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Smitten (Pale Waves album)

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Smitten
The cover depicts a woman sitting in a darkened field; above her head, hanging from the sky, is a chandelier
Studio album by
Pale Waves
Released27 September 2024 (2024-09-27)
LabelDirty Hit
Producer
  • Simon Oscroft
  • Iain Berryman
  • Hugo Silvani
Pale Waves chronology
Unwanted
(2022) 		Smitten
(2024)
Singles from Smitten
  1. "Perfume"
    Released: 12 June 2024[1]
  2. "Glasgow"
    Released: 12 July 2024[2]
  3. "Gravity"
    Released: 15 August 2024[3]

Smitten is the upcoming fourth studio album by English rock band Pale Waves. It is scheduled for release on September 27, 2024,[4][5] via the independent record label Dirty Hit.[6]

Writing

[edit]

In late 2023, Kerrang! magazine asked Pale Wave's lead singer and guitarist Heather Baron-Gracie about the album that would become Smitten, to which she replied: "All of my attention and energy is going into writing and recording our best album yet. Ultimately, that's about building a world that feels like Pale Waves, while also feeling completely different to anywhere we've inhabited before. We're creating another universe for our fans to explore, and for us to live in for a moment."[7]

When Baron-Gracie began to work on the record, she decided to take inspiration from the "pages of [her] long-forgotten teenage diary".[8] This encouraged her to thematically focus Smitten on "the excitement and euphoria as well as the confusion and pain of early queer relationships".[8] Baron-Gracie ultimately welcomed the chance to revisit the past, as it allowed her to realize that as people mature, they become more open to reflecting on parts of their lives that they may have previously blocked out.[9]

Much of the album was co-produced by Simon Oscroft and Iain Berryman. Previously, Oscroft had helped produce songs by OneRepublic, the Naked and Famous, and the Aces,[10] whereas Berryman had co-produced fellow Dirty Hit artist Beabadoobee's album Beatopia (2022).[11]

Music and lyrics

[edit]
The songs on Smitten were largely inspired by Heather Baron-Gracie's (pictured) past experiences with "the excitement and euphoria as well as the confusion and pain of early queer relationships".[8]

Smitten opens with "Glasgow", which lyrically discusses the dilemma of "leaving someone because you know it's no good for either of you anymore".[12] Musically, the track has been described as "bittersweet" and "'80s-sounding", with a "soaring" chorus.[12]

"Built around bright, dreamy guitar strums", "Gravity" discusses the "torment of being dragged in different directions by a lover who can't choose between their relationship or their religion".[13] In an interview with The Honey Pop, Baron-Gracie explained: "It's about my relationship that I had with a woman who was struggling with her religion and her sexuality and, in the end, chose Jesus over me."[9] The soundscape of "Gravity" has been described as "shimmery" and "guitar-forward", with comparisons made to the music of the Cure and Cocteau Twins.[3]

"Perfume", co-written by Baron-Gracie and Oscroft, explores the excitement of new love and the "complexity that comes with the beginning of a relationship".[14] The first portion of the song Baron-Gracie wrote was the chorus, and though she initially worried that the lyrics were simple, she decided embraced their catchiness, likening them to the music of the Spice Girls.[9] Prominently featuring "jangly, rhythmic guitar" and vocals "reminiscent of The Cranberries", "Perfume" sees "the band's gothic impulses coming to the fore".[15] Several publications – such as Atwood Magazine, NME, and Under the Radar – have further argued that the track evokes the retro-pop sound of the band's early releases.[14][16][17]

Promotion and singles

[edit]

On 24 May 2024, Pale Waves performed at the 100 Club in London under the pseudonym "Perfume" as part of Dork magazine's "Dork Night Out" event series; at this concert, they debuted the song of the same name.[18][19] "Perfume" was later released as the first single from Smitten, debuting on BBC Radio 1's "New Music Show" with Jack Saunders on 12 June 2024.[1] A video for the track, directed by Georgie Cowan-Turner, was also released at this time, alongside an announcement about the album itself.[20][21] "Perfume" eventually peaked at number 13 on Billboard Japan's Hot Overseas chart.[22]

The second single from the album, "Glasgow", was released on 12 July 2024, along with an accompanying music video, which features Heather Baron-Gracie packing a suitcase and driving off in a car, all while clad in a wedding dress.[12] Baron-Gracie also served as the director of "Glasgow".[23] The third single, "Gravity", was released 15 August 2024. The music video for the song, also directed by Cowan-Turner, focuses on Baron-Gracie and Luck "spend[ing] a tender day together".[3][24]

To promote Smitten, Pale Waves organized a headline tour of the UK, which is scheduled to run from October 3 to October 18, 2024.[2]

Track listing

[edit]
Smitten track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Glasgow"
  • Heather Baron-Gracie
  • Simon Oscroft
  • Oscroft
  • Iain Berryman
3:34
2."Not a Love Song"   
3."Gravity"
  • Baron-Gracie
  • Hugo Silvani
  • Silvani
  • Iain Berryman
3:35
4."Thinking About You"   
5."Perfume"
  • Baron-Gracie
  • Oscroft
  • Oscroft
  • Iain Berryman
3:39
6."Last Train Home"   
7."Kiss Me Again"   
8."Miss America"   
9."Hate to Hurt You"   
10."Seeing Stars"   
11."Imagination"   
12."Slow"   

Personnel

[edit]

Release history

[edit]
Country Date Format Variant Label Catalog no. Ref.
Various 12 June 2024 CD Standard Dirty Hit DH2067 [25][26][27]
LP Burgundy variant DH2059
Cream variant
TBA
Rough Trade variant DH2063
HMV variant
TBA
Cassette Black variant
TBA
Digital download
—
—
Streaming

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Radio 1's New Music Show with Jack Saunders". BBC Radio 1. 12 June 2024. Archived from the original on 12 June 2024. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b Skinner, Tom (3 July 2024). "Pale Waves announce 2024 UK headline tour". NME. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Hardman, Neville (15 August 2024). "See Pale Waves' Romantic New Video for 'Gravity'". Alternative Press. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Pale Waves | Smitten Standard CD". Dirty Hit. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Smitten | Pale Waves". Bandcamp. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  6. ^ Hardman, Neville (12 June 2024). "Pale Waves announce new album Smitten". Alternative Press. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  7. ^ Carter, Emily (30 November 2023). "Pale Waves' Heather Baron-Gracie: 'All my energy is going into writing our best album yet'". Kerrang!. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  8. ^ a b c Tate, Jason (June 2024). "Pale Waves Announce New Album". chorus.fm. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  9. ^ a b c Mae, Keaton (20 August 2024). "Exclusive Interview: We're Smitten With Pale Waves, And You Should Be Too!". The Honey Pop. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Simon Oscroft". Spotify. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  11. ^ "Iain Berryman". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  12. ^ a b c Skinner, Tom (12 July 2024). "Listen to Pale Waves' "Euphoric" New Break-Up Song 'Glasgow'". NME. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  13. ^ Molloy, Laura (17 August 2024). "Pale Waves Deal in Rejection on Dreamy New Single 'Gravity'". NME. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  14. ^ a b Childfree, Aaron (19 June 2024). "'I wanna make you my world': Pale Waves Capture the Excitement of New Love on 'Perfume'". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  15. ^ Murray, Robin (13 June 2024). "Pale Waves Announce New Album 'Smitten'". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  16. ^ England, Adam (13 June 2024). "Pale Waves Announce New Album 'Smitten' with Dreamy Single 'Perfume'". NME. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  17. ^ Von Pip, Andy (13 June 2024). "Pale Waves Announce Their Fourth Album, Share New Single 'Perfume'". Under the Radar. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  18. ^ "Who are 'Perfume'?". Dork. 1 May 2024. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  19. ^ Muir, Jamie (30 May 2024). "Pale Waves kick off a brand new era at Dork's Night Out at the 100 Club, London". Dork. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  20. ^ Rincon, Skyy (12 June 2024). "Pale Waves Announce New Album Smitten For September 2024 Release, Share New Single & Video 'Perfume'". music.mxdwn.com. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  21. ^ Ulitski, Rob (19 June 2024). "Pale Waves 'Perfume' by Georgie Cowan-Turner". Promonewstv. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  22. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  23. ^ Mandell, Tyler (24 July 2024). "Pale Waves' Beautifully Produced Breakup Anthem 'Glasgow' Has an equally Amazing Video". Imperfect Fifth. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  24. ^ Pale Waves (15 August 2024). "Pale Waves – Gravity". Vevo. Retrieved 15 August 2024 – via YouTube.
  25. ^ Information about the release history of Smitten derived from the following Dirty Hit webpages:
  26. ^ "Pale Waves – Smitten". Rough Trade. Archived from the original on 13 June 2024. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  27. ^ "Pale Waves – Smitten (hmv Exclusive) Green Vinyl". HMV. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
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