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Turn Out the Lights (album)

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Turn Out the Lights
Studio album by
Julien Baker
ReleasedOctober 27, 2017 (2017-10-27)
StudioArdent Studios, Memphis, Tennessee [1]
Genre
Length42:01
LabelMatador
ProducerJulien Baker
Julien Baker chronology
Sprained Ankle
(2015) 		Turn Out the Lights
(2017) 		Boygenius
(2018)
Singles from Turn Out the Lights
  1. "Appointments"
    Released: August 17, 2017
  2. "Turn Out the Lights"
    Released: October 11, 2017

Turn Out the Lights is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Julien Baker. It was released on October 27, 2017, by Matador Records.[2]

Background

[edit]

Julien Baker began writing Turn Out the Lights while on tour for her debut album Sprained Ankle.[3] The overall recording period for the album was said to be six days, each lasting twelve hours. As with Sprained Ankle, Baker self-produced Turn Out the Lights.[4] Following the success of her debut, Baker gained positive attention and would begin working with Matador Records who helped release Turn Out the Lights. The album was recorded in the Memphis-based recording studio Ardent Studios.[5]

The album features violinist Camille Faulkner, who Baker met as a student at Middle Tennessee State University.[6] Others who collaborated on the album consist of several confidants from Baker's youth.[7] The release of the album coincided with a concert in Manhattan at Town Hall.[4]

Themes

[edit]

Turn Out the Lights covers a broad range of themes from Julien Baker's personal experiences with faith to her sexuality and identity. Similarly to Sprained Ankle, Baker once again touches on mental health and substance abuse. Despite the tone of her music, the album also contains a message of hope.[8]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.0/10[9]
Metacritic83/100[10]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[11]
Alternative Press[12]
American Songwriter[13]
The A.V. ClubA[14]
Chicago Tribune[15]
The Guardian[16]
Mojo[17]
Pitchfork8.6/10[18]
Record Collector[19]
Uncut8/10[20]

Turn Out the Lights holds a score of 83 out of 100 on the review aggregator website Metacritic based on 24 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim" from critics.[10] In a review for The A.V. Club, Kyle Ryan wrote that "As Baker digs into mental health, relationships, faith, and adulthood, Turn Out The Lights is, understandably, absolutely crushing... it is beautifully crafted throughout, full of the kinds of songs that linger long after they've ended."[14] Kika Chatterjee of Alternative Press rated the album 4.5/5 stars, stating that the album "proves [Baker]'s had enough pain to last several lifetimes. There's an elegance to her music that wasn't there before—a sudden bright piano riff over deep guitar; a harrowing, shouted acapella—that feels like a coming of age."[12]

Selecting Turn Out the Lights as one of the best albums of the year, The New York Times critic Jon Caramanica wrote, "Few if any songwriters are as evocative as Julien Baker, and few if any singers are capable of capturing despair and resilience quite like she can. Her second album is full of harrowing folk hymns about spiritual woe sung with the determination of someone who’s triumphing nonetheless."[21] August Brown from Los Angeles Times praised the album in a year-end review, stating, "“Visionary” is an easy word to toss around, but on her second LP, the still unbelievably young Baker saw a kinder, more empathetic world grounded in faith and humility and vulnerability. Gorgeously self-produced too."[22]

Year-end lists

[edit]
Select year-end rankings of Turn Out the Lights
Critic/Publication List Rank Ref.
Alternative Press The 40 Best Albums of 2017 —
[23]
American Songwriter Top 25 Albums of 2017
13
[24]
The A.V. Club The 20 Best Albums of 2017
8
[25]
BrooklynVegan Top 50 Albums of 2017
6
[26]
Consequence of Sound Top 50 Albums of 2017
13
[27]
Exclaim! Top 20 Pop & Rock Albums
6
[28]
Los Angeles Times August Brown's Top 10 Albums of 2017
3
[22]
New York Daily News Top 100 Albums of 2017
5
[29]
The New York Times Jon Caramanica's Best Albums of 2017
9
[21]
Jon Pareles's Best Albums of 2017
4
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 2017
18
[30]
The 20 Best Rock Albums of 2017
4
[31]
Stereogum The 50 Best Albums of 2017
13
[32]
Under the Radar Top 100 Albums of 2017
2
[33]
Time Out New York The Best Albums of 2017
12
[34]
Variety The Best Albums of 2017 —
[35]

Decade-end lists

[edit]
Publication List Rank Ref.
All Things Loud Top 100 Albums of the Decade
32
 [36]
Albumism The 110 Best Albums of the 2010s — [37]
Paste The 100 Best Albums of the 2010s
90
 [38]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Julien Baker

No.TitleLength
1."Over"1:28
2."Appointments"4:33
3."Turn Out the Lights"3:23
4."Shadowboxing"3:53
5."Sour Breath"3:04
6."Televangelist"4:53
7."Everything to Help You Sleep"4:21
8."Happy to Be Here"4:16
9."Hurt Less"3:59
10."Even"3:33
11."Claws in Your Back"4:38
Total length:42:01

Personnel

[edit]
  • Julien Baker – vocals (2–11), guitars (2–5, 8, 10), piano (1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11), organ (6, 7)
  • Camille Faulkner – strings (1, 2, 7, 9, 11)
  • Cameron Boucher – clarinet and saxophone (1, 2)
  • Matthew Gilliam – additional vocals (9)
  • Calvin Lauber – recording engineer, pre-mix
  • Craig Silvey - final mix engineer

Charts

[edit]
Chart (2017) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[39] 78
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[40] 9
US Folk Albums (Billboard)[41] 3
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[42] 9
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[43] 12

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Turn Out The Lights at Discogs
  2. ^ Sackllah, David (October 27, 2017). "Album Review: Julien Baker – Turn Out the Lights". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  3. ^ "Julien Baker Struggles with "God or an Ex-Lover" In Her New Album". W Magazine. 26 October 2017. Retrieved 2023-01-25.
  4. ^ a b Pareles, Jon (2017-10-22). "Julien Baker Bravely Confronts Her Traumas and Fears". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  5. ^ "Julien Baker on Turn Out the Lights interview: The Skinny". www.theskinny.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  6. ^ "Julien Baker Is Quietly Getting Louder". www.vice.com. 11 April 2018. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  7. ^ Exposito, Suzy (2017-09-29). "Julien Baker on How Faith Informs Her Unflinching New LP". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  8. ^ "Julien Baker Finds Lights In The Darkness". Stereogum. 2017-10-25. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  9. ^ "Turn Out the Lights by Julien Baker reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  10. ^ a b "Reviews and Tracks for Turn Out the Lights by Julien Baker". Metacritic. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  11. ^ Donelson, Marcy. "Turn Out the Lights – Julien Baker". AllMusic. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  12. ^ a b Chatterjee, Kika (October 27, 2017). "Julien Baker: Turn Out The Lights". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  13. ^ Bernstein, Jonathan (October 27, 2017). "Julien Baker: Turn Out The Lights". American Songwriter. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  14. ^ a b Ryan, Kyle (October 27, 2017). "Julien Baker, Turn Out The Lights". The A.V. Club. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  15. ^ Kot, Greg (October 27, 2017). "Julien Baker transforms despair into anthems on 'Turn Out the Lights'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  16. ^ Simpson, Dave (October 26, 2017). "Julien Baker: Turn Out the Lights review – hymnal songs of a turbulent soul". The Guardian. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  17. ^ Aston, Martin (December 2017). "Julien Baker: Turn Out the Lights". Mojo (289): 92.
  18. ^ Geffen, Sasha (October 27, 2017). "Julien Baker: Turn Out the Lights". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  19. ^ Atkins, Jamie (December 2017). "Julien Baker – Turn Out The Lights". Record Collector (473). Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  20. ^ Dalton, Stephen (December 2017). "Julien Baker: Turn Out the Lights". Uncut (247): 22.
  21. ^ a b Pareles, Jon; Caramanica, Jon; Russonello, Giovanni (December 6, 2017). "The Best Albums of 2017". The New York Times. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  22. ^ a b "Times music writers pick their top albums of 2017". Los Angeles Times. December 29, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  23. ^ "The 40 Best Albums of 2017". Alternative Press. December 15, 2017.
  24. ^ "Top 25 Albums of 2017". American Songwriter.
  25. ^ "The A.V. Club's 20 best albums of 2017". The A.V. Club. December 7, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  26. ^ "Top 50 Albums of 2017". BrooklynVegan. December 22, 2017.
  27. ^ "Top 50 Albums of 2017". Consequence of Sound. December 26, 2017.
  28. ^ "Top 20 Pop & Rock Albums". Exclaim!. November 29, 2017.
  29. ^ "The 25 Best Albums of 2017". New York Daily News. November 30, 2017.
  30. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2017". Pitchfork. December 12, 2017.
  31. ^ "The 20 Best Rock Albums of 2017". Pitchfork. December 13, 2017.
  32. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2017". Stereogum. December 5, 2017.
  33. ^ "Top 100 Albums of 2017". Under the Radar. December 30, 2017.
  34. ^ "The Best Albums of 2017". Time Out New York. December 11, 2017. Archived from the original on December 14, 2017.
  35. ^ "The Best Albums of 2017". Variety. December 15, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  36. ^ "ALL THINGS LOUD'S TOP 100 ALBUMS OF THE DECADE". All Things Loud. December 4, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  37. ^ "ALBUMISM SELECTS: The 110 Best Albums of the 2010s". Albumism. December 9, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  38. ^ "The 100 Best Albums of the 2010s". Paste. October 9, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  39. ^ "Julien Baker Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  40. ^ "Julien Baker Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  41. ^ "Julien Baker Chart History (Top Americana/Folk Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  42. ^ "Julien Baker Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  43. ^ "Julien Baker Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
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