| Welcome Break | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 12 November 2021 | |||
| Studio | Big Jelly Studios | |||
| Length | 39:24 | |||
| Label | Heavenly | |||
| Pip Blom chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Welcome Break | ||||
Welcome Break is the second studio album by Dutch indie band Pip Blom. It was released on 12 November 2021 by Heavenly Recordings. [5]
The album was self-produced by the band at Big Jelly Studios in Ramsgate, England. [5]
On 15 June 2021, Pip Blom announced the release of their second studio, originally scheduled for release on 8 October 2021. [1] [6] However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the album release was moved to 12 November 2021. [5]
The first single "Keep It Together" was released on 15 June 2021, the same day as the album announcement. [1] [7] "It Should Have Been Fun", the second single from Pip Blom, was released on 15 July 2021. [2]
On 17 August 2021, the third single "You Don't Want This" was released. [3] The music video was directed by Sara Elzinga.
The band's fourth single "I Know I'm Not Easy to Like" was released on 9 November 2021, and lead singer Pip Blom said:
"This song feels angry, even aggressive maybe. We had so much fun recording this one. We really had to give our everything to make it as energetic as possible. We used different set-ups for the drums to be able to make it go from really small to really big in one track. It’s all about the dynamics in this one, what we’re playing is not changing that much, but we really tried to capture different sounds to keep it interesting and exciting. I’m not sure the chorus could be bigger than this one haha." [4]
In support of the album, Pip Blom announced a tour of America, starting on 21 March 2022 at Mercury Lounge in New York, and finishing at The Pie Shop in Washington, D.C., on 1 April 2022. [8]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 7.2/10 [9] |
| Metacritic | 78/100 [10] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| DIY |   [11] |
| Gigwise | 8/10 [12] |
| Mojo | [13] |
| NME | [14] |
| Spectrum Culture | 78% [15] |
| Uncut | 8/10 [16] |
| Under the Radar | 7.5/10 [17] |
Welcome Break was met with "generally favorable" reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 78 based on eight reviews. [10] Aggregate website AnyDecentMusic? gave the release a 7.2 out of 10 based on a critical consensus of 11 reviews. [9]
Writing for NME , reviewer Rhys Buchanan said: "Welcome Break thrives off its simplicity and sense of joyful abandon. It's a record that will become like a familiar friend over repeated listens, and shows how the band have built elegantly on the foundations of their debut, fizzing with self-belief at every turn." [14] Tom Dibb of Gigwise wrote: "Welcome Break isn't just chock full of hard-rocking guitars or breezy summertime bangers. It wears its sensitivities and tenderness on its sleeve. Pip Blom have exceeded the highs of even their debut LP. A record of two halves—breezy pop and introspective guitar rock—it shows a growth within the band. [12] At DIY , Ims Taylor said of the release: "The record situates itself gorgeously in the easy-going transience suggested by its service-station-inspired title: Pip Blom follow their sunny guitars and breezy lyricism wherever they may lead, and it's all about the journey rather than the destination." [11]
| Critic/Publication | List | Rank | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| God Is in the TV | God Is in the TV's Top 100 Albums of 2021 | 56 | [18] |
| Rough Trade | Rough Trade's Top 100 Albums of 2021 | 28 | [19] |
| Under the Radar | Under the Radar's Top 100 Albums of 2021 | 69 | [20] |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "You Don't Want This" | 3:28 |
| 2. | "12" | 3:10 |
| 3. | "It Should Have Been Fun" | 3:42 |
| 4. | "Keep It Together" | 3:16 |
| 5. | "Different Tune" | 3:39 |
| 6. | "I Know I'm Not Easy to Like" | 3:34 |
| 7. | "Faces" | 4:21 |
| 8. | "I Love the City" | 3:44 |
| 9. | "Easy" | 3:07 |
| 10. | "Holiday" | 3:29 |
| 11. | "Trouble in Paradise" |
Up, Guards and at 'Em! is the third studio album by Leeds-based Indie rock band The Pigeon Detectives. It was released on 4 April 2011 by Dance to the Radio, and follows the band's 2009 album Emergency
Chvrches are a Scottish synth-pop band from Glasgow, formed in September 2011. The band consists of Lauren Mayberry, Iain Cook, Martin Doherty and, unofficially since 2018, Jonny Scott. Mostly deriving from the synth-pop genre, Chvrches also incorporate indietronica, indie pop, and electronic dance into their sound.
Ulfilas' Alphabet is the second studio album by English band Sundara Karma. It was released on 1 March 2019 under RCA Records.
Welcome to Bobby's Motel is the debut full-length studio album by Canadian five-piece indie rock/garage punk band Pottery. It was released on June 26, 2020 through PTKF/Partisan Records, and was produced by Jonathan Schenke. Recording sessions took place at Break Glass Studio in Montreal during summer 2019.
Drift is the seventh studio album by American punk rock band The Men. It was released on March 2, 2018 under Sacred Bones Records.
Glowing in the Dark is the fourth studio album by English band Django Django. It was released on 12 February 2021 by Because Music.
Welfare Jazz is the second studio album by Swedish post-punk band Viagra Boys. It was released on 8 January 2021, through YEAR0001.
On All Fours is the second studio album by English band Goat Girl. It was released on 29 January 2021 by Rough Trade Records.
Good Woman is the fourth studio album by the English band the Staves. It was released on 5 February 2021 by Atlantic Records UK in the UK and Nonesuch Records worldwide.
Cheater is the second studio album by Norwegian post-punk band Pom Poko. The album was originally scheduled for release on 6 November 2020, but was moved to 15 January 2021.
Written & Directed is the second studio album by British indie rock band Black Honey. It was released on 19 March 2021 through Foxfive Records.
It Won't Always Be Like This is the debut studio album by Irish rock band Inhaler, released on 9 July 2021 through Polydor Records.
Seek Shelter is the fifth studio album by Danish punk rock band Iceage. It was released on 7 May 2021, by Mexican Summer. A post-punk album with classic rock and Britpop influences, Seek Shelter experiments with diverse sounds that recalls the music of the Pogues, the Replacements, the Rolling Stones, and the Velvet Underground. Upon release, the album was met with widespread critical acclaim with praise towards its eclectic sound and poetic lyricism.
Oochya! is the twelfth studio album by Welsh rock band Stereophonics, released on 4 March 2022 on Ignition Records. It is scheduled to be supported by a 2022 arena tour.
Never Let Me Go is the eighth studio album by British alternative rock band Placebo, recorded between 2019 and 2021 and released on 25 March 2022. The album was made available for pre-order on 9 November 2021.
NewDad are a rock band from Galway, Ireland, formed in 2018. Their music has been compared to The Cure, Beabadoobee, and Just Mustard by NME magazine. Atwood Magazine wrote of the group: "The band oozes personality with cynical but honest lyrics, colorful visual components, and poignant messages about coping with the, albeit painful, formative experiences." The group have appeared at the Green Man Festival in Wales, the Pitchfork Music Festival in Paris, and on the Irish television program Other Voices.
The Overload is the debut studio album by British rock band Yard Act. The album was released on 21 January 2022 through Island Records. The album was nominated for the 2022 Mercury Prize.
Pip Blom is a Dutch indie band from Amsterdam. The band is named after lead singer Pip Blom. The band has released two full-length albums. Their first album titled Boat was released in 2019. In 2021, Pip Blom released their second full-length album titled Welcome Break. The album received positive reviews. Their third full-length album will be titled Bobbie and is due for release in October 2023.
Household Name is the third studio album by American indie rock band Momma. It was released on July 1, 2022, by Polyvinyl and Lucky Number. The album was produced by Momma multi-instrumentalist Aron Kobayashi Ritch.
Honey is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Samia. It was released on January 27, 2023, via Grand Jury Music. It serves as the follow-up to her debut album The Baby (2020).
