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
Angus & Julia Stone
Released15 September 2017 (2017-09-15)
StudioByron Bay cottage studio[1]
Length52:36
Label
ProducerAngus & Julia Stone
Angus & Julia Stone chronology
Angus & Julia Stone
(2014)		 Snow
(2017)
Singles from Snow
  1. "Snow"
    Released: 13 June 2017[2]
  2. "Chateau"
    Released: 24 August 2017[3]
  3. "Cellar Door"
    Released: 17 November 2017[4]
  4. "Nothing Else"
    Released: June 2018[5]

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
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?5.5/10[16]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[17]
The Irish Times[18]
The Line of Best Fit7.5/10[19]
The Music AU[20]
The Observer[21]
Renowned for Sound[22]
Rolling Stone Australia[14]

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.TitleLength
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

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[39] Gold 35,000

^shipments figures based on certification alone

References
  1. Williams, Tom (6 July 2017). "Angus & Julia Stone's New Album 'Snow' Finally Has A Release Date". Music Feeds. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  2. "Snow – Single by Angus & Julia Stone on Apple Music". iTunes Store (AU). Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  3. "Chateau – Angus & Julia Stone". Deezer. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  4. "Cellar Door – Angus & Julia Stone". iTunes Store (AU). Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  5. "Angus & Julia Stone - Nothing Else". YouTube. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  6. "Angus & Julia Stone | EMI Music Publicity Portal". EMI Music Australia. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  7. "Angus & Julia Stone". Nettwerk. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  8. 14 September 2017. "Behind The Scenes: Angus & Julia Stone | Features". Clash. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  9. Brandle, Lars (23 August 2017). "Angus & Julia Stone Check Into 'Chateau': Exclusive Video Premiere". Billboard. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  10. "Angus & Julia Stone Announce Release Date For Upcoming Album ♫ theMusic.com.au". The Music. 6 July 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  11. Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) (28 November 2018). "And the ARIA Award Goes To..." Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  12. McGrane, Danielle (14 September 2017). "Angus and Julia Stone get personal on Snow". News.com.au. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  13. 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.
  14. Levin, Darren (14 September 2017). "Rolling Stone Australia – Angus & Julia Stone, 'Snow'". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  15. 7 July 2017. "Angus & Julia Stone. 4th Album SNOW – teaser". Get to the Front. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  16. "Snow by Angus and Julia Stone reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  17. Donelson, Marcy. "Snow – Angus & Julia Stone". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  18. Murphy, Lauren (14 September 2017). "Angus & Julia Stone – Snow review: blizzard of banalities". The Irish Times. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  19. Croft, Charlotte (9 September 2017). "Angus & Julia Stone make a peaceful, polished return". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  20. Grulichova, Aneta (11 September 2017). "Angus & Julia Stone – Snow". themusic.com.au. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  21. Mackay, Emily (17 September 2017). "Angus and Julia Stone: Snow review – dreamy Australian indie rock". The Observer. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  22. de Freitas, Sonia (10 September 2017). "ALBUM REVIEW: ANGUS & JULIA STONE – SNOW". Renowned for Sound. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  23. "Snow by Angus & Julia Stone on Apple Music". iTunes Store (AU). Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  24. "Australiancharts.com – Angus & Julia Stone – Snow". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  25. "Austriancharts.at – Angus & Julia Stone – Snow" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  26. "Ultratop.be – Angus & Julia Stone – Snow" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  27. "Ultratop.be – Angus & Julia Stone – Snow" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  28. "Angus & Julia Stone Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  29. "Dutchcharts.nl – Angus & Julia Stone – Snow" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  30. "Lescharts.com – Angus & Julia Stone – Snow". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  31. "Offiziellecharts.de – Angus & Julia Stone – Snow" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  32. "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 25 September 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  33. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  34. "Swisscharts.com – Angus & Julia Stone – Snow". Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  35. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  36. "Angus & Julia Stone Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  37. "ARIA End of Year Albums 2017". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  38. "ARIA End of Year Albums 2018". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  39. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2018 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
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