Snow (Angus & Julia Stone album)
Snow is the fourth studio album by Australian singer-songwriter duo Angus & Julia Stone. It was released on 15 September 2017[1] by EMI in Australia and Nettwerk in the United States.[6][7] It was preceded by the release of the title track[1] and "Chateau" as singles.[8] "Chateau" was accompanied by a video directed by Jessie Hill.[9] The album was written entirely by the duo and recorded at Angus Stone's Byron Bay cottage studio after it was suggested by Rick Rubin, who produced their 2014 self-titled album.[10]
Snow | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 15 September 2017 | |||
Studio | Byron Bay cottage studio[1] | |||
Length | 52:36 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | Angus & Julia Stone | |||
Angus & Julia Stone chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Snow | ||||
Two of the album's tracks were voted into the Triple J Hottest 100, 2017: "Chateau" at number three and "Snow" at number 98.
At the ARIA Music Awards of 2018, the album was nominated for two awards; Best Blues and Roots Album and Best Independent Release.[11]
Production
Julia Stone commented that the duo had never written a whole album by themselves, nor spent as much time making an album alone together, saying: "That was the first time that we actually started writing together, in the same room [...] the last phase of writing and recording was just eight weeks of him and me and the quiet of the land."[10] Ideas for the album came about while the duo were in Switzerland, and the album was recorded at Angus' Byron Bay studio over a period of approximately six months.[12] Songs originated from "jam sessions" with friends who were at the pair's home.[13] Angus and Julia included a song about their late grandfather on the album, titled "Cellar Door", as he had helped inspire them to become a band; the track is about Angus revisiting his home town to sing at his funeral.[12]
The album incorporates new instrumentation for the duo: the use of a drum machine and "a more expansive guitar palette".[14] It also incorporates the use of a $150 organ the pair bought from an advertisement on the opening track, "Snow".[12][15] The track "Sylvester Stallone" includes lyrics referring to a lover who slurs their speech when drunk,[13] and "Sleep Alone" was created after a "'speed-date' songwriting session" with an unnamed DJ, where the duo abandoned the programmed beat but kept the lyrics.[13]
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 5.5/10[16] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
The Irish Times | |
The Line of Best Fit | 7.5/10[19] |
The Music AU | |
The Observer | |
Renowned for Sound | |
Rolling Stone Australia |
Darren Levin from Rolling Stone Australia complimented the "call-and-response" of "Snow", saying: "The Stones are at their best when they're playing off each other like this: Julia providing the strong but sympathetic counterpoint to her brother's just-rolled-out-of-a-two-day-bender version of charm."[14] He gave the record three-and-a-half stars out of five, concluding: "They're stronger together – they just realise it now."[14] Lauren Murphy of The Irish Times was less positive, giving the record two out of five stars, writing: "Beige might be a more appropriate title for Angus and Julia Stone's fourth album [...] their songs are bland creations, dripping with laboured pretence, as heard on 'Sleep Alone' and the lacklustre 'Baudelaire'. Only the Springsteen-esque shimmer of guitar on 'Who Do You Think You Are?' inspires any emotional response."[18] She summarised that the album was "studied nonchalance with no real identity of its own".[18]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Angus & Julia Stone.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Snow" | 4:12 |
2. | "Oakwood" | 3:43 |
3. | "Chateau" | 4:33 |
4. | "Cellar Door" | 4:41 |
5. | "Sleep Alone" | 4:29 |
6. | "Make It Out Alive" | 3:17 |
7. | "Who Do You Think You Are" | 6:51 |
8. | "Nothing Else" | 4:24 |
9. | "My House Your House" | 4:42 |
10. | "Bloodhound" | 3:58 |
11. | "Baudelaire" | 4:14 |
12. | "Sylvester Stallone" | 3:32 |
Total length: | 52:36 |
Source: iTunes[23]
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[39] | Gold | 35,000 |
^shipments figures based on certification alone |
References
- Williams, Tom (6 July 2017). "Angus & Julia Stone's New Album 'Snow' Finally Has A Release Date". Music Feeds. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- "Snow – Single by Angus & Julia Stone on Apple Music". iTunes Store (AU). Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- "Chateau – Angus & Julia Stone". Deezer. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- "Cellar Door – Angus & Julia Stone". iTunes Store (AU). Retrieved 4 December 2018.
- "Angus & Julia Stone - Nothing Else". YouTube. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
- "Angus & Julia Stone | EMI Music Publicity Portal". EMI Music Australia. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- "Angus & Julia Stone". Nettwerk. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- 14 September 2017. "Behind The Scenes: Angus & Julia Stone | Features". Clash. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- Brandle, Lars (23 August 2017). "Angus & Julia Stone Check Into 'Chateau': Exclusive Video Premiere". Billboard. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- "Angus & Julia Stone Announce Release Date For Upcoming Album ♫ theMusic.com.au". The Music. 6 July 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) (28 November 2018). "And the ARIA Award Goes To..." Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 28 November 2018.
- McGrane, Danielle (14 September 2017). "Angus and Julia Stone get personal on Snow". News.com.au. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- McCabe, Kathy (27 August 2017). "Angus and Julia Stone: How their rapid rise is all to do crashing". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- Levin, Darren (14 September 2017). "Rolling Stone Australia – Angus & Julia Stone, 'Snow'". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- 7 July 2017. "Angus & Julia Stone. 4th Album SNOW – teaser". Get to the Front. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- "Snow by Angus and Julia Stone reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
- Donelson, Marcy. "Snow – Angus & Julia Stone". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
- Murphy, Lauren (14 September 2017). "Angus & Julia Stone – Snow review: blizzard of banalities". The Irish Times. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- Croft, Charlotte (9 September 2017). "Angus & Julia Stone make a peaceful, polished return". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
- Grulichova, Aneta (11 September 2017). "Angus & Julia Stone – Snow". themusic.com.au. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
- Mackay, Emily (17 September 2017). "Angus and Julia Stone: Snow review – dreamy Australian indie rock". The Observer. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
- de Freitas, Sonia (10 September 2017). "ALBUM REVIEW: ANGUS & JULIA STONE – SNOW". Renowned for Sound. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
- "Snow by Angus & Julia Stone on Apple Music". iTunes Store (AU). Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- "Australiancharts.com – Angus & Julia Stone – Snow". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
- "Austriancharts.at – Angus & Julia Stone – Snow" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- "Ultratop.be – Angus & Julia Stone – Snow" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
- "Ultratop.be – Angus & Julia Stone – Snow" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
- "Angus & Julia Stone Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – Angus & Julia Stone – Snow" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
- "Lescharts.com – Angus & Julia Stone – Snow". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – Angus & Julia Stone – Snow" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
- "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 25 September 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
- "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
- "Swisscharts.com – Angus & Julia Stone – Snow". Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
- "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
- "Angus & Julia Stone Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
- "ARIA End of Year Albums 2017". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
- "ARIA End of Year Albums 2018". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
- "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2018 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 9 January 2019.