| My Soft Machine | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 26 May 2023 | |||
| Length | 40:41 | |||
| Label | Transgressive | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Arlo Parks chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from My Soft Machine | ||||
| ||||
My Soft Machine is the second studio album by British singer-songwriter Arlo Parks, released via Transgressive Records on 26 May 2023. [1] It was preceded by the singles "Weightless", [2] "Impurities" [3] "Blades", [4] and "Pegasus", a collaboration with Phoebe Bridgers. [5] Parks toured throughout 2023 in support of the album. [6]
Parks described the album as a "deeply personal body of work" about "navigating life in her 20s", particularly "the mid-20s anxiety, the substance abuse of friends around [her], the viscera of being in love for the first time, navigating P.T.S.D. and grief and self-sabotage and joy". [2] She also noted that it was "far more collaborative" than her first album, as she "worked with a lot of people in different parts of the world" and that it "felt like [she] was facing outwards a lot more". The album's sound was influenced by the bands My Bloody Valentine and Fontaines D.C., with Parks noting the latter's 2022 album Skinty Fia as having a significant impact upon its sound. [7]
Parks began writing the album before releasing Collapsed in Sunbeams (2021), and it was recorded over 18 months in "sporadic bursts" between her touring commitments. She worked with various collaborators, including Paul Epworth, Ariel Rechtshaid, Buddy Ross and Romil Hemnani of Brockhampton. The title comes from a line in the 2019 drama film The Souvenir . [8]
On 18 January 2023, Parks announced her second studio album, My Soft Machine, alongside the album's lead single "Weightless", alongside a music video. [9] She also announced a European tour, beginning on 5 September 2023 in Dublin and ending on 21 September 2023 in Paris. Parks released the album's second single "Impurities" alongside a music video on 1 March 2023. [10] The album's third single, "Blades", was released on 19 April 2023 alongside a music video. [11] The album's fourth single, "Pegasus", featuring American singer Phoebe Bridgers was released on 10 May 2023, alongside a music video. [12] Parks released the album's fifth single, "Devotion" on 24 May 2023 alongside a music video. [13] On 26 September 2023, Parks released a music video for "Purple Phase" along with a North American My Soft Machine Tour. The tour begins on 29 February 2024 in San Diego and ends on 2 April 2024 in Brooklyn. [14]
On 7 November 2023, Parks released the lead single for the deluxe edition of the album, "Jasmine", a cover of the Jai Paul song. [15] Parks released the second single of the deluxe edition, a remix of "I'm Sorry" featuring Lous and the Yakuza on 6 December 2023. [16] The deluxe edition of the album was released on 8 December 2023. [17]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 7.2/10 [18] |
| Metacritic | 75/100 [19] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [20] |
| The Arts Desk | [21] |
| Dork | [22] |
| Evening Standard | [23] |
| Exclaim! | 7/10 [24] |
| Gigwise |   [25] |
| musicOMH | [26] |
| Pitchfork | 6.9/10 [27] |
| PopMatters | 6/10 [28] |
| The Skinny | [29] |
My Soft Machine received a score of 75 out of 100 at review aggregator Metacritic based on fifteen critics' reviews, indicating a "generally favorable" reception. [19] In a five-star review, Jamie MacMillan of Dork called My Soft Machine "as close to perfection as it gets" and a "mark of how good this album is that it is hard to pick a standout moment", although highlighting "Pegasus" for being "an exquisite mash-up" of two artists and "Dog Rose" as it "soars into the heavens". [22] Jamie MacMillan of Gigwise described the album as "soothing"—to "soothe your anxieties, soothe your heartache and soothe your grief. Parks is living these experiences and offering a warm cup of empathy to anyone going through similar", calling it "somehow all so uplifting". [25] David Smyth of the Evening Standard remarked that "for the most part My Soft Machine sounds remarkably happy" and "summery and soothing", opining that Parks "pushes her sound in a few new directions with considerable success". [23]
Cheri Amour of The Arts Desk commented that the tracks "Weightless" and "Impurities" have a "feeling of lessening and cleansing", as well as a "lounge-like quality", which continues "Pegasus". Amour also dubbed it "Peak Parks" and remarked "what a joy that is to have her back". [21] Vijai Kumar Singh of Exclaim! wrote that the album "offers a peaceful and meditative reflection on a stagnant relationship and the journey to find wholeness", with the "latter half of the album continu[ing] to feature strong songwriting", calling "Pegasus" with Bridgers "arguably the best song on the album". [24]
John Murphy of musicOMH summarised the album as a set of "low-key, introspective songs that would also sound perfect on a summer's day" with "some surprises to be had"—the spoken-word introduction "Bruiseless" and the "hard-rock guitar towards the end" of "Devotion". Murphy opined that while its lyrics "celebrate happiness and stability, there are some darker moments too", like the topic of addiction on "Purple Phase" and burnout on "I'm Sorry". [26] Jack Faulds of The Skinny noted that there are "no overt leaps or shifts in the development of Parks' sound" from her debut. However, found there to be "unbridled confidence and general badassery" on the tracks "Weightless" and "Puppy" and "admirable gratitude for life in the face of some of its greatest challenges". [29]
Laura Snapes, writing for Pitchfork , felt that the album's "sharp writing is often blunted by its temperate sound", as there are "adrenaline spikes of desire [that] are often muted by hazy, Vaseline-coated arrangements" and the "few deviations from the dreamy production are hit and miss". [27] Reviewing the album for PopMatters , John Amen called the album "over reliant on predictable sonics and vague melodies" and lacking the "textures that informed Sunbeams' multifaceted aesthetic", concluding that it "unfolds respectably, proficiently, even likably, yet not particularly memorably". [28]
In June 2023, Alternative Press published an unranked list of the top 25 albums of the year. It included the album, calling it "a bouncier, poppier take on [Parks's] award-winning poetic lyricism and intimate storytelling". [30]
| Publication | Accolade | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| AllMusic | Best Albums of 2023 | — | |
| Billboard | Best Albums of 2023 | 42 | |
| Esquire | 20 Best Albums of 2023 | 18 | |
| Rolling Stone | The 100 Best Albums of 2023 | 100 | |
| Under the Radar | Top 100 Albums of 2023 | 71 | |
| Uproxx | The Best Albums of 2023 | — |
All lyrics are written by Anaïs Marinho.
| No. | Title | Music | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bruiseless" | Anaïs Marinho | Marinho | 1:11 |
| 2. | "Impurities" |
|
| 3:49 |
| 3. | "Devotion" |
|
| 2:45 |
| 4. | "Blades" |
| Epworth | 3:41 |
| 5. | "Purple Phase" |
| Epworth | 4:24 |
| 6. | "Weightless" |
| Epworth | 4:02 |
| 7. | "Pegasus" (featuring Phoebe Bridgers) |
|
| 3:06 |
| 8. | "Dog Rose" | Marinho |
| 3:08 |
| 9. | "Puppy" |
|
| 3:13 |
| 10. | "I'm Sorry" |
|
| 3:07 |
| 11. | "Room (Red Wings)" |
|
| 4:28 |
| 12. | "Ghost" |
|
| 3:47 |
| Total length: | 40:41 | |||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Mystery of Love" | 3:39 |
| 14. | "Blades" (acoustic) | 3:24 |
| 15. | "Dog Rose" (acoustic) | 2:31 |
| Total length: | 50:15 | |
| No. | Title | Music | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Jasmine" | Jai Paul | Dave Okumu | 3:39 |
| 2. | "I'm Sorry" (featuring Lous and the Yakuza) |
|
| 3:07 |
| 3. | "Blades" (featuring Redveil) |
| Epworth | 3:41 |
| 4. | "Devotion" (acoustic) |
|
| 2:41 |
| 5. | "Pegasus" (acoustic) |
|
| 3:00 |
| 6. | "Holding On" | Marinho |
| 2:48 |
| Total length: | 59:46 | |||
Note
| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA) [37] | 68 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [38] | 46 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [39] | 167 |
| French Albums (SNEP) [40] | 180 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [41] | 23 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC) [42] | 5 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [43] | 69 |
| UK Albums (OCC) [44] | 9 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC) [45] | 1 |
Eleanor Friedberger is an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She is best known as one half of the indie rock duo The Fiery Furnaces, alongside her older brother Matthew Friedberger. In the band she contributes the majority of the vocals both on record and during their live performances.
Taylor Swift is the debut studio album by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Under the Big Machine Records imprint, it was released in the United States and Canada on October 24, 2006, and elsewhere on March 18, 2008.
Ms. Kelly is the second solo studio album by American recording artist Kelly Rowland. It was released on June 20, 2007, through Columbia Records in collaboration with Music World Entertainment. Originally titled My Story and expected for a mid-2006 release, the album marked Rowland's first solo studio album in four years. Retitled and delayed numerous times prior to its official release, the album's release date was eventually moved to 2007 in favor of a multi-tiered marketing strategy and additional recording sessions. Willed to produce a more personal effort after her debut studio album Simply Deep (2002), Rowland contributed nine tracks to the reworked Ms. Kelly, which took her solo work further into urban music markets, involving production by Scott Storch, Polow da Don, Soulshock & Karlin and singer Tank, among others.
Insomniatic is the third studio album by American pop rock duo Aly & AJ, released on July 10, 2007 by Hollywood Records. The album features an electronic based sound, differing from their previous pop-rock and acoustic releases, that was accented with the use of synthesizers, sampling, drum programming and vocal processing effects. The lyrical content of the album is centered heavily around heartbreak, which some critics noted for its contrast to the electronic elements presented.
Colbie Marie Caillat is an American singer-songwriter. She rose to fame on the social networking website Myspace in 2005. At that time, she was the number one unsigned artist of her genre.
Florence and the Machine are an English indie rock band formed in London in 2007 by lead vocalist Florence Welch, keyboardist Isabella Summers, guitarist Rob Ackroyd, drummer Christopher Lloyd Hayden & harpist Tom Monger. The band has comprised a number of other musicians. The band's music has received acclaim across the media, especially from the BBC, which played a large part in their rise to prominence by promoting Florence and the Machine as part of BBC Music Introducing. At the 2009 Brit Awards they received the Brit Awards "Critics' Choice" award. The band's music is renowned for its dramatic, eccentric production and Welch's powerful vocals.
Brittany Amber Howard is an American musician from Athens, Alabama. She rose to prominence in the early 2010s for being the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and the primary songwriter of Alabama Shakes. Her work with Alabama Shakes garnered her four Grammy Awards from nine nominations. Later in the decade, Howard played bass in the side project Thunderbitch as well as both acoustic guitar and double bass for the trio Bermuda Triangle.
My Everything is the second studio album by American singer Ariana Grande, released on August 22, 2014, by Republic Records. In the album's production, Grande worked with a host of producers and co-writers, including Max Martin, Shellback, Benny Blanco, Ryan Tedder, Darkchild, Ilya Salmanzadeh, Zedd, and David Guetta.
Japanese Breakfast is an American indie pop band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania formed in 2013. The project is fronted by vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter Michelle Zauner, alongside Peter Bradley (guitar), Deven Craige (bass) and Craig Hendrix.
One More Light is the seventh studio album by American rock band Linkin Park. It was released on May 19, 2017, through Warner Bros. Records and Machine Shop. It is the band's first album to have a title track, as they felt that the song "One More Light" was the heart of the album. It is also the band's final album to feature two of their longtime members: co-lead vocalist Chester Bennington, who died from suicide by hanging two months after the album's release, and drummer and band co-founder Rob Bourdon, who opted to not return for the band's reformation in 2024.
Soft Sounds from Another Planet is the second studio album by American indie pop band Japanese Breakfast. The album was released by Dead Oceans on July 14, 2017.
Still on My Mind is the fifth studio album by English singer Dido, released on 8 March 2019 through BMG. It is her first studio album since 2013's Girl Who Got Away. The album was supported by singles "Give You Up", "Take You Home", "Friends" and "Just Because".
"Jasmine" (sometimes referred to as "Jasmine (Demo)") is a song by Jai Paul, first released in 2012 as a digital download.
Ashton Nicole Casey, known professionally as Ashnikko, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Her 2019 single "Stupid" featuring Yung Baby Tate gained viral popularity on the video-sharing platform TikTok and was certified platinum in the United States and Canada. Ashnikko's debut mixtape, Demidevil, was released in January 2021, and spawned the singles "Daisy" and "Slumber Party". Her studio album, Weedkiller, came in 2023.
Anaïs Oluwatoyin Estelle Marinho, known professionally as Arlo Parks, is an English singer and songwriter. Her debut studio album, Collapsed in Sunbeams, was released in 2021 to critical acclaim and peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart. It earned her nominations for Album of the Year, Best New Artist and Best British Female Solo Artist at the 2021 Brit Awards. It won the 2021 Mercury Prize for Best Album.
The discography of American singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers consists of two studio albums, nine extended plays, 20 singles, six promotional singles, and 12 music videos. She has also released one extended play as part of Sloppy Jane, two extended plays and one studio album as a part of Boygenius, and one studio album as part of Better Oblivion Community Center.
Pegasus is the third studio album by American rapper Trippie Redd, released on October 30, 2020. The album features guest appearances from Myiah Lynnae, Yung LB, PartyNextDoor, Chris Brown, Rich the Kid, Young Thug, Future, Lil Mosey, Quavo, Busta Rhymes, Sean Kingston, Doe Boy, Lil Wayne, HoodyBaby, and Swae Lee. The deluxe version titled Neon Shark vs Pegasus made in collaboration with Travis Barker was released on February 19, 2021, featuring Machine Gun Kelly, blackbear, Chino Moreno, Scarlxrd, and ZillaKami.
Tickets to My Downfall is the fifth studio album by American musician Machine Gun Kelly. It was released on September 25, 2020, by Bad Boy Records and Interscope Records. The album marks the departure from his established rap sound and became a more guitar-driven pop-punk album. It was his first collaborative project with drummer and producer Travis Barker, and features guest appearances from Halsey, Trippie Redd, Blackbear, and Iann Dior, as well as Bert McCracken and Yungblud on the deluxe edition.
Collapsed in Sunbeams is the debut studio album by British singer-songwriter Arlo Parks, released via Transgressive Records on 29 January 2021. The album received widespread acclaim, with many music critics praising Parks' versatility and vulnerability. The record was supported by seven singles including "Black Dog" and "Hurt". The album won the 2021 Mercury Prize, and was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.
"Caroline" is a song by British singer Arlo Parks. It was the fifth single to be released from her debut album Collapsed in Sunbeams (2021).