The Sun Comes Out Tonight is the sixth studio album by American rock band Filter. The album was released on June 4, 2013. Originally announced as Gurney and the Burning Books and intended for independent release in mid-2012, the band would later sign to major record label Wind-up Records, leading to them to delay and rename the release.
Background
Planned indie release as Gurney
Frontman and lead singer Richard Patrick first discussed working on a new music as early as 2011, when he referred to plans of a two album project. He originally envisioned having the first album, Gurney be stylistically be "the follow-up to Short Bus", being "angry" and "unrefined", and the second album afterwards, Burning the Books, would be next "natural progression" of a Filter album. By early 2012, the plans had consolidated into a single album of similar ideals, combining the sound of Short Bus, with the variety and progression of their second album, Title of Record. Patrick's plan included avoiding signing to a major record label, in favor of releasing it independently, by mid-2012, under the title of Gurney and the Burning Books.
Patrick started work on writing the album in early 2012, with guitarist Jonathan Radtke (previously of Kill Hannah), who had joined Filter in 2011 as the touring guitarist to support their prior album The Trouble with Angels. As of March 2012, seven of the album's songs had been written, including the track "Take That Knife Out of My Back", which Patrick stated is very similar to "Hey Man, Nice Shot". Patrick and Radke entered the studio to start recording the album in April 2012. Bob Marlette, who worked with Patrick on The Trouble with Angels, also returned as a producer. However, Patrick announced that past members, drummer Mike Fineo and bassist Phil Buckman, would not be working with the band on this album, stating "It was time for a change for us. Filter is not a band, it’s a project.”
Change in record label and name
In September 2012, contrary to prior plans announced, Patrick announced that the band had signed to Wind-up Records and had tentatively moved the album's release back to May 2013. He also revealed that the touring band for promoting the album would include Buckman again on bass, alongside Jeff Friedl and Elias Mallin splitting drum duties. On March 18, 2013, the band announced the album had been retitled as The Sun Comes Out Tonight, released the official track list, and released the opening track, "We Hate It When You Get What You Want" for free download. The first single off the new album, "What Do You Say" was released on April 2, 2013.
Composition and themes
Patrick planned on the album sounding harder and more aggressive than previous albums. Part of this is credited to including more screamed vocals, and heavier Drop C and Drop B guitar tunings. Patrick aimed for the album to sound like "...something that was exactly like Short Bus (Filter’s 1995 release) but done in today’s world with today’s technology". Patrick approached its creation in a similar manner to Short Bus as well; Short Bus was created entirely by Patrick and Brian Liesegang and a drum machine, where as The Sun Comes Out Night was created entirely by Patrick, Radke, and a drum machine. Patrick stated that he and Radke would typically write the raw ideas, and then Marlette would help them refine them into their finished form. Patrick completed the entire album with a drum machine; he contemplated adding a live drummer in at the end, but to keep it entirely electronic after seeing a documentary on rock and roll that insisted that band use live drums, and feeling challenged to prove it wrong.
Thematically, the album's lyrics are based on Patrick's feeling of betrayal and anger in his personal life. Resentment of worldly issues also inspired lyrics, with Patrick being angered by Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, political discourse regarding President Barack Obama and the Tea Party movement, and an incident regarding his wife being almost run off the road by someone throwing trash at her car over a bumper sticker. Another source of inspiration both the lyrics and album title was Patrick's prior issues with alcoholism and excessive drug use. Patrick explained it as: In my lifetime, the sun definitely came out at night.... I’m a recovering drug addict and a recovering alcoholic, but when I was taking drugs, there were a few nights where my blood turned into golden, beautiful sunshine. It was all chemical-based, and I knew it was a lie, but it was completely overwhelming, and it was like the sun had come out at night."