We've Been Going About This All Wrong is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten, released on May 6, 2022, by Jagjaguwar. Van Etten wrote the whole album herself, and produced it with Daniel Knowles. The indie rock album was preceded by four singles. It was critically acclaimed and appeared on several year-end lists, and charted in several countries. A deluxe version of the album was released on November 11, with two more singles ahead of it.
Release We've Been Going About This All Wrong was released on May 6, 2022, by Jagjaguwar. Four singles were released prior to the album's release. "Mistakes", which was released May 9, 2022; and "Headspace", which was released July 7; were both included on the original album. "Porta", released February 8; and "Used to It", released March 1; were originally released as standalone singles before being announced as part of the deluxe edition on October 6. "Never Gonna Change" was released as a single the same day as the deluxe announcement, and "When I Die" released the same day as the deluxe album's release on November 11.
Music videos were released for the first four singles. The video for "Mistakes" shows Van Etten wandering around Brooklyn, meeting friends and dancing in the street. The "Porta" video depicts Van Etten practicing pilates and was inspired by Van Etten's friendship with North Carolina pilates instructor Stella Cook. The "Headspace" video was directed by Ashley Connor and depicts Van Etten taking cellphones away from a couple portrayed by dancers Coco Karol and Miguel Angel Guzmán and encouraging them to embrace each other. The video for "Used to It" features Van Etten dancing with choreographer Hayden J. Frederick, and was directed by Van Etten's musical director and bandmate Charley Damski.
The album is named after a line of dialogue in the 1993 movie The Sandlot, a movie Van Etten says she has watched "probably ... 100 times" with her son.
Reception
Year-end lists + We've Been Going About This All Wrong on year-end lists Publication BrooklynVegan 39 Consequence of Sound 47 Exclaim! 43 Mondo Sonoro 45 Paste 46 PopMatters 61 Sound Opinions(Jim DeRogatis) 17 Sound Opinions(Greg Kot) 2 Uncut 19 Under the Radar 8
Track listing
Personnel Musicians Sharon Van Etten – vocals, keyboards , guitar , drums , synthesizer , tambourine , piano , organ Jorge Balbi – drums , percussion Charley Damski – synthesizer , guitar , glockenspiel Devra Hoff – guitar Jay Bellerose – drums Benji Lysaght – guitar Zachary Dawes – guitar Daniel Knowles – bass , percussion Owen Pallett – strings Dave Palmer – piano
Technical Sharon Van Etten – recording engineer Daniel Knowles – recording engineer , programming Joe LaPorta – mastering engineer Beatriz Artola – mixing engineer Mike Piersante – recording engineer Jorge Balbi – programming
Charts + Chart performance for We've Been Going About This All Wrong Chart (2022) Peakposition US Folk Albums (Billboard) 5 US Top Album Sales (Billboard) 10 US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard) 3 US Vinyl Albums (Billboard) 7
References