New York (St. Vincent song)

Last updated
"New York"
St. Vincent New York.png
Single by St. Vincent
from the album Masseduction
ReleasedJune 30, 2017 (2017-06-30)
Genre
Length2:33
Label Loma Vista
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Jack Antonoff
  • St. Vincent
St. Vincent singles chronology
"Under Neon Lights"
(2015)
"New York"
(2017)
"Los Ageless"
(2017)
Music video
"New York" on YouTube

"New York" is a song by the American musician, St. Vincent. "New York" was released on June 30, 2017, through Loma Vista as the lead single off of her fifth studio album, Masseduction . [2]

Contents

Background

In May 2017, The New York Times wrote that the American producer Jack Antonoff is working on new music with Annie Clark (i.e., St. Vincent). [3] Clark performed the song for the first time in June 2016 during a New York City benefit show. [4]

Composition

"New York" is a sombre ballad mourning the end of a relationship. [5] Unlike Clark's previous material, "New York" does not contain "fiery guitar playing, nor the squelching industrial soundscapes of her great self-titled album from 2014. It's just her voice, and some simple lilting piano chords—that's about it." [1] The song finds Clark "singing without apparent irony about personal loss. The song could also be read as a eulogy for a certain portion of the soul of New York City itself; she sings mostly about locales in the East Village, painting them with a wild romantic streak that exists mostly in the memory of the city's denizens." Andy Cush of Spin described "New York" as, "far more straightforward than we've come to expect from Annie Clark," while also comparing the song to Lorde's "Liability". [6]

Critical reception

"New York" featured as Pitchfork 's "Best New Track", with Laura Snapes deeming it "a jarring sentiment from someone who always seems so supremely herself." [7] Spin's Andy Cush explained, "it would be real shame for a talent as wild and idiosyncratic as Clark's to lose its edges in the pop production and songwriting wringer. "New York" is surprisingly benign compared to her recent output, except for one moment, when she spits out a "motherfucker" worthy of Nick Cave in an otherwise lovely chorus. It's enough to reassure you that St. Vincent still has some acid in her." [6] Pitchfork included the song at number 169 on its "Best Songs of the 2010s" list. [8]

Music video

The music video for "New York" was directed by the visual artist, Alex Da Corte, and it was released on August 31, 2017. The music video features Clark performing the song with "a loud variety of fashion choices" in front of "increasingly lurid and colorful backdrops.". [9] [10] In 2018, St. Vincent and Da Corte reunited for another video, as part of Da Corte's exhibition, C-A-T Spells Murder at the Karma Gallery in New York City (February 18 – March 18, 2018). The exhibition featured an 11-minute video of St. Vincent holding a one-eyed feline while the performer makes a series of facial expressions ending in terror. The film played on a loop, and was part of an installation which also featured an eleven foot high sculpture of a cat. [11] [12]

Official versions

  1. Album/Single Version/Radio Edit - 2:34
  2. Kelly Lee Owens Remix - 4:41
  3. DJDS Version - 3:05
  4. Live at Austin City Limits single version - 2:45
  5. YOSHIKI version - 2:54
  6. Nina Kraviz Vocal Mix - 5:14
  7. Nina Kraviz x Lucy Dubbed Out Mix - 5:23
  8. Nina Kraviz Dirty Master Mix - 5:14
  9. "Words + Music" Audible version - 2:46

Personnel

Credits adapted from Masseduction booklet. [13]

Musicians

Technical

Charts

Chart (2017)Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders) [14] 32
US Adult Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) [15] 22

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Vincent (musician)</span> American musician (born 1982)

Anne Erin Clark, known professionally as St. Vincent, is an American musician and singer. Her music is noted for its complex arrangements and range of instruments. Her accolades include three Grammy Awards. Her guitar playing has been praised for its melodic style and use of distortion, and she has been listed among the best guitarists of the 21st century by multiple publications. Rolling Stone named Clark the 26th-greatest guitarist of all time in 2023.

<i>Marry Me</i> (St. Vincent album) 2007 studio album by St. Vincent

Marry Me is the debut studio album by American musician St. Vincent. It was released on July 10, 2007, in the United States and on September 3, 2007 in the United Kingdom, through Beggars Banquet Records. The album is named after a running gag from the television show Arrested Development. As of 2009, the album has sold an estimated 30,000 copies.

<i>Actor</i> (album) 2009 studio album by St. Vincent

Actor is the second album by musician St. Vincent, released by 4AD on May 4, 2009, in the United Kingdom and a day later in the United States. The artist was influenced by scores to films by Disney and Woody Allen. To prevent writer's block, she watched films without the sound and composed music for her favorite scenes. After arranging the music using GarageBand, she then wrote lyrics and added gentle vocal melodies.

<i>Strange Mercy</i> 2011 studio album by St. Vincent

Strange Mercy is the third studio album by American musician St. Vincent, released on September 13, 2011 by 4AD, in the United Kingdom and a day later in the United States. The album's cover art was designed by St. Vincent, and was photographed by Tina Tyrell. The album peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard 200, it was St. Vincent's highest charting album at the time, later being surpassed by her next two solo albums, St. Vincent (2014) and Masseduction (2017). In addition, Strange Mercy received significant critical acclaim.

<i>Love This Giant</i> 2012 studio album by David Byrne and St. Vincent

Love This Giant is a studio album made in collaboration between musicians David Byrne and St. Vincent, released on 4AD and Todo Mundo on September 10, 2012, in the United Kingdom and the following day in the United States. Marking Byrne's ninth studio album overall and Clark's fourth, Byrne and Clark began working together in late 2009, using a writing and promotion process that Byrne had previously used on his 2008 collaboration with Brian Eno Everything That Happens Will Happen Today. The duo had previously played together live at an Actor Tour concert, and on the album Here Lies Love. The performers enlisted a variety of brass musicians to augment their songwriting and toured over the following year to promote the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Antonoff</span> American musician (born 1984)

Jack Michael Antonoff is an American singer, musician, songwriter, and record producer. Antonoff is the lead singer of rock band Bleachers, and was the guitarist and drummer in the pop rock band Fun; the latter group released the international number-one single "We Are Young" which won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year and topped the Hot 100 for six weeks. He was previously the lead singer of the indie rock band Steel Train. Aside from his work with Bleachers and Fun, Antonoff has worked as a songwriter and record producer with various artists, including Taylor Swift, the 1975, Lorde, St. Vincent, Florence and the Machine, Lana Del Rey, Fifth Harmony, Kevin Abstract, Carly Rae Jepsen, The Chicks, Tegan and Sara, and Clairo. Antonoff has often been credited with having a significant impact on the sound of contemporary popular music since the mid-2010s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nina Kraviz</span> Russian DJ, music producer, and singer

Nina Kraviz is a Russian DJ, music producer and singer.

<i>St. Vincent</i> (album) 2014 studio album by St. Vincent

St. Vincent is the fourth studio album by American musician St. Vincent. It was released on February 24, 2014, in the United Kingdom and a day later in the United States, through Loma Vista Recordings and Republic Records. Produced by John Congleton, it features collaborations with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings drummer Homer Steinweiss and Midlake drummer McKenzie Smith. The tracks were arranged and demoed by Annie Clark in Austin, Texas and recorded at the Elmwood studio in Dallas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bleachers (band)</span> American alternative rock band

Bleachers is an American rock band from New Jersey and the official stage name of songwriter and record producer Jack Antonoff. Bleachers' rock music is heavily influenced by the late '80s, early '90s, and the high school-based films of John Hughes while still using modern production techniques. Their debut single "I Wanna Get Better" was released in February 2014, followed by three studio albums: Strange Desire (2014), Gone Now (2017), and Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night (2021).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Digital Witness</span> 2014 single by St. Vincent

"Digital Witness" is the second single from St. Vincent, the eponymous fourth album by American musician St. Vincent. It was released with another single, "Birth in Reverse", on a gold vinyl triangle packaged with the album. The song, whose lyrics deal with dependence on social media, and its music video have both received positive attention from critics. Darkside produced a remix soon after the song's release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Take the Money</span> 2017 song

"Don't Take the Money" is a song recorded by American indie pop act Bleachers from their second studio album Gone Now (2017). Frontman Jack Antonoff co-wrote the song with New Zealand singer Lorde, while production was handled by Antonoff, Greg Kurstin and Vince Clarke. It was released on 30 March 2017, by RCA Records as the album's lead single. "Don't Take the Money" is a pop and synth-pop song with influences from 1980s music. According to Antonoff, the song's title is a phrase he uses frequently in a motivational context about meeting a future lover.

"Sober" is a song recorded by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde, from her second studio album Melodrama (2017). Lorde co-wrote and co-produced the song with Jack Antonoff, with production assistance from Malay and vocal production from Kuk Harrell. It was released on 9 June 2017, by Republic as the album's second promotional single. "Sober" is the first of a two-track song, which is completed by "Sober II (Melodrama)". It is an electronic R&B and alternative pop song that features a tiger's roar, trumpets, brass and tenor and baritone saxophones in its production. The lyrics detail the desire to tell someone how you feel about them while wondering how it will be once the liquor wears down.

"The Louvre" is a song recorded by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde for her second album, Melodrama (2017). She co-wrote and co-produced the track with Jack Antonoff, with additional production from Flume and Malay. "The Louvre" is an electropop song that has influences of other genres such as indie rock and ambient music. Its name derives from the Louvre, an art museum in Paris, France. The lyrics talk about Lorde's honest, lightly-manic analysis of a newly-sparked romance comparing it to a painting hung behind the quintessential works of the Louvre.

"Hard Feelings/Loveless" is a medley song recorded by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde for her second album, Melodrama (2017). She wrote and co-produced the track with Jack Antonoff, with additional production from Frank Dukes. It draws influences from genres such as industrial music and noise music, and uses a distorted synthesizer. "Loveless" includes two samples: a voice sample taken from a documentary about Paul Simon's 1986 album Graceland, and a drum solo from Phil Collins' 1981 song "In the Air Tonight". The lyrics detail the emotions of falling out of love while mocking the current generation's lengths to pretend to be unaffected by love.

<i>Masseduction</i> 2017 studio album by St. Vincent

Masseduction is the fifth studio album by American musician St. Vincent, released on October 13, 2017, through Loma Vista Recordings. The album peaked at number 10 on the Billboard 200, becoming her first top ten album in the United States. The album also received universal acclaim and was the fourth-most mentioned in critics' year-end lists for 2017. At the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, Masseduction won the award for Best Recording Package and Best Rock Song for its title track, and was also nominated for the Best Alternative Music Album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Ageless</span> 2017 single by St. Vincent

"Los Ageless" is a song by the American musician St. Vincent. It was released on September 6, 2017, through Loma Vista as the second single from her fifth studio album, Masseduction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mariners Apartment Complex</span> 2018 single by Lana Del Rey

"Mariners Apartment Complex" is a song by American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey for her sixth studio album Norman Fucking Rockwell! (2019). She wrote the song after a late night walk with her then partner, while they were reaching an "apartment complex". Produced by Del Rey and co-writer Jack Antonoff, it combines country, psychedelic folk, and soft rock over a balladic production. Lyrically, the narrator assures her lover of constant support and guidance in their beautiful yet problematic relationship. The song was released as the lead single from the album on September 12, 2018, by Polydor and Interscope Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gone (Charli XCX and Christine and the Queens song)</span> 2019 single by Charli XCX and Christine and the Queens

"Gone" is a song by British singer Charli XCX and French singer Christine and the Queens. It was released on 17 July 2019 as the third single from Charli XCX's third studio album Charli. The music video was released alongside the track.

<i>Daddys Home</i> (St. Vincent album) 2021 studio album by St. Vincent

Daddy's Home is the sixth studio album by American musician Annie Clark, better known as St. Vincent, released on May 14, 2021 by Loma Vista Recordings. Like its predecessor, Masseduction (2017), Clark produced the album alongside Jack Antonoff. Daddy's Home was inspired by Clark's father's release from prison at the end of 2019, as well as the musical palette of New York City in the first half of the 1970s. The record musically incorporates lounge-pop and psychedelic music. The album won the award for Best Alternative Music Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.

"Pay Your Way in Pain" is a song recorded by American musician St. Vincent for her sixth studio album, Daddy's Home (2021). The song was written and produced by St. Vincent and Jack Antonoff. It was released on March 4, 2021, as the album's lead single by Loma Vista Recordings and Concord Records. A synth-driven funk song influenced by the 1970s, its lyrics were inspired by the singer's own struggles.

References

  1. 1 2 "Review: St. Vincent - "New York"". Spin. 2017-06-30. Retrieved 2020-04-25.
  2. "New York - Single by St. Vincent on Apple Music". iTunes . June 30, 2017. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  3. Coscarelli, Joe (May 24, 2017). "You May Not Know Jack Antonoff. But You Probably Love His Music". The New York Times . Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  4. Reed, Ryan (June 29, 2016). "Watch St. Vincent Debut New Song Wearing Toilet Costume". Rolling Stone . Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  5. Renshaw, David (June 30, 2017). "St. Vincent Shares New Song "New York"". The Fader . Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  6. 1 2 Cush, Andy (June 30, 2017). "Review: St. Vincent - "New York"". Spin . Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  7. Snapes, Laura (June 30, 2017). "Review: "New York" Review". Pitchfork . Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  8. "The 200 Best Songs of the 2010s". Pitchfork. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 2019-10-10.
  9. Renshaw, David (August 31, 2017). "St. Vincent Shares Bright "New York" Video". The Fader . Retrieved October 5, 2017.
  10. Josephs, Brian (August 31, 2017). "Video: St. Vincent – "New York"". Spin . Retrieved October 5, 2017.
  11. Zara, Janelle (16 February 2018). "Basking in the Day-Glo of St. Vincent and Alex da Corte". The New York Times.
  12. "Alex da Corte: C-A-T Spells Murder".
  13. Masseduction (booklet). St. Vincent. Loma Vista Recordings. 2017. LVR00226.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. "St. Vincent – New York" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  15. "St. Vincent Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 2, 2017.