Minor Victories

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Minor Victories
Genres
Years active2015–present
Labels
Members
Website minor-victories.com

Minor Victories are a British alternative rock supergroup formed in 2015. The band members are vocalist Rachel Goswell (Slowdive), guitarists Stuart Braithwaite (Mogwai) and Justin Lockey (Editors), and film-maker James Lockey of Hand Held Cine Club. [1] [2]

Contents

Formation

Rachel Goswell and Justin Lockey had previously made music together. It was through Goswell that Braithwaite and the Lockey brothers met. [3]

The band was unveiled on social media in July 2015 [4] with the announcement of a forthcoming album, including collaborations with other artists including Mark Kozelek of Sun Kil Moon and James Graham of The Twilight Sad. However, Minor Victories was initially a casual idea of two artists collaborating together, which later turned into a supergroup. [1] In an interview by the OffBeat Music (OBM) magazine, Stuart Braithwaite said about the formation of the Supergroup:

As the project went on it got better and better until it was finished. Considering how it all was at the start, it seems incredible. Definitely, I was quite surprised. [1]

A few days later a "teaser trailer" named Film One was released featuring short clips of forthcoming songs. [5] In a September 2015 interview with website exclaim.ca, Braithwaite said that the band was working with producer Tony Doogan, that the album was "80% recorded", and that it would be released in early 2016. Asked about how the album would sound, he said "To be honest, I think if you know the music that all of us have made, it won't really surprise you. It has a lot of the good elements from everyone's bands.". [6]

Band members

Discography

Critical response

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic? Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Metacritic 75/100 [9]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
The Skinny Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [11]
Magnet 90/100 [12]
DIY Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Pop Matters Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [14]
Clash 60/100 [15]
Pitchfork Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [16]
God Is in the TV Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [17]
musicOMH Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [18]
State Magazine Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [19]
The Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]

Minor Victories received critical acclaim from musical critics. On Metacritic, their first album holds an average critics score of 75, based on 17 critics, indicating "Generally favorable reviews". [20] Duncan Harman of The Skinny Magazine said, "Minor Victories is frequently beautiful, and it’s the subtle application of the abrasive (on tracks such as Out To Sea) where this project really comes into its own; a few listens in, and captivation becomes its own reward." [21]

Heather Phares of All Music wrote, "While Minor Victories builds on its members' legacies, the band sounds more excited about the present and the future than looking back." [22] Craig Jones of DIY Magazine wrote, "At no point of this record are you left hoping for another Editors anthem or new Slowdive music--yes that would be wonderful, but we now have Minor Victories to savor. Hopefully they’re here to stay." [23]

Steve Klinge of Magnet Magazine gave the album an "Essential New Music" designation saying, "Minor Victories is a bit like Great Britain’s version of Broken Social Scene with its collaboration among equals and its penchant for glorious, cathartic climaxes." [24]

However, Pitchfork's Evan Rytlewski criticized this album saying, "What’s missing, though, is the central promise of a supergroup: the thrill of hearing established musicians in a truly different context. Minor Victories’ lineup may stem from different circles, but their approaches are so complementary that there's rarely any tension or surprise." [25]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Minor Victories Interview". Offbeat Music. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  2. ↑ "Minor Victories". Fat Possum Records . Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  3. ↑ "Supergroup Minor Victories in indieberlin interview - indieberlin". indieberlin. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  4. ↑ Monroe, Jazz (14 July 2015). "Slowdive's Rachel Goswell, Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite, Editors' Justin Lockey, and More Launch Minor Victories Supergroup". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  5. ↑ Monroe, Jazz (23 July 2015). "Minor Victories (Slowdive, Mogwai, Editors) Share Short Film Featuring New Music". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  6. ↑ Lindsay, Cam. "Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite Sheds Light on Minor Victories Project". Exclaim.ca. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  7. ↑ "Minor Victories". Fatpossum.com. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Minor Victories - Orchestral Variations by Minor Victories reviews | Any Decent Music".
  9. ↑ "Minor Victories by Minor Victories". Metacritic .
  10. ↑ "Minor Victories - Minor Victories | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic .
  11. ↑ "Minor Victories: Self-titled debut - Album review - the Skinny".
  12. ↑ "Essential New Music: Minor Victories' "Minor Victories"". 6 August 2016.
  13. ↑ "Minor Victories - Minor Victories | Reviews". 3 June 2016.
  14. ↑ "Minor Victories: Minor Victories, PopMatters". June 2016.
  15. ↑ "Minor Victories - Minor Victories". July 2016.
  16. ↑ "Minor Victories: Minor Victories". Pitchfork .
  17. ↑ "Minor Victories - Orchestral Variations (Play It Again Sam)". 24 January 2017.
  18. ↑ "Minor Victories - Orchestral Variations | Album Reviews". 3 February 2017.
  19. ↑ "Minor Vicotories - Orchestral Variations | State Magazine". Archived from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  20. ↑ Minor Victories by Minor Victories , retrieved 21 March 2021
  21. ↑ "Minor Victories: self-titled debut - Album review - The Skinny". The Skinny . Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  22. ↑ Minor Victories - Minor Victories | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic , retrieved 21 March 2021
  23. ↑ Subscribe (3 June 2016). "Minor Victories - Minor Victories | Reviews". DIY . Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  24. ↑ "Essential New Music: Minor Victories' "Minor Victories"". Magnet . 6 August 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  25. ↑ "Minor Victories: Minor Victories". Pitchfork . Retrieved 21 March 2021.
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