Jesus at the Gay Bar

Last updated

Jesus at the Gay Bar
Jesus at the Gay Bar by Cub Sport.png
Studio album by
Released7 April 2023
Length36:50
Label
  • Cub Sport
  • Believe
Producer
Cub Sport chronology
Like Nirvana
(2020)
Jesus at the Gay Bar
(2023)
Singles from Jesus at the Gay Bar
  1. "Always Got the Love"
    Released: 14 June 2022 [1]
  2. "Replay"
    Released: 11 November 2022 [2]
  3. "Keep Me Safe"
    Released: 19 January 2023 [3]
  4. "Songs About It"
    Released: 3 March 2023 [4]

Jesus at the Gay Bar is the fifth studio album by Australian pop group Cub Sport, released on 7 April 2023. [5] [6] The album was announced on 19 January 2023, alongside the album's third single "Keep Me Safe". [3] The album title stems from Jay Hulme's poem published in his 2021 book The Backwater Sermons, that envisions Jesus Christ visiting a gay bar and being approached by a boy who "beg[s] to be healed", only to be told that "there is nothing in this heart of yours that ever needs to be healed". [7]

Contents

Tim Nelson said "This is definitely our most dance-forward, party-centric album". [7]

At the 2023 ARIA Music Awards, the album was nominated for Best Group, Best Independent Release and Best Cover Art. [8]

Promotion

Singles

"Always Got the Love" was released on 14 June 2022. Upon release, Nelson said, "I've always felt like the songs that people can cry to are important but I think being able to celebrate and move is equally important and that's kind of where I'm at right now. I wanna make music that makes people feel uplifted." [1]

"Replay" was released on 11 November 2022 and was described by Alex Gallagher from NME as "a club-ready, house-influenced cut that marks the group's biggest venture yet into full-blown dance music." [2]

The album's third single, "Keep Me Safe" is described as "a postcard to [Nelson's] former self", which he wrote "about a euphoric but complicated time" – when, before coming out as queer in 2017, he and keyboardist Sam Netterfield were forced to keep their relationship a secret. [7]

"Songs About It" was released on 3 March 2023 as the album's fourth single. [4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
RetropopStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Attitude Magazine Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [11]

Kristen S. Hé from NME said "Across 10 tracks, they craft a palette of crystalline guitars, melancholy chord progressions, and gentle, propulsive beats that perfectly complement Nelson's voice." [9]

Retropop said "More than 10 years in the making, Cub Sport emerge with their finest body of work yet – an ode to celebrating one's past and looking boldly into the future, without the fear of past demons resurfacing – and finally set themselves up to take their sound global." [10]

Charlotte Manning from Attitude Magazine called it "the band's best work yet" adding, "They manage a no-skips pop record full of reflection and an exciting hint towards the more anthemic sound they’re clearly eyeing up for the future." [11]

Bryget Chrisfield from Beat Magazine said "Jesus at the Gay Bar finds Cub Sport proudly celebrating queer joy – spiritual shackles, begone! – and more comfortable in their own skin than ever before." [12]

Track listing

Jesus at the Gay Bar track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Always Got the Love"
  • Lam
  • Nelson
3:27
2."Replay"
3:23
3."High for the Summer" (featuring Shamir)
  • Nelson
  • Byrne
  • Styalz Fuego
3:31
4."Keep Me Safe"
  • Nelson
  • Behr
Styalz Fuego4:22
5."Zoom"NelsonNelson3:29
6."Songs About It"
  • Nelson
  • Behr
  • Dunn
Styalz Fuego3:40
7."Beg U"NelsonNelson2:53
8."Hold"
  • Nelson
  • Behr
  • Dunn
  • Lam
  • Nelson
  • Styalz Fuego
3:05
9."Yaya" (featuring Mallrat)
  • Nelson
  • Lam
  • Styalz Fuego
4:52
10."Magic in U"
  • Nelson
  • Behr
  • Nelson
  • Styalz Fuego
4:08
Total length:36:50

Charts

Chart performance for Jesus at the Gay Bar
Chart (2023)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [13] 1

Release history

Release history and formats for Jesus at the Gay Bar
RegionDateFormatLabelCatalogueRef.
Australia7 April 2023Cub Sport / BelieveCUB008CD / CUB008LP1 [14] [5] [15]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Cub Sport Shine With Release of New Single, "Always Got the Love"". Music Feeds. 14 June 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  2. 1 2 Alex Gallagher (11 November 2022). "Listen to Cub Sport's new club-ready banger 'Replay'". NME . Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  3. 1 2 Varvaris, Mary (19 January 2023). "Cub Sport To Drop New Album 'Jesus At The Gay Bar' On Good Friday". The Music . Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Cub Sport Release New Single 'Songs About It". DIY . 3 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Jesus At The Gay Bar (JB Hi-Fi AU Exclusive Translucent Orange Vinyl)". JB HiFi . Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  6. "Cub Sport Announce New Album 'Jesus at the Gay Bar'". BroadwayWorld . January 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 Ellie Robinson (18 January 2023). "Cub Sport's Tim Nelson talks new album 'Jesus At The Gay Bar' and "euphoric but complicated" single 'Keep Me Safe'". NME . Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  8. "Nominees Announced for 2023 ARIA Awards". Music Feeds . 21 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  9. 1 2 Kristen S. Hé (11 April 2023). "Cub Sport – 'Jesus at the Gay Bar' review: a deep-dive into divinity on the dancefloor". NME . Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  10. 1 2 "Cub Sport – Jesus At The Gay Bar". Retropop. 5 April 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  11. 1 2 Charlotte Manning (6 April 2023). "Album Review: Cub Sport's 'Jesus At The Gay Bar' marks soothing transition to euphoric pop sound". Attitude Magazine . Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  12. "Cub Sport's Jesus At The Gay Bar: Spiritual shackles, begone!". Beat Magazine. 12 April 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  13. "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 17 April 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  14. "Jesus At The Gay Bar (CD)". JB HiFi . Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  15. "Jesus At The Gay Bar". Apple Music. Retrieved 28 January 2023.