Make It Better

For other uses, see Make It Better (disambiguation).

Make It Better is the third studio album by British dance-pop band Dubstar. It was released August 2000 on Food, and spawned two singles: "I (Friday Night)" and "The Self Same Thing".^[1] The single "I (Friday Night) was released in the UK on 1 May.^[2] Some releases of Make It Better exclude the tenth and thirteenth tracks, "New Friends" and "Stay Together", respectively.^[3][4] Make It Better was recorded at Steve Hillier's house in Lansdowne, Brighton, Hove and the Newcastle Arts Centre in Newcastle-upon-Tyre, with the band and Mike "Spike" Drake (who also mixed the recordings) acting as producers.^[5]

Make It Better
Studio album by Dubstar
Released	28 August 2000 (2000-08-28)
Studio	Steve Hillier's house, Lansdowne, Brighton; Hove and Newcastle Arts Centre, Newcastle-upon-Tyre
Genre	Synthpop, alternative dance
Length	47:58
Label	Food (through EMI)
Producer	Dubstar, Mike "Spike" Drake
Dubstar chronology
Goodbye (1997) Make It Better (2000) Stars: The Best of Dubstar (2004)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[6]
Lancashire Telegraph	9/10[7]
The List	[8]
NME	[9]

Writing for AllMusic, Dean Carlson found the album very pop orientated. He praised the first three tracks, noting the new use of crunching guitars and rough beats. However, he felt the following tracks were lacklustre.^[6]

Track listing

All songs written by Steve Hillier, music by Hillier and Chris Wilkie, except where noted.^[5]

1. "Take It" – 3:13
2. "I" – 2:51
3. "The Self Same Thing" – 3:26
4. "Mercury" (Kirsty Hawkshaw) – 4:07
5. "Stay" – 3:44
6. "Another Word" (lyrics: Sarah Blackwood, Wilkie; music: Hillier, Wilkie) – 4:11
7. "When the World Knows Your Name" – 3:33
8. "Arc of Fire" – 3:56
9. "Believe in Me" – 3:43
10. "I'm Conscious of Myself" – 2:49
11. "Rise to the Top" – 2:33
12. "Swansong" – 3:33

Japanese edition track listing

1. "Take It" – 3:13
2. "I" – 2:51
3. "The Self Same Thing" – 3:26
4. "Mercury" – 4:07
5. "Stay" – 3:42
6. "Another Word" – 4:13
7. "When the World Knows Your Name" – 3:33
8. "Arc of Fire" – 3:56
9. "Believe in Me" – 3:43
10. "New Friends" – 2:26
11. "I'm Conscious of Myself" – 2:49
12. "Rise to the Top" – 2:33
13. "Stay Together" – 3:57
14. "Swansong" – 3:30

Personnel

Personnel per booklet.^[5]

Dubstar Sarah Blackwood – vocals Steve Hillier – programming Chris Wilkie – guitar

Production and design Dubstar – producer Mike "Spike" Drake – producer, mixing Mat Cook – art direction Intro – art direction Zanna – photography