When the Poems Do What They Do is the debut studio album by American poet Aja Monet, released by drink sum wtr on June 9, 2023. The album has received positive reviews from critics.
| When the Poems Do What They Do | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | June 9, 2023 |
| Studio | Westlake Recording Studio, Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Genre | |
| Length | 83:15 |
| Language | English |
| Label | drink sum wtr |
| Producer |
|
Reception
editIn Exclaim!, Tom Beedham called this album "a roadmap to somewhere greater" and states that the work has "emotional import [and] mechanical industry".[4] At Okayplayer, Nereya Otieno compares this release to a weighted blanket and praises the storytelling of the songs as well as the musicianship.[1] Marcus J. Moore of The New York Times compares this release to the spoken word scene of the 1990s and characterizes it as "a nuanced exploration of Blackness".[3] NPR's Sheldon Pearce considers this a "wondrous debut album" that is "gorgeously meditative and potently groovy".[5] Writing for Pitchfork Media, Mary Retta scored this album a 7.4 out of 10 for having "a profound and forceful clarity" and that the backing of veteran jazz musicians adds to the "gravitas and wonder" of Monet's poetry.[2]
Staff at KCRW listed this the 17th best album of 2023.[6] Graham Reid of The New Zealand Herald included this in his favorite albums of 2023.[7]
Track listing
editAll songs written by Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah, Weedie Braimah, Luques Curtis, Marcus Gilmore, Aja Monet, Elena Pinderhughes, and Samora Pinderhughes.
- "i am" – 3:48
- "why my love?" – 4:37
- "black joy" – 6:17
- "unhurt" – 6:36
- "weathering" – 5:42
- "the perfect storm" – 8:03
- "the devil you know" – 9:59
- "what makes you feel loved?" – 2:31
- "for sonia" – 7:05
- "yemaya" – 12:39
- "castaway" – 4:34
- "give thanks" – 6:29
- "for the kids who live" – 4:56
Personnel
edit- Aja Monet – vocals, production, executive production
- Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah – bow, trumpet, production
- Paul Blakemore – mastering
- Weedie Braimah – percussion (including djembe)[5]
- Luques Curtis – bass guitar
- Def Sound – assistant production
- Delphine Diallo – cover photography
- Marcus Gilmore – drums
- Rob Lewis – vinyl design
- Brodie Means – assistant engineering
- Elena Pinderhughes – flute
- Samora Pinderhughes – piano
- Dave Weingarten – engineering, mixing
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Otieno, Nereya (June 9, 2023). "aja monet's 'When the Poems Do What They Do' is the Weighted Blanket We All Need". Music. Okayplayer. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
- ^ a b Retta, Mary (June 13, 2023). "Aja Monet:When the Poems Do What They Do Album Review". Albums. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
- ^ a b Moore, Marcus J. (June 8, 2023). "Aja Monet, a Musical Poet of Love". Music. The New York Times. Section C. p. 12. ISSN 1553-8095. OCLC 1645522. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
- ^ Breedham, Tom (June 5, 2023). "aja monet's 'when the poems do what they do' Is a Roadmap to Somewhere Greater". Music. Exclaim!. ISSN 1207-6600. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
- ^ a b Pearce, Sheldon (June 8, 2023). "Aja Monet's debut album fuses art and advocacy, poet and performer". Music Reviews. All Things Considered. NPR. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
- ^ "The 23 Best Albums of 2023". KCRW. December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
- ^ Reid, Graham (December 17, 2023). "Bigger than the Beatles: Graham Reid's best albums of 2023". The Listener / Entertainment. New Zealand Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
External links
edit- When the Poems Do What They Do at MusicBrainz (list of releases)
