (214): 98. May 2004.
11. Hunter, James (May 5, 2004). "Blonde Redhead: Misery Is a Butterfly". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 6, 2008. Retrieved April 9, 2016.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
12. "Breakdown". Spin. 20 (6): 108. June 2004. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
13. Pinnock, Tom (October 2016). "How to Buy: Blonde Redhead". Uncut (233): 49.
14. "The CMJ Top 20 Albums of 2004". BrooklynVegan. December 21, 2004. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
15. Misery Is a Butterfly (liner notes). Blonde Redhead. 4AD. 2004. CAD 2409CD.CS1 maint: others (link)
16. "Lescharts.com – Blonde Redhead – Misery Is a Butterfly". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
17. "Italiancharts.com – Blonde Redhead – Misery Is a Butterfly". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
18. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
19. "Blonde Redhead Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
20. "Blonde Redhead Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
21. "Blonde Redhead Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 2, 2017.

External links

• Misery Is a Butterfly at Discogs (list of releases)
• Misery Is a Butterfly at MusicBrainz (list of releases)