Changephobia

Last updated

Changephobia
Rostam Batmanglij - Changephobia.jpg
Cover to the standard edition; the deluxe edition replace the black bars with yellow
Studio album by
Rostam Batmanglij
ReleasedJune 4, 2021 (2021-06-04)
Studio
  • Electro-Vox Studio, Los Angeles, California, US
  • Matsor Projects, Los Angeles, California, US
Length38:10
LanguageEnglish
Label Matsor Projects
Producer Rostam Batmanglij
Rostam Batmanglij chronology
Half-Light
(2017)		Changephobia
(2021)		The Persian Version
(2023)

"I definitely wanted to shed the skin of some of those hallmarks that I had come to be known for over the years. I got to the point where I could no longer make any more music that relied on classical music as an inspiration. That may change in the future, but I got to a point where I just said, 'The next thing has to come from a different place'."

Contents

—Rostam Batmanglij on changing his songwriting process for Changephobia [1]

Changephobia is the third full-length solo album by American indie rock musician Rostam Batmanglij. The album has received positive reception from critics and appeared on several best-of lists for the year. It was followed by two volumes of remixes later in the year. [2]

Reception

Editors at AnyDecentMusic? scored this album a 7.3 out of 10, based on 15 reviews. [3] According to the review aggregator Metacritic , Changephobia received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 76 out of 100 from 14 critic scores. [4]

At The A.V. Club , Tatiana Tenreyro scored this album a B+, calling it "a fitting record for sunny summer days, leaning into a stripped-down sound that combines pop with jazz". [5] Editors at AllMusic rated this album 4 out of 5 stars, with critic Heather Phares writing "on Changephobia, [Batmanglij's] approach is a little more concise and considered" than 2017's Half-Light "but just as evocative", continuing that his music is "more artful and heartfelt than ever". [6] DIY 's Sean Kerwick scored Changephobia 4 out of 5 stars, characterizing it as "beautifully constructed, surprising and brimming with invention". [7] Writing for Dork , Jamie Macmillan gave this album 3 out of 5 stars, writing that "though there are delightful moments popping up every now and then, everything feels just a little too light and struggles to really take hold in your memory, it's relentless insistence on skipping onto the next thing making everything feel just that bit too fleeting". [8] In Exclaim! , Ian Gormedy rated this release 8 out of 10, summing up, "it's the most coherent vision—lyrically and sonically—of Rostam as a solo artist so far". [9]

Oliver Kuscher of The Line of Best Fit gave this album an 8 out of 10, stating that "the record has a beautifully cohesive groove, the many disparate parts seamlessly fitting together in typical Rostam fashion". [10] In Loud and Quiet , Rosie Ramsden rated Changephobia a 7 out of 10, stating that the album's strength lies in cohesion between different-sounding songs, summing up that "they are tied together by a melodic thread that inspires a change of pace that encourages us to pause and take stock of our lives and beliefs and relationships". [11] Tom Doyle of Mojo rated this release 4 out of 5 stars for being "a quiet beauty" with vocals reminiscent of Paul Simon. [12] Simone Fraser scored Changephobia 3 out of 5 stars, critiquing that "the multi-talented musician's downfall is sometimes that he wraps melodies in so many layers that it barely has a chance to breathe", while praising the album as "cohesive despite an experimental and genre-defying sound". [13]

Max Freedman of Paste gave Changephobia a 6.8 out of 10, summing it up as Batmanglij's "most compact work yet, which is alternately a boon and a crutch". [14] A 7.2 out of 10 came from Will Gottsegen of Pitchfork Media, who compared it to Haim's Women in Music Pt. III and praised "songs that locate their intoxicating highs in the restless spontaneity he writes about so frequently". [15] Colin McGuire of PopMatters rated this album 7 out of 10 for being "an album that's as concise as it is provoking and as pleasant as it is interesting". [16] A brief review in Rolling Stone praised the production on this album for making "pleasantly ornate pop with classical flourishes" and rated it 3 out of 5 stars. [17] Writing for Slant Magazine , Eric Mason gave this release 3.5 out of 5 stars, ending "while Batmanglij has reduced the vast variety of sounds and distortion of his debut, the warmth of his vision remains". [18] Uncut 's Bud Scoppa wrote that in this music, "Rostam juxtaposes elements of the postmodern sonic recipe he helped dream up for Vampire Weekend with novel touches, forming the flexible framework for deeply personal emotions" and scored it 7 out of 10. [19]

In a mid-year wrap-up of the 25 best albums of 2021, The A.V. Club's Gabrielle Sanchez stated that Batmanglij "steps firmly out of his former band's [Vampire Weekend] shadow... with a lush, romantic sophomore solo album". [20] Mikael Wood of Los Angeles Times rated this the third best album of the year, comparing the sounds to Chet Baker and Charlie Parker. [21] Sean Maunier also rated it number three for 2021, calling it as "ambitious and multifaceted as its creator" and "asks what it means to live in a world that is constantly turning itself upside down, and more pressingly, the joys and connections we manage to find with each other in the constant flux". [22] Critic Lindsay Zoladz of The New York Times considered Changephobia a runner-up for the shortlist of the best albums of the year. [23] A Pitchfork Media ranking of the 100 best songs of 2021 included "4Runner" at 80 and Peyton Thomas wrote that this "twelve-string tribute to the open road would make anyone swoon". [24]

Track listing

  1. "These Kids We Knew" (Rostam Batmanglij) – 2:28
  2. "From the Back of a Cab" (Batmanglij) – 2:47
  3. "Unfold You" (Batmanglij, Nick Hakim, Wes Miles, and Cassia O'Reilly) – 3:54
  4. "4Runner" (Batmanglij and Brad Oberhofer) – 3:49
  5. "Changephobia" (Batmanglij) – 3:50
  6. "Kinney" (Batmanglij) – 3:19
  7. "Bio18" (Batmanglij and Ramesh Srivastava) – 4:01
  8. "(Interlude)" (Batmanglij and Henry Solomon) – 1:59
  9. "To Communicate" (Batmanglij) – 3:27
  10. "Next Thing" (Batmanglij) – 4:30
  11. "Starlight" (Batmanglij) – 4:06

Bonus tracks on the expanded edition

  2. "Train in Vain (Stand by Me) (Mick Jones and Joe Strummer) – 3:28
  3. "Fruits of My Labor" (Lucinda Williams) – 4:35

"Unfold You" contains a sample of "Papas Fritas" by Nick Hakim and "4Runner" contains a sample spoken word by Tess Brown-Lavoie.

Personnel

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vampire Weekend</span> American indie rock band

Vampire Weekend is an American rock band formed in New York City in 2006 and currently signed to Columbia Records. The band was formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Ezra Koenig, multi-instrumentalist Rostam Batmanglij, drummer Chris Tomson, and bassist Chris Baio. Batmanglij departed the group in early 2016 but has continued to occasionally contribute to subsequent albums as a songwriter, producer, and musician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ezra Koenig</span> American rock musician (born 1984)

Ezra Michael Koenig is an American musician, record producer, and radio personality. He is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of indie rock band Vampire Weekend. Additionally, Koenig is the creator of the Netflix animated comedy series Neo Yokio and also hosts the Apple Music radio talk show Time Crisis with Ezra Koenig. Time Crisis is airing its tenth season, as of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A-Punk</span> 2008 single by Vampire Weekend

"A-Punk" is a song by indie rock band Vampire Weekend, released on February 28, 2008, as the second single from their 2008 self-titled debut album. The band made their network television debut by performing "A-Punk" on the Late Show with David Letterman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa</span> 2008 single by Vampire Weekend

"Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" is the fourth single by indie rock band Vampire Weekend, released 18 August 2008. The song was rated 67th best song of 2008 by Rolling Stone magazine.

<i>Contra</i> (album) 2010 studio album by Vampire Weekend

Contra is the second studio album by the American rock band Vampire Weekend, produced by band member Rostam Batmanglij and released in January 2010 on XL Recordings. It was preceded by the 2009 singles "Horchata" and "Cousins."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rostam Batmanglij</span> American musician (born 1983)

Rostam Batmanglij, known mononymously as Rostam, is an American record producer, musician, singer, songwriter, and composer. He was a founding member of the band Vampire Weekend, whose first three albums he produced. He has been described by Stereogum as one of the greatest pop and indie-rock producers of his generation. Rostam also works as a solo artist and is a member of electro-soul group Discovery. He produced his first number-one album, Vampire Weekend's Contra, when he was 27 years old.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Sky (song)</span> 2010 single by Vampire Weekend

"White Sky" is the fourth single from Vampire Weekend's second album Contra. The single release features three remixes of the song by Basement Jaxx. It is also the first song to be written on Contra, dating back before their debut album was released.

<i>Modern Vampires of the City</i> 2013 studio album by Vampire Weekend

Modern Vampires of the City is the third studio album by American indie rock band Vampire Weekend, released on May 14, 2013, by XL Recordings. The group began to write songs for the album during soundchecks on the supporting concert tour for their previous album, 2010's Contra. After a period in which each member explored individual musical projects, they regrouped and continued working on Modern Vampires of the City in 2011. With no deadline in mind, the band brought in an outside record producer for the first time, Ariel Rechtshaid, to record the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unbelievers (song)</span> 2013 single by Vampire Weekend

"Unbelievers" is a song by American indie pop band Vampire Weekend. Written by the band's lead singer Ezra Koenig and multi-instrumentalist Rostam Batmanglij, and produced by Ariel Rechtshaid and Batmanglij, the song was released as the third single from their third studio album Modern Vampires of the City in August 2013. The band initially premiered "Unbelievers" in a live performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live on October 31, 2012. They also performed the song live on an episode of Saturday Night Live prior to it being released as a single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamilton Leithauser</span> Musical artist

James Hamilton Leithauser is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He is the lead vocalist of the American indie rock band The Walkmen, with whom he wrote and recorded seven studio albums from 2000 to 2014. Prior to The Walkmen's formation, Leithauser and bass guitarist and organist, Peter Matthew Bauer, were both members of The Recoys. Leithauser was born and raised in Washington, DC, and has lived in New York City since the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Step (Vampire Weekend song)</span> 2013 single by Vampire Weekend

"Step" is a song by American indie rock band Vampire Weekend. Written and composed by band members Ezra Koenig and Rostam Batmanglij and produced by Ariel Rechtshaid and Batmanglij, the song was released as the fourth and final single from the band's third studio album Modern Vampires of the City. The song was inspired by American hip hop group Souls of Mischief's song "Step to My Girl".

<i>I Had a Dream That You Were Mine</i> 2016 studio album by Hamilton Leithauser and Rostam

I Had a Dream That You Were Mine is a collaborative studio album by Hamilton Leithauser, the former frontman of The Walkmen, and Rostam, the multi-instrumentalist and former producer of Vampire Weekend. It was released on September 23, 2016 on Glassnote Records, and preceded by the singles "A 1000 Times", "In a Black Out" and "When the Truth Is..."

<i>Half-Light</i> (album) 2017 studio album by Rostam

Half-Light is the debut solo studio album by American musician Rostam, released on September 15, 2017. The album peaked at #6 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, and received generally favorable reviews.

<i>So Sad So Sexy</i> 2018 studio album by Lykke Li

So Sad So Sexy is the fourth studio album by Swedish singer Lykke Li, released on 8 June 2018 by RCA. The album was preceded by the release of the singles "Deep End", "Hard Rain", "Utopia", "Sex Money Feelings Die" and "Two Nights" featuring Aminé. Ilsey Juber co-wrote the majority of the album, which is musically influenced by trap. Malay served as an executive producer, with further production by Li's husband Jeff Bhasker, T-Minus, DJ Dahi, Illangelo, Emile Haynie, Jonny Coffer, Kid Harpoon and Rostam Batmanglij, among others.

<i>Heard It in a Past Life</i> 2019 studio album by Maggie Rogers

Heard It in a Past Life is the debut studio album by American indie pop singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers, released on January 18, 2019, by Debay Sounds and Capitol Records. With help from its hit single "Light On" (2018), the album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart and received mostly positive reviews from critics, eventually earning Rogers a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist.

<i>Father of the Bride</i> (album) 2019 album by Vampire Weekend

Father of the Bride is the fourth studio album by American indie rock band Vampire Weekend. It was released on May 3, 2019, by Columbia Records, as their first album on a major label.

<i>The Loneliest Time</i> 2022 studio album by Carly Rae Jepsen

The Loneliest Time is the sixth studio album by Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen. It was released on October 21, 2022, through 604 Records in Canada, and School Boy and Interscope Records. The album was preceded by the release of its lead single, "Western Wind", which was followed by "Beach House", "Talking to Yourself", and the title track. The album received positive reviews and was placed in several lists of best of the year. In support of the album, Jepsen embarked on The So Nice Tour, which began in September 2022.

<i>The Loveliest Time</i> 2023 studio album by Carly Rae Jepsen

The Loveliest Time is the seventh studio album by Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen, released on July 28, 2023, by 604, Schoolboy and Interscope Records. It serves as a companion piece to The Loneliest Time (2022), featuring songs from recording sessions for that album. It was preceded by the single "Shy Boy" and received positive reviews from critics.

<i>Sorry I Havent Called</i> 2023 studio album by Vagabon

Sorry I Haven't Called is the third studio album by Cameroon-born musician Laetitia Tamko, under the stage name Vagabon. It was released on September 15, 2023, through Nonesuch.

<i>Only God Was Above Us</i> 2024 album by Vampire Weekend

Only God Was Above Us is the fifth studio album by American indie rock band Vampire Weekend, released on April 5, 2024, through Columbia Records. It marks the third collaboration between the band and their longtime producer Ariel Rechtshaid. It is also the first album recorded by the band as a trio of vocalist-guitarist Ezra Koenig, bassist Chris Baio and drummer Chris Tomson after the 2016 departure of keyboardist Rostam Batmanglij; 2019's Father of the Bride, the first post-Batmanglij Vampire Weekend album, was created and promoted by Koenig as a solo project with Baio and Tomson only involved for the album's tours. It received universal acclaim from music critics.

References

  1. ↑ Kerwick, Sean (July 15, 2021). "Rostam: The Only Constant Is Change". Interview. DIY . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  2. ↑ Vitagliano, Joe (December 2, 2021). "Vampire Weekend's Rostam Shares Part II of 'Changephobia' Remixes—Read His Track-By-Track Breakdown". Reviews > Album Reviews. American Songwriter . ISSN   0896-8993. OCLC   17342741 . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Changephobia by Rostam reviews | AnyDecentMusic". AnyDecentMusic?. n.d. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Changephobia by Rostam Reviews and Tracks – Metacritic". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. n.d. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  5. ↑ Tenreyro, Tatiana (June 4, 2021). "Album Review: Rostam soundtracks summer love with the jazzy Changephobia". Reviews. The A.V. Club . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  6. ↑ Phares, Heather (n.d.). "Rostam – Changephobia". AllMusic . RhythmOne . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  7. ↑ Kerwick, Sean (June 3, 2021). "Rostam – Changephobia review". Album Review. DIY . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  8. ↑ Macmillan, Jamie (December 15, 2023). "Rostam – Changephobia". Album & EP Reviews. Dork . OCLC   1065354071.
  9. ↑ Gormedy, Ian (May 31, 2021). "Rostam's 'Changephobia' Proves He's Actually Pretty Good at Switching Things Up". Exclaim! . ISSN   1207-6600 . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  10. ↑ Kuscher, Oliver (June 5, 2021). "On Changephobia Rostam embraces growth and clarity". Album Reviews. The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  11. ↑ Ramsden, Rosie (May 31, 2021). "Rostam – Changephobia". Reviews. Loud and Quiet . No. 146. ISSN   2049-9892 . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  12. ↑ Doyle, Tom (July 2021). Bulley, Jenny (ed.). "Filter Albums". Mojo Filter. Mojo . No. 332. p. 87. ISSN   1351-0193.
  13. ↑ Fraser, Simone (June 3, 2021). "Rostam – 'Changephobia' review: Vampire Weekend producer's left turn". Reviews. NME . ISSN   0028-6362 . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Rostam: 'Changephobia' Album Review". Music > Reviews > Rostam. Paste . July 2, 2021. ISSN   1540-3106 . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  15. ↑ Gottsegen, Will (June 4, 2021). "Rostam: Changephobia Album Review". Albums. Pitchfork Media . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  16. ↑ McGuire, Colin (June 16, 2021). "Rostam: Changephobia (Album Review)". Reviews. PopMatters . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Quick Hits". Album Reviews. Rolling Stone . No. 1352. June 2021. p. 77. ISSN   0035-791X.
  18. ↑ Mason, Eric (May 30, 2021). "Rostam 'Changephobia' Review: A Breezy Embrace of Lack of Control". Music. Slant Magazine . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  19. ↑ Scoppa, Bud (July 2021). "New Albums". Uncut . p. 33. ISSN   1368-0722.
  20. ↑ Sanchez, Gabrielle (July 9, 2021). "The best albums of 2021 so far, from Japanese Breakfast to Ratboys". Best Of. The A.V. Club . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  21. ↑ Wood, Mikael (December 15, 2021). "The 10 best albums of 2021". Music. Los Angeles Times . ISSN   2165-1736. OCLC   3638237 . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  22. ↑ Maunier, Sean (January 9, 2022). "The 10 Best Albums of 2021, from Lucy Dacus to Allison Russell". Arts + Entertainment / Music. Metro Weekly . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  23. ↑ Zoladz, Lindsay (December 2, 2021). "Best Albums of 2021". The Best of 2021. The New York Times . ISSN   1553-8095. OCLC   1645522 . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  24. ↑ Thomas, Peyton (December 6, 2021). "The 100 Best Songs of 2021". Lists & Guides. Pitchfork Media . Retrieved December 15, 2023.
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.