Almost Lover

Last updated
"Almost Lover"
Almost lover.JPG
Single by A Fine Frenzy
from the album One Cell in the Sea
ReleasedMay 22, 2007 (2007-05-22)
Genre
Length4:30
Label Virgin
Songwriter(s) Alison Sudol
Producer(s)
  • Hal Cragin
  • Lukas Burton
A Fine Frenzy singles chronology
"Lifesize"
(2007)		"Almost Lover"
(2007)		"Come On, Come Out"
(2008)

"Almost Lover" is a song written and recorded by A Fine Frenzy, the stage name of American singer-songwriter Alison Sudol. It was released May 22, 2007 through Virgin Records as the second single from her debut studio album, One Cell in the Sea (2007). The single failed to enter the US Billboard Hot 100, but experienced success in Europe, reaching the top 10 in the singles charts of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.

Contents

Composition

"Almost Lover" is a piano-driven pop ballad with elements of alternative rock written and composed by Alison Sudol. According to the digital sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Publishing Co., Inc., the song was originally composed in the key of A minor and set in common time to a slow tempo of 63 BPM, with a vocal range spanning from G3 through C5. [1]

Critical reception

Susan Visakowitz of Billboard wrote that, although Sudol "tackles a well-worn subject" on the song, "she does so with poetic turns of phrase and a lovely, unassuming vocal" that result in "Almost Lover" creating a "lasting first impression." [2] In a review of One Cell in the Sea, Shirley Halperin of Entertainment Weekly wrote that "attention to the dramatic works wonders" on "Almost Lover" by showcasing Sudol's vocals. [3]

Formats and track listings

Versions

1. "Almost Lover" (Album version)
2. "Almost Lover" (2nd Version)
3. "Almost Lover" (Radio Edit)
4. "Almost Lover" (Radio Mix)
5. "Almost Lover" (Video Mix)
6. "Almost Lover" (Instrumental)
7. "Almost Lover" (Eric Ivan Rosse Remix)

Music video

There are two music videos made for the single. The first one was directed by Laurent Briet, and sees A Fine Frenzy playing a piano in the forest, sitting in the middle of a stream. Suddenly rocks start to fly up to the sky. Later, it can be seen that parts of the piano start to detach from each other. [7] The second video was directed by the Nee Brothers. In this version, A Fine Frenzy is behind glass doors. She plays a dirty piano as she recalls her almost lover from the past. Flashbacks can be seen of the pair on the beach. [8] The video was later edited to feature a revised "domestic remix" of the song. [9]

Chloe Lukasiak, a 13-year-old dancer from the television show Dance Moms, filmed a solo dance video to Almost Lover, using a cover version recorded by Jasmine Thompson in 2013. The video was directed by Director Brazil and choreographed by Brittany Pent, and it has over 3 million views (as of 2017). [10]

"Almost Lover" was featured on a season three episode of American reality television series, The Hills titled, "A Night at the Opera" and a season four episode of American legal comedy-drama, Suits titled, "Fork in the Road". [11] Rolling Stone listed the Hills feature as one of the series' 15 best musical moments. [12] The song was also used as the backing music for a performance by Courtney Galiano on season four of American reality competition program, So You Think You Can Dance , and for performances by Lisa Auguste and Corynne Barron on the first and second seasons, respectively, of the Canadian counterpart, So You Think You Can Dance Canada . [11]

Charts and certifications

Release history

CountryDateFormatLabelCatalog No.Ref.
WorldwideMay 22, 2007 Digital download Virgin — [4] [25]
United StatesAugust 20, 2007Hot Adult Contemporary RadioVirgin— [26]
EuropeJanuary 11, 2008 Maxi single Capitol 5198502 [5]
March 7, 2008 CD single Virgin
  • 2087332
  • 2087352
 [27]
United StatesJanuary 20, 2009 [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yeah! (Usher song)</span> 2004 single by Usher

"Yeah!" is a song by American singer Usher featuring American rappers Lil Jon and Ludacris. The song is written by the featured artists alongside Sean Garrett, Patrick "J. Que" Smith, Robert McDowell, and LRoc. The song incorporates crunk and R&B—which Lil Jon coined as crunk&B—in the song's production. The song was released as the lead single from Usher's fourth studio album Confessions (2004) on January 10, 2004, after Usher was told by Arista Records, his label at the time, to record more tracks for the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unfaithful (song)</span> 2006 song by Rihanna

"Unfaithful" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna from her second studio album A Girl like Me (2006). It was written by Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith with the song's producers Stargate. The song was released by Def Jam Recordings on May 1, 2006, as the second single from the album. "Unfaithful" is a pop, dancehall and R&B ballad and was inspired by the music of American rock band Evanescence. Originally titled "Murderer", the single speaks about a woman who regrets cheating on her partner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illegal (song)</span> 2006 single by Shakira

"Illegal" is a song recorded by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira for her seventh studio album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005). It was written and produced by Shakira and Lester Mendez and it features Mexican guitarist Carlos Santana. Epic Records released the song as the album's third and final single on 28 August 2006, following the release of "Hips Don't Lie". "Illegal" is a pop and country ballad with lyrics concerning mourning of a past lover complete with an understated vocal performance by Shakira and an electric guitar riff by Santana throughout. It received mixed reviews from music critics, who compared it with Alanis Morissette's material and were mixed towards Santana's contribution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Candyman (Christina Aguilera song)</span> 2007 single by Christina Aguilera

"Candyman" is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera from the second disc of her fifth studio album, Back to Basics (2006). "Candyman" was planned to be released as the second single from Back to Basics; however, RCA Records decided to release "Hurt" instead. Subsequently, the track was released on November 19, 2006, as the third single from the album. "Candyman" is described as a pop and jazz song that imitates swing music whose lyrics are about sex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Way I Are</span> 2007 single by Timbaland

"The Way I Are" is a song by American producer Timbaland, released as the second single from his second studio album Shock Value (2007). The song features vocals by singer Keri Hilson, and is included on international editions on her debut album In a Perfect World... (2009). The two artists co-wrote the song with Danja, The Clutch, and Candice Nelson. Timbaland and Danja also produced the song. Mosley Music Group, in association with Blackground Records and Interscope Records, serviced the song to contemporary hit and rhythmic radios in the United States on June 15, 2007. "The Way I Are" is an electrohop song with influences of R&B and dance music that help create its futuristic sound. Its lyrics are based on the theme of role reversal and sensuous desires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Do You Know? (The Ping Pong Song)</span> 2007 single by Enrique Iglesias

"Do You Know? " is a song by Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias. It was released in 2007 as the first single from his eighth studio album, Insomniac and takes the latter part of its English name from the sound of a ping pong ball bouncing that is employed as a percussion track throughout the song. The song's Spanish version is entitled "Dímelo" and was released to Latin radio, becoming Iglesias' 17th number one song on the US Billboard Hot Latin Songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hold On (KT Tunstall song)</span> 2007 single by KT Tunstall

"Hold On" is a song by Scottish singer KT Tunstall, written by Tunstall and produced by Steve Osborne for Tunstall's second album, Drastic Fantastic (2007). The song was released as the album's first single on 16 July 2007 in the United States. It was then released in the United Kingdom as a download single on 13 August 2007 and as a CD and 7-inch single on 27 August 2007. "Hold On" peaked at number 21 on the UK Singles Chart, number 19 in Norway, and number 26 in Italy and Switzerland. In North America, the song reached number 46 in Canada and number four on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100, topping the Billboard Adult Alternative Songs chart for 11 weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alison Sudol</span> American actress and musician (born 1984)

Alison Sudol is an American actress, and singer-songwriter. She is formerly known as the singer A Fine Frenzy, and for her role as Queenie Goldstein in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), as well as its sequels The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) and The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022). Her music has been featured in numerous television shows and movies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bubbly</span> 2007 single by Colbie Caillat

"Bubbly" is the debut single of American singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat from her first album, Coco (2007). Written by Caillat and Jason Reeves and produced by Mikal Blue, the song was released as the album's lead single on May 15, 2007. "Bubbly" is Caillat's only song to peak within the top ten of US Billboard Hot 100; it remains her highest-charting song. Internationally, "Bubbly" reached number one in Australia, Brazil, and the Czech Republic. It also became a top-10 hit in several European countries, including Belgium, Germany, and Norway.

<i>One Cell in the Sea</i> 2007 studio album by A Fine Frenzy

One Cell in the Sea is the debut studio album by A Fine Frenzy, the stage name of American singer-songwriter Alison Sudol, released under Virgin Records on July 17, 2007. The album debuted at #158 on the Billboard 200 and later peaked at #91.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baby Love (Nicole Scherzinger song)</span> 2007 single by Nicole Scherzinger and will.i.am

"Baby Love" is a song recorded by American singer Nicole Scherzinger. The song was produced by and features American rapper and record producer will.i.am. Scherzinger and will.i.am co-wrote the song with Kara DioGuardi and Keith Harris. "Baby Love" was released from September 18, 2007, by A&M and Interscope Records, as the second single from Scherzinger's unreleased debut studio album, Her Name Is Nicole. The folk-inspired R&B ballad is about a person's first premature love with someone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jar of Hearts</span> 2010 single by Christina Perri

"Jar of Hearts" is the debut single by American singer Christina Perri. The song was released onto iTunes July 27, 2010, a week after its debut on So You Think You Can Dance. The song was included on Perri's debut EP, The Ocean Way Sessions (2010), and appeared on Perri's debut studio album, Lovestrong (2011). The song was co-written by Perri, Drew Lawrence, and Barrett Yeretsian. Perri drew inspiration for the song from a real-life experience with a love interest who wanted to rekindle a broken relationship. After its debut, the song was released onto iTunes where it later rose to the top 20 spot in one week.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loca (Shakira song)</span> 2010 single by Shakira featuring El Cata or Dizzee Rascal

"Loca" is a song by Dominican singer, El Cata. It achieved mainstream success by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, who recorded a cover taken from her ninth studio album, Sale el Sol (2010). It was released by Epic Records as the lead single from the album. The Spanish-language version features Dominican rapper El Cata, and was released on 10 September 2010, while the English-language version features British rapper Dizzee Rascal, and was released on 13 September 2010. It was written and produced by Shakira, with additional songwriting from Edward Bello, Armando Pérez, and Dylan Mills. The song is a Latin pop and merengue track that lyrically describes Shakira's eccentric infatuation with a man. In August 2014, a senior US district judge found "Loca" to have been indirectly plagiarised from "Loca con su Tiguere", a mid-1990s song composed by Dominican songwriter Ramon "Arias" Vasquez. The case was dismissed in August 2015 after it was found that Vasquez had fabricated the evidence he had presented in court.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">E.T. (song)</span> 2011 single by Katy Perry

"E.T." is a song by American singer Katy Perry from her third studio album, Teenage Dream (2010). She co-wrote the song with its producers Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Ammo. "E.T." was serviced to radio stations as the album's fourth single on February 11, 2011. One version of the song features verses from American rapper Kanye West, and that version was included on the reissue of the album, Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection. Musically, it is an electronic and hip hop ballad which draws heavily from dubstep and techno, along with smaller amounts of drum and bass. According to Perry, the song lyrically speaks of "falling in love with a foreigner".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Can't Hold Us</span> Single by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

"Can't Hold Us" is a song written and performed by American hip hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring American singer Ray Dalton, originally released on August 16, 2011, as the second single from the duo's debut album The Heist (2012).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Papaoutai</span> 2013 single by Stromae

"Papaoutai" is a song written and performed by Belgian singer Stromae. The song was released as a digital download in Belgium on 13 May 2013 as the lead single from his second studio album Racine carrée (2013). The song peaked at number one in Belgium and France and became the best-selling single of 2013 in Belgium. A remix of the song featuring Angel Haze also appears on the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talk Dirty (Jason Derulo song)</span> 2013 single by Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz

"Talk Dirty" is a song by American singer Jason Derulo, released as the second single from his third studio album, Tattoos (2013), in Europe and Australia. Derulo's third studio album was retitled Talk Dirty for its American release, featuring an alternative track listing. It was released as the third single in the United States on January 7, 2014. The song features hip-hop rapper 2 Chainz, making it Derulo's first single to feature a guest performer, excluding the French-language version of his debut song "Whatcha Say". The artists co-wrote the song with Jason Evigan, Sean Douglas, Ori Kaplan, Tamir Muskat, Tomer Yosef, and Ricky Reed; the latter is also the song's producer. The song is built around a sample from "Hermetico" by the Israeli band Balkan Beat Box from their 2007 studio album Nu Med.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Deep Is Your Love (Calvin Harris and Disciples song)</span> 2015 single by Calvin Harris and Disciples

"How Deep Is Your Love" is a song by British DJ and record producer Calvin Harris and British production trio Disciples. It was released on 17 July 2015. It features uncredited vocals by Norwegian singer and songwriter Ina Wroldsen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alison Sudol discography</span>

American recording artist Alison Sudol, as moniker A Fine Frenzy, has released three studio albums, five extended plays (EPs), one live album and fifteen singles. The first single, "Almost Lover", peaked at number 25 on Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. In mid-2007, she secured another opening spot, this time for Rufus Wainwright on his tour. The debut album, One Cell in the Sea was released on July 17, 2007. Sudol's second album, Bomb in a Birdcage, was released September 8, 2009. The first single, "Blow Away," was released on July 17, 2009, followed by two more singles, "Happier" and "Electric Twist."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lover (Taylor Swift song)</span> 2019 single by Taylor Swift

"Lover" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and the title track of her seventh studio album (2019). Swift conceived it as a timeless love song that could be played at a wedding reception; the lyrics are about an intimate and committed relationship, and the bridge draws on the bridal rhyme "Something old". Produced by Swift and Jack Antonoff, "Lover" combines country and indie folk over a waltz tempo. It has an acoustic-guitar-driven balladic production consisting of snare drums, piano, pizzicato strings, and dense reverb. Republic Records released "Lover" for download and streaming on August 16, 2019, and to US radio the next month.

References

  1. ↑ "A Fine Frenzy "Almost Lover" Sheet Music in A Minor (transposable)". Musicnotes.com. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  2. ↑ Visakowitz, Susan; et al. (1 Sep 2007). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. p. 56. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  3. ↑ Halperin, Shirley (July 20, 2007). "One Cell in the Sea". Entertainment Weekly . Wenner Media . Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Almost Lover - Single by A Fine Frenzy". iTunes Store (US). Apple Inc. January 2007. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 "A Fine Frenzy – Almost Lover". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Fine Frenzy - Almost Lover - Amazon.com Music". Amazon Music . Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  7. ↑ "A Fine Frenzy | Almost Lover | Music Video". MTV . Viacom . Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  8. ↑ "A Fine Frenzy | Almost Lover (Version 2) | Music Video". MTV . Viacom . Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  9. ↑ "A Fine Frenzy | Almost Lover Domestic Remix | Music Video". MTV . Viacom . Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  10. ↑ Lukasiak, Chloe (10 February 2015). "Almost Lover" (music video). Chloe Lukasiak Youtube Channel. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  11. 1 2 "Alison Sudol - IMDb". IMDb . Amazon.com . Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  12. ↑ Goodman, Abbey (August 28, 2012). "The 15 Greatest Music Moments on "The Hills"". Rolling Stone . Wenner Media . Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  13. ↑ "A Fine Frenzy – Almost Lover" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
  14. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 200841 into search. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
  15. ↑ "A Fine Frenzy – Almost Lover" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Nielsen Music Control Airplay - Germany Top 5". Nielsen Music Control on behalf of BVMI. Archived from the original on April 12, 2008. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  17. ↑ "A Fine Frenzy Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
  18. ↑ "A Fine Frenzy Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
  19. ↑ "A Fine Frenzy Chart History (Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Singles 2008". austriancharts.at. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment . Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2008". hitparade.ch. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (A Fine Frenzy; 'Almost Lover')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  24. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Almost Lover')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  25. ↑ "Almost Lover - Single by A Fine Frenzy". iTunes Store (Australia). Apple Inc. January 2007. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  26. ↑ "R&R Going for Adds". Radio & Records. VNU Media. August 20, 2007. Archived from the original on August 18, 2007. Retrieved March 28, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  27. ↑ "Almost Lover - A Fine Frenzy | Release Credits". AllMusic . All Media Network . Retrieved 8 October 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.