Titanic Rising

Last updated

Titanic Rising
Titanic Rising.jpg
Studio album by
Weyes Blood
ReleasedApril 5, 2019
Recorded2018–2019
Genre
Length42:22
Label Sub Pop
Producer
Weyes Blood chronology
Front Row Seat to Earth
(2016)		Titanic Rising
(2019)		 And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow
(2022)
Singles from Titanic Rising
  1. "Andromeda"
    Released: January 17, 2019
  2. "Everyday"
    Released: February 12, 2019
  3. "Movies"
    Released: March 19, 2019

Titanic Rising is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter and musician Weyes Blood, released on April 5, 2019 by Sub Pop. Produced entirely by the artist along with Jonathan Rado, it is primarily a baroque pop and soft rock record with chamber pop elements and influenced by 1970s music. Its lyrical themes address romantic pursuits, climate change, and references to the Titanic .

Contents

The album was preceded by the release of three singles including "Andromeda", released on January 17, 2019, which was included in various year-end lists. "Everyday" and "Movies" were released as the second and third single, respectively. The album received universal acclaim from music critics, with praise going towards its powerful ambience and vulnerable lyrics. It earned the singer her first appearance on the UK Albums Chart, and additionally charted on the U.S. Top Album Sales chart and reached the top 20 in Scotland.

Production

Recording

Following the release of Front Row Seat to Earth , Natalie Mering signed with Sub Pop in 2017. [1] Titanic Rising was recorded in 2018 over a three month period at Sonora Studios in Los Angeles and was produced by Jonathan Rado. [2] The album named after the RMS Titanic and the 1997 film based on the ship's sinking, which had a profound impact on Mering when she was younger. [2] [3] [4]

Music and lyrics

The album's music has been described as soft rock [5] with influences from 1970s artists such as Joni Mitchell and the Carpenters, as well as chamber pop and baroque pop. [6] [7] [8]

The opening track "A Lot's Gonna Change", a song that Mering described as setting the overall theme of Titanic Rising, deals with the yearning for a return to the simpler times of childhood, as well as learning how to cope with changes without being bogged down with hopelessness. [7] [4] "Andromeda", inspired by the galaxy and the mythological figure of the same name, deals with finding love in a world of distractions and past disappointments and features a LinnDrum. [9] [10] [11] "Everyday" has an upbeat melody and lyrics about the struggles of online dating. [12] [13] Climate change is also a central theme of the album, with the Titanic used as a metaphor for this. [4] [9] [11]

Mering described the title track, an instrumental, as an interlude between the album's first half, which deals with hope and love, and the second half, which deals with "an existential sub-zone." [14] "Movies" features synth arpeggios in the first half before giving way to strings. [15] [14] Lyrically, the song deals with Mering's disillusionment with movies as a teenager and how she felt they lied to her. [14] [16] "Picture Me Better" is about a friend that committed suicide while Mering was making the album, while the finale track on the album, "Nearer to Thee", is a reference to the alleged final song the band on the RMS Titanic played before the ship sank. [9] [2]

Artwork

The album cover features Mering submerged in an underwater bedroom. The cover was photographed by Brett Stanley in a Long Beach, California pool. Commenting on the cover's meaning, Mering stated that she thought of water as symbolizing the subconscious, and that a bedroom lives in this subconscious space due to its role as "a safe [..] and imaginative space" that shapes people's beliefs and identities. [17]

Release

On January 17, 2019, Weyes Blood released the album's first single, "Andromeda". [18] A second single, "Everyday", was released along with an accompanying self-directed music video on February 12, 2019. [19] The album's third single, "Movies", was released along with an accompanying self-directed music video on March 19, 2019. [14] On May 27, 2020, the "Wild Time" music video was released. [20] The Japanese bonus track, "Titanic Risen", was released in January 2021 exclusively on Roblox 's sinking ship simulator, and on April 4, the track was released on streaming services after the RobloxTitanic room was sunk. [21] [22] [23]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic? 8.4/10 [24]
Metacritic 91/100 [25]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [8]
The A.V. Club A− [26]
The Independent Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [27]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [28]
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [29]
The Observer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [30]
Pitchfork 8.5/10 [7]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [31]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [32]
Uncut 9/10 [33]

Titanic Rising received widespread acclaim from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 91 based on 26 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [25]

AllMusic praised the record, stating that "she underscores enormously orchestrated pop songs with eerie experimental ambience, imagining a dreamworld where Joni Mitchell's late-'70s output was produced by Brian Eno." [8] Quinn Moreland, writing for Pitchfork , described the album as "a grand, sentimental ode to living and loving in the shadow of doom" and "her most ambitious and complex work yet". [7] Dazed Digital stated that, "pairing a rich, 70s soft-rock palette with rippling undercurrents of dread, it already feels like one of the year's best records, and a poignant document on what it feels like to inhabit this particular moment in time." [5]

Year-end lists
PublicationAccoladeRankRef.
AllMusic AllMusic Best of 2019
1
The A.V. Club The 20 Best Albums of 2019
5
Consequence of Sound Top 50 Albums of 2019
26
Dazed The 20 Best Albums of 2019
4
The Guardian The 50 Best Albums of 2019
10
NME The 50 Best Albums of 2019
9
NPR The 25 Best Albums of 2019
14
Paste The 50 Best Albums of 2019
1
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 2019
9
PopMatters The 70 Best Albums of 2019
38
Slant The 25 Best Albums of 2019
18
Stereogum The 50 Best Albums of 2019
17
Treble ZineThe Top 50 Albums of 2019
11
Uproxx The Best Albums of 2019
4
Vice The 100 Best Albums of 2019
20
Decade-end lists
PublicationAccoladeRankRef.
AllMusic AllMusic Best Albums of the 2010s—
Pitchfork The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s
143
The A.V. Club The 50 Best Albums of the 2010s
37

Track listing

All tracks are written by Natalie Mering (Weyes Blood)

No.TitleLength
1."A Lot's Gonna Change"4:21
2."Andromeda"4:40
3."Everyday"5:07
4."Something to Believe"4:45
5."Titanic Rising"1:36
6."Movies"5:53
7."Mirror Forever"5:05
8."Wild Time"6:09
9."Picture Me Better"3:41
10."Nearer to Thee"1:05
Total length:42:22
Titanic Rising – Japanese edition (bonus track)
No.TitleLength
11."Titanic Risen"4:25
Total length:46:47

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.

Charts

Chart performance for Titanic Rising
Chart (2019)Peak
position
Australian Digital Albums (ARIA) [52] 37
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [53] 139
French Albums (SNEP) [54] 113
Scottish Albums (OCC) [55] 20
UK Albums (OCC) [56] 68
US Top Album Sales (Billboard) [57] 34
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard) [58] 6
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard) [59] 3

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Except "Mirror Forever", produced by Rado, Mering and Brian D'Addario.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caroline Polachek</span> American singer (born 1985)

Caroline Elizabeth Polachek is an American singer, producer, and songwriter. Raised in Connecticut, Polachek cofounded 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". In 2014, she released her first solo project, Arcadia, as Ramona Lisa. Under CEP, she released Drawing the Target Around the Arrow in 2017.

<i>The Innocents</i> (Weyes Blood album) 2014 studio album by Weyes Blood

The Innocents is the second studio album by American musician Weyes Blood. The album was released on October 21, 2014, by Mexican Summer.

<i>Art Angels</i> 2015 studio album by Grimes

Art Angels is the fourth studio album by Canadian musician Grimes, pseudonym of Claire Elise Boucher. It was digitally released on November 6, 2015, through 4AD, and in physical formats on December 11. Boucher began planning the record in 2013 as the follow-up to her third studio album, Visions; however, for unknown reasons, she scrapped most of the material from these sessions and began a new set of recordings in 2014. The track "Realiti", which came from the earlier recordings, was released as a demo in early 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Lemon Twigs</span> American rock band

The Lemon Twigs are an American rock band from the Hicksville neighborhood of Long Island, New York. The duo consists of brothers Brian and Michael D'Addario. Both brothers are vocalists, songwriters and multi-instrumentalists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weyes Blood</span> American musician (born 1988)

Natalie Laura Mering, known professionally as Weyes Blood, is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She was primarily raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. She has been performing her own material under variations of the name Weyes Blood since 2003.

<i>Front Row Seat to Earth</i> 2016 studio album by Weyes Blood

Front Row Seat to Earth is the third studio album by American musician Weyes Blood. It was released on October 21, 2016, by Mexican Summer. Musically, the album explores several genres like baroque pop, psychedelic folk, folk-pop, and psychedelic pop. Front Row Seat to Earth was acclaimed by music critics, with one of them comparing the singer with Karen Carpenter.

<i>Heard It in a Past Life</i> 2019 studio album by Maggie Rogers

Heard It in a Past Life is the debut studio album by American indie pop singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers, released on January 18, 2019, by Debay Sounds and Capitol Records. With help from its hit single "Light On" (2018), the album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart and received mostly positive reviews from critics, eventually earning Rogers a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist.

<i>A Bath Full of Ecstasy</i> 2019 studio album by Hot Chip

A Bath Full of Ecstasy is the seventh studio album by English synth-pop group Hot Chip. It was released on 21 June 2019, and was co-produced by Hot Chip, Philippe Zdar, and Rodaidh McDonald, marking the first time the group worked with outside producers. The album was preceded by the singles "Hungry Child" and "Melody of Love".

<i>Igor</i> (album) 2019 studio album by Tyler, the Creator

Igor is the fifth studio album by the American rapper and producer Tyler, the Creator. It was released on May 17, 2019, through Columbia Records. Produced solely by Tyler himself, the album features guest appearances from Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, Solange, Kanye West, and Jerrod Carmichael. Following the release of Flower Boy (2017), the album was primarily recorded in California, with recording sessions also being held in Lake Como, Italy, and Atlanta between 2017 and 2019.

<i>Saves the World</i> 2019 studio album by Muna

Saves the World is the second studio album by American band Muna, released through RCA Records on September 6, 2019. The album was promoted by the singles "Number One Fan", "Who", "Stayaway", and "Taken", receiving positive reviews.

<i>Forevher</i> 2019 album by Shura

Forevher is the second studio album by British musician Shura. It was released on 16 August 2019 by American independent record label Secretly Canadian. The album follows Shura's critically acclaimed debut album, Nothing's Real (2016). The album artwork of Forevher is a reference to the 1882 marble sculpture The Kiss, by French sculptor Auguste Rodin.

<i>Pang</i> (album) 2019 album by Caroline Polachek

Pang is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter and producer Caroline Polachek. It was released by Sony Music, The Orchard, and Polachek's imprint Perpetual Novice on October 18, 2019. The album received critical acclaim from and was placed on several critics' year-end lists, topping Dazed's list. Commercially, Pang peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart and number 40 on the Independent Albums chart, making it Polachek's first charting solo album.

<i>Kiwanuka</i> (album) 2019 studio album by Michael Kiwanuka

Kiwanuka is the third studio album by English singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka. It was released on 1 November 2019 through Polydor and Interscope Records. The album won the 2020 Mercury Prize, and was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 63rd Grammy Awards. The opening track to this album was used by broadcaster ITV as its theme tune for its coverage of the Men's Football Euros 2020.

<i>Magdalene</i> (album) 2019 studio album by FKA Twigs

Magdalene is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter FKA Twigs. Released on 8 November, 2019, by Young Turks, it is her first project since her EP M3LL155X (2015), and first full-length record since LP1 (2014). The album features a sole guest appearance from American rapper Future. FKA Twigs produced the album herself, with a wide range of co-producers including Nicolas Jaar, Koreless, Daniel Lopatin, Skrillex, Benny Blanco, Michael Uzowuru and Noah Goldstein, who also served as executive producer alongside Twigs.

<i>Fear of Death</i> 2020 studio album by Tim Heidecker

Fear of Death is a concept album from American comedian and musician Tim Heidecker, released on September 25, 2020, through Spacebomb Records. It received positive reviews from critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andromeda (Weyes Blood song)</span> 2019 single by Weyes Blood

"Andromeda" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Weyes Blood, released through Sub Pop on January 17, 2019, as the lead single from her fourth studio album Titanic Rising (2019). It was written by the artist, co-produced by her and Jonathan Rado, and mixed by Kenny Gilmore in Los Angeles. The song marked her first original release since her critically-acclaimed 2016 album Front Row Seat to Earth. The artist included "Andromeda" in the set list of her In Holy Flux Tour.

<i>And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow</i> 2022 studio album by Weyes Blood

And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter and musician Weyes Blood, released on November 18, 2022 by Sub Pop. The album is the second in a trilogy of recordings that began with Mering's previous studio album Titanic Rising (2019), describing the sequel as a personal response "to being in the thick of it." A record with a chamber pop, indie pop, and folk rock sound, it was entirely produced by the singer and Jonathan Rado, with additional production by Ben Babbitt and Rodaidh McDonald.

"It's Not Just Me, It's Everybody" is a song by American musician Weyes Blood, which serves as the lead single for her fifth studio album And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow. The song was released on September 12, 2022, by Sub Pop. The song was written by Weyes Blood, Ben Babbitt and Jonathan Rado. It was included in the set list of her In Holy Flux Tour.

<i>Desire, I Want to Turn Into You</i> 2023 album by Caroline Polachek

Desire, I Want to Turn Into You is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter and producer Caroline Polachek. It was released on February 14, 2023, by Sony Music, The Orchard, and Polachek's imprint Perpetual Novice. Polachek produced most of the album alongside Danny L Harle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">In Holy Flux Tour</span> 2022–2023 concert tour by Weyes Blood

The In Holy Flux Tour was the second headlining concert tour by American singer-songwriter and musician Weyes Blood, in support of her fifth studio album, And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow (2022). She also debuted songs from Titanic Rising (2019). The tour consisted of four legs throughout North America, Europe, and Oceania; it started on December 8, 2022, in Los Angeles, United States, and concluded on November 14, 2023, in Nottingham.

References

  1. ↑ "Weyes Blood sneaks off with Sub Pop for forthcoming album, bunks (platonically) with Father John Misty on fall tour in the meantime". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "Weyes Blood's Titanic Rising is a stunning early contender for album of the year". The A.V. Club. April 2, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Weyes Blood still has hope for the world". The FADER. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 "Weyes Blood Meditates On Climate Change And Learns To Cope With Loss". NPR.org. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  5. 1 2 Denney, Alex (April 22, 2019). "How Weyes Blood raised the Titanic for her new record". Dazed Digital. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  6. ↑ Stokes, Paul (May 1, 2019). "Album Review: Weyes Blood, Titanic Rising". Hot Press . Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Moreland, Quinn (April 5, 2019). "Weyes Blood: Titanic Rising". Pitchfork . Condé Nast . Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  8. 1 2 3 Thomas, Fred. "Titanic Rising – Weyes Blood". AllMusic . All Media Network . Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 Martoccio, Angie (June 14, 2019). "Weyes Blood on Stunning New LP, the Titanic Sinking and Climate Change". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  10. ↑ Records, Sub Pop. "Weyes Blood Shares "Andromeda," Her First Recording of Original Material Since 2016". Sub Pop Records. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  11. 1 2 "Weyes Blood on why the irony of the Titanic is the perfect metaphor for climate change". 88Nine Radio Milwaukee. April 5, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  12. ↑ Martoccio, Angie. Song You Need to Know: Weyes Blood, ‘Everyday’. Rolling Stone. 2019 April 11. Retrieved 2019 November 2010.
  13. ↑ Kinsella, Paddy. How helplessness and powerlessness fuelled Weyes Blood's best record to date. The Line of Best Fit. 2019 April 5. Retrieved 2019 November 10.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Weyes Blood's New Track "Movies" Finds Humanity In Contradictions". www.vice.com. March 19, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Weyes Blood: "Movies"". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  16. ↑ Clarke, Patrick (April 4, 2019). "Weyes Blood: "A lot of big artists don't write their songs, they just have a lifestyle brand"". NME. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Weyes Blood Shows Us How She Made The Striking Cover For Her Exquisite New Album". Stereogum. April 5, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  18. ↑ Gray, Julia (January 17, 2019). "Weyes Blood – "Andromeda"". Stereogum . Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  19. ↑ Yoo, Noah (February 12, 2019). "Weyes Blood Announces New Album Titanic Rising, Shares New Song 'Everyday': Listen". Pitchfork . Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  20. ↑ Sodomsky, Sam (May 27, 2020). "Weyes Blood Shares New "Wild Time" Video". Pitchfork . Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  21. ↑ Kenneally, Cerys (April 5, 2021). "Weyes Blood releases Titanic Rising outtake "Titanic Risen" on streaming services". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  22. ↑ Triscari, Caleb (April 4, 2021). "Weyes Blood officially releases album outtake 'Titanic Risen'". NME . Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  23. ↑ Rossignol, Derrick (April 5, 2021). "Weyes Blood Drops A New 'Titanic Rising' Bonus Track, 'Titanic Risen'". Uproxx . Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Titanic Rising by Weyes Blood reviews". AnyDecentMusic? . Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  25. 1 2 "Titanic Rising by Weyes Blood Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  26. ↑ Rife, Katie (April 5, 2019). "Weyes Blood ascends to new musical heights on the lush, cinematic Titanic Rising". The A.V. Club . Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  27. ↑ Pollard, Alexandra; O'Connor, Roisin (April 4, 2019). "Album reviews: Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising, and Circa Waves – What's It Like Over There?" . The Independent . Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  28. ↑ Segal, Victoria (May 2019). "Unsinkable". Mojo (306): 87.
  29. ↑ Bassett, Jordan (April 4, 2019). "Weyes Blood – 'Titanic Rising' review". NME . Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  30. ↑ Empire, Kitty (April 6, 2019). "Weyes Blood: Titanic Rising review – beauty deep enough to drown in". The Observer . Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  31. ↑ Doyle, Tom (June 2019). "Weyes Blood: Titanic Rising". Q (398): 116.
  32. ↑ Hermes, Will (April 5, 2019). "Review: The Unnerving Nostalgia of Weyes Blood's 'Titanic Rising'". Rolling Stone . Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  33. ↑ Wirth, Jim (May 2019). "Weyes Blood: Titanic Rising". Uncut (264): 18.
  34. ↑ "AllMusic Best of 2019". allmusic.com. AllMusic . Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  35. ↑ "The 20 Best Albums of 2019". The A.V. Club. December 19, 2019. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  36. ↑ "Top 50 Albums of 2019". Consequence of Sound . December 3, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  37. ↑ "The 20 best albums of 2019". Dazed . December 11, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  38. ↑ "The 50 best albums of 2019". The Guardian . December 16, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  39. ↑ "The 50 best albums of 2019". NME . December 17, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  40. ↑ "Best Albums of 2019". National Public Radio . Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  41. ↑ "The 50 Best Albums of 2019". Paste . December 2, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  42. ↑ "The 50 Best Albums of 2019". Pitchfork . December 10, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  43. ↑ "The 70 Best Albums of 2019". PopMatters . December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  44. ↑ Ordaz, Sophia (December 12, 2019). "The 25 Best Albums of 2019". Slant Magazine . Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  45. ↑ "The 50 Best Albums Of 2019". Stereogum . December 3, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  46. ↑ "The Top 50 Albums of 2019". Treble Zine. December 3, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  47. ↑ "The Best Albums Of 2019". Uproxx. December 2, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  48. ↑ "The 100 Best Albums of 2019". Vice . December 12, 2019. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  49. ↑ "AllMusic Decade In Review". allmusic.com. AllMusic . Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  50. ↑ "The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s". pitchfork.com. Pitchfork. October 8, 2019. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  51. ↑ "The 50 Best Albums of the 2010s". avclub.com. The A.V. Club. November 20, 2019. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  52. ↑ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Digital Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. April 15, 2019. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
  53. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  54. ↑ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Fusionnes – SNEP (Week 15, 2019)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  55. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
  56. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
  57. ↑ "Weyes Blood Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  58. ↑ "Weyes Blood Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  59. ↑ "Weyes Blood Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
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.