Carving the Stone

Last updated

Carving the Stone
For Those I Love - Carving the Stone.jpg
Studio album by
Released8 August 2025 (2025-08-08)
Length45:18
Label September
Producer David Balfe
For Those I Love chronology
For Those I Love
(2021)
Carving the Stone
(2025)
Singles from Carving the Stone
  1. "Of the Sorrows"
    Released: 20 May 2025
  2. "No Scheme"
    Released: 30 June 2025
  3. "Mirror"
    Released: 25 July 2025

Carving the Stone is the second studio album by the Irish musician For Those I Love. It was released on 8 August 2025, via September Recordings in LP, CD and digital formats. [1]

Contents

Background

The album succeeds Balfe's 2021 eponymous debut project, For Those I Love. The title originated from Balfe's regular use of the phrase "carving the stone". [2]

The first single, "Of the Sorrows" was released on 20 May 2025. [3] [4] It was followed by "No Scheme", the second single of the album on 30 June 2025. [4] [5] [6] "Mirror" was released as the third single on 25 July 2025. [7] [8]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Clash 8/10 [9]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Hot Press 9/10 [11]
NarcStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [12]
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [13]

The album received a five-star rating from NME reviewer Alastair Shuttleworth, who remarked, "Throughout the Dublin poet-producer's new album Carvingthe Stone, he is trapped between those two states of mind: his love of home paralyses his impulse to leave, while the problems he observes – crime, skyrocketing rents, boredom – make a future there just as unthinkable." [13] Ben Broyd of Clash rated the album eight out of ten and described it as "an honest, yet occasionally brutal, portrait of modern life in Dublin, it's raw, poetic, and politically charged. With the album being centered around the concept of time, Carvingthe Stone feels like it will stand the test of it." [9]

The Guardian assigned the album a rating of four stars out of five. Writing for the publication, Rachel Aroesti noted, "Carving the Stone's portraits of new kinds of poverty are too depressing – and depressingly accurate – to be beautiful, although the music offers occasional bursts of strange joy, while Balfe's heartfelt, hyper-focused social commentary means it's rare to find an album this rich in meaning." [10] It was given a nine-out-of-ten score by Hot Press reviewer Peter McGoran, who praised the production, stating it gives the album "a pulsating edge, ensuring its razor-sharp polemic stays focused and virulent." [11]

Narc assigned the album a rating of 4.5 out of five, stating that "There are reflections on national identity, the passage of time and explosions of searing anger, yet this remarkable record's tone sees empowerment overcome despondency, fuelled by unyielding resistance and a burning thirst for justice." [12] Rolling Stone UK described Carving the Stone as "a gorgeously rich and multi-faceted album" and stated, "While For Those I Love introduced him as a songwriter able to transmit deeply personal stories, the new album sees him equally adept at zooming out and connecting the personal and political as an incisive cultural commentator." [2] BrooklynVegan referred to the album as "another stunner—maybe not a record you'll want on repeat—but one that rewards every time you do" and "a record that demands your full attention". [14]

Track listing

All tracks are written by David Balfe.

No.TitleLength
1."Carving the Stone"3:51
2."No Quiet"3:51
3."No Scheme"3:47
4."The Ox / The Afters"5:13
5."Civic"5:37
6."Mirror"4:00
7."This Is Not the Place I Belong"5:50
8."Of the Sorrows"5:33
9."I Came Back to See the Stone Had Moved"7:36
Total length:45:18

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal. [15]

Charts

Chart performance for For Those I Love
Chart (2025)Peak
position
Irish Albums (OCC) [16] 11
Scottish Albums (OCC) [17] 84
UK Albums Sales (OCC) [18] 52
UK Dance Albums (OCC) [19] 6
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [20] 18

References

  1. Laurent, Flo (30 June 2025). "For Those I Love announce new album Carving The Stone and Irish tour". Hot Press . Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  2. 1 2 Richards, Will (5 August 2025). "Labour of Love: The story behind David Balfe's powerful second album". Rolling Stone UK . Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  3. Jones, Damian (20 May 2025). "For Those I Love returns with emotional single about life in Dublin 'Of The Sorrows'". NME . Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  4. 1 2 Molloy, Laura (30 June 2025). "For Those I Love announces new album Carving The Stone with euphoric single 'No Scheme' and UK and Ireland tour". NME . Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  5. DeVille, Chris (30 June 2025). "For Those I Love Announce New Album Carving The Stone: Hear "No Scheme"". Stereogum . Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  6. Murray, Robin (30 June 2025). "For Those I Love Announces New Album Carving The Stone". Clash . Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  7. Skinner, Tom (25 July 2025). "Listen to For Those I Love's angry and political new single 'Mirror'". NME . Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  8. Laurent, Flo (21 July 2025). "For Those I Love release new single 'Mirror'". Hot Press . Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  9. 1 2 Broyd, Ben (7 August 2025). "For Those I Love – Carving The Stone". Clash . Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  10. 1 2 Aroesti, Rachel (8 August 2025). "For Those I Love: Carving the Stone review – bracing anger at Irish social stasis". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  11. 1 2 McGoran, Peter (8 August 2025). "Album Review: For Those I Love, Carving The Stone". Hot Press . Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  12. 1 2 Welford, Ali (5 August 2025). "ALBUM REVIEW: For Those I Love – Carving the Stone". Narc. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  13. 1 2 Shuttleworth, Alastair (7 August 2025). "For Those I Love – Carving The Stone review: a brutal, complex study of modern Irish life". NME . Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  14. Pearis, Bill (8 August 2025). "For Those I Love – Carving The Stone (September Recordings)". BrooklynVegan . Retrieved 9 August 2025.
  15. "Carving The Stone / For Those I Love / Credits". Tidal . Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  16. "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  17. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  18. "Official Albums Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  19. "Official Dance Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  20. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 August 2025.