Marriage (Deap Vally album)

Marriage is the third studio album by American rock duo Deap Vally. It was released on November 19, 2021, via Cooking Vinyl.[5][6][4][7][8][9][3][10]

Marriage
Covert art of the album
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 19, 2021 (2021-11-19)
GenreIndie rock, rock[1][2]
Length38:01
LabelCooking Vinyl
Deap Vally chronology
Femejism
(2016)
Marriage
(2021)
Deap Vally general chronology
Deap Lips
(2020)
Marriage
(2021)
Singles from Marriage
  1. "Magic Medicine"
    Released: October 6, 2021[3][4]
  2. "Tsunami"
    Released: November 19, 2021

The album title alludes to the way both members see their relationship as bandmates; at one point they even attended couples therapy.[11] In order to reduce their sense of boredom with the band, they decided to work with guests. Marriage features collaborations with KT Tunstall, Peaches, Jennie Vee (Eagles of Death Metal), Ayse Hassan (Savages), Jenny Lee Lindberg (Warpaint) and Jamie Hince (The Kills).[4][11][12][6][5][13][2][9] They have referred to the album as their "rumspringa".[10][9][4][6][5]

The duo asked the collaborators to feel no pressure, wanting the songs to be free and uncommitted to specific genres.[13] They claim that having released an album with The Flaming Lips (under the moniker Deap Lips) had no influence in the more collaborative approach of Marriage, since the partnerships were already contemplated before Deap Lips.[13]

The album was recorded in several venues around the United States, including Dave Grohl's Studio 606, Allen Salmon's Nashville studio and Josiah Mazzaschi's Cave Studio.[12]

The track "Billions" challenges society's celebration of billionaires and their influence on people's life goals[11] while "Better Run" was inspired by the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse cases.[13]

Reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.5/10[15]
Metacritic80/100[14]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [1]
Mondo Sonoro7/10[2]
DIY     [7]
The Line of Best Fit9[8]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Marriage received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 80 out of 100 from 4 critic scores.[14]

Mark Deming of AllMusic, wrote that "though Deap Vally have found new ways to dress up their music on Marriage, at their core they haven't changed that much -- this is still a smart, powerful rock band with sharp wit and an abundance of well-deserved confidence -- but the added details and textures make a difference, and this music points to a more interesting future for them than one might have imagined after Femejism."[1]

Writing for Mondo Sonoro, Raul Julián said the band "keeps offering nothing new" and that the album is "unable to have a bigger intention than to entertain", but conceded that they do what they do "very well".[2]

Hannah Broughton, from The Line of Best Fit, considered that "the slower tracks [...] add a new weight to the duo's onslaught" and that "they've successfully pushed themselves to create something a bit different". She concluded her review saying that Marriage "is an impressively balanced album with highs and lows [...] Deap Vally have really come into their own here, encompassing everything you could ask for from a rock album."[8]

Ims Taylor of DIY said "it's immediately evident" that the band is "striking out to a magnitude unreached so far. They said the album "is the sound of Deap Vally tapping back into what makes them tick, and lays the groundwork for their most exciting era yet."[7]

Track listing

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No.TitleLength
1."Perfuction"2:56
2."Billions"2:54
3."Magic Medicine"3:31
4."I Like Crime" (featuring Jennie Vee)3:30
5."Phoenix"2:57
6."Give Me a Sign"2:48
7."Better Run"2:51
8."I'm the Master"3:09
9."High Horse" (featuring KT Tunstall & Peaches)3:25
10."Where Do We Go"2:59
11."Tsunami"2:25
12."Look Away" (featuring Jenny Lee Lindberg)4:36
Total length:38:01

References

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  1. ^ a b c Deming, Mark. "Marriage Review by Mark Deming". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Julián, Raúl (November 11, 2021). "Marriage". Mondo Sonoro. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Atkinson, Jessie (6 October 2021). "Deap Vally announce their third album Marriage". Gigwise.
  4. ^ a b c d Richards, Will (October 6, 2021). "Deap Vally announce third album 'Marriage' and share single 'Magic Medicine'". NME. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Ackroyd, Stephen (October 7, 2021). "Deap Vally have announced their new album, 'MARRIAGE'". Dork. The Bunker Publishing Ltd. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c Brodsky, Rachel (October 6, 2021). "Deap Vally – "Magic Medicine"". Stereogum. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  7. ^ a b c Taylor, Ims (November 19, 2021). "Deap Vally - Marriage". DIY. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  8. ^ a b c Broughton, Hannah (November 19, 2021). "Marriage is Deap Vally's layered rock 'n' roll triumph". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  9. ^ a b c Golsen, Tyler (October 8, 2021). "Deap Vally share details for new album 'Marriage'". Far Out Magazine. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  10. ^ a b Pappis, Konstantinos (October 7, 2021). "Deap Vally Announce New Album, Share Video for Lead Single 'Magic Medicine'". Our Culture Mag. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  11. ^ a b c Woods, Cat (November 23, 2021). ""We'd always joked about how being in a band was like being in a marriage… at one point we went to couples therapy" Deap Vally on why their new album has a very appropriate title". Guitar.com. BandLab Technologies. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  12. ^ a b Hansen, Susan (November 30, 2021). ""There's This Inherent Tension" Deap Vally Interviewed". Clash. Music Republic Ltd. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  13. ^ a b c d Oliva, Raffaella (7 December 2021). "Deap Vally: "La cosa più femminista che una donna può fare è non avere figli"". Rolling Stone Italia. Luciano Bernardini de Pace Editore. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Marriage by Deap Vally Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  15. ^ "Marriage by Deap Vally reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved December 24, 2021.