Inspiral Carpets (album)
Inspiral Carpets (album)
Inspiral Carpets is the fifth studio album by the British indie rock band Inspiral Carpets. It was released on 20 October 2014 and was their first new album in 20 years. The record is notable for featuring Stephen Holt as the lead vocalist, replacing Tom Hingley, and for being the last album with drummer Craig Gill before his death in 2016.
Background
- The band announced the album in January 2014 and revealed the track list in July 2014.
- Early plans suggested that Holt’s non‑album singles would be included, but only “You’re So Good for Me” made the final cut.
Recording and release
- Recorded between 2011 and 2014 at Airtight Studios in Chorlton.
- Genre: Alternative rock and indie rock.
- Label: Cherry Red Records.
Track listing
1. Monochrome
2. Spitfire
3. You’re So Good for Me
4. A to Z of My Heart
5. Calling Out to You
6. Flying Like a Bird
7. Changes
8. Hey Now
9. Our Time
10. Forever Here
11. Let You Down (Featuring John Cooper Clarke)
12. Human Shield
Personnel
- Clint Boon – keyboards, backing vocals
- Craig Gill – drums
- Stephen Holt – lead vocals
- Graham Lambert – guitars
- Martyn Walsh – bass
Charts
- Scottish Albums: 43
- UK Albums: 63
- UK Independent Albums: 12
Reception
- Metacritic: 64/100 (mixed to positive reviews)
- Positive notes from Record Collector (4/5) and musicOMH (4/5)
- The Quietus gave a favorable review
- Some outlets such as NME and Pitchfork offered more mixed responses (NME around 6/10; Pitchfork around 4.2/10)
This streamlined overview covers the album’s place in Inspiral Carpets’ history, its creation, key tracks, and how it was received.
This page was last edited on 29 January 2026, at 11:44 (CET).