Thirteens (album)

Thirteens is an album by Leona Naess, released in the U.S. on 16 September 2008 by Verve Forecast Records, and released in the UK on 11 May 2009 by Polydor Records.

Thirteens
Studio album by Leona Naess
Released	16 September 2008 (U.S.) 11 May 2009 (U.K.)
Recorded	2005 - 2008
Genre	Rock
Label	Verve Forecast (U.S.) Polydor (UK)
Producer	Samuel Dixon Additional tracks co-produced by Jason Darling, Jimmy Hogarth, Nathan Larson and Leona Naess
Leona Naess chronology
Leona Naess (2003) Thirteens (2008)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
ABC News	(favorable)[1]
Allmusic	[2]
CityLife	[3]
Daily Mirror	[4]
Ellesmere Port Pioneer	[5]
The Guardian	[6]
Inthenews.co.uk	[7]
Philadelphia Daily News	(B+)[8]
Scripps Howard News Service	[9]
The Wall Street Journal	(favorable)[10]

The album was influenced by the death of Naess’s father, Arne Næss, Jr., in a mountaineering accident in January 2004. Naess returned to London from New York City and eventually began writing and recording songs with music producer Samuel Dixon. Naess recorded with almost no budget, asking friends to contribute, and completed thirteen albums’ worth of material. Eleven songs were selected for the release, titled Thirteens. Described as "a sweet and poignant collection" by New York magazine, much of the album deals with the onset of maturity.[11] The album consists of first takes, which were then overdubbed.[12]

A digital download of the album available on the iTunes Store includes a bonus track featuring singer-songwriter Ryan Adams; an exclusive edition available through retailer Barnes & Noble includes two bonus tracks. The UK release includes two bonus tracks unavailable on previous releases of the album.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Ghost in the Attic"	Samuel Dixon, Leona Naess	3:45
2.	"Leave Your Boyfriends Behind"	Dixon, Naess	4:05
3.	"Learning as We Go"	Dixon, Naess	4:07
4.	"Unnamed (This Song Makes Me Happy)"	Jason Darling, Naess	3:51
5.	"Not the Same Girl"	Dixon, Naess	4:21
6.	"Swing Swing Gently"	Naess	3:42
7.	"Heavy Like Sunday"	Dixon, Naess	2:54
8.	"Shiny on the Inside"	Dixon, Naess	3:59
9.	"The Lipstick Song"	Dixon, Naess	2:39
10.	"When Sharks Attack"	Naess	3:32
11.	"On My Mind"	Naess	2:29

iTunes Store edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
12.	"Leave Your Boyfriends Behind" (feat. Ryan Adams)	Dixon, Naess	3:47

Barnes & Noble Exclusive edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
12.	"On My Toes"	Dixon, Naess	3:55
13.	"Hiccups"	Dixon, Naess	4:24

UK Version

No.	Title	Length
12.	"Danke Schoen"	3:11
13.	"Unnamed (Mellow Version)"	4:10

Personnel

• Asif Ahmed – management
• Felix Bloxsom – percussion, drums, keyboards
• Andy Bradfield – mixing
• Greg Calbi – mastering
• The Christiania String Quartet
  • Camilla Kjøll – first violin
  • Lina Marie Årnes – second violin
  • Ida Bryhn – viola
  • Andreas Torday Gulden – cello
• Rupert Cobb – trumpet
• Jason Darling – bass, electric guitar, producer, drum programming
• Samuel Dixon – acoustic guitar, bass, mandolin, piano, glockenspiel, electric guitar, harmonium, melodica, producer, engineer, Mellotron, clapping
• Emery Dobyns – engineer, mixing
• Tormod Gangfløt – string arrangements
• Larry Goldings – keyboards
• Lisa Hansen – release coordinator
• Harry's Tribeca Alcoholic Choir – background vocals
• Jimmy Hogarth – acoustic guitar, banjo, percussion, electric guitar, programming, producer, executive producer, piano engineer
• Andy Kman – release coordinator
• Oliver Kraus – strings
• Bengt Lagerberg – drums
• Nathan Larson – organ, bass, electric guitar, producer
• Sophie Michalitsianos - cello, cello arrangements, piano
• Leona Naess – acoustic guitar, percussion, piano, electric guitar, vocals, producer, vibraphone, clapping
• John Newcott – release coordinator
• Al Newman – art direction, design
• Tom Schick – engineer
• Gus Seyffert – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, acoustic bass
• Zakee Shariff – art direction, design
• Martin Slattery – piano
• Mia Theodoratus – harp
• Chris Thile – mandolin
• Eva Vermandel – photography
• Joey Waronker – drums

References

1. ABC News review
2. Allmusic review
3. CityLife review
4. Daily Mirror review
5. Ellesmere Port Pioneer review
6. The Guardian review
7. Inthenews.co.uk review
8. Philadelphia Daily News review
9. Scripps Howard News Service review
10. The Wall Street Journal review
11. Lindgren, Hugo (August 24, 2008). "Up From the Depths". New York. Retrieved on September 18, 2008.
12. "Soundcheck Archived 2009-03-04 at the Wayback Machine". January 26, 2009. WNYC. Retrieved on January 26, 2009.

• Erlewin, Stephen Thomas. "Thirteens". Allmusic.