Close Calls with Brick Walls

Production

The album marked a major change in sound, abandoning the "wall of sound" heard on earlier albums for a more traditional rock sound, and with Andrew's vocals sung rather than screamed. Songs of more experimental nature were also featured on this album. The album received a wide array of reactions from fans and critics.

A video was released for "Not Going to Bed" in Japan upon the album's release, and an animated video for "I Want to See You Go Wild" was released in June 2010, to support the re-released 2-disc edition. A music video for "I'm a Vagabond" (from the Mother of Mankind rarities album) was also released.

Legal disputes

Due to legal disputes regarding the ownership of the name "Andrew W.K.", Close Calls with Brick Walls was initially only released in Japan and Korea. On August 18, 2007 it was given a limited release in America only on vinyl on Load Records with 5 exclusive bonus tracks, but only became widely available on CD to the rest of the world in March 2010, bundled with a second disc containing a collection of rare and unreleased songs entitled Mother of Mankind.

In September 2009, writing in the British newspaper, The Guardian, Andrew W.K. acknowledged legal disputes around his name: "At the end of 2004, an old friend of mine got in some business trouble and basically decided to take it out on me. To cut a long story short, this person is someone I worked very closely with and had a formal and family business relationship with. Due to various complaints this person had with me, they were able to turn my life and career upside down. I wasn't allowed to use my own name within certain areas of the US entertainment industry and we were in a debate about who owned the rights to my image, and who should get credit for 'inventing' it. This made my life complicated and intense for a few years, but I kept working and doing whatever I could to keep moving forward."

Track listing

Korean bonus tracks

1. "Can You Dance with Me?" – 2:08
2. "This Is My World" – 2:45
3. "I Want Your Face" – 2:25
4. "Let's Go on a Date" – 2:22

U.S. vinyl bonus tracks

1. "Big Party" – 2:45
2. "We're Not Gunna Get Old" – 4:50
3. "Kicks and Bricks" – 2:58
4. "I've Got Know Fear" – 3:26
5. "We Will Boogie"

2010 release

1. "I Came for You" – 2:16
2. "Close Calls with Bal Harbour" – 1:22
3. "Not Going to Bed" – 2:57
4. "You Will Remember Tonight" – 4:06
5. "Pushing Drugs" – 2:41
6. "Hand on the Place" – 3:20
7. "One Brother" – 2:25
8. "Las Vegas, Nevada" – 3:00
9. "Dr. Dumont" – 1:06
10. "I Want to See You Go Wild" – 3:00
11. "When I'm High" – 3:16
12. "Golden Eyed Dog" – 0:28
13. "Into the Clear" – 1:33
14. "Mark My Grace" – 3:11
15. "Don't Call Me Andy" – 2:45
16. "The Background" – 2:55
17. "Slam John Against a Brick Wall" – 3:53
18. "The Moving Room" – 3:37

1. "We Party (You Shout)" – 2:40
2. "High Five" – 3:31
3. "Let's Go on a Date" – 2:19
4. "We Got a Groove" – 5:13
5. "Sarah Notto" – 2:06
6. "I'm a Vagabond" – 2:42
7. "I've Got Know Fear" – 3:26
8. "Big Party" – 2:45
9. "Who Knows?" – 2:22
10. "Coming Bad" – 4:12
11. "Can You Dance with Me?" – 2:08
12. "Kicks and Bricks" – 2:58
13. "A.W.K." – 5:44
14. "I Will Find God" – 3:41
15. "This Is My World" – 2:46
16. "Young Lord" – 2:59
17. "We're Not Gunna Get Old" – 4:50
18. "Kill Yourself" – 3:16
19. "I Want Your Face" – 2:25
20. "Jewel Street Man" – 4:43
21. "The Party God" – 2:14
22. "Doing Andrew W.K." – 1:22 (iTunes bonus track)