Fatigue (album)

Last updated
Fatigue
Fatigue (album).jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 25, 2021
Recorded2018–2019
Studio
  • Black Lodge Recording (Brooklyn)
  • The Honey Jar (Brooklyn)
  • Hook & Fade Studios
  • Sunset Sound Recorders (Los Angeles)
Genre
Length29:55
Label Mexican Summer
Producer
  • Taja Cheek
  • Andrew Lappin
L'Rain chronology
L'Rain
(2017)
Fatigue
(2021)
I Killed Your Dog
(2023)

Fatigue is the second record by Brooklyn-based experimental musician Taja Cheek, under the moniker of L'Rain. It is her first recording with record label Mexican Summer. Fatigue builds on Cheek's experimental compositional approach, drawing from an eclectic collection of genres and employing field recording elements. Instrumentally, it has help from twenty collaborators, who lend the record clavinet, saxophone, and more.

Contents

Upon its release, Fatigue was greeted with rave reviews. It was named the best album of the year by British magazine The Wire . [1]

Background

Taja Cheek planned on naming her second record Suck Teeth because she "loved how it encapsulated a very black sound of disapproval, annoyance, and disappointment." [2]

Composition

Fatigue has musical footing in experimental pop, as well as orchestral pop. [3] [4] However, the record contains diverse songs that bend genre. Ambient music, gospel, jazz, post-punk, neo soul, R&B, shoegazing, soft rock and sound collage have all been melded into L'Rain's own aesthetic. [5] [6] [7]

Fatigue makes significant use of field recordings. [3] [7] The latter half of "Find It" samples a pastor singing at a funeral Cheek attended. [8] "Black Clap" has sounds from a hand game she created alongside co-producer and multi-instrumentalist Ben Chapoteau-Katz. About it, she said that "in the studio, I was thinking about ways that play can improve your life, and I was like, 'I'll just make up a hand game, because that's something I used to do when I was a kid.'" [8]

It is also shaded in psychedelia, [4] [5] [9] with its songs working in neo-psychedelia. [5] Psychedelic musicians like Syd Barrett and quartet Animal Collective have been noted as spiritual touchstones for L'Rain's music. [4] L'Rain has cited the latter's early recordings as informative to her. [8]

The second song, "Find It", digs into "warped, genre-mashing" pop-soul and "sweet, distorted" shoegaze pop. [4] [10] Experimentation continues even when songs dip into conventional pop and dance sounds, like on "Kill Self" and "Two Face". [3] The latter song's R&B yields a "heady cacophony". [11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.2/10 [12]
Metacritic 86/100 [13]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [14]
Beats Per Minute 65% [15]
The Line of Best Fit 8/10 [5]
Paste 8.7/10 [16]
Pitchfork 8.5/10 [3]
Spectrum Culture72% [17]

Fatigue was welcomed with critical applause upon its release. On Metacritic, the record holds a score of 86 out of 100, based on seven reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [13]

Paul Simpson for AllMusic applauded the record, seeing it as "even bolder and dreamier than [her] self-titled debut" and "a uniquely powerful expression of her uncompromising vision." [14] Aymeric Dubois for The Line of Best Fit called it "reflective and exposing...a transformative listen". [5]

Accolades

Semester-end lists

Accolades for Fatigue
CountryPublicationWorkListRankRef.
US Bandcamp Daily FatigueThe Best Albums of Spring 2021
--
Paste The 10 Best Albums of June 2021
"Suck Teeth"The 15 Best Songs of June 2021
UK The Quietus FatigueThe Quietus Albums Of The Year So Far Chart 2021
31

Year-end lists

CountryPublicationWorkListRankRef.
US AllMusic FatigueAllMusic Best of 2021
Bandcamp Daily Best of 2021: The Year's Essential Releases
UK Crack Magazine The Top 50 Albums of the Year
20
Our Culture The 50 Best Albums of 2021
10
US Paste
38
Pitchfork
2
The Best Jazz and Experimental Music of 2021
"Find It"The 100 Best Songs of 2021
26
UK The Quietus FatigueQuietus Albums Of The Year 2021
15
Rough Trade US Albums of The Year 2021
9
USTrebleThe 50 Best Albums of 2021
46
"Two Face"The 100 Best Songs of 2021
13
UK The Wire Fatigue Rewind: Top 50 Releases of 2021
1

Track listing

All tracks are written by Taja Cheek

No.TitleLength
1."Fly, Die"2:00
2."Find It"6:17
3."Round Sun"0:21
4."Blame Me"3:31
5."Black Clap"0:26
6."Suck Teeth"3:56
7."Love Her"0:17
8."Kill Self"1:51
9."Not Now"0:10
10."Two Face"4:06
11."Walk Through"0:17
12."I V"2:25
13."Need Be"1:01
14."Take Two"3:09
Total length:29:55

Personnel

Adapted from the record's Bandcamp page. [34]

L'Rain

Additional musicians

Technical

Artwork and design

Related Research Articles

<i>Last Splash</i> 1993 studio album by the Breeders

Last Splash is the second album by American alternative rock band the Breeders, released on August 30, 1993. Originally formed as a side project for Pixies bassist Kim Deal, the Breeders quickly became her primary recording outlet. Last Splash peaked at number 33 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and by June 1994, the album had been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments in excess of one million units.

<i>Pink</i> (Boris album) 2005 studio album by Boris

Pink is the tenth album by Japanese experimental music band Boris. It was originally released in 2005 through Diwphalanx Records in Japan and subsequently reissued in 2006 by American label Southern Lord Records.

<i>Leaves Turn Inside You</i> 2001 studio album by Unwound

Leaves Turn Inside You is the seventh and final studio album by the American post-hardcore band Unwound, released on April 17, 2001 by Kill Rock Stars.

<i>R.A.P. Music</i> 2012 studio album by Killer Mike

R.A.P. Music is the fifth studio album by American rapper Killer Mike. It was released through Williams Street Records on May 15, 2012. The "R.A.P." in the album's title is a backronym for "Rebellious African People". Production was handled by rapper and producer Jaime "El-P" Meline; the album was the first collaboration between Killer Mike and El-P, who would later form the critically acclaimed duo Run the Jewels. The album's title is a reference to Ye’s record label G.O.O.D Music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Actress (musician)</span> British electronic musician (born 1979)

Darren J. Cunningham, known professionally as Actress, is a British electronic musician. His albums include Hazyville (2008), Splazsh (2010), R.I.P. (2012), Ghettoville (2014), AZD (2017), LAGEOS, 88 (2020), Karma & Desire (2020); released on Ninja Tune, Honest Jon's Records, and Werkdiscs, a label he co-founded in 2004, and LXXXVIII (2023); released on Ninja Tune, and Statik (2024); via Smalltown Supersound. Splazsh was named best album of the year by The Wire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Algiers (band)</span> American post-punk band

Algiers is an American-English post-punk band from Atlanta, Georgia, United States, formed in 2012. The band consists of multi-instrumentalists Franklin James Fisher, Ryan Mahan, Lee Tesche, and Matt Tong. Algiers pulls from a divergent number of musical influences; the most notable of which being post-punk, hip-hop, Southern Gothic literature, and the concept of the Other. Their sound has been described as dystopian soul due to its somber mood, afrofolk inspired vocal approach, and heavy emphasis on atonal textures.

<i>World Eater</i> 2017 studio album by Blanck Mass

World Eater is the third studio album by British musician Benjamin John Power, under his musical project Blanck Mass. It was released on 3 March 2017 by Sacred Bones Records.

<i>Safe in the Hands of Love</i> 2018 studio album by Yves Tumor

Safe in the Hands of Love is the third studio album by American experimental electronic music artist Yves Tumor. It was released on September 5, 2018 by Warp Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Midi</span> English rock band

Black Midi are an English rock band from London, formed in 2017. Their most recent line-up consisted of lead vocalists and multi-instrumentalists Geordie Greep and Cameron Picton, along with drummer Morgan Simpson. Between 2017 and 2020, the band also included guitarist Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin. Following his departure, the trio were frequently joined by multi-instrumentalist Seth Evans and saxophonist Kaidi Akinnibi, both as session musicians and during live performances. Their name is derived from the Japanese electronic music genre black MIDI, though their own music has no relation to it, instead incorporating styles such as math rock, progressive rock, post-punk, and avant-jazz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mega Bog</span> American singer

Erin Birgy, better known as Mega Bog, is an American experimental pop singer, songwriter, and musician. She has released seven studio albums.

<i>Perfect World</i> (Uniform album) 2015 studio album by Uniform

Perfect World is the debut studio album by the American industrial rock band Uniform. It was released on July 8, 2015 by 12XU and Alter Records. Produced by the band's guitarist and programmer Ben Greenberg, it features contributions from former Coil member Drew McDowall.

<i>Wink</i> (album) 2021 studio album by Chai

Wink is the third studio album by Japanese rock quartet Chai, released on May 21, 2021. It is their first record on Sub Pop, following two albums on the now-defunct Burger Records.

<i>Mazy Fly</i> 2019 studio album by Spellling

Mazy Fly is the second studio album by American experimental pop musician Spellling, released in February 2019. It is her debut recording with Sacred Bones Records, making her labelmates with artists like Jenny Hval and Zola Jesus.

<i>LRain</i> (album) 2017 studio album by LRain

L'Rain is the debut studio album by experimental musician Taja Cheek, who performs as L'Rain. The album was released in 2017 by New York City-based label Astro Nautico and included in best-of-year lists by publications including Pitchfork and Bandcamp Daily. The album cover is an image of Cheek's forearm, which is tattooed "L'Rain"; she chose the name after her mother, Lorraine, died during the making of the record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">L'Rain</span> American singer and songwriter

Taja Cheek, known professionally as L'Rain, is an American experimentalist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and curator known primarily as the lead vocalist and songwriter of her eponymous band. L'Rain has been recognized for experimental music that draws on a vast number of traditions and genres in a practice and aesthetic Cheek calls "approaching songness".

<i>On Your Own Love Again</i> 2015 studio album by Jessica Pratt

On Your Own Love Again is the second studio album by American musician Jessica Pratt. It was released on January 27, 2015, through Drag City. It is her only work with the label, as the 2019 follow-up Quiet Signs would be released through Mexican Summer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irreversible Entanglements</span> American band

Irreversible Entanglements is an American free jazz collective formed in 2015. The improvising quintet consists of vocalist Camae Ayewa, drummer Tcheser Holmes, trumpeter Aquiles Navarro, saxophonist Keir Neuringer, and bassist Luke Stewart. Their albums have been celebrated as among the best in new music by The Wire, The Quietus, Magnet, NPR Music, and Stereogum.

<i>I Killed Your Dog</i> 2023 studio album by LRain

I Killed Your Dog is the third studio album by Brooklyn-based experimental musician L'Rain. It was released on October 13, 2023, through Mexican Summer.

References

  1. "The Wire's Releases of the Year 2021". The Wire. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  2. James Rettig (June 9, 2021). "L'Rain – "Suck Teeth"". Stereogum . Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Eric Torres. "L'Rain: Fatigue Album Review". Pitchfork . Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Noah Berlatsky (June 1, 2021). "L'Rain creates glittering, warped pop collages on Fatigue". Chicago Reader . Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Aymeric Dubois (June 25, 2021). "L'Rain's reflective and exposing Fatigue is a transformative listen that leaves you wanting more". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  6. Kiana Mickles (July 8, 2021). "L'Rain - Fatigue · Album Review". Resident Advisor . Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  7. 1 2 Marcus J. Moore (June 24, 2021). "L'Rain's 'Fatigue' Captures the Everyday Nuances of Black Life". Bandcamp Daily . Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 Jenn Pelly (June 28, 2021). "L'Rain Wants to Confuse You". Pitchfork . Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  9. Brian Kiwanuka (July 6, 2021). "Review: L'Rain's 'Fatigue'". PostGenre. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  10. 1 2 Pitchfork (December 6, 2021). "The 100 Best Songs of 2021". Pitchfork . Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  11. Georgie Brook (June 25, 2021). "The Quietus - Reviews - L'Rain". The Quietus . Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  12. "Fatigue by L'Rain reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  13. 1 2 "Fatigue by L'Rain Reviews and Tracks | Metacritic". metacritic.com. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  14. 1 2 Paul Simpson. "Fatigue - L'Rain". AllMusic . Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  15. Jeremy J. Fisette (June 29, 2021). "ALBUM REVIEW: L'RAIN – FATIGUE". Beats Per Minute . Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  16. Max Freedman (December 16, 2021). "L'Rain: 'Fatigue' Album Review - Paste". Paste . Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  17. Daniel Bromfield (29 June 2021). "L'Rain: Fatigue - Spectrum Culture". Spectrum Culture. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  18. Bandcamp Daily Staff (July 2, 2021). "The Best Albums of Spring 2021". Bandcamp Daily . Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  19. Paste Staff (June 29, 2021). "The 10 Best Albums of June 2021: Japanese Breakfast, Backxwash, The Mountain Goats and more - Paste". Paste . Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  20. Paste Staff (June 30, 2021). "The Best Songs of June 2021: Yves Tumor, Little Simz, Pom Pom Squad and more - Paste". Paste . Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  21. John Doran (July 5, 2021). "The Quietus Albums Of The Year So Far Chart 2021". The Quietus . Retrieved August 1, 2021.
  22. "AllMusic Best of 2021". AllMusic . Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  23. Bandcamp Daily Staff (December 17, 2021). "Best of 2021: The Year's Essential Releases". Bandcamp Daily . Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  24. "The Top 50 Albums of the Year". Crack Magazine . Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  25. Our Culture (December 9, 2021). "The 50 Best Albums of 2021". Our Culture . Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  26. Paste Staff (November 29, 2021). "The 50 Best Albums of 2021 - Paste". Paste . Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  27. Pitchfork (December 7, 2021). "The 50 Best Albums of 2021". Pitchfork . Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  28. Pitchfork (December 17, 2021). "The Best Jazz and Experimental Music of 2021". Pitchfork . Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  29. John Doran (December 6, 2021). "Quietus Albums Of The Year (In Association With Norman Records)". The Quietus . Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  30. "US Albums of The Year 2021". Rough Trade . November 16, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  31. Treble Staff (December 6, 2021). "The 50 Best Albums of 2021". Treble. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  32. Treble Staff (December 5, 2021). "The 100 Best Songs of 2021". Treble. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  33. Wire staff (January 2022). "2021 Rewind: Releases of the Year 1–50". The Wire. No. 455. London. pp. 30–35 via Exact Editions.(subscription required)
  34. "Fatigue by L'Rain". Bandcamp . Retrieved June 29, 2021.