These Friends of Mine (album)
These Friends of Mine is the fourth album by American singer-songwriter Rosie Thomas, released in 2006. Jeremy Enigk, Sufjan Stevens (who also co-produced), David Bazan, Damien Jurado, and Denison Witmer also appear on this album.[1][2][3] The album was initially only available for purchase at online music stores. On March 13, 2007 it was released on compact disc.
These Friends of Mine | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | December 12, 2006 | |||
Recorded | 2006 | |||
Genre | Indie folk | |||
Length | 39:35 | |||
Label | Sing-A-Long, Nettwerk | |||
Rosie Thomas chronology | ||||
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The album was recorded over a two-year period in a Brooklyn apartment that Thomas shared with Stevens and Witmer, and includes cover versions of R.E.M.'s "The One I Love" and Fleetwood Mac's "Songbird".[1][4]
Reception
The BBC called it a "whimsical, stripped down album", "an album that brims with introspective beauty and exposes Thomas’ song writing ability".[5] Allmusic gave the album a three and a half out of five rating, calling it "a mixed bag, a long EP that works great when the song choice and left-of-center recording techniques meld into one, and lackluster when they do not".[6] PopMatters gave the album 7 out of 10, with reviewer Andrew Vietze describing the songs as "heartbreakingly beautiful and they seem painfully authentic", and calling it "arguably the best Rosie Thomas record so far".[4] The Boston Globe gave it a favorable review, stating "If folky girls hit your heartstrings, Thomas's work is a perfect soundtrack to coffee-shop dreaming and scribbling."[3] The Washington Post called it "an album of quiet, folksy ballads".[7] The Sunday Mercury described it as "a delightfully home-spun affair", calling it "an album not just to love but to treasure".[1] Liz Colville, reviewing the album for Pitchfork Media gave it 3.8 out of 10, calling it "a sleepy, easy folk album".[2] The Manchester Evening News called it "an album full of serenity and dreaminess".[8]
Track listing
- "If This City Never Sleeps" – 1:57
- "Why Waste More Time?" – 3:46
- "The One I Love" (Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe) – 2:54 (originally by R.E.M.)
- "Much Farther to Go" – 4:18
- "Paper Doll" – 3:50 (originally by Denison Witmer)
- "Kite Song" – 2:52
- "Songbird" (Christine McVie) – 3:10 (originally by Fleetwood Mac)
- "All the Way to New York City" – 2:40
- "Say Hello" – 2:19 (featuring Sufjan Stevens)
- "These Friends of Mine" – 5:02
References
- Daniels, Jack (2007) "music: ROSIE THOMAS These Friends Of Mine (Nettwerk)", Sunday Mercury, May 13, 2007. Retrieved January 20, 2014 – via HighBeam (subscription required)
- Colville, Liz (2007) "Rosie Thomas These Friends of Mine", Pitchfork Media, April 9, 2007. Retrieved January 20, 2014
- Donnelly, Elisabeth (2007) "SOUND CHECK - NEW ALBUM REVIEWS", The Boston Globe, April 10, 2007. Retrieved January 20, 2014 – via HighBeam (subscription required)
- Vietze, Andrew (2007) "Rosie Thomas: These Friends of Mine", PopMatters, March 11, 2007. Retrieved January 20, 2014
- Kutchinsky, Serena (2007) "Rosie Thomas These Friends Of Mine Review", BBC. Retrieved January 20, 2014
- Lankford, Ronnie D. Jr. "These Friends of Mine Review", Allmusic. Retrieved January 20, 2014
- "Media Mix; A Quick Take on New Releases", The Washington Post, March 11, 2007. Retrieved January 20, 2014 – via HighBeam (subscription required)
- "Rosie Thomas – These Friends of Mine", Manchester Evening News, May 15, 2007. Retrieved January 20, 2014