Flunking Out

Flunking Out (later re-issued as Remedial) is an extended play by American alternative/indie pop band Curriculum. Under the title Flunking Out, the EP was released on 21 July 2014 via Blacklight Records and was later re-released under the title Remedial on 17 November 2014 (again under Blacklight Records), the same day the band released their single "Masculine". Both the original and re-issued EP were released and promoted heavily to digital retailers and streaming services and were shipped in limited copies physically. Most songs on the EP were written by members Gregory Preston Olivier, Phillip Mandelbaum, and Wyatt van Cleef and produced by member Dana Breckenridge.

Released as a follow up to the band's highly successful sophomore album Sophomore, the EP was released the same day as "To Move On", the third single from Sophomore. Both the single and the EP received rushed and low promotion, eventually leading to low expectations of its potential commercial success.

Released as a follow up to the band's highly successful sophomore album Sophomore, both the original and re-issued EP received positive reviews, mostly for its lyrical content and production. Due to positive feedback from critics and fans and the band's rise (and still growing) popularity at the time, the EP became a surprise success in the UK and US, being certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the latter.

The EP debuted and peaked at #2 on the UK Albums Chart, exceeding expectations for its commercial performance. To date, the EP (with sales combined for both the original and re-issue) has sold more than 1.4 million copies in the UK and has been certified Platinum by the Urapopstar Recording Association Phonographic Society (URAPS).

After its surprise commercial success, the band announced the EP would be re-issued. On November 17, 2014, the EP will be re-issued as Remedial with two new songs (on its "standard edition") and a new cover.

Under the title Flunking Out, the EP contains eight tracks plus a bonus track on its Spotify edition (which is a cover of Whitney Houston's "Who Do You Love?). When re-released under the title Remedial, the EP still contains eight tracks on its standard edition but replaces two tracks with two others, and a "reworking" of another. The Remedial re-issue also came in an "expanded edition" which contains ten tracks (virtually all the songs recorded for the EP) and two more bonus tracks on Spotify.

Background
All of the songs on the EP were written by members Gregory Preston Olivier, Phillip Mandelbaum, and Wyatt van Cleef and produced by Dana Breckenridge.

Flunking Out
The songs on the EP were meant for the band's scrapped third album Juniors and Seniors At The Chess Club. Juniors and Seniors at the Chess Club was initially meant to be released on July 7, 2014 but was cancelled at the last minute by the band who decided to delete most of the songs on the album because the album itself was "driving [them] crazy".

Outraged by their decision, the band's label, Blacklight Records, forced the band to salvage some of the songs and release an EP.

The EP was announced on July 14, 2014, one week before its release.

Remedial
The original Flunking Out version of the EP became a surprise success after it sold 500,000 copies in both the UK and US by autumn 2014. The band surprised by the EP's success decided to re-release the EP with two new tracks (replacing two others) and brand new cover. The cover and packaging of the original Flunking Out version received criticism and the band wanted their re-release to have better packaging as a result. The band then announced that they would re-title it Remedial, which, according to the band, gives it "a more serious title".

The two new songs on Remedial were "Shrug Shoulders" and "Airplay" replacing "British" and "I Wish A Bitch Would". "Shrug Shoulders" was a fan favorite for the group and originally a b-side to their single "I Can Pay Your Rent" while "Airplay" had previously leaked online around the time Flunking Out had been released. "British" and "I Wish A Bitch Would" is still included on the "expanded edition" of Remedial. The band also slightly re-wrote the track "Keep Moving On With Our Own Lives".

Writing and composition
The songs on the EP deal with a variety of topics and sonically, explore different types of genres though it generally as an alternative/indie pop sound.

"Keep Moving On With Our Own Lives" is an indie pop song that has tribal beats and is about longing to be close to someone but sadly are not and learning to accept that. For the Remedial re-release of the EP, the song was slightly re-written to a more positive and self-reflective perspective.

"Bombings" touches on the subject of people with borderline personality disorder; it is considered a "companion piece" of sorts to the band's hit "Like A Narcissist" which talks about people with narcissistic personality disorder. "Marigold Mornings" is an indietronica/EDM-inspired song and is a love song. "Idyllic" is a love song that compares the protagonist feelings about his lover to the Spring or summer. Throughout the song, all of the band members sing together in harmony.

"Industry Pop" is a minimalist indie pop song that talks about an ordinary guy with limited musical talents that becomes a major pop sensation. "Why Can't I Be Your Husband?" is a 1980's inspired song that samples "What Have I Done To Deserve This?" by the Pet Shop Boys and Dusty Springfield; it talks about a guy having an affair with a married women and him wanting her to himself. "British", a song that the band recorded and released as a promotional single in 2012, is a song that addresses the overt fondness of British culture; the structure of the song was inspired by "Models" by Girls Aloud. "I Wish A Bitch Would" is a dance song that addresses someone being infatuated with a stranger at a club and him eventually getting the courage to speak that stranger.

"Who Do You Love?" appears as a bonus track on the original Flunking Out edition of the EP on Spotify. The song was originally done by Whitney Houston.

On the Remedial re-issue of the EP, the band added "Shrug Shoulders" and "Airplay", replacing "British" and "I Wish A Bitch Would" (though all songs are included on the "expanded edition" of Remedial. On "Shrug Shoulders" it talks about a guy who is nonchalant about his lover cheating on him, while "Airplay" is a love song that makes plenty of references and metaphors to radio station terminology and lingo.

"Eyes and Candles", originally done by indie band Passion Pit, and "Masculine (Sex Babe Remix)" were bonus tracks on the expanded edition version of Remedial on Spotify. "Masculine (Sex Babe Remix)" is a remix of the band's single "Masculine" that is remixed to the melody of "Sex Babe", a song done by one of the band's favorite singers Taylor.

Flunking Out
The original Flunking Out EP was released on 21 June 2014, only week after it was announced and on the same day as the band's single "To Move On". Though the band did not promote the EP heavily, they heavily emphasized the digital formats of the album, encouraging fans to buy the album from iTunes and Google Play or stream it on Spotify and Rdio. The band refused to released the EP on Deezer, since they feel that Deezer is "unwilling to open shop" in the United States though they are internationally known otherwise. Limited physical copies of the album were also shipped; only 50,000 compact discs and vinyl LPs of the EP were printed and sent to stores by Blacklight Records.

Remedial
The re-issued Remedial EP was released on 17 November 2014, close to four months after the original Flunking Out EP was released and on the same day as the band's single "Masculine".

Unlike the original EP, the re-issued Remedial EP was heavily promoted by the band but, just as the original Flunking Out EP, was heavily promoted to digital retailers and streaming services, most specifically Spotify. Once again, the band refused to release Remedial - or any of their back catalog - to Deezer, citing the service's limited availability to the United States. As with the original EP, limited physical copies of the album were shipped of Remedial and an additional 50,000 copies of CDs and vinyl records were ever shipped to stores by Blacklight.

Under Remedial, the EP was released for the first time in Canada, Ireland, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Critical reaction
Both versions of the EP - Flunking Out and Remedial - received positive reviews for its lyrical content and production, but were criticized for the cover art and packaging, though Remedial received better reception for its cover than Flunking Out. The band was also criticized for their rushed and low promotion for Flunking Out, though many felt they redeemed themselves by promoting Remedial (somewhat) properly.

"Industry Pop" and "Why Can't I Be Your Husband?" have been singled out as the standout tracks and received more positive feedback on the EP.

United Kingdom
Under the original Flunking Out version, debuted and peaked at #2 on the UK Albums Chart, selling 84,076 copies in its first week, exceeding expectations. Under the EP's re-release Remedial, the album returned to #2 in November 2014, matching its peak.

With combined sales of both Flunking Out and Remedial, to date, the EP has sold 984,095 copies in the UK and has been certified Platinum by the Urapopstar Recording Association Phonographic Society (URAPS).

Internationally
Under Flunking Out, the EP debuted at #5 and then peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200 in the United States. After being re-released as Remedial, it rose to #2. With combined sales of Flunking Out and Remedial, the EP has sold over 800,000 copies in the United States and has been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Under Remedial, the EP also peaked at #2 in Canada, Ireland and Germany, while peaking at #1 in the Netherlands.

Certifications

 * For combined sales and certifications for Flunking Out and Remedial.