The Seduction of Kansas

Last updated
The Seduction of Kansas
The Seduction of Kansas.jpg
Studio album by
Priests
ReleasedApril 5, 2019 (2019-04-05)
StudioElmwood Studio (Dallas)
Genre
Length42:38
Label Sister Polygon
Producer John Congleton
Priests chronology
Nothing Feels Natural
(2017)		The Seduction of Kansas
(2019)
Singles from The Seduction of Kansas
  1. "The Seduction of Kansas"
    Released: January 9, 2019 (2019-01-09)
  2. "Good Time Charlie"
    Released: February 20, 2019 (2019-02-20)

The Seduction of Kansas is the second studio album by American rock band Priests. It was released on April 5, 2019, through Sister Polygon Records. [2]

Contents

Critically, the album received primarily positive reviews from music critics, who praised the albums critique of capitalism, and American politics, [3] as well as the eclectic influences from gospel music, disco, and art punk. More mixed reviews lamented the album's production quality and vagueness of tracks.

Release and recording

On January 9, 2019, Priests announced the follow-up to their debut album Nothing Feels Natural (2017), titled The Seduction of Kansas. The announcement was accompanied by the release of the title track and its music video directed by vocalist Katie Alice, serving as the album's lead single. [4]

The Priests' core trio is joined by new collaborators on the album, including Janel Leppin who served as the primary bassist and contributed additional songwriting (after having previously played cello, mellotron, and lap steel on Nothing Feels Natural), bassist Alexandra Tyson who also joined the touring band, and producer John Congleton, with whom they recorded for two weeks at his Elmwood Studio in Dallas. The band cited electronic-driven albums such as Massive Attack's Mezzanine , Portishead's Third , and Nine Inch Nails' The Downward Spiral as influences on the record. [5] [6] [7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.4/10 [8]
Metacritic 78/100 [9]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Chicago Tribune Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [11]
Exclaim! 8/10 [12]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [13]
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [14]
Pitchfork 7.7/10 [15]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [16]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [17]
Uncut 7/10 [18]
Vice (Expert Witness)A− [19]

The Seduction of Kansas was well received by contemporary music critics. On review aggregator website Metacritic, the album has an average critic score of 78 out of 100, indicating "generally favorable reviews" based on 18 critics. [9]

Heather Phares, writing for AllMusic, gave The Seduction of Kansas four stars out of five, praising the complexity of the record. Phrases said, that while Priests is "too nonconformist to be a traditional punk band, they continue to define themselves as something more challenging and encompassing." [10] Phrase further elaborated and said that Priests "prove risk is still a vital element of their music: The title track's cooing choruses and disco beats flirt with pop while Greer envisions corporations and industries vying for America's heart and soul. Though it's always clear where Priests stand on the issues they address on The Seduction of Kansas, they express them with nuance." [10]

Ellen Priest, writing for Paste gave the album an 8.1 out of 10. Like Phares, Priest also complimented the eclectic ranges of punk influences ranging from post-punk to gospel. Priest called The Seduction of Kansas "both poppy and heady, intelligent and reckless, and sometimes bordering on absurdist". [20] Priest further went on to say that The Seduction of Kansas "calls into question the social landscape of the American heartland and poses Priests as punk's resident anthropologists. First heralded as post-punk heroes, Priests are now much more than that: They’re post-genre saviors bringing vital discourse and sharp observations to the table, still preaching the punk gospel along the way. The Seduction of Kansas is full of tantalizing tales fraught with disturbed characters, some of whom seem far removed from reality, while others are scarily reminiscent of humanity." [20]

In a positive review, Chicago Tribune music beat writer, Greg Kot, awarded the album three-and-a-half stars out of four stars, describing the album as "a withering critique of commodification masquerading as a furious dance-punk album. The follow-up amplifies the hooks, widens the scope, deepens the wordplay". [11] Pitchfork associate editor Anna Gaca also complimented the societal critiques of the album summarizing The Seduction of Kansas as "dense with ambiguities, sacrificing their debut's quotable one-liners in favor of character sketches about the everyday banality of evil." Gaca awarded the album a 7.7 out of 10 rating. [15]

Jordan Bassett of New Musical Express gave the album a more mixed review. Bassett described the album as "old-school punk, anti-capitalist, and outspoken". He summarized the album as being "moved to seek some common ground with the other side – although they remain in opposition. Even without that caveat, ‘The Seduction Of Kansas’ is a fun, dancey funk-punk record that benefits from Congleton's lightness of touch, proof that you can step outside your comfort zone and maintain your sense of self." [14] Laura Snapes, writing for The Guardian , also offered a mixed review, praising the concept, but showing frustration with the overwhelming amount of topics in songs and production quality. Snapes said that "for such an intellectually fearless band, the production is sometimes frustratingly reserved: you can never seem to turn the volume loud enough to give the more biting songs the impact they deserve. And where Priests use spaciousness compellingly on ‘YouTube Sartre’, ‘Not Perceived’ and ‘Carol’ are gloomy and drifting. What is missing, too, is a sense of the intimate peril that made Nothing Feels Natural so incisive: the more personal songs here admit to 'barriers to intimacy', but stop short of breaking through them." [13]

Accolades

PublicationAccoladeRankRef.
Magnet Top 25 Albums of 2019
17
Noisey Top 100 Albums of 2019
81
Rolling Stone Top 50 Albums of 2019
49
Spectrum CultureTop 20 Albums of 2019
19

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Jesus' Son"4:00
2."The Seduction of Kansas"3:35
3."Youtube Sartre"4:06
4."I'm Clean"3:58
5."Ice Cream"2:26
6."Good Time Charlie"2:47
7."68 Screen"4:03
8."Not Perceived"5:32
9."Control Freak"2:50
10."Carol"4:35
11."Interlude: I Dream This Dream in Which My Body Is My Own"1:08
12."Texas Instruments"3:38
Total length:42:38

Related Research Articles

<i>Last Splash</i> 1993 studio album by the Breeders

Last Splash is the second album by American alternative rock band the Breeders, released on August 30, 1993. Originally formed as a side project for Pixies bassist Kim Deal, the Breeders quickly became her primary recording outlet. Last Splash peaked at number 33 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and by June 1994, the album had been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments in excess of one million units.

<i>No Depression</i> (album) 1990 studio album by Uncle Tupelo

No Depression is the first studio album by alternative country band Uncle Tupelo, released in June 1990. After its formation in the late 1980s, Uncle Tupelo recorded the Not Forever, Just for Now demo tape, which received a positive review by the College Media Journal in 1989. The review led to the band's signing with what would become Rockville Records later that year. The album was recorded with producers Sean Slade and Paul Q. Kolderie at Fort Apache Studios, on a budget of US$3,500.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eleanor Friedberger</span> American singer-songwriter

Eleanor Friedberger is an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She is best known as one half of the indie rock duo The Fiery Furnaces, alongside her older brother Matthew Friedberger. In the band she contributes the majority of the vocals both on record and during their live performances.

<i>Anodyne</i> (album) 1993 studio album by Uncle Tupelo

Anodyne is the fourth and final studio album by alternative country band Uncle Tupelo, released on October 5, 1993. The recording of the album was preceded by the departure of the original drummer Mike Heidorn and the addition of three new band members: bassist John Stirratt, drummer Ken Coomer, and multi-instrumentalist Max Johnston. The band signed with Sire Records shortly before recording the album; Anodyne was Uncle Tupelo's only major label release until 89/93: An Anthology in 2002.

<i>Walls Have Ears</i> 1986 live album (bootleg) by Sonic Youth

Walls Have Ears is a Sonic Youth bootleg live recording from 1985. It was released on 2×12″ vinyl in 1986 without the consent of the band.

<i>The Golden Archipelago</i> 2010 studio album by Shearwater

The Golden Archipelago is the sixth studio album by American indie rock band Shearwater. It was released on February 23, 2010, on the Matador Records label. The track "Black Eyes" is the first single from the album.

<i>Always</i> (Xiu Xiu album) 2012 studio album by Xiu Xiu

Always is the eighth studio album by Xiu Xiu, released on February 28, 2012.

<i>Silence Yourself</i> 2013 studio album by Savages

Silence Yourself is the debut studio album by the English post-punk band Savages, released on 6 May 2013 on Matador Records and Pop Noire, a label owned by vocalist Jehnny Beth. It was nominated for the 2013 Mercury Prize.

<i>Under Color of Official Right</i> 2014 studio album by Protomartyr

Under Color of Official Right is the second album by Detroit post punk band Protomartyr. It was released on April 8, 2014 by Hardly Art.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Still Breathing (Green Day song)</span> 2016 single by Green Day

"Still Breathing" is a song by American rock band Green Day from their twelfth studio album, Revolution Radio (2016). Written and produced by the band, the lyrics explore the idea of overcoming adversity in the face of hardship. "Still Breathing" is a pop-punk song with a pop-like production, which has been stylistically considered a return to form for the band.

<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".

"Ocean" is a song by English group Goldfrapp from their seventh studio album Silver Eye (2017). It was released as the album's first promotional single on 10 March 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. An electronic and synth-rock song, "Ocean" marks the return of Goldfrapp's heavy use of synths in their music. Written in couplets, the lyrics were described as dark by several commentators. Critics also drew comparisons between "Ocean" and the works of other musicians and groups, such as Shirley Manson, Nine Inch Nails, and Depeche Mode.

<i>Nothing Feels Natural</i> 2017 studio album by Priests

Nothing Feels Natural is the debut studio album by American punk rock band Priests. It was released through Sister Polygon Records on January 27, 2017.

<i>Dear</i> (Boris album) 2017 studio album by Boris

Dear is the twenty-fourth studio album by Japanese experimental band Boris. Released on 14 July 2017 through Sargent House record label, it marks the band's 25th anniversary. The music video for the track "Absolutego", which shares its title with the band's 1996 debut, was also released in May 2017.

<i>Songs of Praise</i> (Shame album) 2018 studio album by Shame

Songs of Praise is the debut studio album by the British post-punk band Shame, released via Dead Oceans in January 2018.

<i>Im All Ears</i> 2018 studio album by Lets Eat Grandma

I'm All Ears is the second studio album by the British musical duo Let's Eat Grandma, released on 29 June 2018, through Transgressive Records. Four singles preceded the release of the album: "Hot Pink", "Falling Into Me", "It's Not Just Me", and "Ava". The album received widespread acclaim from music critics.

<i>Joy as an Act of Resistance</i> 2018 studio album by Idles

Joy as an Act of Resistance is the second studio album by British rock band Idles, released on 31 August 2018 by Partisan Records.

<i>Remind Me Tomorrow</i> 2019 studio album by Sharon Van Etten

Remind Me Tomorrow is the fifth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten. It was released on January 18, 2019 on Jagjaguwar. A follow-up to Are We There (2014), the album was written while Van Etten was pregnant with her first child, attending school to obtain a degree in psychology, acting in the Netflix series The OA (2016), and making a cameo in Twin Peaks (2017).

"Want You in My Room" is a 2019 pop song by Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen, from her fourth studio album, Dedicated. It was written by Jepsen, Tavish Crowe, and its producer Jack Antonoff. Jepsen released a music video for the song in September, and a live version was included in her Spotify Singles EP in October 2019. "Want You in My Room" was named #32 on Rolling Stone's 50 Best Songs of 2019.

"The Seduction of Kansas" is a song by American punk rock band Priests. The track was the title track from their second studio album, The Seduction of Kansas. The track was released as a single on January 19, 2019.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Priests - The Seduction of Kansas - Reviews". Album of the Year. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  2. ↑ "The Seduction of Kansas by Priests on Apple Music". Apple Music . Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  3. ↑ Enis, Eli (April 5, 2019). "Priests Talk Political New Album & the 'Bizarre Expectation' We Place on Art". Billboard . Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  4. ↑ Weddle, Adam (January 9, 2019). "Priests Announce New Album The Seduction of Kansas". Paste . Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  5. ↑ Leas, Ryan (January 9, 2019). "Priests – "The Seduction Of Kansas" Video". Stereogum . Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  6. ↑ Lorusso, Marissa (January 9, 2019). "Priests Announces New Album 'The Seduction of Kansas' And Shares Title Track". NPR . Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  7. ↑ Renshaw, David (January 9, 2019). "Priests announce new album The Seduction Of Kansas". The Fader . Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  8. ↑ "The Seduction Of Kansas by Priests reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  9. 1 2 "The Seduction of Kansas by Priests Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  10. 1 2 3 Phares, Heather. "The Seduction of Kansas – Priests". AllMusic . Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  11. 1 2 Kot, Greg (April 5, 2019). "Review: Priests' brand of musical seduction hits hard". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  12. ↑ Torrey, Owen (April 3, 2019). "Priests: The Seduction of Kansas". Exclaim! . Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  13. 1 2 Snapes, Laura (April 5, 2019). "Priests: The Seduction of Kansas review – punks take a swing at the state of the nation". The Guardian . Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  14. 1 2 Bassett, Jordan (April 2, 2019). "Priests – 'The Seduction Of Kansas' review". NME . Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  15. 1 2 Gaca, Anna (April 8, 2019). "Priests: The Seduction of Kansas". Pitchfork . Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  16. ↑ Monroe, Jazz (June 2019). "Priests: The Seduction of Kansas". Q (398): 115.
  17. ↑ Dolan, Jon (April 5, 2019). "Review: Priests Blow Up American Myths with New Fervor on 'The Seduction of Kansas'". Rolling Stone . Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  18. ↑ Mackay, Emily (May 2019). "Priests: The Seduction of Kansas". Uncut (264): 32.
  19. ↑ Christgau, Robert (May 10, 2019). "Robert Christgau Reviews Music From Priests and the Coathangers". Vice . Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  20. 1 2 Johnson, Ellen (April 5, 2019). "Priests: The Seduction Of Kansas Review". Paste . Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  21. ↑ "Magnet's Top 25 Albums of 2019". Magnet . Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  22. ↑ "The 100 Best Albums of 2019". Noisey . Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  23. ↑ Bernstein, Jonathan (December 5, 2019). "50 Best Albums of 2019". Rolling Stone . Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Top 20 Albums of 2019". Spectrum Culture. December 19, 2019. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.