Sumo (album)

Sumo is the debut studio album by Australian alternative rock band the Superjesus, which was issued on 1 February 1998. It was produced and mixed by Matt Serletic for East West Records/Warner Music Australia and peaked at number 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart. The album was re-issued in October 1998 as Sumo II, with an additional disc of live performances. At the 1998 ARIA Music Awards Sumo won the inaugural Best Rock Album category. It was also nominated for Best Group, Breakthrough Artist – Album and Chris Tennent and William Tennent were nominated for Best Cover Art.

To celebrate 20 years since its release, Sumo was re-released in August 2018, with bonus tracks and on vinyl for the first time. The Superjesus toured the album during the second half of 2018.<ref name="2018CD"/><ref name="Female"/>

Background and recording

Sumo was recorded by the Superjesus in Atlanta, Georgia from April 1997.<ref name="McFarlane">* 1st edition [online]: Template:Cite book

• 2nd edition: Template:Cite book

</ref><ref name="Nimmervoll">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref><ref name="Holmgren">Template:Cite web</ref> Their debut five-track extended play, Eight Step Rail, was released in August 1996 via Aloha Records,<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="Holmgren"/> two of its tracks are "Shut My Eyes" and "I'm Stained". After touring with visiting British band, Bush in late 1996 and performing at the 1997 Big Day Out Festival, the Superjesus began work on the album. In an August 1997 interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, guitarist Chris Tennent stated, "We did the Bush tour and the Big Day Out. Then we took time out to get some songs together before recording the album."<ref>The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 August 1997, p. 52.</ref> In 2018, vocalist Sarah McLeod reflected, "we flew to Atlanta, Georgia to record our first full length record for our new label Warner. We chose Triclops Studios because that's where the Smashing Pumpkins recorded our favourite record, Siamese Dream. Once it was in the can, we came back to Australia and were asked to play at the [1997] ARIAs."<ref name="McLeod 1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Both "I'm Stained" and "Shut My Eyes" were re-recorded for Sumo, with "Shut My Eyes" as a hidden track. McLeod and Tennent were dating prior to recording the album,<ref name="Rau">Template:Cite news </ref> Tennent was "writing songs which he recorded, complete with all the guitar parts, onto a tape" and McLeod "spent a considerable time familiarising herself with the songs. She was still writing lyrics on the plane bound for Atlanta."<ref name="Nimmervoll"/> By the time it was released McLeod and Tennent's personal relationship was over however they continued in the band.<ref name="Nimmervoll"/><ref name="Rau"/> Two singles appeared ahead of the album, "Down Again" (August 1997) and "Saturation" (November).<ref name="McFarlane"/> Its third single, "Now and Then" was issued in March 1998.<ref name="McFarlane"/> The fourth single, "Ashes", followed in September.<ref name="McFarlane"/> The group provided a track-by-track description of the album for The iZine in February 1998.<ref name="Gee">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> The Sumo Tour of Australia, with over 40 dates, occurred from mid-February to late April.<ref name="NLA Sumo Tour">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> They started the tour with an appearance on national youth radio Triple J's program Live at the Wireless in Sydney, where they recorded tracks live-in-the-studio.<ref name="NLA Sumo Tour"/> Sumo was released in the United States in July 1998 and the Superjesus relocated to Los Angeles to promote it.<ref name="McFarlane"/> Upon return to Australia Tennent left the Superjesus and was replaced on guitar by Tim Henwood in July 1999.<ref name="McFarlane"/><ref name="Nimmervoll"/><ref name="Holmgren"/>

Reception

Jonathan Lewis from AllMusic wrote: "Sumo was full of guitar-driven alternative radio-friendly songs." adding "Opening with the Helmet-style riffing of the excellent "Down Again", the Superjesus show that guitar rock with McLeod's vocals soaring over the top is definitely their strength. It is also their weakness, with Sumo containing too little variation in style." Lewis said "While the first half of Sumo shows plenty of promise, the second half loses its intensity."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Track listing

2018 20th Anniversary Edition Template:Track listing

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes:<ref name="Holmgren"/><ref name="NLA Sumo">Template:Citation</ref>

The Superjesus

• Paul Berryman – drums
• Sarah McLeod – vocals, guitar
• Stuart Rudd – bass guitar
• Chris Tennent – guitar, composer (strings)

Additional personnel

• Greg Archilla – mixing engineer
• Sophie Howarth – photography
• Stephen Marcussen – mastering engineer
• Brian Parker – assistant audio engineer
• Matt Serletic – record producer, mixing engineer, arranger, composer (strings)
• Chris Tennent, William Tennent – cover art
• Jeff Tomei – audio engineer

Charts

Weekly charts

Template:Album chart

Weekly chart performance for Sumo

Chart (1998)	Peak position

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for Sumo

Chart (1998)	Rank
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	37

Release history

Release history and formats for Sumo

Country	Date	Format	Label	Catalogue
Australia	1 February 1998	CD	East West Records/Warner Music Australia	3984204522
Australia	17 August 2018	LP<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Warner Music Group	5419700293
Australia	17 August 2018	CD<ref name="2018CD">Template:Cite web</ref>	Warner Music Group	5419700727