Wikipedia

Mono (K.Flay album)

Mono (stylized in all caps) is the fifth studio album by American musician K.Flay, released via Giant Music on September 15, 2023.[1][2] Inspired largely by her 2022 diagnosis of labyrinthitis and subsequent total deafness in her right ear, Mono is primarily a rock album that continues K.Flay's trend of departing from her earlier hip hop sound.

Mono
Studio album by
K.Flay
ReleasedSeptember 15, 2023
Genre
Length38:10
LabelGiant Music
Producer
K.Flay chronology
Inside Voices / Outside Voices
(2022) 		Mono
(2023)
Singles from Mono
  1. "Raw Raw"
    Released: April 26, 2023
  2. "Shy"
    Released: June 7, 2023
  3. "Irish Goodbye"
    Released: August 17, 2023
  4. "Punisher"
    Released: September 15, 2023
  5. "Carsick"
    Released: January 11, 2024

Overview

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On April 26, 2023, K.Flay released the album's first track, "Raw Raw", along with its accompanying music video.[3][4] The track had been teased on her social media pages in the weeks prior to its release. The song heavily features the theme of vulnerability, which K.Flay said was inspired by her 2022 diagnosis of labyrinthitis and sensorineural hearing loss in her right ear.[5] She said, "I wanted to capture what vulnerability really feels like. Outwardly it might seem tender, but on the inside it's messy and bloody and somewhat terrifying. It's a chainsaw buzzing at your throat."[4] In May, she teased the second single "Shy" by playing snippets on Instagram Live and performing the song while on tour with Grandson.[6] The song was released on June 7.[7][8][9][10]

On June 6, the day before "Shy" was released, K.Flay announced that her upcoming album would be called Mono (inspired by her aforementioned deafness) and revealed the album's cover, track list, and release date of September 15.[11][12][13]

The third single from the album, "Irish Goodbye", was released on August 17.[14][15] The fourth single, "Punisher", was released with an animated music video on the same day as the album.[1][2][16]

The fifth and final single, "Carsick", previously exclusive to physical editions of the album, was released digitally on January 11, 2024.[17]

On October 15, 2024, K.Flay released slowed down acoustic versions of "Punisher" and "Carsick" from Mono.[18] Soon, alternate versions of "Bar Soap" and "Perfectly Alone" arrived; on November 12, an EP titled I'm Making Friends With the Silence and featuring all six softer versions of Mono songs was released.[citation needed]

Reception

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Mono was released to mainly positive reviews.[19][20][21][22][23] A writer for New Noise Magazine called it an "incredible" record, praising it for being "[K.Flay's] most cohesive and vulnerable album to date".[19]

Track listing

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Mono track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Are You Serious?"
  • K.Flay
  • Harris
1:35
2."Raw Raw"
K.Flay2:57
3."Punisher"
  • K.Flay
  • Harris
3:14
4."Irish Goodbye" (featuring Vic Fuentes)
  • K.Flay
  • Falconry
  • Nelson
  • Pink Slip
3:02
5."Hustler"
  • K.Flay
  • Meany
3:11
6."Spaghetti" (featuring Kid Sistr)
  • Flaherty
  • Sara Keden
  • Meany
  • K.Flay
  • Meany
2:32
7."Bar Soap"
  • Flaherty
  • David Haddad
  • K.Flay
  • Dave Hammer
2:32
8."Watch Me Pt. 1"FlahertyK.Flay0:56
9."In America"
  • Flaherty
  • Haddad
  • K.Flay
  • Hammer
2:47
10."Shy"
  • Flaherty
  • Haddad
  • K.Flay
  • Hammer
2:48
11."Watch Me Pt. 2"Flaherty
  • K.Flay
  • Meany
1:03
12."Chaos is Love"
  • Flaherty
  • Haddad
  • K.Flay
  • Hammer
2:56
13."Yes I'm Serious"
  • Flaherty
  • Buckley
  • Meany
  • K.Flay
  • Meany
  • Nelson
4:56
14."Perfectly Alone"
  • Flaherty
  • Harris
  • K.Flay
  • Harris
3:35
Total length:38:10
Physical exclusive track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
2."Carsick"
  • Flaherty
  • Suwito
  • K.Flay
  • Suwito
2:44
Total length:40:54
2024 digital reissue
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
2."Carsick"
  • Flaherty
  • Suwito
  • K.Flay
  • Suwito
2:44
Total length:40:54

Notes

  • "Yes I'm Serious" interpolates "Are You Serious?"
  • "Watch Me Pt. 2" interpolates "Watch Me Pt. 1".
  • While originally exclusive to vinyl and CD versions, "Carsick" saw an official single release several months after the rest of the album was made digitally available.

Personnel

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  • Kyle Buckley – production (track 4)
  • Dru DeCaro – production (4)
  • Kristine Flaherty – lead vocals, instruments, production; mixing (8)
  • Michael Freeman – mixing (1–7, 9, 12–14)
  • David Haddad – production (7, 9, 10, 12)
  • Jeoff Harris – production (1, 3, 14)
  • Aric Improta – drums
  • Joe LaPorta – mastering
  • Paul Meany – production (5, 6, 11, 13), mixing (11)
  • Rob Nelson – production (4)

Charts

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Chart (2023) Peak
position
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[24] 8

References

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  1. ^ a b Contreras, Ayana (September 15, 2023). "New Music Friday: The best releases out on Sept. 15". NPR.
  2. ^ a b Greco, Michael (2023-09-14). "A Reflective Q&A With K.Flay on Triumphant New Album, 'MONO'". Atwood Magazine. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  3. ^ Campbell, Caleb. "K.Flay on "Raw Raw" and Her Return to the Stage". www.undertheradarmag.com. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  4. ^ a b "k.flay unveils first song since hearing loss, Raw Raw". Kerrang!. 2023-04-26. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  5. ^ "Interview: K.Flay roars back and makes an album; deafness be damned". RIFF Magazine. 2023-06-05. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  6. ^ K. Flay - Shy (live), retrieved 2023-06-06
  7. ^ Steve (2023-06-07). "Delicious New Music | K.Flay explores the wildness of being 'Shy' in her newest single". Eat This Music. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  8. ^ Rockshot (2023-06-07). "K.Flay Shares More From MONO Via Shy | RockShot Magazine". rockshotmagazine.com. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  9. ^ "K.Flay Shares 'Shy' Video To Announce New Album 'Mono". Anti Music. 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  10. ^ K.Flay - Shy, retrieved 2023-06-06
  11. ^ "K.Flay on Twitter: "K.Flay on Twitter: "haters will say it's photoshopped. MONO..."". Twitter. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  12. ^ News |, A. B. C. (2023-06-07). "K.Flay announces new album, ' MONO'". 105.7 The Point. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  13. ^ "K.Flay Announces New Album MONO for Sept 2023 Release and Shares New Single & Video "Shy" -". mxdwn Music. 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  14. ^ Stunt (2023-08-17). "K.Flay Recruits Pierce the Veil's Vic Fuentes For Irish Goodbye". www.antimusic.com. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  15. ^ Stickler, Jon. "K. Flay Shares New Single Irish Goodbye Featuring Pierce The Veil's Vic Fuentes - Stereoboard". Stereoboard.com. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  16. ^ Coward, Teddy (2023-09-15). "K.Flay Shares Animated 'Punisher' Music Video". Rock Sound. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  17. ^ "K.Flay - Carsick (Official Visualizer)". YouTube. January 11, 2024.
  18. ^ Flaherty, Kristine (October 15, 2024). "Punisher / Carsick (softer versions) are OUT NOW!!!!!! these songs are so special to me, i hope u love them". Twitter. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  19. ^ a b "Album review – K.Flay – MONO". New Noise Magazine. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  20. ^ "Album Review: K.Flay - 'MONO'". When The Horn Blows. 2023-09-14. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  21. ^ "K. Flay Stepping Outside of Her Comfort Zone in "MONO"". Lomabeat.com. 2023-09-28. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  22. ^ "KFlay MONO album review". MUSIC NEWS MONTHLY. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  23. ^ Royce, Lauren (2023-09-21). "K. Flay 'pays no interest to niceties of politeness' on 'MONO'". The Oswegonian. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  24. ^ "K. Flay Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
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