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Mothership
Studio album by Dance Gavin Dance
Released	October 7, 2016
Recorded	April–June 2016
Studio	Interlace Audio Recording Studios (Portland, Oregon)
Genre	Post-hardcore experimental rock
Length	49:43
Label	Rise
Producer	Kris Crummett
Dance Gavin Dance chronology
Tree City Sessions (2016) Mothership (2016) Artificial Selection (2018)
Singles from Mothership
"Chucky vs. The Giant Tortoise" Released: August 18, 2016 "Betrayed by the Game" Released: September 16, 2016 "Young Robot" Released: September 27, 2016 "Inspire the Liars" Released: March 3, 2017

Mothership is the seventh studio album by American rock band Dance Gavin Dance, released on October 7, 2016, on Rise Records. The album serves as a follow-up the group's sixth studio album, Instant Gratification (2015), and is their second consecutive studio release with the same consistent line-up. The album was produced by Kris Crummett. Upon its release, the album sold over 19,000 copies within its first week in retail, debuting at No. 13 on the Billboard 200.

The album was supported by four singles; "Chucky Vs. The Giant Tortoise", "Betrayed by the Game", "Young Robot", and "Inspire the Liars". To promote the album, the band embarked on the Mothership Tour, which consisted of two North American legs and one European leg, and toured on the 2017 Vans Warped Tour. On June 28, 2019, the band released an instrumental version of the album to streaming and digital download platforms.

Recording

Mothership was recorded by the band at Interlace Audio Recording Studios in North Portland, Oregon over a two-month period between April and June 2016 with producer Kris Crummett. During the recording sessions for the album, the band sought out and collaborated with other musicians such as Andrew Michael Wells of Eidola, Aric Garcia of Hail the Sun, Martin Bianchini of Secret Band, and former Dance Gavin Dance guitarist Zachary Garren of Strawberry Girls.

Artwork

The album artwork for Mothership was created by Swedish illustrator and artist Mattias Adolfsson, who has previously created the album artwork for six of Dance Gavin Dance's studio albums. The album cover depicts a "mothership" in the upper sector of the photo in the shape of an infinity symbol whilst citizens praise its arrival on the ground below. Easter eggs are also illustrated in the album's artwork, including the Death Star-inspired space ship as seen on the band's 2008 self-titled studio album.

Promotion

Mothership was unveiled by the band on July 27, 2016, slated for an October 7, 2016 release date. On August 18, Dance Gavin Dance released the album's lead single, "Chucky vs. The Giant Tortoise", for digital download. A second single, "Betrayed by the Game", was released on September 16. On the same day, the music video for "Betrayed by the Game" premiered on the official Rise Records YouTube channel. An animated music video for the song "Young Robot" premiered on September 27, 2016. On March 3, 2017, the band released the music video for their single "Inspire the Liars".

Throughout the week prior to the release of Mothership, the band uploaded previews of songs off of the album daily on their social media.

Three years later, on June 28, 2019, Rise Records released an instrumental version of Mothership.

Tour

The band embarked on the headlining Mothership Tour in the United States and Canada from September 22 to October 27, 2016. The tour included support from The Contortionist, Hail the Sun, Good Tiger, and The White Noise. A European headlining tour took place from November 3 to November 26, 2016 with special guest appearances from former members Jonny Craig and Kurt Travis in honor of the band's tenth anniversary.

Another North American tour took place from February 24 to March 19, 2017 with special guest CHON and support from Eidola and Vasudeva. The band toured the entirety of the 2017 Vans Warped Tour from June 16 to August 6, 2017.

Track listing

Personnel

Dance Gavin Dance

• Tilian Pearson – clean vocals
• Jon Mess – unclean vocals
• Will Swan – lead guitar, rap vocals on "Chocolate Jackalope"
• Tim Feerick – bass guitar
• Matthew Mingus – drums, percussion

'Additional musicians

• Zachary Garren – guitar on "Chucky vs. The Giant Tortoise", "Inspire the Liars"
• Martin Bianchini – guitar on "Petting Zoo Justice", "Chocolate Jackalope", "Man of the Year"
• Andrew Wells – guitar on "Deception"
• Jessica Esposito – flute on "Young Robot"

Production

• Kris Crummett – producer
• Mattias Adolfsson – album artwork

Charts

References

1. "Sum 41 and Dance Gavin Dance top Billboard charts with new releases". Alternative Press. 18 October 2016.
2. "Mothership by Dance Gavin Dance". Metacritic.
3. "Dance Gavin Dance - 'Mothership' - Reviews". Rocksound.tv.
4. "Dance Gavin Dance Announce Details for New Album 'Mothership'". Newnoisemagazine.com. 27 July 2016.
5. "Get Ready to Freak: Dance Gavin Dance Release New Single "Chucky Vs the Giant Tortoise" / The NOISE". Bringthenoise.com.
6. "Dance Gavin Dance release new song, "Betrayed by the Game"". Alternative Press. 16 September 2016.
7. "Dance Gavin Dance + Robots = the best video you will see all day". substreammagazine.com. Archived from the original on 2016-10-06.
9. "Mothership (Instrumental) by Dance Gavin Dance". 7 October 2016 – via Apple Music.
10. "Dance Gavin Dance announce new album, 'Mothership'". Alternative Press. 27 July 2016.
11. "Dance Gavin Dance on Facebook". Facebook. Archived from the original on 2022-04-30.
12. "Dance Gavin Dance & CHON Announce U.S. Tour". Theprp.com. 12 December 2016.
13. "Vans Warped Tour 2011 » Bands". vanswarpedtour.com. Archived from the original on 2010-12-22.
14. "Dance Gavin Dance Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 18, 2016.

• 2016 albums
• Dance Gavin Dance albums
• Rise Records albums
• Albums produced by Kris Crummett