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The Feminine Divine

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The Feminine Divine
Studio album by
Dexys
Released28 July 2023 (2023-07-28)
StudioFamous Times, Hackney, London and others
Length39:37
Label100%
Producer
  • Pete Schwier
  • Toby Chapman
Dexys chronology
Let the Record Show: Dexys Do Irish and Country Soul
(2016) 		The Feminine Divine
(2023) 		The Feminine Divine + Dexys Classics: Live!
(2024)

The Feminine Divine is the sixth studio album by the English band Dexys, released on 28 July 2023 by 100% Records. The tracks were written by Kevin Rowland, Sean Read, Mike Timothy and Jim Paterson, and the album was produced by Pete Schwier and Toby Chapman. It was the group's first album of original songs since One Day I'm Going to Soar (2012) and their first album in seven years since Let the Record Show (2016). It is a concept album themed around Rowland's progress across three decades from being sexist to becoming a champion for women.

The album's lead single, "I'm Going to Get Free", was released on 3 April 2023. An accompanying promotional video, featuring Rowland dancing along Bethnal Green Road, was directed by Guy Myhill. The song was originally written by Rowland and Paterson in the early 1990s. The album track "It's Alright Kevin (Manhood 2023)" is a reworking of "Manhood", a song that Rowland performed on television in 1993 and later recorded for Let's Make This Precious: The Best of Dexys Midnight Runners (2003).

Critics gave the album a generally positive reception and noted that the second half of the album, featuring synthesisers was unlike anything that the band had previously released. The track "My Submission" was highlighted with praise by several reviewers. The album entered the UK Albums Chart at number 6, making it the band's highest-charting album in over 30 years.

Background and recording

[edit]

The tracks were written by Kevin Rowland, Sean Read, Mike Timothy and Jim Paterson, and the album was produced by Pete Schwier and Toby Chapman.[1] Following the release of Let the Record Show: Dexys Do Irish and Country Soul by Dexys in 2016, the band's frontman Rowland lacked ideas for new music for at least three years. In 2021, however, he started writing and producing demos for songs that he had composed with Read, Timothy and Paterson. The following year, studio recordings were made in venues including Read's Famous Times studio in Hackney, London, Chapman's studio in Catford, and Timothy's studio in Willesden. Both actual and synthesized instruments were used. After tensions between Rowland and Chapman threatened to derail the sessions, Pete Schwier, who had previously co-produced Dexys recordings, was engaged to work with the group and Chapman, and work on the album was completed.[2] The track "It's Alright Kevin (Manhood 2023)" is a reworking of "Manhood", a song that Rowland performed on television in 1993 and later recorded for Let's Make This Precious: The Best of Dexys Midnight Runners (2003).[2]

Official press materials to publicise the album described it as "A personal, if not strictly autobiographical, record portraying a man whose views have evolved over time. Not just on women, but the whole concept of masculinity he had been raised with."[3] Helen Barrett of The Daily Telegraph summarised the concept as Rowland's "30-year progress from a sexist male who saw women as possessions to be protected ... to an enlightened champion of women."[4]

Rowland told Harriet Gibsone of The Guardian that a trip to Thailand, where he learnt about Tao, had been significant for him: "Through Tao, I learned about the concept of women as goddesses. I realised that women are powerful. Until then, I'd never really tried to understand them. That's quite an incredible admission, really."[5] Rowland explained that the first five songs of the album have a narrative where the narrator expresses different attitudes towards a relationship. in the fifth song, the title track, "he examines his relationships with women, and he sees that he's been sadly lacking".[6] The remaining tracks concern a new relationship after this insight.[6]

The album's cover art features an illustration inspired by Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes and fire.[7] The duration is 39 minutes and 37 seconds.[8]

Release and promotion

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The album's lead single, "I'm Going to Get Free", was released on 3 April 2023.[1] An accompanying promotional video, featuring Rowland dancing along Bethnal Green Road, was directed by Guy Myhill.[9][7] The song was originally written by Rowland and Paterson in the early 1990s.[2]

The Feminine Divine was released on 28 July 2023 by 100% Records.[10] It was the group's first album of original songs since One Day I'm Going to Soar in 2012,[7] and their first album in seven years since Let the Record Show in 2016.[11] The album entered the UK Official Albums Chart at number 6,[12] making it the band's highest-charting album in over 30 years.[13]

A supporting tour of theatre venues, was organised, with the band playing the entire album live, followed by several older songs.[2][14][15] Rowland told Tina Benitez-Eves of American Songwriter that the group would "theatrically perform the songs — act them out".[6] A North American tour was planned for November 2023, but subsequently cancelled.[16][17] A live album from the tour, The Feminine Divine + Dexys Classics: Live! was released in May 2024.[15] The band did not perform any tracks from the album when they appeared at the Glastonbury Festival 2024.[18]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic77/100[19]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
The Line of Best Fit6/10[20]
Record Collector[21]
Mojo[22]
The Guardian[10]
RetroPop[23]

The Feminine Divine received a score of 77 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on four critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception.[19] Uncut felt that the sound "confidently flits between low-key funk, lush symphonic Philly soul and the more punchy post-Motown dance grooves of Chairmen of the Board", and praised "Rowland's powerfully assured vocal delivery of his mea culpa confessionals".[19] Simon Heavisides of The Line of Best Fit concluded that the album was not on the same level as the first three Dexys Midnight Runners albums and was slightly inferior to One Day I'm Going to Soar, but added that "there's enough of their unique brilliance on display to make this a qualified victory".[20]

Record Collector's Shaun Curran wrote that the first half, "full of blaring brass, soul-inflections, [and] Rowland's histrionic vocals" was recognisably the sound of Dexys, calling the second half "a striking electronic makeover". He added that "if the premise is laid on a bit thick – Rowland never does things by halves – at least torch song My Submission is the most beautiful thing Dexys have ever done".[21] Similarly, Mojo's David Hutcheon wrote that the second half – which he described as "a saucy, synth-heavy cabaret" – would be unpopular with listeners, but felt that "Rowland still manages to pull a gem out of the fire with the touching 'My Submission'".[22] The song was also highlighted by Graeme Thomson in The Spectator, who said that it "hits the kind of grace notes the rest of the record largely lacks".[24]

Alexis Petridis of The Guardian gave the album four out of five stars and described it as "at turns discomfiting, brave, baffling and hugely impressive ... the kind of album that no one would countenance making except Rowland".[10] He argued that a change in direction for was what fans would expect from the band, and remarked that "you might decry [the lyrics for the title track] as painfully earnest and on the nose were it not for the fact that complaining about painful earnestness on a Dexys album feels a bit like complaining that a sandwich shop has just sold you a sandwich."[10]

Track listing

[edit]

The track listing for the album is:[8]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The One That Loves You"Kevin Rowland, Jim Paterson4:33
2."It's Alright Kevin (Manhood 2023)"Rowland, Paterson5:02
3."I'm Going to Get Free"Rowland3:26
4."Coming Home"Rowland, Paterson3:29
5."The Feminine Divine"Rowland, Sean Read4:36
6."My Goddess Is"Rowland, Michael Timothy3:29
7."Goddess Rules"Rowland, Timothy, Kamaria Castang3:23
8."My Submission"Rowland, Read6:15
9."Dance with Me"Rowland, Timothy5:24

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for The Feminine Divine
Chart (2023) Peak
position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[25] 100
Irish Albums (IRMA)[26] 60
Scottish Albums (OCC)[27] 4
UK Albums (OCC)[28] 6
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[29] 1

Tour dates

[edit]
Set list for the Dexys concert at the London Palladium, 20 September 2023
The Feminine Divine Live 2023 Tour dates[16][17][30]
Date Venue Notes
5 September York Barbican
7 September Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
8 September Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
10 September O2 City Hall, Newcastle
11 September Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
13 September St David's Hall, Cardiff Cancelled[a]
14 September Regent Theatre, Ipswich
16 September Wolverhampton Civic Hall
17 September Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea
19 September Brighton Dome
20 September London Palladium
22 September The Forum, Bath (early show)
22 September The Forum, Bath (late show)
25 September Olympia Theatre, Dublin
1 October De Roma, Borgerhout
2 October Muffathalle, Munich
4 October Admiralspalast, Berlin
5 October Kampnagel, Hamburg
7 October Katalin, Uppsala
10 October Maihaugsalen, Lillehammer
12 October Konzerthaus Dortmund
13 October Paradiso Noord, Tolhuistuin, Amsterdam
15 October Kulturzentrum Opderschmelz, Dudelange
16 October La Cigale, Paris
18 October Teatro Barceló, Madrid
20 October Casino Estoril
26 October The Theatre at Ace Hotel, Los Angeles Cancelled
27 October Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco Cancelled
29 October Aladdin Theater, Portland Cancelled
30 October Vogue Theatre, Vancouver Cancelled
1 November The Union, Salt Lake City Cancelled
2 November Paramount Theatre, Denver Cancelled
4 November Palace Theatre, Saint Paul Cancelled
6 November The Vic Theatre, Chicago Cancelled
8 November Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Toronto Cancelled
10 November Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts Cancelled
11 November Emerson Colonial Theatre, Boston Cancelled
13 November The Town Hall, New York Cancelled
14 November College Street Music Hall, New Haven Cancelled
15 November Keswick Theatre, Glenside Cancelled

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ The venue was closed temporarily due to concerns about reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.[30]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Dunworth, Liberty (3 April 2023). "Dexys announce new album and share upbeat first single 'I'm Going To Get Free'". NME. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d Harrison, Ian (June 2023). "Dexys return with The Feminine Divine". Mojo. No. 335. p. 16.
  3. ^ Reilly, Nick (3 April 2023). "Dexys announce 'The Feminine Divine', their first album in over a decade". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  4. ^ Barrett, Helen (22 May 2024). "Kevin Rowland: 'I thought, if anyone tries it on with my woman – I'm going to hit him'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024.
  5. ^ Gibsone, Harriet (17 June 2023). "Kevin Rowland looks back: 'Trying to calm myself down never even occurred to me'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Benitez-Eves, Tina (2 August 2023). "Dexys (Midnight Runners) Worship Women on New Album 'The Feminine Divine'". American Songwriter. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  7. ^ a b c Richards, Sam (3 April 2023). "Watch the video for Dexys' new single, 'I'm Going To Get Free'". Uncut. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Sendra, Tim. "The Feminine Divine – Dexys". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  9. ^ Breihan, Tom (3 April 2023). "Dexys – 'I'm Going To Get Free'". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d Petridis, Alexis (27 July 2023). "Dexys: The Feminine Divine review – Kevin Rowland worships at the altar of women". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  11. ^ Sendra, Tim (21 September 2023). "The Feminine Divine Review". AllMusic.
  12. ^ Smith, Carl (4 August 2023). "Travis Scott secures first Number 1 album with UTOPIA". Official Charts. Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  13. ^ "Dexys Midnight Runners". Official Charts. Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  14. ^ Linazasoro, Nick (3 April 2023). "Dexys announce new album & tour including Brighton date". Brighton and Hove News. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  15. ^ a b Kelly, Tyler Damara (24 April 2024). "Dexys: The Feminine Divine Review". The Line of Best Fit.
  16. ^ a b Richards, Will (30 July 2023). "Dexys announce first North American tour dates in 40 years". NME.
  17. ^ a b "Dexys". Another Planet. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  18. ^ Snapes, Laura (28 June 2024). "Glastonbury live: Friday with Dua Lipa, LCD Soundsystem, Idles and more – as it happened". The Guardian.
  19. ^ a b c "The Feminine Divine by Dexys Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  20. ^ a b Heavisides, Simon (26 July 2023). "Dexys: The Feminine Divine Review". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  21. ^ a b Curran, Shaun (21 July 2023). "The Feminine Divine: Dexys". Record Collector. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  22. ^ a b Hutcheon, David (August 2023). "Dexys: The Feminine Divine". Mojo. No. 337. p. 78.
  23. ^ "Dexys – The Feminine Divine". RetroPop. 24 July 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  24. ^ Thomson, Graeme (22 July 2023). "An album of not terribly happy ballads: Blur's the ballad of darren reviewed". The Spectator.
  25. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Dexys – The Feminine Divine" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  26. ^ "Irish Albums Chart: 4 August 2023". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  27. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  28. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  29. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  30. ^ a b "St David's Hall: All the shows postponed due to dangerous concrete". ITV News. 8 September 2023.
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