Antisocialites is the second studio album by Canadian indie pop band Alvvays, released on September 8, 2017, through Polyvinyl, Royal Mountain, Transgressive and Inertia.
Recording and production According to frontwoman Molly Rankin, Antisocialites was recorded using a combination of Pro Tools and a TASCAM 488 8-track recorder.
Music Tim Sendra of AllMusic said that "the sound of the album is bigger and the arrangements fuller and more spacious, giving the instruments room to breathe." Steven Edelstone of Paste Magazine opined that "by adding a warm synth sheen," the band "managed to make their jangly guitars seem even lusher."
Critical reception Antisocialites received positive reviews from critics. In a review from Pitchfork, critic Marc Hogan praised the album as being "thoroughly accomplished". Several critics noted that the album was darker than the band's 2014 debut -- Paste Magazine writer Steven Edelstone found the band's comparatively more serious lyrical content as "uneasy", but still a "record that begs to be blasted on road trips and at rooftop parties", while Mike Katzif of NPR interpreted the album's lead track "In Undertow" as a "darker spiritual sequel" to their 2014 breakthrough single "Archie, Marry Me". Canadian music magazine Exclaim ranked Antisocialites as their #1 album in their 2017 year-end list of pop and rock albums, drawing attention to the album's songwriting and "plain and simple" approach.
Accolades Antisocialites won the Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year in 2018."Junos 2018: the complete list of winners". CBC News, March 25, 2018 The album was also a shortlisted finalist for the 2018 Polaris Music Prize."Polaris Music Prize Reveals 2018 Short List". Exclaim!, July 17, 2018. Publication Accolade Rank Exclaim Top 20 Pop & Rock Albums of 2017 The Guardian The best albums of 2017 NME NMEs Albums of the Year 2017 Stereogum The 50 Best Albums of 2017 The Ringer The Best Albums of 2017
Track listing
Personnel Credits adapted from the album liner notes.
Alvvays Kerri MacLellan – Farfisa, vocals Brian Murphy – bass, guitar Alec O'Hanley – guitars, vocals, Realistic, bass, recording, production, artwork, mixing Molly Rankin – vocals, guitars, fiddle, artwork Chris Dadge – drums, percussion
Additional musicians Moshe Fisher-Rozenberg – drums Jeremy Gaudet – guitars Isaac Takeuchi – cello Norman Blake – glockenspiel, vocals
Technical and artwork
John Congleton – recording, production Celso Estrada – engineer Tyler Karmen – engineer Marta Salogni – engineer Alex Gamble – engineer Graham Walsh – engineer Kenny Meehan – engineer Matt Estep – mixing Justin Nace – additional mixing David Ives – mastering Anthony Stewart – photography
Charts Chart (2017) Peak position New Zealand Heatseekers Albums (RMNZ) 8
References