Heavy Seas of Love

Last updated

"Heavy Seas of Love"
Heavy Seas of Love Single cover.png
Single by Damon Albarn featuring Brian Eno
and The Leytonstone City Mission Choir
from the album Everyday Robots
Released27 April 2014 (2014-04-27)
Recorded2013
Studio Studio 13
(West London)
Genre Indie pop
Length3:44
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Damon Albarn singles chronology
"Mr. Tembo"
(2014)		"Heavy Seas of Love"
(2014)		"Go Out"
(2015)
Brian Eno singles chronology
"One Fine Day"
(2009)		"Heavy Seas of Love"
(2014)

Albarn gave an interview with Danielle Perry on XFM and he said that Eno was invited to come along and listen to the album and Albarn asked him if he would sing on a track for the record, as Albarn was a huge fan of Eno's earlier music and had wanted a collaboration with Eno for a very long time. [8]

With regards to the lyric: "...Heavy Seas of Love, we come together in you" has been compared to US band The National and their single "Sea of Love", with Albarn painting the concept of "love" as a uniting, omnipresent force — as omnipresent as the seas that cover ¾'s of Earth. It's an optimistic view, but with the ever present threat of war and death, some may see love merely as the distractor to all the world's hate. [9]

Music video

Albarn and Aitor Throup, the creative director for the album, began a competition to direct Albarn's new video, in association with Tribeca Interactive. The Music Film Challenge, in collaboration with The Lincoln Motor Company, gives today's storytellers an unprecedented opportunity: to re-imagine storytelling for the digital age by creating interactive music films. To participate, filmmakers will use Treehouse – Interlude's self-service authoring suite – to create an interactive music film for the song with Treehouse's simple and intuitive interface, participants can design their interactive music films in a multi-branch, multi-layered, tree-structured style, which will allow viewers to play an active role in the storytelling process. The finalists' films will be showcased as part of the Tribeca Online Festival and displayed throughout 2014 Tribeca Film Festival official venues and lounges via interactive kiosks, in addition being made available on the Challenge website. Damon Albarn and Aitor Throup, Creative Director for 'Everyday Robots,' along with an esteemed jury, will select one winning filmmaker who will receive $10,000. They will also receive travel to New York, including accommodation, and tickets to attend and be showcased at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival (16–27 April). [10] [11] The winner was Jakub Romanowicz from Poland. [12]

However a "true music video" was released on 22 April 2014, featuring a similliar approach as Albarn's "Lonely Press Play" music video, which was shot entirely on an iPad. The video is composed of mildly psychedelic travel footage shot by Albarn and edited by Matt Cronin. Neither The Leytonstone City Mission Choir or Brian Eno appear in the music video. [13]

Critical reception

Danny Eccelston of Mojo magazine wrote: "Gospel sunshine streaked with London-grey melancholy, Heavy Seas of Love is one of the more in-your-face tunes off Damon Albarn's otherwise downbeat and reflective new album, Everyday Robots. Featuring the lovelorn sealion vocals of Albarn's fellow West London artisan pal Brian Eno, it's one of those songs with the strength to spirit you away and apply a balm to the cares of now. Hey, Damon's been there, too. Maybe even Brian. Well, maybe not Brian". [14]

Matthew Horton of the NME wrote: "And it all ends with a big, skewed pop song as Brian Eno joins Albarn for fruity, comforting harmonies – 'When your soul isn't right/And it's raw to the night ... You're in safe hands' – that stick in your head like the verses to Michael Jackson's 'Heal the World'. There's a crunchy chorus too, that'll have them singing along at Glastonbury's Park Stage on a twilit Saturday evening. Probably." [15]

Promotion

Albarn apremièred, "Everyday Robots" and "Lonely Press Play" at YouTube's pop-up venue at the Sundance Film Festival on 19 January. The invitation-only performance included acoustic versions of five new songs including El Mañana by Gorillaz and an as yet unknown Blur track. Albarn also played the song on Dermot O'Leary's BBC Radio 2 show, in a more "stripped-back acoustic" performance and also performed a cover of Terry Jacks' "Seasons in the Sun" [16] And also previewed the song "Heavy Seas of Love" featuring Brian Eno and The Leytonstone City Mission Choir as well. [17]

It was also revealed by on Damon's official Twitter account, that his Live Band will be called The Heavy Seas, [18] and will feature guitarist Seye, drummer Pauli the PSM, guitarist Jeff Wootton and Mike Smith on keyboards. [19]

So far, the songs "Everyday Robots", which was the album's first single, "Photographs (You are Taking Now)" and "Lonely Press Play" have been heard in their full studio form, however, Albarn has performed the song "Heavy Seas of Love" live at several events, and the songs "Hollow Ponds", "Hostiles" and "Mr. Tembo", were previewed on Albarn's appearance on the BBC's Culture Show. [20]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Heavy Seas of Love" (featuring Brian Eno & The Leytonstone City Mission Choir)3:44
2."Heavy Seas of Love" (Instrumental)3:44

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2014)Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders) [21] 40
France (SNEP) [22] 138
UK Singles (OCC) [23] 70

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damon Albarn</span> British musician (born 1968)

Damon Albarn is an English singer, musician, songwriter and record producer from Whitechapel, London. He is the frontman and main lyricist of the rock band Blur and the co-creator and primary musical contributor of the virtual band Gorillaz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M.O.R.</span> 1997 single by Blur

"M.O.R." is a song by English rock band Blur from their eponymous album. Released on 15 September 1997, "M.O.R." reached number 15 in the UK Singles Chart on its release as a single in September 1997. Worldwide, it reached number 45 in New Zealand and also charted in Australia, Canada, and the United States.

<i>Demon Days</i> 2005 studio album by Gorillaz

Demon Days is the second studio album by the British virtual band Gorillaz. It was released on 11 May 2005 in Japan and 23 May 2005 in the United Kingdom by Parlophone and in the United States by Virgin Records. Produced by Gorillaz, Danger Mouse, Jason Cox, and James Dring, it features De La Soul, Neneh Cherry, Martina Topley-Bird, Roots Manuva, MF Doom, Ike Turner, Bootie Brown of the Pharcyde, Shaun Ryder and Dennis Hopper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomorrow Comes Today</span> 2002 single by Gorillaz

"Tomorrow Comes Today" is a song from British virtual band Gorillaz's self-titled debut album Gorillaz and was their first release when issued as an EP in November 2000. The first three songs from the EP ended up on their debut album, however, "Latin Simone" was heavily edited, and dubbed into Spanish, for the album release. The new version was sung by Ibrahim Ferrer, and renamed "Latin Simone ". The original version is sung by 2-D and appears along with "12D3" on some versions of the later-released compilation album G-Sides. The song itself was also the fourth and final single from that album, released on 25 February 2002. It peaked at number 33 on the UK Singles Chart. A demo version of the song, "I Got Law" was included as a bonus track of the Japanese edition of 13 by Blur, Damon Albarn's other musical project.

Demon Strings are a British stringed instrument group. They are best known for being the in-house string section for musician Damon Albarn, having recorded and performed live for several of his projects including The Good, the Bad & the Queen, Gorillaz, Blur and Monkey: Journey to the West.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Eno</span> British musician (born 1948)

Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno, also mononymously known as Eno, is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and visual artist. He is best known for his pioneering contributions to ambient music and electronica, and for producing, recording, and writing works in rock and pop music. A self-described "non-musician", Eno has helped introduce unconventional concepts and approaches to contemporary music. He has been described as one of popular music's most influential and innovative figures. In 2019, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Roxy Music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Wootton</span> English musician (born 1987)

Jeffrey Wootton is an English musician, guitarist and songwriter from Manchester. He has been the lead guitarist in the Gorillaz live band since 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damon Albarn discography</span>

The solo discography of British musician Damon Albarn consists of four collaboration albums, four soundtrack albums, three extended plays and twelve singles. Also included are releases by Albarn's various side-projects and groups such as Mali Music, The Good the Bad & the Queen, Monkey, DRC Music and Rocket Juice & the Moon. Most of Albarn's work is either released by Honest Jon's Records, Parlophone or EMI Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DoYaThing</span> 2012 single by Gorillaz featuring James Murphy and André 3000

"DoYaThing" is a single by British alternative rock virtual band Gorillaz, featuring LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy and André 3000 of Outkast. The single was released on 23 February 2012. It was commissioned by Converse as a part of their "Three Artists. One Song" project where three artists collaborate on a track. The song is also the starting point for a limited edition Chuck Taylor All-Stars collection designed by Gorillaz artist Jamie Hewlett. The shoe designs feature artwork from other projects related to Gorillaz. It was released in two different versions: the approximately 4-and-a-half-minute radio edit, and the explicit 13-minute version. The former was released as a free download on Converse's website, while the latter was released for streaming on Gorillaz's website.

<i>Everyday Robots</i> 2014 studio album by Damon Albarn

Everyday Robots is the debut solo studio album by British musician Damon Albarn, best known as the frontman of Blur and Gorillaz. Described by Albarn as his "most personal record", the album was co-produced by Richard Russell and released on 25 April 2014. It features guest contributions from musician and producer Brian Eno, singer Natasha Khan and the Leytonstone City Mission Choir. It was nominated for the 2014 Mercury Prize for best album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everyday Robots (song)</span> 2014 single by Damon Albarn

"Everyday Robots" is a song by Damon Albarn, from his solo debut album, Everyday Robots. It was released as a single in digital and limited edition 7" vinyl formats on 3 March 2014, via Warner Bros. Records in the US. Moreover, the album's title track was released with a non-album B-side called "Electric Fences". The song also contains samples of 1940-1950s comic performer Lord Buckley's hipsemantic rant about Spanish explorer Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca.

"Lonely Press Play" is the second single by Damon Albarn, from his solo debut album Everyday Robots. It was released as a single in digital format on 27 February 2014. The song was made available to all who had pre-ordered Albarn's album from iTunes. The song was produced by Albarn & Richard Russell, the music video for the song was uploaded onto Albarn's official YouTube channel on the day of release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr Tembo</span> 2014 single by Damon Albarn featuring The Leytonstone City Mission Choir

"Mr Tembo" is the fourth single released by English recording artist, songwriter and Blur/Gorillaz frontman, Damon Albarn, from his debut solo studio album Everyday Robots. Its release as a single was limited to the United States. The track features The Leytonstone City Mission Choir and contains a sample of "Lions", from the 1959 album Way Out Humor as written and performed by Richard Buckley. The track is produced by both Albarn and Richard Russell, whom Albarn had previously worked with on Bobby Womack's comeback album The Bravest Man in the Universe and on the DRC Music album, Kinshasa One Two.

"Photographs " is a song recorded by English recording artist and songwriter and frontman of both Blur and Gorillaz, Damon Albarn, from his debut solo studio album Everyday Robots (2014). The song was featured in a number of promotional teaser trailers for the album, featured on Albarn's official YouTube account in late 2013. The song contains a sample of late writer, Timothy Leary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hollow Ponds</span> 2014 single by Damon Albarn

"Hollow Ponds" is the third single by Damon Albarn from his debut solo album, Everyday Robots. It was released as a single in digital formats on 19 April 2014, via Warner Bros. Records in the US. Hollow Ponds is the name of a lake in Leytonstone, east London, where Albarn grew up, and the song references several events from his life. The song contains a sample of a Central line train leaving Leytonstone station on the London Underground.

"The Selfish Giant" is a song recorded by English recording artist and songwriter and Blur frontman & Gorillaz creator, Damon Albarn, from his debut solo studio album Everyday Robots. The track features Natasha Khan, known professionally as Bat for Lashes. The track is produced by both Albarn and Richard Russell, whom Albarn has previously worked with on Bobby Womack's comeback album The Bravest Man in the Universe and on the DRC Music album Kinshasa One Two.

"You and Me" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Damon Albarn for his solo studio album Everyday Robots. Albarn and producer Richard Russell had previously worked on Bobby Womack's comeback album The Bravest Man in the Universe and on the DRC Music album Kinshasa One Two.

<i>Live at the De De De Der</i> 2014 live album by Damon Albarn and the Heavy Seas

Live at the De De De Der is the name of two live albums by English musician Damon Albarn, recorded by Abbey Road Studios during his two consecutive dates at the Royal Albert Hall in London on the 15 and 16 November 2014, available for sale immediately after each show. The performances feature Albarn's band The Heavy Seas, and include guest appearances by artists such as Brian Eno, De La Soul, Kano, and Albarn's Blur bandmate Graham Coxon. The albums feature songs from a number of Albarn's projects, including songs by Gorillaz, Blur, The Good, the Bad & the Queen, and Mali Music. The albums were released exclusively for sale at the two performances and on the Abbey Road Studios website. Damon Albarn's long-term partner Suzi Winstanley designed the front cover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two Inch Punch</span> English musician and producer

Ben Ash, professionally known as Two Inch Punch, is an English record producer, musician, remixer and songwriter. He has written and produced records with Jessie Ware, Sam Smith, Years & Years, Rag'n'Bone Man, Tory Lanez, Ty Dolla $ign, Damon Albarn, and Brian Eno.

<i>Humanz</i> 2017 studio album by Gorillaz

Humanz is the fifth studio album by British virtual band Gorillaz. It was released on 28 April 2017 in the United Kingdom by Parlophone and in the United States by Warner Bros. Records. The album was announced on the band's official Instagram page on 23 March 2017. According to a press release, it was recorded in London, Paris, New York City, Chicago, and Jamaica, and was produced by The Twilite Tone and Remi Kabaka Jr. It was the band's first studio album since 2010's The Fall, and features collaborations with Jehnny Beth, Grace Jones, Kali Uchis, Vince Staples, Popcaan, D.R.A.M., Anthony Hamilton, De La Soul, Danny Brown, Kelela, Mavis Staples, Pusha T, and Benjamin Clementine.

References

  1. ↑ "Damon Albarn official store". Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "Damon Albarn releases Everyday Robots video, revealed as BBC Radio 6 Music Festival headliner". Metro. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  3. ↑ ""Everyday Robots" – 7" vinyl % HD bundle". store.damonalbarnmusic.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  4. ↑ Young, Alex (19 January 2014). "Damon Albarn to release debut solo album Everyday Robots on April 28th". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "Damon Albarn's Solo Album to feature Natasha Khan". Blurballs.com. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  6. ↑ Gavin Edwards (20 January 2014). "Damon Albarn on Solo Album 'Everyday Robots': From Elephants to Brian Eno | Music News". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  7. ↑ Gibsone, Harriet (24 March 2014). "Damon Albarn: Heavy Seas Of Love - listen | Music". theguardian.com. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  8. ↑ "Damon Albarn: Hollow Ponds is my life since 1976 | News". XFM. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.[ permanent dead link ]
  9. ↑ "Damon Albarn – Heavy Seas of Love Lyrics | Rock Genius". Rock.rapgenius.com. 28 April 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  10. ↑ "damonalbarnmusic.com"
  11. ↑ "Tribeca Interactive + Interlude: A Music Film Challenge". Genero.tv. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  12. ↑ "Enter Password". Damonalbarn.tumblr.com. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  13. ↑ "Damon Albarn Shares Video for Brian Eno-Featuring "Heavy Seas of Love" | News". Pitchfork. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  14. ↑ Eccleston, Danny (24 March 2014). "Damon Albarn – Heavy Seas Of Love | MOJO". Mojo4music.com. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  15. ↑ "Damon Albarn, 'Everyday Robots' – First Listen | The latest music blogs, free MP3s, best new bands, music videos, movie trailers and news analysis". Nme.com. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  16. ↑ name="all-noise.co.uk"
  17. ↑ "Listen to Damon Albarn's 'Heavy Seas Of Love'". Britpopnews.com. 31 January 2014. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  18. ↑ "Damon Albarn (@Damonalbarn) op Twitter". Twitter.com. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  19. ↑ "Damon Albarn - Lonely Press Play | Videos | Clash Magazine". Clashmusic.com. 27 February 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  20. ↑ "Damon Albarn's New Video 'Lonely Press Play' Was Shot on His Tablet in London, North Korea and Other Places - Video". Rolling Stone. 27 February 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  21. ↑ "Damon Albarn – Heavy Seas of Love" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
  22. ↑ "Damon Albarn – Heavy Seas of Love" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  23. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
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.