Badbea (album)

Badbea
Studio album by Edwyn Collins
Released	29 March 2019
Recorded	AED Records
Genre	Indie
Length	41:08
Label	AED
Producer	Edwyn Collins and Sean Read
Edwyn Collins chronology
Understated (2013) Badbea (2019) Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation (2025)

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	85/100 [1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Clash	8/10 [3]
The Guardian	[4]
Mojo	[5]
MusicOMH	[6]
The Observer	[7]
Q	[8]
Record Collector	[9]
Uncut	9/10 [10]

Badbea is the ninth solo album by the Scottish singer-songwriter Edwyn Collins, released on 29 March 2019, his second release on his own label, AED Records.

It was recorded at his new studio, Clashnarrow, Helmsdale, near his home, after he relocated from London. Collins has strong ancestral connections to the area — his family lived in Sutherland for generations, and he often visited as a child. ^[11]

The album's name comes from a ruined clearance village in northern Scotland, near Collins’ home, and is punkier in tone from his previous album Understated.

Track listing

All tracks written by Edwyn Collins except where indicated.

1. "It's All About You" – 3:37 (Collins, Sean Read)
2. "In the Morning" – 3:25
3. "I Guess We Were Young" – 3:24
4. "It All Makes Sense to Me" – 2:54 (Collins, Carwyn Ellis)
5. "Outside" – 1:57
6. "Glasgow to London" – 4:00
7. "Tensions Rising" – 3:17
8. "Beauty" – 2:48
9. "I Want You" – 3:43 (Collins, Carwyn Ellis)
10. "I'm OK Jack" – 2:57 (Collins, Sean Read)
11. "Sparks the Spark" – 4:22
12. "Badbea" – 4:27

Personnel

• Edwyn Collins – vocals
• Carwyn Ellis – guitar (track 6, 7, 9, 12), acoustic guitar (track 3, 4, 8), bass (track 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12), backing vocals (track 2, 3, 5, 9, 11), bass synth (track 6), keys (track 4, 6, 9, 11, 12), auto harp (track 12), piano (track 12),
• Jake Hutton - drums (track 1-7, 9, 11, 12)
• Sean Read – trumpet (track 2, 3), keys (track 10), saxaphone (track 6, 7, 10), backing vox (track 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11), wurlizter (track 12), organ (track 7, 8), percussion (track 3, 6, 7, 10), drum programming, synth bass (track 6), whistling (track 3)
• James Walbourne – guitars (tracks 3, 5, 11) acoustic guitar (track 8), backing vox (track 5)
• Chay Heney - guitar and bass (track 1)
• Howard Gott - violins and viola (track 4)
• Sarah Wilson - cello (track 4)

References

1. "Badbea by Edwyn Collins – Critic Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved 11 May 2020.
2. Sendra, Tim. "Edwyn Collins – Badbea". AllMusic .
3. Murray, Robin (28 March 2019). "Edwyn Collins – Badbea". Clash . Retrieved 11 May 2020.
4. Hann, Michael (29 March 2019). "Edwyn Collins: Badbea review – arch punk provocateur ages defiantly". The Guardian . Retrieved 11 May 2020.
5. "Edwyn Collins – Badbea". Mojo . May 2019. p. 87.
6. Hogwood, Ben (2 April 2019). "Edwyn Collins – Badbea". MusicOMH . Retrieved 11 May 2020.
7. Mongredien, Phil (31 March 2019). "Edwyn Collins: Badbea – a joyous comeback". The Observer . Retrieved 11 May 2020.
8. "Edwyn Collins – Badbea". Q . May 2019. p. 110.
9. Rathbone, Oregano (April 2019). "Edwyn Collins – Badbea". Record Collector . No. 491. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
10. "Edwyn Collins – Badbea". Uncut . April 2019. p. 26.
11. "Scots pop pioneer Edwyn Collins changed by Highlands move". Scotsman. 18 April 2019.