The Abbey Road Sessions | ||||
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Compilation album by | ||||
Released | 24 October 2012 | |||
Recorded | November 2011 | |||
Studio | Abbey Road (London) | |||
Genre | Orchestral pop | |||
Length | 55:34 | |||
Label | Parlophone | |||
Producer |
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Kylie Minogue chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Abbey Road Sessions | ||||
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The Abbey Road Sessions is an orchestral compilation album by Australian singer Kylie Minogue, released on 24 October 2012 by Parlophone. The album was primarily produced by Steve Anderson and Colin Elliot. The album features 16 tracks, all radically reworked, spanning Minogue's 25 years in the music industry. The album was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London with Minogue's band and a full orchestra during November 2011. [3] Musically, the album is primarily orchestral music, which features several instrumentation of guitars, pianos, strings and drums.
The album's lead single "Flower", which was originally written in 2007, was a new titled song to the album. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics, with many finding the recordings her best vocal delivery to date, while some dismissed her transition to orchestral music. Upon its release, the album entered the top 40 in countries including Minogue's native Australia, Ireland, Switzerland, France and New Zealand. The album peaked at number two in the United Kingdom, where it has been certified. Minogue then went on to promote the album with live performances.
Minogue made her live comeback at Abbey Road Studios in London on 11 November 2011, as part of a special showcase for EMI. She was accompanied by a 22-piece orchestra to perform the songs "All the Lovers" and "On a Night Like This". That same night, Minogue announced that her forthcoming studio album would celebrate 25 years since the release of her debut single "Locomotion" and would contain reworkings of some of her best known songs. She revealed: "I've been at Abbey Road for about two weeks in total. Not just for this, I've been working on a project for next year. Next year's my 25th anniversary so we've been recording acoustic and orchestral versions of a number of my hits". [4]
On 21 October 2012, Minogue was interviewed on the production of the sessions saying, "It's exploring other avenues – but I don't think it takes me completely away from the dancefloor, because I'm still a sucker for that [...] But I think it just rounds things up, makes things more whole and satisfies a different place in me." [5] Before recording at Abbey Road, she had started rehearsals "somewhere cheaper". [6]
One of the songs that was recorded for the album that didn't make the final cut, "Breathe" was uploaded on Minogue's official YouTube account on 13 December 2012. [7]
The Abbey Road Sessions were primarily based on orchestral music. The album presented a more "dark", "fragile" [8] and personal style. "Never Too Late" was described as a "sad, tender piano torch song". [8] "Confide in Me" was mostly identified as the album's standout track, being described as a "Moroccan reinvention that swings from intimate to intense." [8] "Hand on Your Heart" was also a highlight, but was generally compared to Jose Gonzales's version, which he covered back in 2006. [8] "The Loco-Motion" was compared to the original version by Little Eva, which was recorded back in the '60s and was described as "playful essence retained on a cute and rockin' [...]" [9]
For the album, Minogue requested Australian musician Nick Cave to re-record their duet single, "Where the Wild Roses Grow". It was noted as a highlight on the album for being more "stripped" than its "haunting, spare original." [9] "Can't Get You Out of My Head" was cited as the "weirdest" on the album for displaying "weird, frenzied strings". [9] The album's only new track, "Flower", was originally written while Minogue was recovering from her breast cancer diagnosis. The song was intended to be included on her X album, but was cut.
Minogue headlined BBC's Proms in the Park in September 2012 performing tracks from the album. [10] In support of the release of the album, she performed The Abbey Road Sessions version of her previous singles in television shows and specials. On 27 October 2012, she performed "Never Too Late" on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross . On 18 November 2012, she performed "The Loco-Motion" on Strictly Come Dancing . [11] On 19 November 2012, she performed "On a Night Like This" on Royal Variety Show. [12] In December 2012, she performed "Can't Get You Out of My Head" on X Factor Italy and The X Factor UK . [13] In December 2012, she performed "On a Night Like This" and "Can't Get You Out of My Head" on the Nobel Peace Prize Concert.[ citation needed ] On 21 December 2012, she performed "Come into My World" on Alan Carr: Chatty Man and the next month, the show aired Minogue's performance of "Better the Devil You Know". To promote the album in the United States, Minogue was interviewed on The Wendy Williams Show on 11 October 2012, performed "The Loco-Motion" on Dancing with the Stars on 13 November 2012 and on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on 14 November 2012. [14] She also uploaded a performance video on youtube, singing 'Breathe' in an acoustic version - even it's not part of the album. [15]
Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 68/100 [16] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The A.V. Club | B [18] |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Independent | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
musicOMH | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The New Zealand Herald | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | 3/10 [22] |
Slant Magazine | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Abbey Road Sessions received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 68, based on 12 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". [16] The Guardian 's Caroline Sullivan said the more older songs on the album "sculpts them into grownup love songs sung by a Kylie who sounds [...] like a fortysomething woman who has encountered a few slings and arrows along the way." [19] Matthew Horton of Virgin Media compared the album to Tori Amos and Pete Gabriel, writing that "[i]t's a brave gambit. Orchestral arrangements work well enough with the more expansive pop songs." He concluded, "Kylie's in warm, seductive voice. There's a touch of the nasal squeaks here and there, but that's just a hint of familiarity in an otherwise intriguing new adventure." [24] Andy Gill of The Independent said the album worked out "impressively", calling it "a more traditional makeover, an attempt to give a more elegant lustre to callow pop kitsch, usually by slowing the song down and loading on strings." [20] Jeff Katz from Idolator awarded the album four-and-a-half out of five, praising the reinvention of her collection stating "in terms of marketing, as the gorgeous orchestration sets great expectations for the album as a whole. And as weʼve come to expect from Kylie, she delivers." [25]
Tim Sendra from AllMusic stated that the re-invention of the album consisted "class", that the reworked songs were "very effective" and that he'd enjoyed every song except "The Loco-Motion". He concluded: "(s)he's always been willing to take risks, and despite the initial thought that her music may not stand up to the orchestral treatment, The Abbey Road Sessions is another victory in a career full of them." [17] Cameron Adams of the Herald Sun declared the album her most vocal driven album to date. [26] Scott Kara of The New Zealand Herald opined "the hit-and-miss quality of the album doesn't matter one bit for the simple reason this is one for the fans—who will no doubt absolutely adore it, darling." [9] Robert Copsey of Digital Spy wrote that "the whole record [...] shows a rarely-seen maturity in Kylie; and it suits her remarkably well", adding that the new reworks of the songs were "interesting". [27] Annie Zaleski from The A.V. Club graded the album B, stating the album "makes a solid case for her longevity [...] these songs are transformed into timeless, classy compositions." [28] Marc Hirsh from The Boston Globe stated the album fits in "neatly" to her K25 anniversary and "creates a palpable sense of physical space." [29]
However, Simon Gage of the Daily Express stated that "[i]t's not that it's bad, just frankly a little daft" and also compared it to Tori Amos. [30] John Meager of The Irish Independent wrote that Kylie "isn't a good enough singer to be able to shoulder a project like this" and the album "sadly [...] the whole thing falls flat on its face." [31] Jon O'Brien of Yahoo! Music was more positive by writing "The Abbey Road Sessions doesn't always hit the mark. But it's an always intriguing and regularly enchanting concept which proves just how under-rated both Kylie's vocal ability and back catalogue is." [32] Jenny Stevens of NME was more scathing, awarding it three out of ten, stating that "Confide in Me" is "worthwhile in an otherwise sorry array of pop bangers left soggy on the barbecue." [22]
The Abbey Road Sessions debuted at two on the UK Albums Chart, selling 37,556 copies in its first week. [33] The following week, the album slipped to number seven on sales of 17,395 copies. [34] It was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on 16 November 2012, denoting shipments in excess of 100,000 copies. The album entered at number seven on the Australian Albums Chart and number three on the Australia Artist Albums Chart. [35] [36] However, the album slipped out the top 40 in its third week at number 44. The album entered at 39 on the New Zealand Albums Chart, but slipped off the chart the next week.
Elsewhere, the album generated moderate charting success. In Switzerland, the album debuted at number 17, until slipping out the top 50 in its third week. [37] The album charted at number 54 in Austria for a sole week, becoming Minogue's least successful album in her Austrian charting discography. [38] The album debuted at number 24 on the French Albums Chart, but fell out the top 100 in its third week. The album debuted at number 19 on the Spanish Albums Chart, but descended the rest of the way after its final peak. [39] The album had longer success in Belgium than other European markets, peaking at numbers 22 and 31 on the Belgium Flanders and Belgium Wallonia charts. [40] [41]
"Flower" was released as the first single from the album. [1] The song was originally penned for Minogue's tenth studio album, X , but was not added. The song received favourable reviews from music critics. It reached the top 40 in Belgium (both Wallonia and Flanders), while remaining outside the top 50 in the Netherlands. The song was ineligible to chart in the United Kingdom until the release of The Abbey Road Sessions, where it peaked at number 96 for a sole week on the UK Singles Chart. [42]
"On a Night Like This" was released as the second single from the album. [43] The song was originally a single taken from Minogue's seventh studio album, Light Years (2000).
All tracks are produced by Steve Anderson and Colin Elliot, except "Flower", produced by Anderson.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "All the Lovers" (from Aphrodite , 2010) |
| 3:22 |
2. | "On a Night Like This" (from Light Years , 2000) |
| 3:00 |
3. | "Better the Devil You Know" (from Rhythm of Love , 1990) | 3:58 | |
4. | "Hand on Your Heart" (from Enjoy Yourself , 1989) |
| 3:36 |
5. | "I Believe in You" (from Ultimate Kylie , 2004) | 2:48 | |
6. | "Come into My World" (from Fever , 2001) |
| 3:32 |
7. | "Finer Feelings" (from Let's Get to It , 1991) |
| 3:35 |
8. | "Confide in Me" (from Kylie Minogue , 1994) |
| 4:08 |
9. | "Slow" (from Body Language , 2003) |
| 4:08 |
10. | "The Locomotion" (from Kylie , 1988) | 2:34 | |
11. | "Can't Get You Out of My Head" (from Fever, 2001) |
| 3:33 |
12. | "Where the Wild Roses Grow" (with Nick Cave; from Murder Ballads , 1996) | Cave | 4:05 |
13. | "Flower" |
| 3:31 |
14. | "I Should Be So Lucky" (from Kylie, 1988) |
| 3:14 |
15. | "Love at First Sight" (from Fever, 2001) |
| 3:35 |
16. | "Never Too Late" (from Enjoy Yourself, 1989) |
| 3:01 |
Total length: | 55:34 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
17. | "Wow" (from X , 2007) |
| 3:04 |
Total length: | 58:38 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
17. | "In My Arms" (from X, 2007) |
| 3:41 |
Total length: | 59:14 |
Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Abbey Road Sessions. [46]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [64] | Gold | 235,000 [65] |
Region | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
Japan [45] | 24 October 2012 | CD, LP, digital download, limited edition | EMI |
Australia [44] | 26 October 2012 | Warner Music Australia | |
Austria [3] | EMI | ||
Belgium [3] | |||
Finland [3] | |||
Germany [3] | |||
Ireland [3] | |||
Luxembourg [3] | |||
Netherlands [3] | |||
Norway [3] | |||
Switzerland [3] | |||
United Kingdom [66] | 29 October 2012 | Parlophone | |
Canada [3] | 30 October 2012 | EMI | |
Italy [3] | |||
Mexico [3] | |||
Spain [3] | |||
Sweden [3] | 31 October 2012 | ||
United States [67] | 6 November 2012 | Astralwerks |
Light Years is the seventh studio album by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. Mushroom Records released it on 22 September 2000 in Australia; Parlophone released it on 25 September 2000 in the United Kingdom. Following the commercial failure of Impossible Princess (1997), Minogue left Deconstruction Records and took a hiatus from recording music. She signed with Parlophone in June 1999 and decided to return to her pop roots. She worked with various writers and producers, including Steve Anderson, Johnny Douglas, Robbie Williams, Guy Chambers, and Mark Picchiotti.
Fever is the eighth studio album by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It was released on 1 October 2001 internationally by Parlophone and later launched in the United States on 26 February 2002 by Capitol Records. Minogue worked with writers and producers such as Cathy Dennis, Rob Davis, Richard Stannard, Julian Gallagher, TommyD, Tom Nichols, Pascal Gabriel and others to create a disco and Europop-influenced dance-pop and nu-disco album. Other musical influences of the album range from synth-pop to club music.
Body Language is the ninth studio album by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It was released on 10 November 2003 by Parlophone. Following the commercial success of her eighth studio album Fever (2001), Minogue enlisted a diverse group of writers and producers to aid in creating a new album, including Cathy Dennis, Dan Carey, Emiliana Torrini, Johnny Douglas, and Kurtis Mantronik among others. Influenced by the musical works of the 1980s and artists like Prince and Scritti Politti, Body Language musically differs from Minogue's previous albums, which mainly featured disco-oriented dance-pop tracks, and instead explores genres like synth-pop, electroclash, R&B, and hip hop. Lyrically, the album touches upon themes of flirtation, romance, introspection and heartbreak.
Impossible Princess is the sixth studio album by Australian singer Kylie Minogue, released on 22 October 1997, by Deconstruction, BMG and Mushroom Records. The singer asserted greater creative control over the project — as a co-producer and composer of the material — compared to her previous work, assisted by Brothers in Rhythm, Manic Street Preachers, David Ball and Rob Dougan.
Kylie is the debut studio album by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue, released on 4 July 1988 by Mushroom Records. Minogue had established herself as a child actress before signing to the record label in early 1987. The success of her debut single, "Locomotion", resulted in her working with Stock Aitken Waterman, who produced the album and wrote nine of its ten tracks. Their recording sessions, commencing in October 1987 in London and Melbourne, coincided with Minogue's filming schedule for the soap opera Neighbours.
Enjoy Yourself is the second studio album by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue, released on 9 October 1989 in the United Kingdom by Pete Waterman Entertainment (PWE), and in Australia on 6 November by Mushroom Records. In the United States, it was released in January 1990 by Geffen Records. Following the success of her self-titled debut album, Minogue reunited with the producers Stock Aitken Waterman, who produced and wrote nine of the album's ten tracks, in London in February 1989. The recording sessions took place there from February until July, coinciding with Minogue filming her first feature film The Delinquents.
"Can't Get You Out of My Head" is a song recorded by Australian singer Kylie Minogue for her eighth studio album, Fever (2001). Parlophone Records released the song as the album's lead single on 8 September 2001. "Can't Get You Out of My Head", which was written and produced by Cathy Dennis and Rob Davis, is a dance-pop, techno-pop and nu-disco song that is known for its "la la la" hook. Its lyrics are about obsession with a love interest. Music critics praised the song's production and Minogue's vocals and labelled it a highlight of Fever.
"On a Night Like This" is a song by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue. It was released on 11 September 2000 by Parlophone and Mushroom Records as the second single for her seventh studio album, Light Years (2000), and was distributed in various formats. The track was originally recorded by Swedish singer Pandora and written by Steve Torch, Brian Rawling, Graham Stack, and Mark Taylor, while production was handled by the latter two, it was handed to Minogue to record. Musically, "On a Night Like This" is a Europop, dance-pop and house song that also incorporates elements of disco. Its lyrical content delves into experiencing unique, possibly sexual experiences during the night.
"Slow" is a song by Australian singer Kylie Minogue from her ninth studio album, Body Language (2003). It was released as the lead single from the album by Festival Mushroom Records and Parlophone on 3 November 2003. The song was written by Minogue, Dan Carey, Emilíana Torrini, and produced by Carey, Torrini, and Sunnyroads. "Slow" is an electropop and synth-pop song in which Minogue invites a man to "slow down" and dance with her.
"Better the Devil You Know" is a song by Australian singer-songwriter Kylie Minogue, taken from her third studio album Rhythm of Love (1990). The song was written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman and was released as the album's lead single on 30 April 1990 by PWL and Mushroom Records. "Better the Devil You Know" is known as the song that re-invented Minogue with more sex appeal, as her previous albums were presented with her "girl next door" persona. Her music onwards presented a more independent approach.
X is the tenth studio album by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. EMI Music Japan released it first in Japan on 21 November 2007, before its release in Australia by Warner Music Australia two days later. The album was released in the United Kingdom by Parlophone on 26 November 2007, and in the United States by Capitol and Astralwerks on 1 April 2008. Work on the album began in July 2006, following Minogue's gradual recovery from breast cancer. After finishing Showgirl: The Homecoming Tour in early 2007, she returned to the studio to complete the album, with the help from many producers including Bloodshy & Avant, Calvin Harris, Greg Kurstin, and Freemasons.
Aphrodite is the eleventh studio album by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It was released on 30 June 2010 by Parlophone. In 2009, Minogue began working with British electronic music producer Stuart Price, who served as the executive producer of the album. The two collaborated with various producers and writers on the album, including Jake Shears, Calvin Harris, Sebastian Ingrosso and Pascal Gabriel. Aphrodite follows a musical approach similar to Minogue's previous albums and is primarily a dance-pop and disco-pop record. It draws influences from various dance-based genres including electropop, club and rave music.
"All the Lovers" is a song recorded by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue for her eleventh studio album, Aphrodite (2010). It was released by Parlophone on 11 June 2010 as the lead single from the album. The song was written by Jim Eliot and Mima Stilwell and produced by the former; Stuart Price, provided additional production. "All the Lovers" started out as a midtempo song with influences of electropop music. The lyrics of the song serve as an invitation to the dance floor and an assertion that Minogue's past relationships do not "compare" to the one she shares with her present lover.
The Best of Kylie Minogue is a 2012 greatest hits album by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue. It was released on 28 May 2012 by EMI to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of Minogue's recording career, as part of her K25 celebrations. It follows the previous major compilation albums Greatest Hits (1992) and Ultimate Kylie (2004). It is also Minogue's only major compilation not to include any new material or to include unreleased and rare material. The album consists of Minogue's major hits, spanning from her 1987 debut to her 2010 album project Aphrodite.
"Flower" is a song by Australian singer and songwriter Kylie Minogue. The song was originally written by Minogue and Steve Anderson of Brothers in Rhythm for Minogue's tenth studio album X (2007), but it did not make the final cut. However, it was performed in the set list for the KylieX2008 tour.
"Into the Blue" is a song by Australian artist Kylie Minogue. It was written by Kelly Sheehan, Jacob Kasher, and Mike Del Rio and produced by the latter for Minogue's twelfth studio album, Kiss Me Once (2014). The song was recorded in London, England on Minogue's 45th birthday in May 2013 and premiered as the album's first single on BBC Radio 2's Ken Bruce show on 27 January 2014. Musically, "Into the Blue" features instrumentation of synthesizers, keyboards and strings. The lyrical content talks about being independent, free and happy.
Kiss Me Once is the twelfth studio album by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It was released on 14 March 2014 by Parlophone, her first musical effort since her 2010 release Aphrodite. After celebrating her 25th career anniversary, Minogue signed with the American agency Roc Nation, which is managed by American rapper and entrepreneur Jay-Z. Intending to create a different musical experience, Minogue and her agency enlisted a variety of producers and collaborators, including musicians Sia, MNEK, Pharrell Williams, and Tom Aspaul.
Kylie Christmas is the thirteenth studio album, and first Christmas album, by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It was released on 13 November 2015 by Parlophone. Following the release of her twelfth studio album, Kiss Me Once, Minogue announced her departure from Parlophone, and her management deal with American label, Roc Nation. Minogue signed an exclusive one-album deal with Parlophone to release Kylie Christmas, with distribution through Warner Music Group worldwide and Warner Bros. Records in the United States. A Christmas music album consisting of thirteen songs and three bonus tracks, Kylie Christmas contains both cover versions and original songs.
Golden is the fourteenth studio album by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. On 6 April 2018, BMG Rights Management and Minogue's company Darenote made it available in a variety of formats. This is Minogue's first album with BMG, and her first musical release since Kylie Christmas (2015). Minogue began work on the album in London and Los Angeles before briefly visiting Nashville. She was inspired by Nashville's culture and music, particularly its country music influences. Inspired by her journey, she enlisted several producers to create new music, including Ash Howes, Richard "Biff" Stannard, Sky Adams, Alex Smith, and Mark Taylor, among others.
Disco is the fifteenth studio album by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. BMG Rights Management and Minogue's company Darenote released it on 6 November 2020 in both digital and physical formats. After finishing her campaign with her previous album Golden (2018), Minogue was inspired by a Studio 54-esque section on her Golden Tour to create a disco-themed album. Early sessions began in 2019-2020, but were temporarily halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and widespread lockdowns. As a result, Minogue continued to work on the album remotely from London, using GarageBand and Logic Pro for the first time.
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