Spark | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 26, 2022 | |||
Studio | Sonic Ranch, Tornillo, Texas | |||
Length | 38:18 | |||
Label | Secretly Canadian | |||
Producer |
| |||
Whitney chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Spark | ||||
|
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 64/100 [1] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Clash | 7/10 [3] |
Exclaim! | 7/10 [4] |
The Line of Best Fit | 7/10 [5] |
Pitchfork | 5.8/10 [6] |
Under the Radar | 7.5/10 [7] |
Spark (stylized as SPARK) is the third studio album by American rock duo Whitney. It was released on September 16, 2022, on Secretly Canadian. [8]
In the fall of 2019, band members Julian Ehrlich and Max Kakacek left Chicago for Portland, Oregon, after they both had recently gone through breakups. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they stayed in a rented house in Portland longer than expected, where they began working on what would become Spark. [8] [9] They wrote the album in Portland over the course of 14 months. [10] It was recorded at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas. [7]
The album is noted for its classic pop sound, rather than the duo's previous folk-soul sound. [9] [11] Kakacek described it as "trying to make music that sounds like the early 2000s," with influences including Usher, Ne-Yo, and Gwen Stefani. [8] The album was produced by Brad Cook and John Congleton. [8]
The album was announced on June 16, 2022, along with the release of the single "Real Love". [11] On September 29, 2022, the band began a North American and European tour in support of the album. [11]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Nothing Remains" | 3:00 |
2. | "Back Then" | 2:29 |
3. | "Blue" | 3:05 |
4. | "Twirl" | 4:32 |
5. | "Real Love" | 2:56 |
6. | "Memory" | 3:53 |
7. | "Self" | 2:40 |
8. | "Never Crossed My Mind" | 3:25 |
9. | "Terminal" | 3:11 |
10. | "Heart Will Beat" | 2:51 |
11. | "Lost Control" | 2:48 |
12. | "County Lines" | 3:22 |
Total length: | 38:18 |
Chart (2022) | Peak position |
---|---|
Billboard Album Sales [12] | 91 |
The Shins is an American indie rock band formed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1996. The band is the project of singer-songwriter James Mercer, who has served as the band's sole constant member throughout numerous line-up changes. The band's current line-up consists of Mercer, alongside Yuuki Matthews, Mark Watrous, Patti King (keyboards), and Jon Sortland (drums). They are based in Portland, Oregon.
The Decemberists are an American indie rock band from Portland, Oregon. The band consists of Colin Meloy, Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee, Nate Query (bass), and John Moen (drums).
Calexico is a Tucson, Arizona-based Americana, Tex-Mex, indie rock band. The band's two main members, Joey Burns and John Convertino, first played together in Los Angeles as part of the group Giant Sand. They have recorded a number of albums on Quarterstick Records, while their 2005 EP In the Reins, recorded with Iron & Wine, reached the Billboard 200 album charts. Their musical style is influenced by traditional Latin sounds of mariachi, conjunto, cumbia, and tejano mixed with country, jazz, and post-rock.
Matthew Stephen Ward is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Portland, Oregon. Ward's solo work is a mixture of folk and blues-inspired Americana analog recordings; he has released ten studio albums since 1999, primarily through independent label Merge Records. In addition to his solo work, he is a member of indie pop duo She & Him and folk-rock supergroup Monsters of Folk, and also participates in recording, producing, and playing with multiple other artists.
The Walkmen is an American indie rock band. Active from 2000 to 2013, they are known as part of the 2000s-era post-punk revival in New York City, particularly for their critically acclaimed single "The Rat." The band is made up of drummer Matt Barrick, bassist/organist Peter Matthew Bauer, frontman Hamilton Leithauser, guitarist Paul Maroon, and multi-instrumentalist Walter Martin—all former members of Jonathan Fire*Eater and The Recoys.
Wolf Parade is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 2003 in Montreal. The band released three full-length albums before taking a five-year hiatus in 2011. They announced their return in 2016, releasing a self-titled EP in May of that year, and a fourth studio album, Cry Cry Cry, in October 2017. Their fifth studio album, Thin Mind, was released on January 24, 2020.
Beach House is an American musical duo formed in Baltimore, Maryland in 2004. The band consists of vocalist and keyboardist Victoria Legrand and guitarist, keyboardist, and backup vocalist Alex Scally.
MGMT is an American indie rock band formed in 2002 in Middletown, Connecticut. It was founded by multi-instrumentalists Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser. Alongside VanWyngarden and Goldwasser, MGMT's live lineup currently consists of drummer Will Berman, bassist Simon O'Connor, and guitarist and keyboard James Richardson.
Deerhunter is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2001. The band currently consists of Bradford Cox, Moses Archuleta, Lockett Pundt, Josh McKay (bass) and Javier Morales.
Blitzen Trapper is a Portland, Oregon-based experimental country/folk/rock band associated with Sub Pop Records, Vagrant Records and Lojinx. Formed in 2000, the band currently operates as a quintet, with Eric Earley (guitar/harmonica/vocals/keyboard), Erik Menteer (guitar/keyboard), Brian Adrian Koch (drums/vocals/harmonica), Michael Van Pelt (bass), and Marty Marquis (guitar/keyboards/vocals/melodica). Blitzen Trapper self-released its first three albums. "Wild Mountain Nation" was No. 98 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007.
Sleigh Bells is an American musical duo based in Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2008 and consisting of vocalist Alexis Krauss and guitarist/producer Derek E. Miller. They became known for their overdriven style of noise pop, which incorporates elements from various genres including pop, hip hop, metal, and punk.
Japandroids are a Canadian rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia, consisting of Brian King and David Prowse.
Post-Nothing is the debut studio album by Canadian rock duo Japandroids.
Smith Westerns were an American indie rock band from Chicago, Illinois, United States, composed of brothers Cullen and Cameron Omori as well as Max Kakacek, Julien Ehrlich and Hal James. Their musical influences included David Bowie, T. Rex and Oasis.
Animal Collective is an American experimental pop band formed in Baltimore, Maryland. Its members consist of Avey Tare, Panda Bear, Geologist, and Deakin. The band's work is characterized by an eclectic exploration of styles, including psychedelia, freak folk, noise, and electronica, with the use of elements such as loops, drones, sampling, vocal harmonies, and sound collage, alongside complex production techniques. AllMusic's Fred Thomas suggests that the group "defined the face of independent experimental rock during the 2000s and 2010s."
Caroline Elizabeth Polachek is an American singer, producer and songwriter. Raised in Connecticut, Polachek co-founded the indie pop band Chairlift while studying at the University of Colorado. The duo emerged from the late-2000s Brooklyn music scene with the sleeper hit "Bruises".
Whitney is an American band from Chicago, which formed in 2015 and is signed to Secretly Canadian. The band was formed shortly after the breakup of members Max Kakacek and Julien Ehrlich's band Smith Westerns in late 2014. They released their debut album, Light Upon the Lake, in June 2016 and have toured internationally.
Big Thief is an American indie rock band with folk roots based in Brooklyn, New York. Its members are Adrianne Lenker, Buck Meek, Max Oleartchik (bass), and James Krivchenia (drums).
Japanese Breakfast is an indie pop band headed by Korean-American musician Michelle Zauner.
The This Is Why Tour is the ongoing fifth concert tour by American rock band Paramore, in support of their sixth album This Is Why (2023). The tour began on October 2, 2022 in Bakersfield, California, before the release of the album, with several shows throughout North America, Europe, and Latin America. Bloc Party, Foals, The Linda Lindas, Genesis Owusu and Claud served as supporting acts on the tour.