Plaza (album)

Last updated
Plaza
Plaza (album) (Front Cover).jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedFebruary 26, 2016
RecordedSpring 2015
Studio Gary's Electric Studio, Brooklyn, New York
Genre
Length40:42
Label Mexican Summer
Producer Jarvis Taveniere
Quilt chronology
Held in Splendor
(2014)
Plaza
(2016)
Singles from Plaza
  1. "Eliot St."
    Released: November 4, 2015
  2. "Roller"
    Released: January 12, 2016

Plaza is the third studio album by American psychedelic indie rock band Quilt, released on February 26, 2016 on Mexican Summer. [1]

Contents

Release

The album was preceded by the singles "Eliot St." and "Roller". [2] [3] A music video for "Roller" was released on February 11, 2016 and a music video for "Padova" was released on May 26, 2016. [4] [5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 76/100 [6]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Clash 7/10 [8]
DIY Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
The Line of Best Fit 7.5/10 [10]
musicOMH Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Paste 8.0/10 [12]
Pitchfork 7.7/10 [13]
Spin 6/10 [14]
Under the Radar Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [15]

Plaza received favorable reviews from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 76, based on 14 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". [6]

Zach Hollwedel of Under the Radar praised the album, stating, "From the opening riff in "Passerby" to the closing bars of "Own Ways," it is a record from another era, one that deepens and expands with each consecutive listen, as it recalls the likes of Jefferson Airplane and even, on occasion, later and trippier Beatles. But for all its reverence of what's come before, the psych-rock album is as much a product of today as it is a throwback to flower power. Plaza is a richly layered, full-bodied record that impressively harnesses four-part harmonies and grade-A songwriting." [15] Ross Jones of DIY gave the album a favorable review, stating, "In boldly delving into their pop sensibilities, the group have created an album that encompasses their intriguing convictions for different genres and refined it into a record of high quality." [9] Heather Phares of AllMusic gave the album a favorable review, stating, "Even if Quilt don't always find the answers they're looking for on Plaza, they've found some of their most confident and cohesive music." [7]

Anna Gaca of Spin was more critical of the album, stating, "None of Plaza is bad. It's carefully and competently constructed, palatable but perilously short on whimsy. The cover image, a drawing by the late Los Angeles contemporary artist Ken Price, is awfully easy on the eyes. But Quilt's newly straight-laced psych simply doesn't hold the interest of its current peers, whether it's Amen Dunes' drunken confessionals or Widowspeak's dreamy intimacy. Folk-pop has moved on, while Quilt has evened out. They're still searching, but the mystery's already been solved." [14] Graeme Marsh of musicOMH gave the album an average review, stating, "Whilst Held in Splendor was seen as major progress, Plaza as a whole feels more like a band treading water in the middle of a psychedelic ocean wondering which way the land lies. It would be lazy to arrive at the conclusion that it's simply down to a gaping divide between those tracks led by Rochinski's sultry tones and those where the lead vocals come from her male companions, but it is strikingly obvious that those songs are where an appreciation for Plaza should probably begin." [11]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Passersby"4:15
2."Roller"4:14
3."Searching For"3:07
4."O'Connor's Barn"4:10
5."Eliot St."4:31
6."Hissing My Plea"4:25
7."Something There"3:46
8."Padova"4:02
9."Your Island"2:49
10."Own Ways"5:23
Total length:40:42

Related Research Articles

<i>The Century of Self</i> 2009 studio album by ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead

The Century of Self is the sixth studio album by ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead.

<i>Have One on Me</i> 2010 studio album by Joanna Newsom

Have One on Me is the third studio album by the American singer-songwriter Joanna Newsom, released on February 23, 2010 via Drag City. It is a triple album produced by Newsom and mixed by longtime collaborators Jim O'Rourke and Noah Georgeson, with arrangements by Ryan Francesconi.

<i>Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill</i> 2008 studio album by Grouper

Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill is the fifth studio album by American musician Liz Harris under the stage name Grouper. It was released on June 10, 2008 on Type Records. The album was later reissued alongside Grouper's The Man Who Died in His Boat in 2013 by Kranky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quilt (band)</span>

Quilt is a four-piece psychedelic indie rock band from Boston consisting of Anna Fox Rochinski (vocals/guitars), Shane Butler (vocals/guitars), Keven Lareau (vocals/bass) and John Andrews (vocals/drums). They have released three albums, an EP, and a handful of singles through Mexican Summer. The band tours internationally. They write collaboratively and share vocal duties. They were born out of a local improv scene, and combine elements of folk-rock, psychedelia and dream pop.

<i>Held in Splendor</i> 2014 studio album by Quilt

Held in Splendor is the second studio album by American psychedelic indie rock band Quilt on January 28, 2014, on Mexican Summer.

<i>Moth</i> (album) 2016 studio album by Chairlift

Moth is the third and final full-length album by American indie band Chairlift, released in the United States via Columbia Records on January 22, 2016. The album art was created by NYC visual artist Rebecca Bird.

<i>Arcadia</i> (album) 2014 studio album by Ramona Lisa

Arcadia is the debut album by American singer-songwriter and producer Caroline Polachek, her only one under the name Ramona Lisa. It was released on April 15, 2014 through Terrible Records in North America, Bella Union imprint Pannonica in Europe and Japan, and Mistletone in Australia and New Zealand. The album was promoted by the singles "Arcadia", "Backwards and Upwards", and "Dominic".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">True Disaster</span> 2016 single by Tove Lo

"True Disaster" is a song by Swedish singer and songwriter Tove Lo released as the second single from Lady Wood (2016), her second studio album. The song was written by Lo and Oscar Holter, and produced by Holter. It was released for US radio on 15 November 2016 by Republic Records. On 3 February 2017, Lo released the remixed version of the song called "True Disaster ".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anymore (Goldfrapp song)</span> 2017 single by Goldfrapp

"Anymore" is a song performed by English group Goldfrapp from their seventh studio album Silver Eye (2017). It was released as a CD single and digital download on 23 January 2017 through Mute Records. The song was written and produced by Alison Goldfrapp and William Owen Gregory, with additional production coming from The Haxan Cloak and John Congleton. The song incorporates several genres, including dance-pop, electronica and synth-pop, and takes influence from disco and glitch music. Critics noticed similarities between "Anymore" and the music from their 2003 album Black Cherry. Lyrically, Goldfrapp sings in robotic vocals about romance, which one critic felt referenced their 2005 single "Ooh La La".

<i>Beings</i> (album) 2015 studio album by Lanterns on the Lake

Beings is the third studio album by British indie band Lanterns on the Lake. It was released 13 November 2015 under Bella Union.

<i>Okovi</i> 2017 studio album by Zola Jesus

Okovi is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Zola Jesus. It was released on September 8, 2017 by Sacred Bones Records. The album was written in Danilova's hometown in Wisconsin, where she retreated after dealing with depression and dark times experienced by her close friends.

<i>Kazuashita</i> 2018 studio album by Gang Gang Dance

Kazuashita is the sixth studio album by American experimental music band Gang Gang Dance. It was released on June 22, 2018 under 4AD.

<i>Vol. 4: Slaves of Fear</i> 2019 studio album by Health

Vol. 4: Slaves of Fear is the fourth studio album by American noise rock band Health. It was released on February 8, 2019 through Loma Vista Recordings. The album was largely praised by critics.

<i>Lost Girls</i> (album) 2019 studio album by Bat for Lashes

Lost Girls is the fifth studio album by English singer-songwriter Natasha Khan, known professionally as Bat for Lashes. It was released on 6 September 2019 through AWAL. It is Khan's follow up to 2016's The Bride. The lead single "Kids in the Dark" was released on 10 June 2019.

<i>Goat Girl</i> (album) 2018 studio album by Goat Girl

Goat Girl is the debut eponymous studio album by English post-punk band Goat Girl. It was released on 6 April 2018, by Rough Trade Records.

<i>Lacuna</i> (album) 2014 studio album by Childhood

Lacuna is the debut studio album by English band Childhood. It was released on 11 August 2014 under Marathon Artists.

<i>Silver Tongue</i> (album) 2020 studio album by Torres

Silver Tongue is the fourth studio album by American musician Torres. It was released on January 31, 2020, under Merge Records.

<i>Shadow Offering</i> 2020 studio album by Braids

Shadow Offering is the fourth studio album by Canadian experimental pop/art rock band Braids. It was originally slated to be released on April 24, 2020, but was delayed to June 19 of that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

<i>Rebound</i> (Eleanor Friedberger album) 2018 studio album by Eleanor Friedberger

Rebound is the fourth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Eleanor Friedberger. It was released on May 4, 2018, by Frenchkiss Records. Friedberger had been inspired to write the album following a 2017 trip to Athens, Greece, where she visited a nightclub called Rebound. The album marked a stylistic departure for Friedberger, with synthesizers and drum machines replacing the live bands on her previous albums. Two singles — lead single "In Between Stars" and "Everything" — were released prior to the album, in addition to one promotional song, "Make Me a Song".

<i>Dry Food</i> 2015 studio album by Palehound

Dry Food is the debut album by US band Palehound. It was released on 14 August 2015 on record label Exploding in Sound.

References

  1. Roberts, Christopher (2015-11-04). "Quilt Announce New Album, Share "Eliot St."". Under the Radar . Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  2. Tully Claymore, Gabriela (2015-11-04). "Quilt – "Eliot St."". Stereogum . Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  3. Robinson, Collin (2016-01-12). "Quilt – "Roller"". Stereogum . Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  4. Breihan, Tom (2016-02-11). "Quilt – "Roller" Video". Stereogum . Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  5. Tully Claymore, Gabriela (2016-05-26). "Quilt – "Padova" Video". Stereogum . Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  6. 1 2 "Plaza – Quilt". Metacritic. CBS Interactive . Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  7. 1 2 Phares, Heather (2016-02-26). "Plaza – Quilt". AllMusic . Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  8. Wojtas, Michael (2016-03-02). "Quilt – Plaza". Clash . Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  9. 1 2 Jones, Ross (2016-02-26). "Quilt – Plaza". DIY . Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  10. King, Ian (2016-02-15). "Quilt – Plaza". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  11. 1 2 Marsh, Graeme (2016-02-29). "Quilt – Plaza". musicOMH . Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  12. Prado, Ryan J. (2016-03-01). "Quilt: Plaza". Paste . Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  13. Reyes-Kulkarni, Saby (2016-03-01). "Quilt: Plaza". Pitchfork . Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  14. 1 2 Gaca, Anna (2016-03-01). "Review: Quilt Tune In, Turn On, and Ultimately Drop Out on 'Plaza'". Spin . Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  15. 1 2 Hollwedel, Zach (2016-02-26). "Quilt: Plaza". Under the Radar . Retrieved 2016-08-05.