World Record is the second studio album by British rock band Lower Than Atlantis.
Background and recording
Partway through the touring cycle for their Bretton (2008) EP, Lower Than Atlantis had several line-up changes. While writing songs for their debut album, Far Q (2010), the band's drummer left. They soon thought about drummer Eddy Thrower from We Stare at Mirrors, who the band had previously toured with, and called him, asking he if would like to partake in a practice session. Duce explained the band "never worked with a good drummer before. [With Thrower,] [i]t was... nice." Shortly after the release of Far Q, We Stare at Mirrors bassist Declan Hart joined the band.
Following this, the band toured the UK as part of Rock Sound Presents... Powered by Fender tour in September and October, alongside Architects, Norma Jean and Devil Sold His Soul. Rock Sound predicted the band's popularity would increase following the tour. The band recorded World Record at Outhouse Studios in Reading in October. Ben Humphreys helped with recording and engineering. On Far Q, Thrower used a double bass pedal for a lot of fills. For World Record, he used one bass pedal, and crash and ride cymbals. Mat Rider of The Holiday Plan contributes guest vocals on "Marilyn's Mansion". Thrower's dad John plays trumpet on "Another Sad Song". The recordings were mixed by John Mitchell, and then mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side in New York in November.
Composition
All of the songs on World Record were written by vocalist/guitarist Mike Duce, but were credited to the band as a whole. Duce considers the album "a big of a gamble" as the band created something they wanted to hear but at the same time they thought it would alienate the fans that enjoyed the fast-paced material found on Far Q. It had a more alternative rock sound influenced by Foo Fighters and Jimmy Eat World. This was something that Duce claimed no one else in the current music scene was doing. Duce also claimed that there might be "more albums sounding a bit like this afterwards..." The band were going for a bigger sound, compared to Far Q, as that half of that album has "blink-and-you'll-miss-it" moments, according to Duce.
"(Motor) Way of Life" is the band's view of life as a touring band. "Beech Like the Tree" is about Duce's friend Josh who models for a living. "High at Five" is about Duce's "overactive brain" – Duce would over think things and usually end in having panic attacks. "Uni 9MM" is about how the band envies their friends who graduated university, got jobs, etc. The band is "truly grateful that we get to do what we do but there's always that 'what if'?" "Another Sad Song" is about "Me being me", according to Duce. "Marilyn's Mansion" is about when Duce was younger, he would make dens in a forest where he would feel "safe". He wished that he had a similar sanctuary these days. "Deadliest Catch" is "about a girl! I won't bore you with gory details", according to Duce.
Duce had a fling with a female bassist in another band but she led Duce on, causing him to write "Bug". "Bug" was his nickname for the girl. "Up in Smoke" is about the fact Duce has smoked since he was 11/12 years old and is constantly trying to quit. "Could You? Would You?" is about Duce's friend's girlfriend. She would treat Duce's friend "like crap and I hate her". "Working for the Man by Day, Stickin' It to the Man by Night" is about Duce's old job as a labourer for a bricklayer when he was 16. Duce admitted that he tried to emanate the message of "Hey man, it's ok. We all go through some shitty experiences at work" through the lyrics. "R.O.I." is about where Duce's family originated from in Ireland and how Duce is unable to visit due to his schedule.