Spinning the Truth Around

Spinning the Truth Around
Studio album by
Blue October
ReleasedOctober 14, 2022 (Part 1)
October 13, 2023 (Part 2)
TBA (Part 3)
GenreAlternative rock
Length57:34 (Part 1)
61:57 (Part 2)
LabelUp/Down, Brando
ProducerJustin Furstenfeld
Blue October chronology
This Is What I Live For
(2020) 		Spinning the Truth Around
(2022) 		Happy Birthday
(forthcoming)
fix
Singles from Spinning the Truth Around
  1. "Spinning the Truth Around"
    Released: July 15, 2022
  2. "Where Did You Go? I'm Less of a Mess These Days"
    Released: September 13, 2022
  3. "Shut Up, I Want You to Love Me Back"
    Released: October 17, 2022
  4. "How Can You Love Me If You Don't Even Like Me?"
    Released: November 13, 2022
  5. "Down Here Waiting"
    Released: June 23, 2023
  6. "All I See Is You"
    Released: September 22, 2023

Spinning the Truth Around is an album by American band Blue October. It is a triple album, released in three separate parts.[1][2] Part I was released on October 14, 2022. Part II was released one year later on October 13, 2023, with Part III expected to be released in December 2024.[3][4][5][6][7] Part III will contain covers, and remixes and alternate versions of songs from Parts I and II as well as remixes of songs from previous albums.[8][9][1][10][11][2]The title track was Part I's lead single, and was positively compared to Bruce Springsteen.[12]

Due to their inability to tour during the COVID-19 pandemic, the band had more time to write new songs and quickly found themselves with more than two album's worth of songs, hence the decision to release a double album. Justin Furstenfeld co-wrote several songs with Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, who came up with melodies.[1] The song "The Girl Who Stole My Heart" was conceived after Justin heard an instrumental demo from the 1990s by the band Idaho that had been posted on instagram. He secured permission from Idaho songwriter Jeff Martin to write lyrics to the music, and Martin was given co-writing credit. The Blue October version was initially released as a Christmas single in December 2020.[13] The song "How Can You Love Me If You Don't Even Like Me?" contains a sample of an interview with Ruth Lion, wife of Blue Note Records founder Alfred Lion, discussing how when a woman is married to a musician, she learned that the music always comes first, and the woman comes second. Justin Furstenfeld had become enamored with old blues and jazz records, and used samples from several Blue Note songs throughout the albums.

Although the three parts of the album were released separately on different dates, it is considered a cohesive piece of art. The CD version of the album is packaged such that all three discs can be contained in a single digisleeve. The vinyl version of the album was released as three separate stand-alone gatefolds. For the purposes of counting the number of Blue October albums, Parts I and II are counted as separate albums (akin to Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II by Guns N' Roses), and Part III is considered a remix album as opposed to a studio album of new original songs. The vinyl version of Part I of the album was released in three different variants - the standard version being red swirl, as well as a limited run of 600 blue swirl records, and 300 pressings of a limited edition black record with gold smoke inlay, which sold out the first day it was for sale. Part II was also released in three different vinyl variants, with the standard version being green, a limited edition blue, and 300 orange creamsicle color discs. The vinyl editions of Part II also contain the bonus instrumental track "The Flood".

The single "Where Did You Go? I'm Less of a Mess These Days" reached the top 20 on the alternative rock chart. The song was a successful radio hit for so many weeks that it actually caused a delay in the release of Part II of the album, as the band was hesitant to release new music while they had a single currently climbing the charts.

Recording for Part II wrapped up in May 2023, with the compiled files for the last song "A Better Man" sent off to be mixed on May 31.[14] The final track listing for Part II was announced the next day, and the song "Down Here Waiting" was announced as the first single from Part II.[5][15][16] "Down Here Waiting" made its radio debut on June 14 and remained on the alternative chart for six months.[17] Mastering of the album was completed by June 25, and the release date was announced for September 29, 2023, however the date was eventually moved back a few weeks, resulting in Part II being released almost exactly one year after the release of part I.[7] "Down Here Waiting" was released to online platforms on July 7, 2023.[18] After its first week on radio, "Down Here Waiting" debuted at number 48 on the alternative rock chart, climbing to number 40 in its second week, becoming Blue October's nineteenth song to reach the top 40.[19] The second single from Part II, "All I See Is You" was release September 22, 2023.[20] Upon release, Spinning the Truth Around Part II debuted at #1 on the iTunes Top Alternative Rock Albums chart.[21] Significant events affecting the themes of the album were the cancer diagnosis and death of Justin and Jeremy Furstenfeld's father, as well as the collapse of Justin's marriage during the Covid-19 lockdown.

  1. ^ a b c Condran, Ed (November 14, 2023). "Blue October will spin the truth around at a sold-out Knitting Factory". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Bradley, Josh (December 1, 2022). "In the midst of triple-album project, Texas rock band Blue October heads to St. Pete". Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  3. ^ Gomez, Adrian (November 2, 2023). "Becoming a 'better man': Blue October's Justin Furstenfeld keeps the positivity in 'Spinning the Truth Around (Part II)'". Albuquerque Journal.
  4. ^ "Blue October Release 'Spinning the Truth Around Part II". antimusic.com. October 15, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Roden, Ally (August 5, 2023). "Blue October Releases "Down Here Waiting," The First Single From Upcoming Project 'Spinning The Truth Around Part 2'". Music Mayhem Magazine.
  6. ^ Benson, Andrew (January 30, 2023). "Blue October is on tour to celebrate the first part of their recent album".
  7. ^ a b @blueoctoberband (June 25, 2023). "Mastering of the Album" – via Instagram.
  8. ^ Dodderidge, Andrew (April 18, 2024). "No Skips: Running through Blue October's Spinning the Truth Around, Pt. II while Justin Furstenfeld walks through a mall". The Pitch.
  9. ^ Condran, Ed (February 29, 2024). "Blue October falling into place on tour". The Gazette. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  10. ^ Fuoco-Karasinski, Christina (October 27, 2022). "Blue October singer thrives on communication". The Peoria Times.
  11. ^ Lentini, Liza (October 14, 2022). "Blue October's Newest Honors The Album Journey". Spin.
  12. ^ Yates, Henry (January 13, 2023). "Blue October's Justin Furstenfeld: 'I'm just a white-trash boy who likes to smell good'". loudersound.com.
  13. ^ "The Girl Who Stole My Heart" (video). December 23, 2020 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ @blueoctoberband (May 30, 2023). "We are comping together the final song" – via Instagram.
  15. ^ @blueoctoberband (May 31, 2023). "Spinning the Truth Around Part 2" – via Instagram.
  16. ^ @blueoctoberband (June 1, 2023). "New Single::::( Down Here Waiting ):::::Spinning the Truth Around Part 2:::::::Sooner Than You Think" – via Instagram.
  17. ^ @blueoctoberband (June 14, 2023). "Our first spin for our new song called " Down Here Waiting " was officially played on @edgetulsa this afternoon" – via Instagram.
  18. ^ @blueoctoberband (June 7, 2023). "JULY 7 th. Pre Save in bio NOW" – via Instagram.
  19. ^ @blueoctoberband (July 25, 2023). "We Did It Again Folks" – via Instagram.
  20. ^ @blueoctoberband (September 21, 2023). "Tonight at midnight we release our romantic piece of art called 'All I See Is You'" – via Instagram.
  21. ^ "Top Alternative Rock Albums". popvortex.com. October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.