III (Banks album)

III
Studio album by Banks
Released	July 12, 2019 (2019-07-12)
Studio	Westlake (West Hollywood, California) [lower-alpha 1] The Healthfarm [lower-alpha 2] Panther Palace (Burbank, California) [lower-alpha 3] Precious (Minneapolis, Minnesota) [lower-alpha 4] Conway (Los Angeles, California) [lower-alpha 5] Henson (Los Angeles, California) [lower-alpha 6] The Church (London) [lower-alpha 7] Darling (Minneapolis, Minnesota) [lower-alpha 8]
Genre	Goth-pop [1]
Length	47:05
Label	Harvest
Producer	Tim Anderson BJ Burton Paul Epworth Aron Forbes Kito Hudson Mohawke Psymun Buddy Ross Sohn Francis Farewell Starlite Jesse Ward
Banks chronology
The Altar (2016) III (2019) Serpentina (2022)
Singles from III
"Gimme" Released: April 29, 2019 "Look What You're Doing to Me" Released: June 11, 2019 "Contaminated" Released: July 10, 2019

III is the third studio album by American singer and songwriter Banks, released on July 12, 2019, by Harvest Records. ^[2] It was preceded by the release of three singles, "Gimme", "Look What You're Doing to Me", and "Contaminated". The album peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200.

Background

Banks revealed the album name along with its release month in an interview with Billboard , published on May 24, 2019. The album was almost titled Eros, but Banks chose the name III to convey the "beginning, middle, and end" of a part of her life. ^[3] The album cover was revealed on May 30, 2019. ^[4] She released the track listing on Twitter on June 11. Banks began The III Tour in support of the album in September 2019. ^[5]

Singles

"Gimme" was released as the album's lead single on April 29, 2019, and debuted on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 radio show. ^[6] The song was written by Banks and Josiah Sherman and produced by BJ Burton, Hudson Mohawke and Kito. ^{[7] [8]}

"Look What You're Doing to Me" was released as the album's second single on June 11, 2019, along with a lyric video, and features American pop project Francis and the Lights. ^[9]

"Contaminated" was released as the album's third single on July 10, 2019. Banks released a sample of the track as well as the release date on July 9, 2019. ^[10]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	6.6/10 [11]
Metacritic	76/100 [12]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[13]
Clash	8/10 [14]
DIY	[15]
The Guardian	[16]
The Independent	[17]
NME	[18]
The Observer	[19]
Pitchfork	6.5/10 [20]
Q	[21]
Rolling Stone	[1]

III received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 76, based on 11 reviews. ^[12] Narzra Ahmed of Clash stated "III is definitely a progression for her as an artist. The more upbeat tracks are interspersed among softer, more delicate, heartfelt ones that represent the duality of her personality and also increase its replay value". ^[14] Rhys Harding of The Line of Best Fit commented, "Overall, Banks has taken a step forward in her development as an artist, and you can hear this increase in maturity across each album. At times, her evolution is not as convincing as other artists on her level, though the quality of the songwriting here generally makes up for that". ^[22]

From NME , Nick Levine concluded that "III is probably a couple of tracks too long, but Banks has created another supremely intriguing musical world filled with ear-snagging lyrics and quirky production flourishes: the lone dog-bark sound effect before the final chorus of 'Gimme' is a classic Banks touch. It's difficult to avoid the conclusion: 'that bitch' is a pretty apt description for her after all". ^[18] Will Hermes of Rolling Stone wrote, "Banks clearly encouraged them [her collaborators] to swing for the fences: The distressed sonics get as extreme as Low got on last year's Double Negative , albeit in much different context. It's thrilling, gutting stuff". ^[1] Roisin O'Connor from The Independent viewed III as "Banks's most cohesive album to date because she's no longer restricting herself to exploring one feeling at a time". ^[17]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Till Now"	Jillian Banks Brandon Burton Christopher Michael Taylor Jasmin Mary Tadjiky	BJ Burton [a] Sohn [b]	2:36
2.	"Gimme"	Banks Josiah Sherman	Hudson Mohawke Kito [c] Burton [b]	3:39
3.	"Contaminated"	Banks Kevin Owen Garrett Brandon Treyshun Campbell	Burton [a] Aron Forbes [d]	4:41
4.	"Stroke"	Banks Tim Anderson Campbell Aron Noah Forbes	Burton [a] Forbes [d] Anderson [d]	3:26
5.	"Godless"	Banks Campbell Jesse Ward Lewis Tautaiolefua Sean Walker	Burton Ward Sohn	3:10
6.	"Sawzall"	Banks Sherman	Buddy Ross	3:39
7.	"Look What You're Doing to Me" (featuring Francis and the Lights)	Banks Burton Francis Farewell Starlite Campbell	Burton Starlite	4:00
8.	"Hawaiian Mazes"	Banks Sherman Paul Epworth Campbell	Ross Epworth [c] Burton [b]	4:03
9.	"Alaska"	Banks Sherman	Ross Forbes [d]	3:07
10.	"Propaganda"	Banks Forbes Anderson	Burton Ross Forbes [d] Nathaniel Alford [d]	4:05
11.	"The Fall"	Banks Miguel Pimentel Anderson Forbes Simon Edward Christensen	Burton Mohawke [c] Psymun [c] Forbes [b]	2:56
12.	"If We Were Made of Water"	Banks Forbes Campbell	Burton [a] Ross [b] Forbes [d]	3:24
13.	"What About Love"	Banks Sherman Alejandro Salazar	Ross Forbes [d]	4:18
Total length:				47:05

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies a main and vocal producer
• ^{^[b]} signifies an additional producer
• ^{^[c]} signifies a co-producer
• ^{^[d]} signifies a vocal producer

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of III. ^[23]

Musicians

• Banks – vocals
• BJ Burton – synthesizers (tracks 1–4, 7, 10, 12); drums (tracks 1, 3, 4, 7, 11, 12); programming (tracks 1, 3, 4, 7, 12); drum programming (tracks 2, 5, 10); arrangement (tracks 2, 11); guitar (tracks 3, 4, 10, 12); piano (track 3); bass (track 4)
• Sohn – synthesizers (tracks 1, 5, 7); bass (track 1); drums (track 5)
• Hudson Mohawke – synthesizers, drum programming (track 2); 808 bass; programming (track 11)
• Mark McGee – programming (track 3)
• Jake Hanson – guitar (track 3)
• Ben Lester – pedal steel guitar (tracks 3, 4, 12)
• Trevor Hagen – trumpet (track 3)
• Nick Sanborn – synthesizers, bass (track 4)
• Lazerbeak – programming (track 4)
• Buddy Ross – keyboards (tracks 6, 9, 13); bass (tracks 6, 9, 10, 13); drums (tracks 6, 8–10, 12); piano (tracks 8, 13); Wurlitzer, strings (track 8); synthesizers (tracks 8, 10, 12); string arrangement (track 13)
• Jake Luppen – electric guitar (track 6)
• Chais Kinder – electric guitar (track 6); drums, synthesizer (track 10)
• Aliyah Hernandez – vocals (track 6)
• Jami Hernandez – vocals (track 6)
• Francis Farewell Starlite – vocals, piano, table drums (track 7)
• Paul Epworth – keyboards, bass (track 8)
• Aron Forbes – acoustic guitar (track 11)
• Rob Moose – string arrangements (tracks 11, 12); strings (track 12)
• Simon Edward Christensen p/k/a Psymun – drum programming (claps), vocal chop/background (track 11)
• JT Bates – drums (track 12)
• Georgie Banks Feil – vocals (track 13)
• Owen Pallett – string arrangement, violin, viola (track 13)
• Amy Laing – cello (track 13)

Technical

• BJ Burton – production (tracks 1, 3–5, 7, 10–12); vocal production (tracks 1, 3, 4, 12); engineering (tracks 1–5, 7, 11, 12); additional production (tracks 2, 8); executive production
• Sohn – additional production (track 1); production (track 5)
• Hudson Mohawke – production, engineering (track 2); co-production (track 11)
• Kito – co-production (track 2)
• Ross Birchard – engineering (track 2)
• Buddy Ross – engineering (tracks 2, 6, 8–10, 13); production (tracks 6, 8–10, 13); additional production (track 12)
• Aron Forbes – engineering (tracks 3, 11, 12); vocal production (tracks 3, 4, 9, 10, 12, 13); additional production (track 11)
• Sam Tusa – engineering assistance (tracks 3, 4, 6, 12, 13)
• Tim Anderson – vocal production (track 4)
• Jesse Ward – production (track 5)
• Tom Kahre – engineering (tracks 5, 9)
• Nathaniel Alford – engineering (tracks 5, 10); vocal production (track 10)
• John DeBold – engineering assistance (tracks 6, 13)
• Francis Farewell Starlite – production (track 7)
• Paul Epworth – co-production (track 8)
• Luke Pickering – engineering assistance (track 8)
• Psymun – co-production (track 11)
• Jillian Banks – executive production
• Tom Elmhirst – mixing
• Brandon Bost – engineering for mix
• Huntley Miller – mastering (tracks 1–12)
• Randy Merrill – mastering (track 13)

Artwork

• J & Associates – artwork
• Steph Wilson – photography

Charts

Chart performance for III

Chart (2019)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [24]	25
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [25]	113
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [26]	165
Canadian Albums (Billboard) [27]	7
French Albums (SNEP) [28]	185
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [29]	60
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA) [30]	73
Scottish Albums (OCC) [31]	62
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [32]	41
UK Albums (OCC) [33]	57
US Billboard 200 [34]	21
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard) [35]	3

Tour

III

Tour by Banks
Associated album	III
Start date	September 3, 2019
End date	January 5, 2020
Legs	3
No. of shows	20 in North America 10 in Europe 3 in Oceania 33 in total

Setlist

1. "Till Now"
2. "Fuck with Myself" (From the artist's second studio album, The Altar)
3. "Stroke"
4. "Drowning" (From the artist's debut album, Goddess)
5. "Waiting Game" (From the artist's debut album, Goddess)
6. "Ode to the Grey Zone" (From the artist's poetry book)
7. "Contaminated"
8. "Hawaiian Mazes"
9. "Alaska"
10. "Propaganda"
11. "Poltergeist" (From the artist's second studio album, The Altar)
12. "Underdog" (A non-album single)
13. "Sawzall"
14. "If We Were Made of Water"
15. "This Is What It Feels Like" (From the artist's debut album, Goddess)
16. "Godless"
17. "The Fall"
18. "Gimme"
19. "Gemini Feed"
20. "Beggin for Thread" (From the artist's debut album, Goddess)

Shows

List of concerts showing date, city, country, and venue

Date	City	Country	Venue
Leg 1 – North America
September 3, 2019	Toronto	Canada	Rebel
September 4, 2019	Montreal		MTELUS
September 7, 2019	Brooklyn	United States	Brooklyn Steel
September 8, 2019
September 11, 2019	Silver Spring		The Fillmore Silver Spring
September 13, 2019	Charlotte		The Fillmore Charlotte
September 14, 2019	Atlanta		Piedmont Park
September 16, 2019	Chicago		Riviera Theatre
September 17, 2019	Minneapolis		Varsity Theater
September 19, 2019	Denver		Fillmore Auditorium
September 21, 2019	Las Vegas		Las Vegas Fremont Street
September 24, 2019	Vancouver	Canada	Orpheum Theatre
September 28, 2019	San Francisco	United States	Masonic Auditorium
October 1, 2019	Los Angeles		Hollywood Palladium
October 3, 2019	Santa Ana		The Observatory
October 6, 2019	Austin		Zilker Park
October 13, 2019			Historic Scoot Inn
October 16, 2019	New Orleans		The Fillmore
October 18, 2019	Lake Buena Vista		House of Blues
October 19, 2019	Miami		The Fillmore Miami
October 24, 2019	San Francisco		Masonic Auditorium
Leg 2 – Europe
November 1, 2019	Manchester	United Kingdom	O2 Ritz
November 4, 2019	London		Roundhouse
November 5, 2019	Birmingham		O2 Institute
November 8, 2019	Amsterdam	Netherlands	Paradiso
November 12, 2019	Stockholm	Sweden	Berns
November 14, 2019	Berlin	Germany	Heimathafen
November 15, 2019
November 17, 2019	Cologne		Live Music Hall
November 19, 2019	Brussels	Belgium	Cirque Royal
November 21, 2019	Paris	France	Le Trianon
Leg 4 – Oceania
December 30, 2019	Marion Bay	Australia	Falls Music & Arts Festival
January 2, 2020			North Byron Parklands
January 5, 2020	Fremantle		Falls Music Festival

Notes

1. Tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11 and 13
2. Track 2
3. Tracks 2, 6, 9, 10 and 13
4. Tracks 3, 4, 6, 9 and 13
5. Tracks 7 and 11
6. Track 7
7. Track 8
8. Track 12

References

1. Hermes, Will (July 11, 2019). "Review: Banks Doubles Down On Her Emo Goth-Pop with "III"". Rolling Stone . Retrieved July 11, 2019.
2. "III by Banks on Apple Music". Apple Music . Retrieved June 16, 2019.
3. Ginsberg, Gab (May 24, 2019). "Banks Was Rising to the Top When She Disappeared. Here's Why". Billboard . Retrieved June 2, 2019.
4. Banks [@hernameisBANKS] (May 30, 2019). "BANKS on Twitter: '... '" (Tweet). Retrieved June 2, 2019– via Twitter.
5. Schatz, Lake (3 June 2019). "Banks Announces "The III Tour" across North America | Music News". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved 28 June 2019.
6. Kaufman, Gil (April 29, 2019). "Banks Returns With Dark Banger 'Gimme': Listen". Billboard. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
7. "Gimme / Banks". Tidal . Retrieved May 29, 2019.
8. Ilana, Kaplan (April 29, 2019). "Hear Banks' Electrifying New Song 'Gimme' The Altar singer shares first new music since 2017". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
9. Banks [@hernameisBANKS] (June 8, 2019). "6.11.19" (Tweet). Retrieved June 9, 2019– via Twitter.
10. Banks [@hernameisBANKS] (July 9, 2019). "Contaminated. Tomorrow" (Tweet). Retrieved July 9, 2019– via Twitter.
11. "III by Banks reviews". AnyDecentMusic? . Retrieved September 13, 2019.
12. "III by Banks Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Retrieved July 17, 2019.
13. Yeung, Neil Z. "III – Banks". AllMusic . Retrieved July 11, 2019.
14. Ahmed, Narzra (July 8, 2019). "BANKS – III". Clash . Retrieved July 9, 2019.
15. Taylor, Chris (July 12, 2019). "Album Review: Banks – III". DIY . Retrieved July 15, 2019.
16. Cliff, Aimee (July 12, 2019). "Banks: III review – a break from dark R&B doesn't quite pay off". The Guardian . Retrieved July 21, 2019.
17. O'Connor, Roisin (July 11, 2019). "Album reviews: Banks – III and Ida Mae – Chasing Lights". The Independent . Retrieved July 11, 2019.
18. Levine, Nick (July 9, 2019). "Banks – 'iii' review". NME . Retrieved November 28, 2019.
19. Morris, Damien (July 14, 2019). "Banks: III review – her best album yet". The Observer . Retrieved July 15, 2019.
20. Yoo, Noah (July 17, 2019). "Banks: III". Pitchfork . Retrieved July 17, 2019.
21. Aroesti, Rachel (August 2019). "Banks: III". Q . No. 401. p. 108. ISSN   0955-4955.
22. Harding, Rhys (July 9, 2019). "The new album from Banks is the sound of an artist on the cusp of superstardom". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved July 9, 2019.
23. III (liner notes). Banks. Harvest Records. 2019. 2577842412.
24. "Australiancharts.com – Banks – III". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
25. "Ultratop.be – Banks – III" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
26. "Ultratop.be – Banks – III" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
27. "Banks Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
28. "Lescharts.com – Banks – III". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
29. "Offiziellecharts.de – Banks – III" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
30. "Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. July 22, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
31. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
32. "Swisscharts.com – Banks – III". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
33. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
34. "Banks Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
35. "Banks Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2019.