Wisecrack (album)

Last updated

Wisecrack
Haley Blais - Wisecrack album cover.jpg
Studio album by
Haley Blais
Released15 September 2023
StudioProtection Island (Maple Ridge)
Genre
Length42:41
Label Arts & Crafts
Producer
  • David Vertesi
  • Jonathan Anderson
Haley Blais chronology
Below the Salt
(2020)		Wisecrack
(2023)

Wisecrack is an independent folk-pop album by Canadian singer-songwriter Haley Blais, released on 15 September 2023 by Arts & Crafts. Blais began writing songs for the album in early 2020 and completed recording in the summer of 2022. Blais released several singles and music videos in the lead-up to the album.

Contents

Wisecrack was inspired by 1990s and early 2000s indie music and touches on themes of nostalgia, childhood, family and morality. The album has received generally positive reviews, with critics stating that the album shows Blais' growth as a musician, and praising it for its lyrics and production, as well as Blais' vocals.

Background and recording

Blais released her debut album, Below the Salt , in August 2020. Blais has said that she produced the album without thinking about its "cohesive[ness]". By contrast, when Blais began working on Wisecrack in early 2020, she "wanted to take [her] time" with the album and "wanted it to be released with care and thoughtfulness". [1] Blais brought on David Vertesi of Hey Ocean! and Jonathan Anderson as the album's producers. [2]

Blais recorded Wisecrack at Protection Island Studio in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, [3] completing the album in the summer of 2022. [1] Blais released several singles and music videos leading up to the album's release, including "Coolest Fucking Bitch in Town" [2] and "Survivor's Guilt" [4] in 2022, and "Matchmaker", [5] "Baby Teeth", [6] [7] and "The Cabin" [2] in 2023. In May 2023, Blais signed with Canadian record label Arts & Crafts and announced a limited summer tour. [5] [7] Wisecrack was released on CD, LP, and as a digital release on 15 September 2023 by Arts & Crafts. [8]

Composition and themes

Wisecrack is an independent album that has been described as folk-pop. [9] The album is titled after a lyric from the track "Baby Teeth". [1] It was inspired by the indie music of the 1990s and early 2000s; Blais and the producers said that they wanted the album to sound both "old and new at the same time". Blais has said that the album is "like a diary entry about growing older and saying goodbye to what you thought family was". [1] Critics have noted that the album addresses themes of nostalgia, childhood, family, and morality. [1] [2] [9] Writing for The Georgia Straight , Mike Usinger has said that the moral of the album is "Sometimes you end up working things out, even if you’re not aware of it." [2] Ljubinko Zivkovic in The Spill Magazine said that the album is about Blais' attempt to find new families while her parents were in the process of ending their relationship. [10]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Line of Best Fit 8/10 [9]
The Spill MagazineStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]

Wisecrack has received positive reviews. Critics have said that the album exhibits Blais' growth as an artist and they have praised its lyrics, vocals, and production. [1] [2] For The Line of Best Fit , Lana Williams rated the album eight out of ten. She praised the album's melodies and said that the lyrics were "dynamic and self-depreciating". [9] Usinger in The Georgia Straight praised several of Wisecrack's tracks, highlighting her use of multitracked and manipulated vocals. He wrote that "her songs [are] spiked with left-field moments of jagged majesty". [2] Writing for Exclaim! , Heather Taylor-Singh has said that the album "has achieved both lyrical and sonic cohesion". [1] Zivkovic in The Spill Magazine rated the album four out of five stars and said that Blais' delicate and light voice and lyrics, along with "intricate arrangements", made the album relatable to and delightful for listeners. [10] The album was a longlisted nominee for the 2024 Polaris Music Prize. [11]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Haley Blais. [3]

No.TitleLength
1."Soft Spot for Monarchs"2:39
2."Survivor's Guilt"3:30
3."Coolest Fucking Bitch in Town"4:56
4."Reset Button"3:12
5."Matchmaker"3:47
6."Concrete"3:09
7."The Cabin"3:57
8."Baby Teeth"3:34
9."Body"5:18
10."Winner"4:05
11."Beginner's Guide to Birdwatching"4:29
Total length:42:41

Personnel

Credits are from the artist's official Bandcamp page for the album. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J Mascis</span> American musician

Joseph Donald Mascis Jr., better known as J Mascis, is an American musician who is the singer, guitarist and main songwriter for the alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. He has also released several albums as a solo artist and played drums and guitar on other projects. He was ranked number 74 in a Rolling Stone list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists", and number 5 in a similar list for Spin magazine in 2012.

Latent Recordings is a Canadian independent record label founded in 1981. It was dormant in the 1990s while the Cowboy Junkies were signed to American labels, but began to release independently produced albums in the 2000s. By the late 2000s, it sold downloads and CDs online.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Said the Whale</span> Canadian indie rock band

Said the Whale is a Canadian indie rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia. The band was founded in 2007 by the group's primary songwriters, guitarists and lead vocalists, Ben Worcester and Tyler Bancroft. Their current lineup consists of Worcester, Bancroft, keyboardist and vocalist Jaycelyn Brown, bassist Lincoln Hotche and drummer Spencer Schoening.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hey Ocean!</span> Canadian pop-rock band

Hey Ocean! is a Canadian indie alternative rock and synthpop band formed in 2004 in Vancouver. As of 2024, they have released four studio albums and four EPs.

<i>Big Walnuts Yonder</i> (album) 2017 studio album by Big Walnuts Yonder

Big Walnuts Yonder is an indie rock album released in 2017 by the eponymous supergroup. Big Walnuts Yonder consists of bassist/vocalist Mike Watt from Minutemen, guitarist Nels Cline from Wilco, drummer Greg Saunier from Deerhoof, and guitarist/vocalist Nick Reinhart from Tera Melos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Dirty Nil</span> Canadian rock band

The Dirty Nil is a Canadian rock band formed in Hamilton, Ontario in 2006, who won the Juno Award for Breakthrough Group of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2017. The band consists of singer and guitarist Luke Bentham, drummer Kyle Fisher, and bassist Sam Tomlinson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean-Michel Blais</span> Canadian musician (born 1984)

Jean-Michel Blais is a composer and pianist from Quebec, Canada.

<i>Psychedelic Country Soul</i> 2019 studio album by The Long Ryders

Psychedelic Country Soul is the fourth studio album by American band the Long Ryders, released on February 15, 2019, through Omnivore Recordings in the US and Cherry Red Records in the UK. It is the band's first album in 32 years with Two-Fisted Tales their last release in 1987.

<i>Arms of a Dream</i> 2018 studio album by Reuben and the Dark

Arms of a Dream is the second album by Canadian indie folk band, Reuben and the Dark. Four years separate this album and its predecessor, which Reuben Bullock, the band's singer and guitarist, attributed to over-complicating the recording process.

<i>The Future Is Your Past</i> 2023 studio album by The Brian Jonestown Massacre

The Future Is Your Past is the twentieth studio album by American psychedelic rock band The Brian Jonestown Massacre, released on February 10, 2023 through A Records.

<i>Magnify</i> (album) 2022 studio album by Ham Sandwich

Magnify is the fourth album from Irish rock band Ham Sandwich. It was released on 30 September 2022 and is the first album recorded by the band as a trio. The album received generally positive reviews and reached No. 11 on the Irish Album Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haley Blais</span> Musical artist

Haley Nicole Blais is a Canadian singer-songwriter from Vancouver.

<i>What Is My Capacity to Love?</i> 2023 EP by Thanks for Coming

What Is My Capacity to Love? is a 2023 EP by Thanks for Coming, the solo project by Rachel Brown of Water from Your Eyes. The work was released while Water from Your Eyes was on tour and was previewed with the tracks "Loop" and "Unlimited Love".

<i>Julie Byrne with Laugh Cry Laugh</i> 2023 EP by Julie Byrne

Julie Byrne with Laugh Cry Laugh is a 2023 extended play from American singer-songwriter Julie Byrne. The album has received positive reviews from critics.

<i>Sharecroppers Son</i> 2021 studio album by Robert Finley

Sharecropper's Son is a 2021 studio album by American blues musician Robert Finley. The album has received positive reviews from critics.

<i>If We Stayed Alive</i> 2023 studio album by 12 Rods

If We Stayed Alive is a 2023 studio album by American indie rock band 12 Rods, their first studio work in 21 years. The album has received positive reviews from critics.

<i>Nico Paulo</i> (album) 2023 studio album by Nico Paulo

Nico Paulo is the 2023 debut full-length album by Canadian-Portuguese musician Nico Paulo. It has received positive reviews from critics and award nominations.

<i>Modern Fiction</i> (album) 2021 studio album by Ducks Ltd.

Modern Fiction is the debut full-length album by Canadian indie rock duo Ducks Ltd. The album received positive reviews from critics.

<i>Savoy</i> (Taj Mahal album) 2023 studio album by Taj Mahal

Savoy is a 2023 studio album by American blues musician Taj Mahal. The recording is his first exploration of jazz and traditional pop and received positive reviews from critics.

<i>Swingin Live at the Church in Tulsa</i> 2024 studio album by Taj Mahal

Swingin' Live at the Church in Tulsa is a 2024 album by American blues musician Taj Mahal, recorded live before an audience in The Church Studio. It has received positive reviews from critics.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Taylor-Singh, Heather (13 September 2023). "Haley Blais lands her punchlines". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on 16 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Usinger, Mike (6 September 2023). "On the world-beating Wisecrack, Haley Blais makes a great case everything is going to be just fine". The Georgia Straight . Archived from the original on 16 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 "Wisecrack". Bandcamp . Archived from the original on 16 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  4. ↑ Usinger, Mike (10 August 2022). "On our radar: Not to offend the coolest fucking bitch in town, but 'Survivor's Guilt' is about more than Haley Blais". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on 16 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  5. 1 2 Richardson-Dupuis, Emilie (25 May 2023). "Haley Blais signs with Arts & Crafts, shares new song 'Matchmaker'". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on 16 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  6. ↑ Zaveri, Jui (12 July 2023). "Track Review: 'Baby Teeth' // Haley Blais". The Indiependent. Archived from the original on 16 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  7. 1 2 Hudson, Alex (30 June 2023). "Vancouver's Haley Blais announces sophomore LP Wisecrack, shares new single 'Baby Teeth'". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on 16 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  8. ↑ "Haley Blais – Wisecrack". Arts & Crafts . Archived from the original on 6 November 2023. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Williams, Lana (13 September 2023). "Haley Blais: Wisecrack". The Line of Best Fit . Archived from the original on 16 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 Zivkovic, Ljubinko (15 September 2023). "Spill album review: Haley Blais–Wisecrack". The Spill Magazine. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  11. ↑ "2024 Polaris Music Prize long list: The Beaches, Tobi, Elisapie, Beverly Glenn-Copeland and more". CBC Music . 11 June 2024. Archived from the original on 28 June 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
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.