Jewellery is the debut studio album by English musician Micachu, co-produced by Matthew Herbert. It was released on 9 March 2009 on a joint venture between Rough Trade Records and Accidental Records. The album features Micachu's band the Shapes, which comprises Raisa Khan (keyboards and electronics) and Marc Pell (percussion and drums).
| Jewellery | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 9 March 2009 | |||
| Recorded | 2008–2009 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 31:24 | |||
| Label |
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| Producer | ||||
| Micachu chronology | ||||
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Reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 7.6/10[5] |
| Metacritic | 75/100[6] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| Blender | [7] |
| The Guardian | [8] |
| The Irish Times | [9] |
| Pitchfork | 7.9/10[10] |
| Q | [11] |
| Rolling Stone | [12] |
| Spin | 7/10[13] |
| The Times | [14] |
| Uncut | [15] |
Upon its release, Jewellery received generally positive reviews from critics. It maintains a 75 score on Metacritic.[6] Most reviews, both positive and negative, emphasized the originality and experimental, sometimes difficult nature of the music. Drowned in Sound praised the experimental sound of the album calling it "thrillingly improbable pop made by a grade-A maverick."[16] The Guardian similarly praised the music for combining "hard experimentation with soft introspection, her scrappy, lo-fi production wrapped in warmth."[8]
Some reviews were more mixed, but again focused on the experimental sound. PopMatters noted the challenging nature of the music: "The whole experience seems crowded with random experimentation for its own sake," adding, "With a little patience, however, Jewellery soon orders itself."[17] Under the Radar was less sympathetic, asserting, "The record is admirable for its crashing ambitions, but it unfortunately devolves into a tuneless, nearly unlistenable mire of avant-noise fragments."
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Vulture" | 2:49 |
| 2. | "Lips" | 1:21 |
| 3. | "Sweetheart" | 0:53 |
| 4. | "Eat Your Heart" | 2:20 |
| 5. | "Curly Teeth" | 2:27 |
| 6. | "Golden Phone" | 2:43 |
| 7. | "Ship" | 1:59 |
| 8. | "Floor" | 1:22 |
| 9. | "Just in Case" | 2:46 |
| 10. | "Calculator" | 3:09 |
| 11. | "Wrong" | 3:35 |
| 12. | "Turn Me Well" | 2:58 |
| 13. | "Guts" | 3:12 |
| 14. | "Hardcore" (hidden track) | 1:33 |
Notes
- Early review versions of the album sent by Accidental Records before the Rough Trade deal included an additional song called "Worst Bastard" (likely removed for being the only song containing obscenities) and listed "Hardcore" as a normal track rather than a bonus track.
Charts
edit| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[18] | 20 |
References
edit- ^ Kretowicz, Steph. "Micachu & The Shapes - CHOPPED & SCREWED". The Quietus. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
- ^ Cills, Hazel (24 September 2015). "Micachu and the Shapes: Good Sad Happy Bad". Pitchfork. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
- ^ a b Phares, Heather. "Jewellery – Micachu & the Shapes". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
- ^ "Micachu and the Shapes - Never: exclusive album stream". The Guardian. 17 July 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
- ^ "Jewellery by Micachu reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
- ^ a b "Reviews for Jewellery by Micachu & the Shapes". Metacritic. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
- ^ Benenson, Alex. "Micachu & the Shapes: Jewellery". Blender. Archived from the original on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
- ^ a b Clarke, Betty (6 March 2009). "Micachu: Jewellery". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
- ^ Carroll, Jim (6 March 2009). "Micachu: Jewellery (Rough Trade)". The Irish Times. Dublin. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
- ^ Wolk, Douglas (15 April 2009). "Micachu and the Shapes: Jewellery". Pitchfork. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
- ^ "Micachu and the Shapes: Jewellery". Q (272): 101. March 2009.
- ^ Rosen, Jody (11 May 2009). "Micachu and the Shapes: Jewellery". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
- ^ Gross, Jason (May 2009). "Micachu & the Shapes: Jewellery". Spin. 25 (5): 92–94. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
- ^ Dalton, Stephen (17 January 2009). "Micachu: Jewellery". The Times. London. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
- ^ "Micachu and the Shapes: Jewellery". Uncut (142): 92. March 2009.
- ^ Ubaghs, Charles (17 March 2009). "Album Review: Micachu – Jewellery". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 26 March 2009. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
- ^ Martin, Erin Lyndal (9 April 2009). "Micachu & the Shapes: Jewellery". PopMatters. Retrieved 26 February 2012.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 January 2020.