Fever Dreams Pts 1–4, is the fourth studio album by musician Johnny Marr. Its first two parts were released as EPs in late 2021, with the album being released in full on 25 February 2022 through New Voodoo, under license to BMG. The third part was later issued separately on vinyl. The album is Marr's first double album and peaked at number 4, the highest chart position for his solo albums.[1]
| Fever Dreams Pts 1–4 | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 25 February 2022 | |||
| Studio | Crazy Face Factory | |||
| Length | 73:33 | |||
| Label |
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| Producer |
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| Johnny Marr chronology | ||||
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Writing and recording
editThe album was recorded during a lockdown period. Speaking of the album, Marr said: "There's a set of influences and a very broad sound that I've been developing – really since getting out of The Smiths until now, and I hear it in this record. There are so many strands of music in it. We didn't do that consciously, but I think I've got a vocabulary of sound. And I feel very satisfied that I've been able to harness it. It's an inspired record, and I couldn't wait to get in and record every day. But I had to go inwards."[2]
The track "Receiver" is "erotic signals that we send to each other".[3]
Talking to NME, Marr said of the track "Ariel", which is based on Sylvia Plath's poem "Ariel": "With a song like 'Ariel', I just felt like I wanted to sing something to do with empathy." Speaking of "Lightning People", Marr said: "I wanted to pay tribute, in a way, to people who are interested in me, and listen to me. Even if it's just for the five minutes of people listening to the song, to galvanize this idea of 'us'."[4]
Marr said "Sensory Street" is a "story of a surreal 48 hours in subterranean England",[5] and spoke about "Tenement Time" as "about running around Ardwick [Manchester, England], bunking into warehouses and getting chased. That was the first time I was self-consciously into culture: around people who wore certain clothes, and it was part of being a little Manchester boy, really. I have a real romanticism about that period of my life."[6]
Speaking of "Night and Day", Marr said: "I need songs after all the news, news, news. It gets too real in the hotspots, I'm trying to be positive, for me and my audience, really. My personality is such that it occurs to me to think that way. I'm not just writing with positivity for the sake of a song. It's real, and it's also very necessary."[7]
Critical reception
editThe album received relatively positive reviews from most outlets. On Metacritic, the album earned an 82 out of 100, based on 12 critic scores, indicating "universal acclaim". Writing for God Is in the TV, Laura Dean gave the album 4.5 out of 5 stars, saying that it "illustrates Johnny's versatility and talents for song writing, production and vocals".[8] Emma Harrison from Clash gave the album 8 out of 10, stating the album not only showcases Johnny Marr's ability as a guitarist but also as a songwriter to "craft a series of strong tracks".[9]
Mojo gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, stating that "Fever Dreams is too long, uniform and persistent to enjoy in one sitting." Mark Beaumont, writing for the Independent, gave the album a 4 out of 5 as well, stating "Like the post-pandemic age, you never know what's coming next."[10]
NME gave the album a 4 out of 5, with writer Andrew Trendell saying "It's Marr's restlessly prolific spirit that drives Fever Dreams Pt 1–4 [...] This album is the work of a man with no time for big cash reunions or the squabbling that prevents them. Instead, he has turned in a record fuelled by soul and new ideas."[11]
Craig Mathieson of The Sydney Morning Herald gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, concluding that "Most of music's greats eventually flounder, but Marr remains purposeful".[12]
Felix Rowe of DIY gave the album a mixed rating of 6 out of 10, saying the album "shines brightest when Marr lets his guitar do the talking".[13]
Singles
edit"Spirit Power and Soul" was the lead single for the album, released on 31 August 2021. It was number 38 on the list of the best selling vinyl singles of 2021.[14] It features on Fever Dreams Pt1 EP as lead track and there is also a Vince Clark remix of the track available.
"Tenement Time" was the second single, released on 8 November 2021, with the B-side "Sensory Street". Both tracks feature on Fever Dreams Pt 2 EP which includes lead track, "Lightning People".
"Night and Day" was released as the third single, with a single version that is 3 minutes and 41 seconds long, compared to the album version, which is 4 minutes and 54 seconds long. The edited version features on Fever Dreams Pt 3 EP which includes lead track, "The Speed of Love".
Videos were made for all three songs. A lyric video for "Sensory Street" is available.
Live performance at the Crazy Face Factory
editAlongside the announcement for the album on 12 October 2021, Marr also announced a livestream named Liveat the Crazy Face Factory, which was to premiere online from 10 November until 14 November. Fans who had pre-ordered the album from the store were able to access exclusive tickets to the show before the public sale began on 20 October.
Filmed at Crazy Face Factory, the show allowed fans "the chance to step inside [Marr's] custom-built Crazy Face Factory studio where Fever Dreams Pts 1–4 was created" and Marr also "discuss[ed] his creative process and life in songwriting, alongside a set of full-band live performances from across his career".
The Yorkshire Post reviewed the show, giving the explanation Marr stated for the name of the studio: "Marr reveals that the connection between the Crazy Face Factory's name and the late Joe Moss, The Smiths' first manager, who also owned the Crazy Face street clothing line. 'It's partly a tribute to Joe and partly a tribute to my past.'"[15]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Johnny Marr and Doviak
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Spirit Power and Soul" | 4:18 |
| 2. | "Receiver" | 5:18 |
| 3. | "All These Days" | 4:55 |
| 4. | "Ariel" | 4:51 |
| 5. | "Lightning People" | 4:39 |
| 6. | "Hideaway Girl" | 3:25 |
| 7. | "Sensory Street" | 5:18 |
| 8. | "Tenement Time" | 4:18 |
| 9. | "The Speed of Love" | 5:44 |
| 10. | "Night and Day" | 4:54 |
| 11. | "Counter Clock World" | 4:06 |
| 12. | "Rubicon" | 4:14 |
| 13. | "God's Gift" | 4:06 |
| 14. | "Ghoster" | 4:10 |
| 15. | "The Whirl" | 3:44 |
| 16. | "Human" | 4:22 |
| Total length: | 73:33 | |
Personnel
editBand
- Johnny Marr – vocals, guitar, keyboards
- James Doviak – guitars, keyboards, vocals
- Iwan Gronow – bass guitar, vocals
- Jack Mitchell – drums
Additional personnel
- Simone Marie – bass guitar on tracks 1, 5, 10
- Meredith Sheldon – backing vocals on tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 14
- Nile Marr – backing vocals on "Hideaway Girl"
- Claudius Mittendorfer – mixing
- Russ Millar – recording assistant
- Mat Bancroft & Laura Turner – design and artwork
- Niall Lea – photography
Charts
edit| Chart (2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[16] | 82 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[17] | 30 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[18] | 24 |
| Irish Albums (IRMA)[19] | 58 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[20] | 2 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] | 82 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[22] | 4 |
References
edit- ^ "Johnny Marr | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ^ "Johnny Marr Announces New Double Album Fever Dreams Pts 1–4". Rolling Stone. 13 October 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
- ^ "Johnny Marr: "I would wake up to a landslide, an earthquake that was The Smiths breakup."". Retrieved 16 March 2022 – via YouTube.
- ^ Major, Michael. "Johnny Marr Releases Fever Dreams Pt 2 EP". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
- ^ "Johnny Marr releases two new singles 'Tenement Time' and 'Sensory Street' from Fever Dreams Pt 2 EP". XS Noize. 8 November 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
- ^ Matt Owen (9 November 2021). "Johnny Marr announces release date for Fever Dreams Pt 2, shares two infectious new singles". Guitar World. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
- ^ "Listen to Johnny Marr's rousing new single 'Night And Day'". NME. 10 January 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
- ^ Dean, Laura (25 February 2022). "Johnny Marr – Fever Dreams Pts 1–4 (BMG)". God Is In The TV. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ^ "Johnny Marr – Fever Dreams Pts 1–4". Clash. 24 February 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ^ "Album reviews: Johnny Marr and Avril Lavigne". The Independent. 24 February 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ^ "Johnny Marr – Fever Dreams Pts 1–4 review: The hardest-working man in indie strikes again". NME. 24 February 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ^ Nguyen, Barry Divola, Craig Mathieson, Giselle Au-Nhien (26 February 2022). "Gang of Youths' new album takes sad songs and makes them better". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Johnny Marr – Fever Dreams Pts 1–4 – Review". DIY. 23 February 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ^ "The Official Top 40 best-selling vinyl albums and singles of 2021". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ^ "Review: Johnny Marr: Live At The Crazy Face Factory". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Johnny Marr – Fever Dreams Pts 1-4" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Johnny Marr – Fever Dreams Pts 1-4" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Johnny Marr – Fever Dreams Pts 1-4" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
- ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Johnny Marr". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Johnny Marr – Fever Dreams Pts 1-4". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 November 2023.