Messy (album)
Messy | |
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Studio album by | |
Released | 30 June 2023 |
Genre | |
Length | 35:28 |
Label | EMI |
Producer |
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Singles from Messy | |
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Messy is the debut studio album by English singer Olivia Dean. The album was released on 30 June 2023 through EMI.[3][4] The album was shortlisted for the 2023 Mercury Prize.[5]
Critical reception
[edit]Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 77/100[6] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
NME | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Line of Best Fit | 9/10[8] |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Clash | 8/10[10] |
Messy received a score of 77 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on seven critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception.[6] Sophie Williams of NME rated the album 4 out of 5 stars, complementing Dean's "confidence to occasionally dissect subjects that others swerve" while keeping a "mainstream" appeal.[11] Writing for The Line of Best Fit, Izzy Sigston deemed the singer as "the master of versatility",[12] and commended the wide range of the album.
Alim Kheraj of The Guardian was a little critical of the album, hoping that "Dean will relinquish the tired neo-soul fodder to pursue the experimentation she’s clearly capable of".[9] However, Robin Murray of Clash called the album "a bold, impressive debut offering" while commending the album's "broad range" and "precise execution".[10]
Track listing
[edit]No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "UFO" | Hales | 2:34 | |
2. | "Dive" |
|
| 3:20 |
3. | "Ladies Room" |
|
| 3:40 |
4. | "No Man" |
| Hales | 2:59 |
5. | "Dangerously Easy" |
| Hales | 2:43 |
6. | "Getting There (Interlude)" |
| Hales | 1:46 |
7. | "Danger" |
|
| 2:55 |
8. | "The Hardest Part" |
| 2:56 | |
9. | "I Could Be a Florist" |
| Wolfgang | 1:21 |
10. | "Messy" |
| Hales | 3:43 |
11. | "Everybody's Crazy" |
| Joseph | 2:43 |
12. | "Carmen" |
| Hales | 4:48 |
Total length: | 35:28 |
Notes
Personnel
[edit]Musicians
- Olivia Dean – vocals (all tracks), percussion (tracks 2–6, 10, 12), piano (9)
- Matt Hales – programming (1, 3–6, 10, 12), piano (1, 4–6, 10, 12), keyboards (1, 4–6, 12), guitar (1), vocal programming (3); Moog bass, synthesizer (10)
- Taran Stormes Martino – acoustic guitar (1), guitar (2–6, 10, 12)
- Finn Zeferino-Birchall – bass guitar (1–6, 10, 12)
- Kaidi Akinnibi – baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone (2, 3, 12)
- Max Wolfgang – bass guitar (2, 8); piano, percussion (2, 9); guitar, keyboards, synthesizer (9)
- Dan See – drums (2, 4, 8, 10, 12), percussion (2, 3, 10, 12), timpani (4)
- Tre Jean-Marie – keyboards, programming (2, 7); bass guitar, drums, horns, keyboards, synthesizer (7)
- Joel Waters – percussion (2), drums (3, 5, 6)
- Deschanel Gordon – Rhodes (2), keyboards (3), organ (4–6, 12)
- Elias Jordan Atkinson – trumpet (2, 3, 12), flugelhorn (10)
- James Wade-Sired – trombone (2, 3, 12)
- Davide Rossi – strings, string arrangement (4)
- DetoNate – bass guitar, drums, horns, keyboards, programming, synthesizer (7)
- Bastian Langebæk – keyboards (8)
- Felix Joseph – programming (8)
- Huw Foster – bass guitar (11)
- Russell Ramesh Roberts – percussion (12)
Technical
- Matt Colton – mastering
- Nathan Boddy – mixing (1, 4–12)
- Manon Grandjean – mixing (2, 3)
- Daniel Moyler – engineering (1–6, 10, 12)
- Matt Hales – engineering (2–6, 10, 12
- Bastian Langebæk – engineering (2, 8)
- Tre Jean-Marie – engineering (2, 7)
- Felix Joseph – engineering (8, 11)
- Max Wolfgang – engineering (9)
- James Pinfield-Wells – engineering assistance (1–6, 10, 12)
- Andrew Sarlo – additional engineering (10)
Visuals
- Olivia Dean – creative direction, photography, design
- Emily Braham – creative direction, design
- Rory Dewar – design
- Felix Joseph – photography
- Danl KM – photography
- Petros Studio – photography
- Emily Anderson – illustration
Charts
[edit]Chart (2023–2024) | Peak position |
---|---|
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[13] | 107 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[14] | 52 |
French Albums (SNEP)[15] | 191 |
Scottish Albums (OCC)[16] | 10 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[17] | 32 |
UK Albums (OCC)[18] | 4 |
Release history
[edit]Region | Date | Format(s) | Edition | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Various | 30 June 2023 | Standard | [19][20][21] |
References
[edit]- ^ Pareles, Jon (29 June 2023). "On Her Debut Album, Olivia Dean Is Already Pushing Ahead". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ Kheraj, Alim (30 June 2023). "Olivia Dean: Messy review – hackneyed British soul tropes do singer a disservice". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ "Olivia Dean Announces Debut Album Messy". Clunk Magazine. 30 March 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ Murray, Robin (29 March 2023). "Olivia Dean Details Debut Album Messy". Clash. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ Snapes, Laura (27 July 2023). "Mercury Prize 2023: Arctic Monkeys tie Radiohead's record for most nominations". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Messy by Olivia Dean Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
- ^ "Olivia Dean – 'Messy' review: vibrant, consistent and brimming with life". NME. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Olivia Dean's Messy is anything but chaotic". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ a b Kheraj, Alim (30 June 2023). "Olivia Dean: Messy review – hackneyed British soul tropes do singer a disservice". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
- ^ a b "Olivia Dean – Messy". Clash. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
- ^ "Olivia Dean – 'Messy' review: vibrant, consistent and brimming with life". NME. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Olivia Dean's Messy is anything but chaotic". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Olivia Dean – Messy" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Olivia Dean – Messy" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – Olivia Dean – Messy". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Olivia Dean – Messy". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ "Messy by Olivia Dean". Amazon Music. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ "Messy [VINYL]:Amazon.co.uk: CDs & Vinyl". Amazon Music. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ "Messy by Olivia Dean on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 20 June 2023.