The album was released on 4 May 2007 on CD, vinyl and also as a limited CD package with two bonus tracks (listed below). The first single from the album, "Get Down", was released prior to the album's release on 23 April 2007. The second single, "Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control)", followed in July. The two singles reached, respectively, numbers 8 and 9 on the UK Singles Chart, the duo's highest chart positions ever.[9]
The third single, "Love Sweet Sound", was released in late 2007.[10]
Critical reception
Although the duo claimed the album was their best,[11] the reviews were not always positive. In a three-star review for Slant Magazine, Dave Hughes criticised Groove Armada's lack of innovation, but praised the level of execution on the record. His observed that the album "manages to be familiar without being boring" concluding that "though it fails to inspire, it also, happily, fails to annoy."[12] John Burghess of The Guardian was of a similar opinion calling the album "derivative, but sparky and well-executed."[13] Writing for Pitchfork, Tom Ewing agreed with the duo's claim that Soundboy Rock was their best offering, but commented that their creative limitations were also obvious. He noted that every track missed a "killer idea that would make it vital." Two tracks did stand out for him, however: the first single, "Get Down," and the follow-up, "Song 4 Mutya," which he called inspired.[11]
A very positive review came from Gemma Padley of BBC. She described the album as eclectic and unpredictable, with every track representing a different genre as breakbeat, electropop, trip hop, electro-reggae and grime. Despite this, she commented, the album maintains continuity.[14]
Track listing
"Hasta Luego Mr. Fab (Interlude)" (Andy Cato, Tom Findlay) – 1:01
