Hey Panda is the eleventh studio album by the Anglo-Irish avant-pop band the High Llamas, released on 29 March 2024 through Drag City. It is the band's first album in eight years, since the release of Here Come the Rattling Trees in 2016.
| Hey Panda | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 29 March 2024 | |||
| Length | 39:50 | |||
| Label | Drag City | |||
| Producer | Sean O'Hagan | |||
| The High Llamas chronology | ||||
| ||||
Critical reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 89/100[1] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Mojo | [3] |
| MusicOMH | [4] |
| Uncut | 9/10[5] |
Hey Panda received a score of 89 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on five critics' reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[1] Uncut called it "beautifully now",[5] while Mojo wrote that it "may seem whimsical at first, but its depth is all the grander for the work it takes to mine its many gems".[3] MusicOMH's Steven Johnson stated that Hey Panda "reinforces the view that O'Hagan is a special composer and bandleader of note. It sees him push himself creatively further than he's ever done to date, delivering a unique, fascinating, compelling album in the process".[4]
Ryan Dillon of Glide Magazine felt that "these twelve songs carry the weight of time as it feels like we are reintroduced to the band despite their storied tenure as pop's most unpredictable offering strikes again with ambitious concepts executed to the highest order".[6]
Year-end lists
edit| Publication/critic | Accolade | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uncut | 80 Best Albums of 2024 | 23 | [7] |
Track listing
editAll lyrics are written by Sean O'Hagan, except "How the West Was Won" with lyrics by Will Oldham; all music is composed by O'Hagan.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hey Panda" | 3:32 |
| 2. | "Fall Off the Mountain" | 2:41 |
| 3. | "Bade Amey" | 3:04 |
| 4. | "Sisters Friends" (featuring Rae Morris) | 3:24 |
| 5. | "How the Best Was Won" (featuring Bonnie "Prince" Billy) | 2:59 |
| 6. | "The Grade" | 3:09 |
| 7. | "Yoga Goat" | 2:53 |
| 8. | "Stone Cold Slow" | 3:16 |
| 9. | "Toriafan" | 3:21 |
| 10. | "Hungriest Man" (featuring Bonnie "Prince" Billy) | 5:01 |
| 11. | "The Water Moves" | 2:48 |
| 12. | "La Masse" (featuring Fryars) | 3:42 |
| Total length: | 39:50 | |
Personnel
editThe High Llamas
- Sean O'Hagan – vocals, pianos, synthesizers, guitars, bass, synthesizer programming, arrangements, production, mixing, cover painting
- Jon Fell – bass on "The Grade"
- Rob Allum – drums, percussion
Additional contributors
- Fryars – mixing, programming and vocals on "Hay Panda" and "The Grade"
- Livvy O'Hagan – vocals on "Hey Panda", "Fall Off the Mountain", and "The Grade"
- Rae Morris – lead vocals on "Sisters Friends"
- Bonnie "Prince" Billy – vocals on "How the West Was Won"
- Andy Ramsay – drum recording
- Dan Osborn – layout
Charts
edit| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Album Downloads (OCC)[8] | 64 |
References
edit- ^ a b "Hey Panda by The High Llamas Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
- ^ Sendra, Tim. "Hey Panda Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ a b "The High Llamas – Hey Panda". Uncut. May 2024. p. 84.
- ^ a b Johnson, Steven (27 March 2024). "The High Llamas – Hey Panda | Album Reviews". MusicOMH. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ^ a b "The High Llamas – Hey Panda". Uncut. March 2024. p. 29.
- ^ Dillon, Ryan (27 March 2024). "The High Llamas Tackle the Art of Sonic Dynamics On Nuanced Hey Panda (Album Review)". Glide Magazine. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ^ Pearis, Bill (8 November 2024). "List Season comes early with Uncut's Top 80 Albums of 2024". brooklynvegan.com. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 April 2024.