Slowdive (album)

Slowdive is the fourth studio album by English rock band Slowdive. It was released on 5 May 2017 on record label Dead Oceans. The album is their first since Pygmalion in 1995.[1] The album was preceded by the single "Star Roving", which was released on 12 January 2017.[2][3] This is also the first Slowdive album in 24 years since Souvlaki (1993) to feature the classic line-up, as Simon Scott rejoined the band for their reunion.

Slowdive
Studio album by Slowdive
Released	5 May 2017 (2017-05-05)
Studio	The Courtyard Studio in Sutton Courtenay Sound Gallery in Exeter The White House in Kewstoke The Farm 2 in St. Mervyn Zigzag Music Productions in Hilton
Genre	Shoegazing
Length	45:58
Label	Dead Oceans
Producer	Neil Halstead
Slowdive chronology
Catch the Breeze (2004) Slowdive (2017)
Singles from Slowdive
"Star Roving" Released: 12 January 2017 "Sugar for the Pill" Released: 28 March 2017

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	8.1/10[4]
Metacritic	82/100[5]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[6]
The A.V. Club	B[7]
Consequence of Sound	A−[8]
Financial Times	[9]
The Guardian	[10]
Mojo	[11]
The Observer	[12]
Pitchfork	8.6/10[13]
The Times	[14]
Uncut	8/10[15]

Slowdive received acclaim 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 82, based on 30 reviews.[5] Consequence of Sound said that "Slowdive delivers nearly everything their fans desire in a return: familiarity, innovation, and vast atmospheres to get lost in".[8] The Skinny stated that "Slowdive represents an awareness of legacy, and the importance of not pissing all over it; to that extent, it's an essential addition to canon".[16] Drowned in Sound called the album a "majestic return that doesn't just fill in the gaps, but points unflinchingly towards future horizons".[17] Pitchfork said that the album "offers maximum-volume shoegaze too, better than the band ever has before".[13] Exclaim! praised the album, saying that it "certainly was a long wait, but finally Slowdive have given us the album that we have been dreaming about for the last 22 years".[18]

Accolades

Publication	Accolade	Rank	Ref.
Crack Magazine	The 100 Best Albums of 2017	13	[19]
Exclaim	Top 20 Pop & Rock Albums of 2017	3	[20]
Pitchfork	The 50 Best Albums of 2017	30	[21]
	The 20 Best Rock Albums of 2017	8	[22]
Stereogum	The 50 Best Albums of 2017	15	[23]
A2IM Libera Awards 2018	Album of the Year 2018	1	[24]
Opinion Police	The Best Song of the 2010's (Star Roving)	1	[25]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Neil Halstead, except where stated.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Slomo"	Halstead Christian Savill Nick Chaplin Rachel Goswell Simon Scott	6:53
2.	"Star Roving"		5:39
3.	"Don't Know Why"		4:36
4.	"Sugar for the Pill"	Halstead Chaplin [26]	4:31
5.	"Everyone Knows"		4:22
6.	"No Longer Making Time"		5:48
7.	"Go Get It"	Halstead Savill Chaplin Goswell Scott	6:09
8.	"Falling Ashes"	Halstead Scott	8:00
Total length:			45:58

Japanese edition bonus track

No.	Title	Length
9.	"30 June"	7:25

Personnel

Slowdive

• Neil Halstead – vocals, guitars, keys and editing, production
• Rachel Goswell – vocals
• Christian Savill – guitars
• Nick Chaplin – bass guitar
• Simon Scott – drums, guitar and electronics

Additional personnel

• Ian Davenport – engineering
• Duncan Chave – additional engineering
• Martin Nichols – additional engineering
• Gareth Stuart – additional engineering
• Steve Clarke – additional vocal engineering
• Chris Coady – mixing
• Sarah Tudzin – mixing assistant
• Heba Kadry – mastering
• Josh Bonati – vinyl cut
• Harry Smith – cover art
• Ingrid Pop – inner sleeve photo and art direction

Charts

Chart (2017)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[27]	64
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[28]	29
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[29]	53
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[30]	72
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[31]	38
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[32]	49
French Albums (SNEP)[33]	122
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[34]	33
Irish Albums (IRMA)[35]	45
New Zealand Heatseekers Albums (RMNZ)[36]	7
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[37]	26
Scottish Albums (OCC)[38]	12
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[39]	36
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[40]	79
UK Albums (OCC)[41]	16
US Billboard 200[42]	50
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[43]	3
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[44]	5
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[45]	11

References

1. Pearce, Sheldon (28 March 2017). "Slowdive Announce First New Album in 22 Years, Share 'Sugar for the Pill' Video: Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
2. Minsker, Evan (12 January 2017). "Listen to Slowdive's First New Track in 22 Years, 'Star Roving'". Pitchfork. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
3. Blistein, John. "Hear Slowdive's Celestial First Song in 22 Years 'Star Roving'". Rolling Stone. 2018 Rolling Stone. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
4. "Slowdive by Slowdive reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
5. "Reviews and Tracks for Slowdive by Slowdive". Metacritic. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
6. Sendra, Tim. "Slowdive – Slowdive". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
7. Fredette, Meagan (5 May 2017). "Slowdive returns after 22 years with a tentative step toward pop". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
8. Kliebhan, TJ (4 May 2017). "Slowdive – Slowdive". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
9. Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (12 May 2017). "Slowdive: Slowdive — 'shoegaze nostalgia'". Financial Times. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
10. Gibsone, Harriet (4 May 2017). "Slowdive: Slowdive review – jewel-like, spacious return by shoegaze originals". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
11. Male, Andrew (5 May 2017). "Slowdive – Slowdive". Mojo. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
12. Morris, Damien (7 May 2017). "Slowdive: Slowdive review – the band they always wanted to be". The Observer. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
13. Collins, Sean T. (8 May 2017). "Slowdive: Slowdive". Pitchfork. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
14. Hodgkinson, Will (5 May 2017). "Pop: Slowdive: Slowdive". The Times. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
15. Bonner, Michael (June 2017). "Slowdive: Slowdive". Uncut (241): 27.
16. Harman, Duncan (2 May 2017). "Slowdive – Slowdive". The Skinny. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
17. Gourlay, Dom (5 May 2017). "Album Review: Slowdive – Slowdive". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
18. Lindsay, Cam (3 May 2017). "Slowdive: Slowdive". Exclaim!. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
19. Crack Staff (December 2017). "The 100 Best Albums of 2017". Crack Magazine. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
20. Exclaim Staff (29 November 2017). "Exclaim!'s Top 20 Pop & Rock Albums, 10 to 1". Exclaim. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
21. "The 50 Best Albums of 2017". Pitchfork. 12 December 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
22. Sodomsky, Sam (13 December 2017). "The 20 Best Rock Albums of 2017". Pitchfork. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
23. Stereogum Staff (5 December 2017). "The 50 Best Albums of 2017". Stereogum. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
24. "Nominees". A2IM LIBERA AWARDS. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
25. "The Best 100 Songs of the 2010's". Opinion Police. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
26. https://www.ascap.com/repertory#ace/search/workID/893078169
27. "ARIA Chart Watch #420". auspOp. 13 May 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
28. "Ultratop.be – Slowdive – Slowdive" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
29. "Ultratop.be – Slowdive – Slowdive" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
30. "Slowdive Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
31. "Dutchcharts.nl – Slowdive – Slowdive" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
32. "Slowdive: Slowdive" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
33. "Lescharts.com – Slowdive – Slowdive". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
34. "Offiziellecharts.de – Slowdive – Slowdive" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
35. "Irish Albums Chart: 12 May 2017". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
36. "NZ Heatseekers Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 15 May 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
37. "Portuguesecharts.com – Slowdive – Slowdive". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
38. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
39. "Swedishcharts.com – Slowdive – Slowdive". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
40. "Swisscharts.com – Slowdive – Slowdive". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
41. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
42. "Slowdive Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
43. "Slowdive Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
44. "Slowdive Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
45. "Slowdive Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 August 2019.