| Singing Saw | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 15, 2016 | |||
| Recorded | 2015–2016 at Isokon Studios in Woodstock, New York | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 43:25 | |||
| Label | Dead Oceans | |||
| Producer | Sam Cohen | |||
| Kevin Morby chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Singing Saw | ||||
| ||||
Singing Saw is the third studio album by American indie rock musician Kevin Morby, released on April 15, 2016, on Dead Oceans. [1]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 8.1/10 [2] |
| Metacritic | 84/100 [3] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| Consequence of Sound | B [5] |
| Mojo | [6] |
| NME | 4/5 [7] |
| The Observer | [8] |
| Pitchfork | 8.3/10 [9] |
| PopMatters | 8/10 [10] |
| Q | [11] |
| Record Collector | [12] |
| Uncut | 9/10 [13] |
Singing Saw received widespread critical acclaim 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 84, based on 13 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim ". [3]
Mark Richardson of Pitchfork praised the album, stating, "Singing Saw is his strongest album because it shows a process of refinement, and because Morby’s songwriting has become less referential and more grounded. The basic ingredients haven’t changed, but Morby is figuring out how to retain and amplify his strongest points—his weary and wise voice, his understanding of how the musical pieces fit together—and leave everything else behind. On his debut, Morby’s voice cracked in places, suggesting effort that transcended ability, but Singing Saw finds him cool and controlled at every turn, fully aware of his limitations but confident in what he can accomplish within them. His singing is simultaneously intimate and distant, part conversation and part stylized monologue. Single lines don’t really stand out, but Morby’s commitment to such elemental concerns has a cumulative effect, and the album’s lack of specificity becomes a strength." [9]
| Publication | Accolade | Year | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mojo | The 50 Best Albums of 2016 | 2016 | 23 | |
| Pitchfork | The 20 Best Rock Albums of 2016 | 2016 | — | |
| The 50 Best Albums of 2016 | 2016 | 34 | ||
| Readers' Top 50 Albums of 2016 | 2016 | 37 | ||
| Rough Trade | Albums of the Year | 2016 | 28 | |
| The Skinny | Top 50 Albums of 2016 | 2016 | 44 | |
| Uncut | Top 75 Albums of 2016 | 2016 | 50 |
All tracks are written by Kevin Morby
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Cut Me Down" | 3:32 |
| 2. | "I Have Been to the Mountain" | 3:14 |
| 3. | "Singing Saw" | 7:15 |
| 4. | "Drunk and on a Star" | 4:18 |
| 5. | "Dorothy" | 5:08 |
| 6. | "Ferris Wheel" | 3:05 |
| 7. | "Destroyer" | 4:26 |
| 8. | "Black Flowers" | 5:47 |
| 9. | "Water" | 6:40 |
| Total length: | 43:25 | |
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Singing Saw. [21]
| Chart (2016) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [22] | 104 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [23] | 158 |
| French Albums (SNEP) [24] | 182 |
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots is the tenth studio album by American rock band the Flaming Lips, released on July 16, 2002, by Warner Bros. Records. The album saw the band pursue a more electronic direction than previous efforts, incorporating acoustic guitars and rhythms influenced by hip hop and top 40 music. The album was well-received critically and commercially, helping the band break into popularity, and was adapted into a musical in 2012. In 2022, the band announced a 20th anniversary box set version of the album and that they would perform the album in full twice in early 2023.
Come on Feel the Lemonheads is the sixth studio album by the American alternative rock band the Lemonheads. It was released on October 12, 1993. Produced by The Robb Brothers, the band lineup consisted of Evan Dando, Nic Dalton and David Ryan (drums), along with former bassist Juliana Hatfield singing backing vocals on several tracks. The album was written by Dando and his songwriting partner Tom Morgan. Following the success of their prior album, It's a Shame About Ray, the band had attracted considerable media attention as alternative rock darlings, and some big-name guest musicians appeared on the album as well, including the Go-Go's lead singer Belinda Carlisle and funk musician Rick James. The song "Into Your Arms", a cover version of a song written and recorded previously by Dalton's former band, became the Lemonheads' biggest charting hit.
Isn't Anything is the debut studio album by Irish-English rock band My Bloody Valentine, released on 21 November 1988 by Creation Records. Its innovative guitar and production techniques consolidated the experimentation of the band's preceding EPs and would make the album a pioneering work of the subgenre known as shoegazing. Upon its release, the album received rave critical reviews and reached No. 1 on the UK Independent Albums Chart.
Up is the seventh studio and thirteenth album overall by the English rock musician Peter Gabriel, released on 23 September 2002 through Geffen and Real World Records. The album rose to number 9 in the US, number 11 in the UK, and captured the number 1 position in Italy. The album debuted with sales of 76,000 units in the US and was the highest charting album on the Billboard 200 from a British artist that week. Most critics reviewed it positively, though Rolling Stone said Gabriel was "out of touch". This would be Gabriel's last studio album of new original material until the release of I/O (2023), although he did release several studio projects in the interim.
White Chalk is the seventh studio album by the English singer-songwriter and musician PJ Harvey, released on 24 September 2007 on Island Records.
Grinderman 2 is the second and final studio album by alternative rock band Grinderman, a side project of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, released on 13 September 2010 on Mute Records in the United Kingdom and ANTI- in the United States.
The Promise is a compilation album by the American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released November 16, 2010, on Columbia Records. The album is a collection of previously unreleased songs which were recorded during the Darkness on the Edge of Town sessions in 1977–1978, with some vocals and additional instrumentation overdubs recorded in 2010. It was released in 2CD and 3LP formats. The album is also available as part of the box set The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story. The two-CD version of the release entered the UK Albums Chart at number 7. It had been in production for many years and was originally scheduled to be released for the 30th anniversary in 2008. The Promise debuted at number 16 on the Billboard 200, while the box set, The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story, debuted at number 27.
The English Riviera is the third studio album by English electronic music band Metronomy, released on 8 April 2011 by Because Music. Following the release of their second studio album, Nights Out (2008), founding member Gabriel Stebbing left the band. However, Stebbing recorded the bass parts on the album prior to his departure.
Kevin Robert Morby is an American musician, singer, and songwriter. A former member of Woods and The Babies, Morby has released seven solo studio albums: Harlem River (2013), Still Life (2014), Singing Saw (2016), City Music (2017), Oh My God (2019), Sundowner (2020), and This Is a Photograph (2022).
Give My Love to London is the 19th studio album by British singer Marianne Faithfull. The 11-track album was released on 29 September 2014 on the Dramatico and Naïve record labels. In America and Canada, it was issued on 10 November by Easy Sound. It includes collaborations with Nick Cave, Anna Calvi, Roger Waters and Brian Eno. "Sparrows Will Sing" was released as a single from the album.
B'lieve I'm Goin Down... is the sixth studio album by American indie rock musician Kurt Vile, released on September 25, 2015, on Matador Records. A deluxe edition, B'lieve I'm Goin (Deep) Down..., featuring six additional tracks, was released on the same day.
Delirium is the third studio album by English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding, released on 6 November 2015 by Polydor Records. Music critics were generally impressed by the overall production of the record, although they were ambivalent in regards to its originality. It debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200, earning Goulding her highest-charting record in the latter country and her highest first-week sales figures in both territories. The album spawned three singles: "On My Mind", "Army" and "Something in the Way You Move".
The Hope Six Demolition Project is the ninth studio album by the English singer-songwriter and musician PJ Harvey, released on 15 April 2016 on Island Records. It followed her acclaimed Mercury Prize-winning album Let England Shake, released in 2011.
No Shape is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Perfume Genius, released on May 5, 2017, through Matador Records as the follow-up to Too Bright (2014).
Songs of Praise is the debut studio album by the British post-punk band Shame, released via Dead Oceans in January 2018.
Sundowner is the sixth studio album by American indie rock musician Kevin Morby, released on October 16, 2020, on Dead Oceans.
The Dream is the fourth album by English indie rock band alt-J, released on 11 February 2022 by Infectious Music and the Canvasback Music division of Atlantic Records. It was promoted with the single "U&Me", which was released alongside the album's announcement on 22 September 2021. The track listing for the album was also revealed on this date through publication Stereogum. "Get Better" was released as the album's second single on 3 November 2021 and was accompanied by a pixel-art music video. "Hard Drive Gold" was released as the album's third single on 5 January 2022. "The Actor" was released as the fourth single on 7 February 2022.
Watch My Moves, stylized as (watch my moves), is the ninth studio album by American indie rock musician Kurt Vile, released on April 15, 2022, on Verve Forecast Records. Co-produced by Vile and Rob Schnapf, the album's initial recording sessions began in 2019, during the tour in support of Vile's previous album, Bottle It In. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, resulted in Vile building a home recording studio, OKV Central, at which he, Schnapf and his backing band the Violators worked on the majority of the album's songs across lockdowns in 2020 and 2021.
This Is a Photograph is the seventh studio album by American indie rock musician Kevin Morby, released on May 13, 2022, on Dead Oceans. The album is inspired by Morby's fascination with the city of Memphis, Tennessee, and was produced by musician Sam Cohen. It features a guest appearance by indie folk singer-songwriter Erin Rae. It was promoted by the singles "This Is a Photograph", "Rock Bottom" and "A Random Act of Kindness". It received acclaim from critics, who praised Morby's vulnerability and assessed it as a new artistic peak.
Lives Outgrown is the debut solo studio album by English musician Beth Gibbons, released on 17 May 2024 through Domino Recording Company. The album was produced by Gibbons, James Ford and Lee Harris. It was preceded by the singles "Floating on a Moment", "Reaching Out" and "Lost Changes". The album received positive reviews from critics, and was nominated for the 2024 Mercury Prize.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)