Natural Brown Prom Queen

Last updated

Natural Brown Prom Queen
Sudan Archives - Natural Brown Prom Queen.png
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 9, 2022
StudioParks' home studio, Los Angeles
Length53:43
Label Stones Throw
Producer
Sudan Archives chronology
Athena
(2019)
Natural Brown Prom Queen
(2022)
Singles from Natural Brown Prom Queen
  1. "Home Maker"
    Released: March 15, 2022
  2. "Selfish Soul"
    Released: May 18, 2022
  3. "NBPQ (Topless)"
    Released: June 29, 2022
  4. "OMG Britt"
    Released: September 7, 2022

Natural Brown Prom Queen is the second album from Cincinnati-born singer-songwriter and violinist Brittney Parks under her stage name Sudan Archives. The album, released on September 9, 2022, by Stones Throw Records, [1] received widespread acclaim from music critics, with many publications ranking it as one of the best albums of 2022.

Contents

Background

She had originally planned to call the album Homesick after her feelings of missing Cincinnati and her mom during the COVID-19 pandemic. The title of closing track "#513" is a reference to area code 513 which includes Cincinnati and that song also features writing and production work from Cincinnati rapper-producer Hi-Tek. Per Parks, the album's title references the project's allowing her to relive moments of her youth which she missed out on, saying she "didn't go to my prom in high school, so the idea behind calling this album Natural Brown Prom Queen is to make it my homecoming" where she "can be my natural self and it feels like I've come full circle to embrace my roots." [2]

Writing and recording

Parks wrote and recorded the album in a home studio she built in her basement with her partner, the rapper Nocando. [2] [3] Parks was more heavily involved in the production process of the album. Due to most of her collaborators having to work remotely, they all had to send stems to her, enabling her to be "the person overseeing all of the ideas. So I'd pick and choose what I like, and I get to manipulate it in any way that I want without anybody being there, being confused." [3] During the process of creating "Freakalizer", Parks almost deleted the song out of frustration, but Nocando convinced her to save it after changing the arrangement. [3]

Opening track "Home Maker" has been described as a "domestic reverie" and takes sonic influence from neo soul, funk, and house. [4] [5] The title track, "NBPQ (Topless)", is an autobiographical track that addresses themes of race and colorism. [4] [6] [5] "ChevyS10" was singled out for discussion by several critics, who variously described it as a "psychedelic road trip anthem", [7] a "six-minute electronica epic", [6] or a "woozy escapist fantasy". [4] The track's sonic elements have been compared to G-funk and jazz, before culminating in a "house-meets-afrobeat breakdown"; [4] [8] its lyrics interpolate Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car". [7]

Release

Natural Brown Prom Queen was first announced July 6. In the announcement, the album was described as following Parks as she assumed the character of Britt, "the girl next door from Cincinnati who drives around the city with the top down and shows up to high-school prom in a pink furry bikini with her thong hanging out her denim skirt." The album, "fittingly" named after a homecoming event, is all about home, both Cincinnati where Parks was born and raised as well as her adopted hometown of Los Angeles, and also features "themes of race, womanhood, and the fiercely loyal, loving relationships at the heart of Sudan's life with her family, friends, and partner." [9]

Prior to the album's release, Parks released four singles: "Home Maker" released March 15, [10] "Selfish Soul" released May 18, [11] "NBPQ (Topless)" released June 29, [12] and "OMG Britt" released September 7. [13] All four singles also came with music videos: "Home Maker" was directed by Jocelyn Anquetil and sees Parks starting a pillow fight in a furniture store. [14] "Selfish Soul" was directed by Trey Lyons and features Parks playing her violin while hanging upside down from a pole as well as standing on a roof and dancing in mud with her girlfriends. [11] "NBPQ (Topless)", directed by Augusta YR, features Parks going through a series of outfit changes and surreal, colorful scenarios, and "trippy" visuals said to be "reminiscent of David Lynch's take on Alice in Wonderland ". [15] [16] "OMG Britt", directed by Zach Sulak, finds the singer performing the song in a series of futuristic rooms where she also smashes her violin. [13] [17]

Live

Parks made her television debut on the September 20 episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert , performing "Selfish Soul" with a backing band including bassist Growth Eternal and three backup singers, including Keiyaa. [18]

Reception

Natural Brown Prom Queen ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic? 7.9/10 [19]
Metacritic 89/100 [20]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [4]
Beats Per Minute 85% [21]
Clash 8/10 [8]
DIY Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [22]
Exclaim! 8/10 [5]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]
The Line of Best Fit 8/10 [23]
Paste 7.6/10 [24]
Pitchfork 9.0/10 [7]
The Daily Telegraph Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [25]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic , Natural Brown Prom Queen received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 89 out of 100 from 17 critic scores. [20] Pitchfork called the album the best new music of the week. [7]

Critics acclaimed Parks for the versatility she displayed on Natural Brown Prom Queen. James Mellen of Clash described the album as a "shapeshifting sonic endeavor" that "opens up dozens of auditory avenues" for Parks, and lauded her for maintaining a cohesive and engaging experience across an album with such range. [8] Kitty Empire of The Guardian concurred, describing Parks as "keen to emphasize her range and primacy". [6] Exclaim!'s Dave MacIntyre gave a more mixed review to the album's wide-ranging sound, opining that it was "somewhat overstuffed with both tracks and ideas", but nevertheless found the project to be a "captivating glimpse into Sudan Archives' artistic palette". [5] Natural Brown Prom Queen was characterized as drawing from numerous musical genres, most prominently hip hop and R&B, but also electronic genres and African rhythmic traditions. [8] [5] [6] Recurring themes identified on the album include self-preservation, love, and reflections on societal views of beauty. [7]

Parks received praise for her vocal performances throughout the album, which ranged from soft and sensual singing to self-confident rapping. [4] [8] Andy Kellman of AllMusic also observed that she experimented more with her violin playing than she had on 2019's Athena, describing how some of Natural Brown Prom Queen's tracks featured Parks using effects pedals to lend a bass- or guitar-like sound to her violin. [4]

Accolades

Awards and nominations

Natural Brown Prom Queen awards and nominations
YearOrganizationAwardWorkStatusRef.
2023 Libera Awards Best Breakthrough Artist/Release HerselfWon [26]
Best R&B RecordNatural Brown Prom QueenWon [26]
Marketing Genius HerselfNominated [26]
AIM Independent Music Awards Best Independent Track"Selfish Soul"Nominated [27]

Year-end lists

Natural Brown Prom Queen on year-end lists
Publication#Ref.
Complex 19 [28]
Consequence 8 [29]
Crack 24 [30]
Exclaim! 10 [31]
The New York Times
(Jon Pareles)
4 [32]
The New York Times
(Lindsay Zoladz)
8 [32]
Paste 13 [33]
Pitchfork 2 [34]
Robert Christgau 66 [35]
Uncut 33 [36]

Track listing

Sudan Archives has writing credits on all tracks but 3 and 10, and producing credits on all tracks but 8. Ben Dickey has writing credits on all tracks but 3, 4, 10, and 13, and producing credits on all tracks but 10. Other writers and producers named below.

Natural Brown Prom Queen track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)ProducersLength
1."Home Maker"
  • Andre Israel Elias
  • Muhammad Ahmad Hassan
Elias5:02
2."NBPQ (Topless)"
  • Davis
  • Higginbottom
  • Hessman
3:48
3."Is This Real? (Can You Hear Yourself?)"
  • Davis
  • Qur'an Shaheed
 0:42
4."Ciara" 3:35
5."Selfish Soul"Dexter Story 2:22
6."Loyal (EDD)"Joel Robert FordFord2:27
7."OMG Britt"
  • McCall
  • Jordan Day Reid
  • Hessman
2:52
8."ChevyS10"EliasElias6:10
9."Copycat (Broken Notions)"
  • Catherine Parks
  • Hessman
Simon on the Moon2:26
10."It's Already Done" Dwyane Eric Thomas Jr. MonoNeon 1:08
11."Flue"HessmanSimon on the Moon3:09
12."TDLY (Homegrown Land)"
  • Silas Short
  • Simon on the Moon
  • Silas Short
  • Simon on the Moon
2:57
13."Do Your Thing (Refreshing Springs)"Richard Lawrence 0:52
14."Freakalizer"
Hassan3:50
15."Homesick (Gorgeous & Arrogant)"  4:00
16."Milk Me" James Harmon Stack Jim-E Stack 2:57
17."Yellow Brick Road"Steven Francell 2:37
18."#513" Hi-Tek 2:44
Total length:53:43

Personnel

Musicians

  • Sudan Archives – vocals, violin, drums, synthesizer, bass, keyboards, percussion
  • Ben Dickey – bass, drums, sound effects, synthesizer, keyboards, percussion
  • Simon on the Moon – bass, drums, bouzouki, keyboards, sound effects, synthesizer, zither, guitar
  • Andre Elias – bass, drums, guitar, synthesizer
  • Orlando Higginbottom – bass, drums, guitar, keyboards
  • Chris James – guitar, keyboards, bass
  • Nosaj Thing – synthesizer
  • Ahya Simone – harp
  • Brandon Woody – trumpet
  • Kafari – keyboards
  • Kesswa – backing vocals
  • Qur'an Shaheed – keyboards
  • Queens D. Light – vocals
  • Lafemmebear – drums, drum machine
  • Ciara Parks – spoken word
  • Dexter Story – bass
  • Cary Allison – synthesizer
  • Joel Ford – bass, drums, synthesizer
  • King Oliver – trumpet
  • JD Reid – drums, synthesizer
  • MonoNeon – bass, drums, keyboards
  • Reginald Parks – vocals
  • Silas Short – drum machine, guitar, percussion
  • Jackson Shepard – percussion, strings, synthesizer
  • Cheryl Ladd – spoken word
  • Richard Lawrence – synthesizer
  • Egyptian Lover – drum machine
  • Jim-E Stack – bass, drums, synthesizer
  • Steve Francell – guitar, keyboards, synthesizer
  • Hi-Tek – bass, drums, keyboards

Technical

Related Research Articles

<i>Rapture</i> (Anita Baker album) 1986 studio album by Anita Baker

Rapture is the second album by American vocalist Anita Baker, released in 1986. This became Baker's breakout album and earning her two Grammy Awards. The album's first track, "Sweet Love", was a top 10 Billboard hit in addition to winning a Grammy Award. The music video for the track "Same Ole Love" was filmed at Baker's Keyboard Lounge.

<i>Get Close</i> 1986 album by the Pretenders

Get Close is the fourth studio album by rock band the Pretenders, released on 20 October 1986 in the United Kingdom by Real Records and on 4 November 1986 in the United States by Sire Records. The album contains the band's two highest-charting Mainstream Rock Tracks entries, "Don't Get Me Wrong" and "My Baby", both of which reached number one.

<i>Wide Prairie</i> 1998 studio album / Compilation by Linda McCartney

Wide Prairie is a posthumous compilation album by Linda McCartney, compiled by her husband Paul McCartney and released in October 1998, roughly six months after her death due to breast cancer. The idea for the album was inspired by a fan who wrote Paul McCartney inquiring about "Seaside Woman", a song Wings released under the name Suzy and the Red Stripes featuring Linda on lead vocals.

<i>Soul Kiss</i> 1985 studio album by Olivia Newton-John

Soul Kiss is the twelfth studio album by English-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 25 October 1985 by Mercury Records in Europe, by Festival Records in Australia, and by MCA Records in the United States. It reached No. 11 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart and No. 29 on the United States Billboard 200. The album was produced by long-time associate John Farrar, who also co-wrote four tracks; the cover art features photography of Newton-John by Helmut Newton and Herb Ritts.

<i>Into the Blue Again</i> 2006 studio album by The Album Leaf

Into the Blue Again is the fourth album by The Album Leaf, released in 2006.

<i>The Hits</i> (Faith Hill album) 2007 greatest hits album by Faith Hill

The Hits is the first greatest hits album by American country music singer Faith Hill issued in the United States. Originally slated for release on May 8, 2007, the album was delayed several times until it was finally released on October 2, 2007.

<i>So Damn Happy</i> (Aretha Franklin album) 2003 studio album by Aretha Franklin

So Damn Happy is the thirty-fifth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin. Her first studio album in five years. The album featured the Grammy Award-winning track "Wonderful", a single co-written and produced by Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence and G Syier Hawkins Brown.

<i>Long Live the Angels</i> 2016 studio album by Emeli Sandé

Long Live the Angels is the second studio album by Scottish recording artist Emeli Sandé, released on 11 November 2016 by Virgin Records. The lead single from the album, "Hurts", was released on 16 September 2016. Sandé embarked on a European tour to support the album, with dates in the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden.

<i>Glasshouse</i> (album) 2017 studio album by Jessie Ware

Glasshouse is the third studio album by English singer-songwriter Jessie Ware. It was released on 20 October 2017 through Island Records. The album was supported by the singles "Midnight", "Selfish Love" and "Alone".

<i>Isolation</i> (Kali Uchis album) 2018 studio album by Kali Uchis

Isolation is the debut studio album by American singer Kali Uchis, released worldwide on April 6, 2018, by Rinse/Virgin EMI Records, and Universal Music Group. The album was supported by five singles: "Dead to Me", "Tyrant" featuring Jorja Smith, "Nuestro Planeta" featuring Reykon, "After the Storm" featuring Tyler, the Creator and Bootsy Collins, and "Just a Stranger" featuring Steve Lacy. The album was later certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sudan Archives</span> American musician

Brittney Denise Parks, better known by her stage name Sudan Archives, is an American violinist, singer, and songwriter based in Los Angeles, California. Parks learned to play the violin by ear as a young child in Cincinnati, Ohio.

<i>Cheap Queen</i> 2019 studio album by King Princess

Cheap Queen is the debut studio album by American pop singer-songwriter King Princess, released on October 25, 2019, through Mark Ronson's imprint of Columbia Records, Zelig Records. A deluxe edition of the album with five additional tracks was released on February 14, 2020. Straus began a tour in support of the album on September 20, 2019.

<i>Life Support</i> (Madison Beer album) 2021 studio album by Madison Beer

Life Support is the debut studio album by American singer Madison Beer. It was released on February 26, 2021 by Access and Epic Records. Beer herself co-wrote the entire album, and co-produced most of the record, which is a concept album created in the midst of a major depressive episode and Beer's diagnosis with borderline personality disorder. The album lyrically revolves around themes of mental health, grief and heartbreak, as well as Beer's experiences with public scrutiny and building resilience during the making of the record. Musically, Life Support is a pop and R&B record with elements of indie pop.

<i>Athena</i> (album) 2019 studio album by Sudan Archives

Athena is the debut studio album by American musician Sudan Archives. It was released on November 1, 2019 under Stones Throw Records.

<i>Mixtape, Vol. 1</i> (EP) 2020 EP by Kane Brown

Mixtape, Vol. 1 is the third extended play (EP) by American country music singer Kane Brown. The seven-song EP was released on August 14, 2020, as his second EP with the Sony Music Nashville label, with the first Sony EP being Chapter 1. He had earlier released an independent EP on his own label, titled Closer.

<i>Valentine</i> (Snail Mail album) 2021 studio album by Snail Mail

Valentine is the second studio album by American indie rock musician Snail Mail, released on November 5, 2021, by Matador Records.

<i>Minions: The Rise of Gru</i> (soundtrack) 2022 soundtrack album

Minions: The Rise of Gru is the soundtrack album for the film of the same name, released on July 1, 2022, through Decca Records. The Jack Antonoff-produced soundtrack consists of various contemporary artists covering famous funk, pop, and soul hits of the 1970s. "Turn Up the Sunshine" by Diana Ross and Tame Impala was released as the album's lead single on May 20, 2022. Four more singles followed, "Desafinado" by Kali Uchis, "Funkytown" by St. Vincent, "Hollywood Swinging" by Brockhampton, and "Dance to the Music" by H.E.R. Music by Henry Mancini and lyrics by Johnny Mercer

<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>Legend</i> (John Legend album) 2022 studio album by John Legend

Legend is the ninth studio album by American singer John Legend. It was released on September 9, 2022, through John Legend Music Inc. and Republic Records.

<i>Mercy</i> (John Cale album) 2023 studio album by John Cale

Mercy is the seventeenth studio album by Welsh musician and composer John Cale. It was released on 20 January 2023 by Double Six Records, making it Cale's first album of new songs in over a decade. It features collaborations with Tony Allen, Laurel Halo, Weyes Blood, Tei Shi, Animal Collective's Avey Tare and Panda Bear, Dev Hynes, Sylvan Esso, Actress, and Fat White Family. It was inspired by current events such as Donald Trump's presidency, Brexit, COVID-19, climate change, civil rights, and right-wing extremism.

References

  1. Minsker, Evan (July 6, 2022). "Sudan Archives Announces New Album Natural Brown Prom Queen". Pitchfork . Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  2. 1 2 Kalia, Ammar (September 9, 2022). "Sudan Archives: "In so many places in the world the violin brings the party"". The Guardian. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Gee, Andre (June 26, 2023). "Sudan Archives Is Rewriting the Rules From Her Basement Studio". Rolling Stone . Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Kellman, Andy. "Sudan Archives - Natural Brown Prom Queen". AllMusic. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 MacIntyre, Dave (September 7, 2022). "Sudan Archives Wears Her Crown Proudly on Natural Brown Prom Queen". Exclaim!. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Empire, Kitty (September 4, 2022). "Sudan Archives: Natural Brown Prom Queen review – dizzying earworms". The Guardian. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Ngangura, Tarisai (September 12, 2022). "Sudan Archives: Natural Brown Prom Queen Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Mellen, James (September 12, 2022). "Sudan Archives – Natural Brown Prom Queen". Clash. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  9. Sacher, Andrew (July 6, 2022). "Sudan Archives announces new album Natural Brown Prom Queen". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  10. Breihan, Tom (March 15, 2022). "Sudan Archives – "Home Maker"". Stereogum. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  11. 1 2 Ruiz, Matthew Ismael (May 18, 2022). "Sudan Archives Shares Video for New Song "Selfish Soul"". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  12. Breihan, Tom (June 29, 2022). "Sudan Archives – "NBPQ (Topless)"". Stereogum. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  13. 1 2 Helfand, Raphael (September 7, 2022). "Sudan Archives drops new track "OMG Britt" with video". The Fader. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  14. Callender, Brandon (March 16, 2022). "Sudan Archives shares new song and video, "Home Maker"". The Fader. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  15. "Sudan Archives Lets Her Freak Flag Fly in "NBPQ (Topless)"". SoulBounce. August 24, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  16. Trapp, Malcolm (August 17, 2022). "Sudan Archives Unloads Her Stellar Video for "NBPQ (Topless)"". Raydar. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  17. Lane, Lexi (September 7, 2022). "Sudan Archives Dances in the Space Age for Her New "OMG Britt" Video". Uproxx. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  18. Arcand, Rob (September 20, 2022). "Sudan Archives Performs "Selfish Soul" on Colbert". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  19. "Natural Brown Prom Queen by Sudan Archives reviews". AnyDecentMusic. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  20. 1 2 "Natural Brown Prom Queen by Sudan Archives Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  21. Sentz, Tim (September 9, 2022). "Album Review: Sudan Archives – Natural Brown Prom Queen". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  22. Taylor, Chris (September 7, 2022). "Sudan Archives - Natural Brown Prom Queen". DIY. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  23. Amen, John (September 7, 2022). "Sudan Archives revels in creative eclecticism throughout Natural Brown Prom Queen". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  24. Salmon, Ben (September 9, 2022). "Natural Brown Prom Queen Is a Wild Ride Through Sudan Archives' Restless Mind". Paste. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  25. Forbes-Carbines, Frances (September 9, 2022). "Ozzy Osbourne, Robbie Williams, Jockstrap – the week's best albums". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  26. 1 2 3 Simon, Perry Michael (June 16, 2023). "A2IM Announces 2023 Libera Awards Winners". AllAccess . Archived from the original on June 16, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  27. Parkel, Inga (September 26, 2023). "AIM Awards 2023 winners in full, from Björk to Wet Leg". The Independent . Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  28. Rose, Jordan (December 1, 2022). "The Best Albums of 2022". Complex . Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  29. Graves, Wren (December 6, 2022). "Top 50 Albums of 2022". Consequence . Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  30. Cook, Cameron. "The Top 50 Albums of 2022". Crack . Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  31. Nafekh-Blanchette, Spencer (November 30, 2022). "Exclaim!'s 50 Best Albums of 2022". Exclaim! . Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  32. 1 2 Pareles, Jon; Caramanica, Jon; Zoladz, Lindsay (November 30, 2022). "Best Albums of 2022" . The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  33. Russell, Scott (November 28, 2022). "The 50 Best Albums of 2022". Paste . Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  34. Torres, Eric (December 6, 2022). "The 50 Best Albums of 2022". Pitchfork . Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  35. Christgau, Robert (January 25, 2023). "Dean's List: 2022". And It Don't Stop . Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  36. "Uncut's Top 75 Albums of 2022". Uncut . November 11, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.