"Don't Delete the Kisses" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Single by Wolf Alice | ||||
from the album Visions of a Life | ||||
Released | 5 July 2017 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:35 | |||
Label | Dirty Hit | |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | Justin Meldal-Johnsen | |||
Wolf Alice singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Don't Delete the Kisses" on YouTube |
"Don't Delete the Kisses" is a song by English alternative rock band Wolf Alice from their second studio album, Visions of a Life . It was released on 5 July 2017 through Dirty Hit as the album's second single. [1] It was the band's first single to chart on the UK Top 100 (following being performed twice when the band won the 2018 Mercury Music Prize in September 2018) and the first one to chart on the main UK charts since Bros in 2015. The track also peaked at 16 on the Kerrang! Rock Chart in July 2017. [2]
The band announced on 3 July 2017 that they would be premiering the second single from Visions of a Life on Beats 1 on 5 July. The song was released to streaming services and digital download following its premiere. [3] [1] In an interview with Matt Wilkinson of Beats 1, the band described the song as "the most synth-heavy tune" they've made. Lead vocalist Ellie Rowsell additionally stated: [1]
"I kind of wanted to make one of those head out the window on a long drive tunes. And I wanted to try my hand at like a hold-nothing-back love song. That was my thoughts. But other than that I just kinda let it go where it wanted to go… I just think if you hold back it will sound worse won't it?". Regarding the sound of the album, they added: "I think hopefully when people hear the whole thing it won't be so all over the place. There are things that tie the 'Yuk Foos' and 'Don't Delete The Kisses' together if you know what I mean. There's hopefully something for everyone. I too struggle to define it."
In an interview with The Fader , Rowsell stated that she wanted to write a love song, but was "not going to hold back and make it discreet. I wanted to make it really obvious what I'm talking about. I was going to keep it sad, in the vein of the first couple of verses, and then I was like Nah, it's too depressing to have a love story that doesn't work out. I'm gonna Hollywood it, and make it happy." [4]
"Don't Delete the Kisses" was characterized as a dream pop, [5] synth-pop, [6] [7] [8] [9] shoegaze, [10] and indie rock song. [11] The Line of Best Fit said the song "melts krautrock-tinged rhythms with chugging dreamy-pop vibes. It's spaced-out and grand, with an unending amount of freedom and hard-hitting charm." [12] Hey Nineteen noted that "while "Yuk Foo" encapsulates rage, "Don't Delete The Kisses" deals with reckless, youthful love," further stating that "Wolf Alice once again hurl themselves into the eye of the hurricane here, grappling with the nitty-gritty, warts-and-all realities that come with puppy-love, bringing them to life in shining, euphoric indie rock." [11] Hot Press said the song "replaces the vitriol and aggression of previously shared single "Yuk Foo" with a smouldering, surging electronic pulse which ramps up the erotic tension. This is pushed over the top by rapturous spoken-word verses and a delirious, love-drunk atmosphere." [13]
Consequence said "the song is a dreamy haze that sounds like a synthpop outfit caught gazing at their shoes, loops of guitars swirling around ticking percussion. Ellie Rowsell's vocals are echoing whispers on the verses and pleading calls on the chorus as she wrestles with the nettlesome doubt that comes with what passes for romance in the modern era." [6] Paste and Baeble Music both described the track as "light" and "dreamy," in contrast to the aggressive "Yuk Foo", with the latter publication adding: "Ellie Rowsell delivers the verses in a delicate, almost angelic way, and adds a bit more power to her voice for a chant-like chorus. That, teamed with the gentle guitars, giving the song a whimsical, shoegaze-y vibe". [14] [15] Similarly, Clash said the song "displays a slightly softer, sensual, more shoegaze-inclined methodology from the group." [16]
NME writer Rhian Daly praised the song, saying it is "in short, incredible. Its verses are like a continuation of My Love Is Cool 's "The Wonderwhy", in that frontwoman Ellie Rowsell softly speaks her words instead of singing them," adding: "To call it cinematic is something of an understatement – this is super wide-screen, the sharpest technicolour, so HD you can almost see their guitar strings sparkling with each note and the air around the drums crunching with each beat. Musically, it's unlike anything Wolf Alice have done before. It's the very definition of ambitious, a shimmering, golden piece of atmospheric indie that will make you feel like you're drifting 40,000 feet above the clouds, looking down at Earth through a marshmallow patchwork." [17]
Hey Nineteen stated that the song "is more than whetting our appetites for what is shaping up to be one of the best albums of the year." [11] Dork said the song is "obviously great", while noting that it is "a hazy departure from the epic assault of 'Yuk Foo'" [18] Gabriela Gurycz of The Edge wrote: "Wolf Alice haven't lost any of the fragility that made their last album so special. The song is sweet if nothing more and is perfect for pining after someone you love on summer evenings." [19]
The song's accompanying music video was uploaded to the band's Vevo channel on YouTube on 11 August 2017, and was directed by Sophie Muller. [20] The video stars Chelsea Edge and Jack Anderson as a young couple aboard the London Underground.
Chart (2018) | Peak position |
---|---|
Scotland (OCC) [21] | 74 |
UK Singles (OCC) [22] | 100 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [23] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
"Everlong" is a song by American rock band Foo Fighters. It was released in August 1997 as the second single from their second studio album, The Colour and the Shape (1997). The song reached number three on the US Billboard Alternative Songs chart and the Canadian RPM Rock/Alternative chart. It remains the band's signature song. "Everlong" was the last song performed live by former drummer Taylor Hawkins before his death in March 2022. As a result of his death, streams of the song increased and charted on the Billboard Global 200 at #123, the band's first appearance on the chart.
"Best of You" is a song by American rock band Foo Fighters, released as the lead single from the band's fifth studio album, In Your Honor (2005). Dave Grohl notes that the song was written following appearances at 2004 American presidential candidate John Kerry's campaign trail and is "about breaking away from the things that confine you". The song holds the band's highest chart peak in the U.S., the UK, and Australia, and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song. The song won the Kerrang! Award for Best Single. It also topped Billboard's Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for four weeks and Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart for seven weeks. Following the band's performance at Live Earth, the song again entered the UK charts at number 38.
Black Gives Way to Blue is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Alice in Chains, released on September 29, 2009, on the 17th anniversary of the release of their second album, Dirt. It is their first record without original lead singer Layne Staley, who died in 2002, and their first album with new vocalist and rhythm guitarist William DuVall sharing vocal duties with lead guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell, who sings lead vocals on most of the songs. The title track is a tribute to Staley featuring Elton John on piano. This is the first Alice in Chains album released on Virgin Records and their first venture away from Columbia, who handled all of their previous releases. The album debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200, and was certified gold by the RIAA on May 26, 2010, with shipments exceeding 500,000 copies in the U.S. and over 1 million copies sold worldwide. "Check My Brain" and "A Looking in View" were both nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Black Gives Way to Blue won Revolver magazine's Golden Gods Award for Album of the Year in 2010.
Wolf Alice are an English rock band from London, England. Formed in 2010 as an acoustic duo comprising singer Ellie Rowsell and guitarist Joff Oddie, Wolf Alice have also featured bassist Theo Ellis and drummer Joel Amey since 2012.
My Love Is Cool is the debut studio album by English alternative rock band Wolf Alice. It was released on 22 June 2015 in the United Kingdom by Dirty Hit and on 23 June 2015 in the United States by RCA Records. The album includes the previously released singles "Bros" and "Fluffy" in re-recorded versions, and was preceded by the songs "Giant Peach" and "You're a Germ". The song "Moaning Lisa Smile", which originally appeared on the band's 2014 EP Creature Songs, peaked at number nine on the US Billboard Alternative Songs chart, and was also included on the US edition of the album. While not a single, the song "Silk" appeared on the soundtrack of T2 Trainspotting, peaking at number 39 on the Scottish charts in 2017.
"Moaning Lisa Smile" is a song by English alternative rock band Wolf Alice. It was released on 3 April 2014 as a single from their second EP, Creature Songs (2014). It also appears on the US edition of their debut album, My Love Is Cool (2015). The song reached number 9 on the Alternative Songs chart and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards. The song was re-released as a single in April 2015 in the US, marking their first single release in the US. It was released on vinyl with "Giant Peach" featured as a B-side.
"3WW" is a song by British indie rock band alt-J. It is the opening track and first single from their third studio album, Relaxer, and was released as a digital single on 6 March 2017 by Infectious Music and Atlantic Records. The song was written by Joe Newman, Gus Unger-Hamilton, Thom Sonny Green and produced by Charlie Andrew. It features guest vocals from British musician Ellie Rowsell of Wolf Alice. The song's title is an abbreviation of "three worn words", a phrase which is sung in the song.
Visions of a Life is the second studio album by English alternative rock band Wolf Alice, released on 29 September 2017 through Dirty Hit. The album received acclaim from music critics and appeared on several year-end lists, as well as winning the 2018 Mercury Prize.
"Yuk Foo" is a song by English alternative rock band Wolf Alice from their second studio album Visions of a Life. It was released on 12 June 2017 through Dirty Hit as the album's lead single.
"Deadcrush" is a song by British indie rock band alt-J. It is the fifth track and fourth single from their third studio album, Relaxer, and was released as a digital single on 12 July 2017 by Infectious Music and Atlantic Records. The song was written by Joe Newman, Gus Unger-Hamiltion, and Thom Sonny Green and produced by Charlie Andrew. The song's title is based on a game the band played where they asked the question, "What historical figure would I want to take on a date if she were alive today?", and so the name "Deadcrush" is based on someone's "dead crush". It features vocals from Ellie Rowsell of Wolf Alice. The song was also featured in the soundtrack for FIFA 18.
"Beautifully Unconventional" is a song by English alternative rock band Wolf Alice from their second studio album, Visions of a Life. It was released on 14 August 2017 through Dirty Hit as the album's third single.
"Space & Time" is a song by British alternative rock band Wolf Alice from their second studio album Visions of a Life. It was released on 8 May 2018 through Dirty Hit as the album's seventh single.
"Sadboy" is a song by British alternative rock band Wolf Alice from their second studio album Visions of a Life. It was released on 2 March 2018 through Dirty Hit as the album's sixth single.
"Heavenward" is a song by English alternative rock band Wolf Alice from their second studio album, Visions of a Life. It was released on 18 September 2017 through Dirty Hit as the album's fourth single.
Ellen Ciara Rowsell is an English singer and musician from North London. She serves as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the Mercury Prize winning indie rock band Wolf Alice. Rowsell is known for her soprano voice.
"Bros" is a song by British alternative rock band Wolf Alice. The song was originally released as a demo on 20 May 2013 through Chess Club Records, but was eventually reworked for their debut album My Love Is Cool, and was released as the second single from the album on 17 April 2015 through Dirty Hit.
"Giant Peach" is a song by British alternative rock band Wolf Alice. The song was released on 24 February 2015 as the lead single from their debut album My Love Is Cool via Dirty Hit.
Blue Weekend is the third studio album by English rock band Wolf Alice, released on 4 June 2021 through Dirty Hit. Blue Weekend was preceded by four singles—"The Last Man on Earth", "Smile", "No Hard Feelings" and "How Can I Make It OK?". The album received acclaim from music critics, with many naming it the band's best work, and was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize in 2021.
English alternative rock band Wolf Alice has released three studio albums, four extended plays and twenty singles. The band self-released their first EP, Wolf Alice (2010). The band's second EP, Blush (2013) was released via Chess Club. The band's third EP, Creature Songs (2014) was released via Dirty Hit. The band released their debut studio album, My Love Is Cool, in 2015 via Dirty Hit. Their second studio album Visions of a Life was released under the same label in 2017. Their third studio album, Blue Weekend, was released under the same label in 2021.
"The Last Man on Earth" is a song by English alternative rock band Wolf Alice. It was released on 24 February 2021 as the lead single for their third studio album, Blue Weekend.