Seek Shelter

Last updated

Seek Shelter
Iceage - Seek Shelter (Album Cover).jpg
Studio album by
Released7 May 2021 (2021-05-07)
StudioNamouche Studios Lisbon, Portugal
Genre Post-punk [1]
Length41:24
Label Mexican Summer
Producer
Iceage chronology
Beyondless
(2018)
Seek Shelter
(2021)
Singles from Seek Shelter
  1. "The Holding Hand"
    Released: 2 February 2021
  2. "Vendetta"
    Released: 17 February 2021
  3. "Shelter Song"
    Released: 24 March 2021

Seek Shelter is the fifth studio album by Danish punk rock band Iceage. It was released on 7 May 2021, by Mexican Summer. A post-punk album with classic rock and Britpop influences, [1] [2] Seek Shelter experiments with diverse sounds that recalls the music of the Pogues, the Replacements, the Rolling Stones, and the Velvet Underground. [3] Upon release, the album was met with widespread critical acclaim with praise towards its eclectic sound and poetic lyricism.

Contents

Background and release

Seek Shelter follows Iceage's 2018 album, Beyondless . Recorded in "lengthy" sessions in Namouche Studios in Lisbon, Portugal, the album was produced by Iceage in collaboration with Sonic Boom of Spacemen 3 and their longtime collaborator Nis Bysted. The album features guest appearances from guitarist Casper Morilla Fernandez and the Lisboa Gospel Collective. It was mixed by Shawn Everett. The record was announced in February 2021, alongside the cover-art and tracklist. [4] [5] [6] The album closer "The Holding Hand" was served as the first single from the album on 2 February. [7] "Vendetta" was released as the album's second single on 17 February. [8] The title track was delivered as the third and final single from the album on 24 March. [4] Seek Shelter was released on 7 May 2021 by Mexican Summer. [5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.1/10 [9]
Metacritic 84/100 [10]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [11]
DIY Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Exclaim! 9/10 [6]
Gigwise Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
The Line of Best Fit 9/10 [3]
Loud and Quiet 8/10 [13]
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [14]
Paste 7.7/10 [15]
Pitchfork 8.3/10 [2]
Under the Radar 8.5/10 [16]

At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 86, based on nine reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [10] At AnyDecentMusic?, which collates album reviews from websites, magazines and newspapers, they gave the release a 8.1 out of 13, based on a critical consensus of 13 reviews. [9]

Pitchfork writer Stuart Berman selected Seek Shelter as one of the best rock records of its release week, and wrote that it "completes [Iceage]'s transformation from grim-faced nihilists to wearied soothsayers" while also retaining their "restless spirit". [2] Matthew Ritchie of Exclaim! called the album a "stunning achievement". He praised it for showcasing Iceage as "refusing to be pigeonholed and instead reaching out — exploring life, love and the lack thereof — and ending up exactly where they should be." [6] Gigwise 's Adam England praised the album as Iceage's "most accessible record yet". [1] Labelling it as "a rollercoaster ride of diverse influences", Joe Goggins from DIY commended the experimentation with eclectic sounds and "earnest" lyricism. [12]

Lizzie Manno of Paste lauded Rønnenfelt's lyricism which she described as "evocative yet elusive" and felt "deliberately impressionistic", calling the album "a statement of tireless reinvention". [15] NME 's Patrick Clarke viewed it as "a record overflowing in grandeur, a vast emotional release after a decade spent coiled like a spring". [14] Laim Martin of AllMusic opined that the album showcases the band's "flair for the theatric, leaving their scrappy beginnings firmly behind", and concluded that Seek Shelter is "a triumph for the band, born out of strange times, and although it may not be their best, their blend of bitter and sweet still rings true". [11]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Elias Bender Rønnenfelt; all music is composed by Iceage; and all tracks are produced by Sonic Boom, Nis Bysted, and Iceage. [17]

Seek Shelter track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Shelter Song"5:29
2."High & Hurt"4:09
3."Love Kills Slowly"4:10
4."Vendetta"5:13
5."Drink Rain"3:28
6."Gold City"4:13
7."Dear Saint Cecilia"4:51
8."The Wider Powder Blue"4:25
9."The Holding Hand"5:26
Total length:41:24
Japanese edition bonus track [18]
No.TitleLength
10."Shelter Song" (Acoustic)5:17
Total length:46:41

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal. [17]

Charts

Chart performance for Seek Shelter
Chart (2021)Peak
position
Danish Albums (Hitlisten) [19] 9
Scottish Albums (OCC) [20] 27
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [21] 9
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) [22] 1

Related Research Articles

<i>Intimacy</i> (Bloc Party album) 2008 Bloc Party album

Intimacy is the third studio album by English indie rock band Bloc Party. It was recorded in two weeks at several locations in London and Kent during 2008 and was produced by Jacknife Lee and Paul Epworth. The band members made the album available for purchase on their website as a digital download on 21 August 2008. Minimal promotion was undertaken in the UK. The record was released in compact disc form on 24 October 2008, with Wichita Recordings as the primary label. It peaked at number 8 on the UK Albums Chart and entered the Billboard 200 in the United States at number 18.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iceage</span> Danish punk rock band

Iceage is a Danish punk rock band from Copenhagen. The band was formed in 2008 and has released the albums New Brigade (2011), You're Nothing (2013), Plowing Into the Field of Love (2014), Beyondless (2018), and Seek Shelter (2021).

<i>New Brigade</i> 2011 studio album by Iceage

New Brigade is the debut album by Danish punk rock band Iceage.

<i>Youre Nothing</i> 2013 studio album by Iceage

You're Nothing is the second studio album by Danish punk rock band Iceage. The album was released through Matador Records on 19 February 2013. Like its predecessor, New Brigade, the album was met with critical acclaim.

<i>Metz</i> (album) 2012 studio album by METZ

METZ is the debut studio album by Canadian punk rock band METZ. It was released on October 9, 2012 via Sub Pop Records. Recording sessions took place at The Barn Window Studio and at The Dream House. Production was handled by the band themselves.

<i>Sea When Absent</i> 2014 studio album by A Sunny Day in Glasgow

Sea When Absent is the fourth studio album by American indie rock band A Sunny Day in Glasgow. It was released on June 24, 2014 by Lefse Records.

<i>Plowing Into the Field of Love</i> 2014 studio album by Iceage

Plowing Into the Field of Love is the third studio album by Danish punk band Iceage. The album was released through Matador Records on October 6, 2014 worldwide and on October 7, 2014 in the US.

<i>For All My Sisters</i> 2015 studio album by The Cribs

For All My Sisters is the sixth studio album by English band The Cribs. It was released in Germany on 20 March 2015, in the UK on 23 March and in North America on 24 March. The Cribs announced the album title and track-listing on 19 January 2015, along with the teaser track "An Ivory Hand". The album was recorded in New York with producer Ric Ocasek - the last album he produced before his death in 2019. This is the first Cribs album to not be released by their longtime label Wichita Recordings, as the group signed a deal with Sony RED UK to release recordings under their own label, Sonic Blew.

<i>Rhine Gold</i> (album) 2012 studio album by Choir of Young Believers

Rhine Gold is the second studio album by Copenhagen-based Danish chamber pop band Choir of Young Believers, released in Europe on February 27, 2012, on Tigerspring and in the United States on March 20, 2012, on Ghostly International.

<i>Beyondless</i> 2018 studio album by Iceage

Beyondless is the fourth studio album by Danish punk rock band Iceage. The album was released through Matador on 4 May 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Midi</span> English rock band

Black Midi are an English rock band from London, formed in 2017. Their most recent line-up consisted of lead vocalists and multi-instrumentalists Geordie Greep and Cameron Picton, along with drummer Morgan Simpson. Between 2017 and 2020, the band also included guitarist Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin. Following his departure, the trio were frequently joined by multi-instrumentalist Seth Evans and saxophonist Kaidi Akinnibi, both as session musicians and during live performances. Their name is derived from the Japanese electronic music genre black MIDI, though their own music has no relation to it, instead incorporating styles such as math rock, progressive rock, post-punk, and avant-jazz.

<i>Græ</i> 2020 studio album by Moses Sumney

Græ is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Moses Sumney. The double album was released in two parts by Jagjaguwar. The first part was released digitally on February 21, 2020, followed by the full album, including its second part, on May 15, 2020.

<i>Every Bad</i> 2020 studio album by Porridge Radio

Every Bad is the second studio album by British indie rock band Porridge Radio. It was released on 13 March 2020 on the record label Secretly Canadian. The album was nominated for the 2020 Mercury Prize.

<i>Fake It Flowers</i> 2020 studio album by Beabadoobee

Fake It Flowers is the debut studio album by Filipino-English singer and songwriter Beabadoobee. It was released under English independent label Dirty Hit on 16 October 2020. Continuing the departure from her previous lo-fi bedroom pop sound initiated on Space Cadet, Fake It Flowers is a more guitar-driven album which recalls "'90s slacker rock" and alternative rock. Beabadoobee announced the release of the album in mid-July 2020 and supported it with the singles "Care", "Sorry", "Worth It", "How Was Your Day?" and "Together". She embarked on a headlining tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland to support the album in 2021.

<i>For the First Time</i> (Black Country, New Road album) 2021 studio album by Black Country, New Road

For the First Time is the debut studio album by British rock band Black Country, New Road, released on 5 February 2021 through Ninja Tune. The album was preceded by the release of two singles, "Science Fair" and "Track X", and also includes re-recorded versions of their 2019 debut singles "Athens, France" and "Sunglasses". Known for experimenting with post-punk, klezmer, free jazz, and math rock, the band showcased a clear preference for atmospherics over post-punk on For the First Time.

<i>Carnage</i> (Nick Cave and Warren Ellis album) 2021 studio album by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis

Carnage is a 2021 studio album by Australian musicians Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. Longtime collaborators in Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Grinderman, Carnage is their first full-length studio album as a duo, apart from their extensive work in film music. It was recorded during the COVID-19 lockdown and released digitally on 25 February 2021 via Goliath Records, with a CD and vinyl release on 28 May 2021, but was pushed back to 18 June 2021.

<i>The Ballad of Dood and Juanita</i> 2021 studio album by Sturgill Simpson

The Ballad of Dood and Juanita is the seventh studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson, released on August 20, 2021. Simpson describes the album as "traditional country, bluegrass and mountain music, including gospel and a cappella." Simpson wrote and recorded the album in a week, with a backing band known as the Hillbilly Avengers. Willie Nelson guests on the song "Juanita".

<i>Everything Was Beautiful</i> 2022 studio album by Spiritualized

Everything Was Beautiful is the ninth studio album by Spiritualized, released under Fat Possum Records on April 22, 2022. The album contains influences from psychedelic music, gospel music, and classic rock.

<i>Being Funny in a Foreign Language</i> 2022 studio album by the 1975

Being Funny in a Foreign Language is the fifth studio album by English band the 1975. It was released on 14 October 2022 by Dirty Hit. The album was recorded primarily at Real World Studios in Wiltshire. The band released the lead single "Part of the Band" on 7 July 2022, which was followed by the subsequent singles "Happiness", "I'm in Love with You", "All I Need to Hear", "About You", "Oh Caroline", and "Looking for Somebody ".

<i>Reset</i> (Panda Bear and Sonic Boom album) 2022 album by Panda Bear and Sonic Boom

Reset is an album by Panda Bear and Sonic Boom, released on August 12, 2022 through Domino. It marks the duo's first collaborative album; Kember had previously co-produced Lennox's Tomboy (2011) and Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper (2015).

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 England, Adam (4 May 2021). "Album Review: Iceage – Seek Shelter". Gigwise . Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Berman, Stuart (6 May 2021). "Iceage – Seek Shelter". Pitchfork . Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  3. 1 2 Horton, Ross (6 May 2021). "Iceage continue heading directly for the stars on the sprawling and powerful Seek Shelter". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  4. 1 2 Blisten, Jon (24 March 2021). "Iceage Find Comfort Among Friends and Family in New 'Shelter Song' Video". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  5. 1 2 Yoo, Noah (17 February 2021). "Iceage Announce New Album Seek Shelter, Share New Song 'Vendetta': Watch the Video". Pitchfork . Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 Ritchie, Matthew (5 May 2021). "Iceage's 'Seek Shelter' Will Restore Anyone's Faith in Rock Music". Exclaim! . Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  7. Martoccio, Angie (2 February 2021). "Hell Freezes Over on Iceage's Dark New Single 'The Holding Hand'". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  8. Jones, Damian (17 February 2021). "Iceage announce new album 'Seek Shelter' and share video for epic single 'Vendetta'". NME . Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  9. 1 2 "AnyDecentMusic? Review". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  10. 1 2 "Metacritic Review". Metacritic . Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  11. 1 2 Martin, Liam. "Seek Shelter – Iceage". AllMusic . Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  12. 1 2 Goggins, Joe (6 May 2021). "Iceage – Seek Shelter". DIY . Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  13. Konemann, Liam (6 May 2021). "Iceage – Seek Shelter". Loud and Quiet . Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  14. 1 2 Balram, Dhruva (6 May 2021). "Iceage – 'Seek Shelter' review: Danish punks' bombastic arena rock reinvention". NME . Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  15. 1 2 Manno, Lizzie (6 May 2021). "Iceage's Seek Shelter Is Unsurprisingly Ambitious". Paste . Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  16. Gourley, Dom (6 May 2021). "Iceage – Seek Shelter". Under the Radar . Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  17. 1 2 "Seek Shelter – Iceage". Tidal. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  18. "The Fratellis | Big Nothing / SEEK SHELTER". ビッグ・ナッシング / シーク・シェルター (in Japanese). Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  19. "Hitlisten.NU – Album Top-40 Uge 19, 2021". Hitlisten . Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  20. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  21. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  22. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 May 2021.