Blue Songs (album)
Blue Songs is the second studio album by American electronic music band Hercules and Love Affair, released on January 28, 2011 by Moshi Moshi Records. The album features guest appearances from Bloc Party's Kele Okereke on the song "Step Up," and also includes vocal contributions from Kim Ann Foxman, Aerea Negrot and Shaun Wright.[1] The song "It's Alright" is a cover of the Pet Shop Boys' 1988 song of the same name, originally recorded and released by Sterling Void and Paris Brightledge in 1987.
Blue Songs | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | January 28, 2011 | |||
Recorded |
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Genre | ||||
Length | 57:02 | |||
Label | Moshi Moshi | |||
Producer |
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Hercules and Love Affair chronology | ||||
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Singles from Blue Songs | ||||
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Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 68/100[2] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
The A.V. Club | B[4] |
Drowned in Sound | 7/10[5] |
The Guardian | |
musicOMH | |
Pitchfork Media | 6.6/10[8] |
PopMatters | 7/10[9] |
Rolling Stone | |
Slant Magazine | |
Spin | 7/10[12] |
Blue Songs received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 68, based on 28 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[2] Barry Walters of Spin wrote that "Blue Songs' prevailing mood is deep indigo, not ultraviolet, yet that darkness heightens and complicates. By shunning regulation house fierceness, Butler and crew offer gentle nocturnal sacrament."[12]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Painted Eyes" | Andrew Butler | 6:02 |
2. | "My House" |
| 4:52 |
3. | "Answers Come in Dreams" |
| 5:24 |
4. | "Leonora" | Butler | 4:32 |
5. | "Boy Blue" | Butler | 5:00 |
6. | "Blue Songs" | Butler | 5:38 |
7. | "Falling" |
| 4:54 |
8. | "I Can't Wait" |
| 5:55 |
9. | "Step Up" | Butler | 4:04 |
10. | "Visitor" |
| 4:41 |
11. | "It's Alright" |
| 6:00 |
Total length: | 57:02 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
12. | "Revenge" |
| 4:44 |
13. | "Chanel 2" | Butler | 6:12 |
14. | "Shelter" (The xx cover) |
| 3:45 |
Total length: | 71:58 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "My House" (Stopmakingme Remix) |
| 6:22 |
2. | "My House" (Tensnake Remix) |
| 8:03 |
3. | "My House" (Derrick Carter's BHQ Voodoo Remix) |
| 9:07 |
4. | "My House" (Andy Butler Remix) |
| 5:49 |
5. | "Painted Eyes" (In Flagranti Remix) | Butler | 6:34 |
6. | "Painted Eyes" (Moonlight Matters Remix) | Butler | 5:55 |
7. | "Painted Eyes" (Wolfram Remix) | Butler | 6:16 |
Total length: | 48:06 |
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Blue Songs.[14]
- Hercules and Love Affair
- Andrew Butler – production
- Kim Ann Foxman – performer, musician
- Aérea Negrot – performer, musician
- Mark Pistel – additional production, co-production, mixing (track 8); performer, musician
- Shaun J. Wright – performer, musician
- Additional personnel
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Charts
Chart (2011) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austrian Albums Chart[15] | 57 |
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[16] | 79 |
German Albums Chart[17] | 75 |
Swiss Albums Chart[18] | 89 |
UK Albums Chart[19] | 105 |
US Dance/Electronic Albums[20] | 25 |
Release history
Region | Date | Label |
---|---|---|
Germany[21] | January 28, 2011 | Cooperative Music |
France[22] | January 31, 2011 | |
United Kingdom[23] | Moshi Moshi | |
Italy[24] | February 8, 2011 | Cooperative Music |
Australia[25] | February 18, 2011 | Moshi Moshi |
United States[13] | August 16, 2011 |
References
- NME
- "Hercules And Love Affair – Hercules and Love Affair". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on December 8, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- Kellman, Andy. "Blue Songs – Hercules & Love Affair". AllMusic. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- "Hercules And Love Affair: Blue Songs". The A.V. Club. The Onion. February 22, 2011. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- Woolley, Hayden (January 27, 2011). "Hercules & Love Affair – Blue Songs". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- Macpherson, Alex (January 27, 2011). "Hercules and Love Affair: Blue Songs – review". The Guardian. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- Edgell, Ben. "Hercules And Love Affair – Blue Songs". musicOMH. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- Wolk, Douglas (January 31, 2011). "Hercules and Love Affair: Blue Songs". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- Kholeif, Omar (January 20, 2011). "Hercules and Love Affair: Blue Songs". PopMatters. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- Hermes, Will (August 16, 2011). "Blue Songs". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- Henderson, Eric (January 30, 2011). "Hercules and Love Affair: Blue Songs". Slant Magazine. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- Walters, Barry (August 16, 2011). "Hercules and Love Affair, 'Blue Songs' (Moshi Moshi)". Spin. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- Breihan, Tom (July 12, 2011). "Hercules and Love Affair Reveal "Painted Eyes" Video, U.S. Album Release, American Tour". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- Blue Songs (CD liner notes). Hercules and Love Affair. Moshi Moshi Records. 2011. MOSHICD38.CS1 maint: others (link)
- "Hercules And Love Affair – Blue Songs" (in German). austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- "Hercules And Love Affair – Blue Songs" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- "Hercules & Love Affair, Blue Songs" (in German). charts.de. Media Control. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- "Hercules And Love Affair – Blue Songs". swisscharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- "Chart Log UK – Weekly Updates Sales 2011". The Zobbel Website. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- "Hercules & Love Affair – Chart history". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- "Blue Songs" (in German). Amazon.de. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- "Blue songs – Hercules And Love Affair" (in French). Fnac. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- "Hercules & Love Affair – Blue Songs". Moshi Moshi Records. Archived from the original on April 28, 2014. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- "Hercules and Love Affair – Blue Songs" (in Italian). IBS. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- "Blue Songs – Hercules and Love Affair". JB Hi-Fi. Archived from the original on April 28, 2014. Retrieved April 28, 2014.