Big Swimmer is the second studio album by King Hannah, an English music duo of Hannah Merrick and Craig Whittle.[1] It was released on City Slang on 31 May 2024.[2] Sharon Van Etten provided guest vocals on the songs "Big Swimmer" and "This Wasn't Intentional".[2] The album received universal acclaim from critics.[3]
| Big Swimmer | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by King Hannah | ||||
| Released | 31 May 2024 | |||
| Length | 49:44 | |||
| Label | City Slang | |||
| Producer | Ali Chant | |||
| King Hannah chronology | ||||
| ||||
Critical reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 81/100[3] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| Exclaim! | 8/10[5] |
| The Line of Best Fit | 8/10[6] |
| Pitchfork | 6.9/10[7] |
| PopMatters | 8/10[8] |
| Under the Radar |    [9] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Big Swimmer received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 81 out of 100 from 8 critic scores.[3]
Marcy Donelson of AllMusic commented that "While Big Swimmer isn't especially hooky or melodic or cathartic, it is mesmerizing, and performed with an actor's command of an audience, a playwright's turn of phrase, and an expert sense of guitar tones -- as well as an enviable, intangible coolness."[4] Patrick Gill of PopMatters stated, "On Big Swimmer, King Hannah take another step forward in their songwriting and even production, which is of higher fidelity than previous records."[8] Andy Von Pip of Under the Radar called the album "a solidification of their oeuvre, brimming with confidence as Whittle's gritty, coruscating guitar riffs perfectly illuminate Merrick's often opaque yet playful poetic lyrics, often delivered with a laconic drawl."[9] He added, "The album boasts a widescreen musical style, executed with flair and panache."[9]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Hannah Merrick and Craig Whittle.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Big Swimmer" (featuring Sharon Van Etten) | 5:22 |
| 2. | "New York, Let's Do Nothing" | 3:22 |
| 3. | "The Mattress" | 4:45 |
| 4. | "Milk Boy (I Love You)" | 3:53 |
| 5. | "Suddenly, Your Hand" | 7:19 |
| 6. | "Somewhere Near El Paso" | 8:21 |
| 7. | "Lily Pad" | 3:33 |
| 8. | "Davey Says" | 2:47 |
| 9. | "Scully" | 1:35 |
| 10. | "This Wasn't Intentional" (featuring Sharon Van Etten) | 5:00 |
| 11. | "John Prine on the Radio" | 3:47 |
| Total length: | 49:44 | |
Charts
edit| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[10] | 74 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[11] | 63 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[12] | 92 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[13] | 75 |
| UK Album Downloads (OCC)[14] | 69 |
| UK Americana Albums (OCC)[15] | 10 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[16] | 13 |
References
edit- ^ Von Pip, Andy (7 March 2024). "King Hannah Announces New Album, Share Title Track "Big Swimmer" (Feat. Sharon Van Etten)". Under the Radar. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ a b Murray, Robin (7 March 2024). "King Hannah Announce New Album 'Big Swimmer'". Clash. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ a b c "Big Swimmer by King Hannah Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ a b Donelson, Marcy. "Big Swimmer - King Hannah". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ Thacker, Amanda (30 May 2024). "King Hannah Brave the Waves on 'Big Swimmer'". Exclaim!. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ Amen, John (29 May 2024). "King Hannah cover substantial ground on Big Swimmer". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ Jocelyn, Hannah (5 June 2024). "King Hannah: Big Swimmer". Pitchfork. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ a b Gill, Patrick (10 June 2024). "King Hannah Deliver Another Satisfying Set of Songs". PopMatters. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ a b c Von Pip, Andy (19 June 2024). "King Hannah: Big Swimmer (City Slang)". Under the Radar. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – King Hannah – Big Swimmer" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – King Hannah – Big Swimmer" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – King Hannah – Big Swimmer". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ "Official Americana Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
External links
edit- Big Swimmer at Discogs (list of releases)