Californian Soil Explained

Californian Soil
Type:studio
Artist:London Grammar
Cover:London Grammar - Californian Soil.png
Studio:
  • RAK (London)
  • Hampstead Way
  • Dean St. (London)
  • Iguana (London)
  • The Circle
  • Rokstone (London)
  • The Gin Factory (London)
  • Assault & Battery (London)
Length:44:16
Label:
Producer:
Chronology:London Grammar
Prev Title:Truth Is a Beautiful Thing
Prev Year:2017

Californian Soil is the third studio album by English indie pop band London Grammar, released on 16 April 2021 by Metal & Dust and Ministry of Sound. It was initially intended to be released on 12 February 2021, but was postponed for unknown reasons.[1]

Californian Soil was preceded by four singles—"Baby It's You", the title track, "Lose Your Head" and "How Does It Feel".

Composition

Thematically, although it remains a collaborative effort with the rest of the band, the album is vocalist Hannah Reid's 'story'.[2] Reid said the album deals with themes of feminism and fame. She wrote:

Reid stated that things need to be different from her efforts on the preceding album (Truth Is a Beautiful Thing); "I wasn't making myself very vulnerable and I didn't feel like I was taking any risks."[3] The songwriting was influenced by Reid's ultimatum for change following years of sexism and misogyny within the music industry:

In particular, I Need the Night addresses Reid's experiences with the music industry. America also ruminates on Reid's toxic experiences despite the fame, her fibromyalgia diagnosis and the contrasts between poverty and beauty while travelling.[4] Major emphasised that the band supported Reid's direction for the album; "lyrically, Californian Soil is very much about Hannah’s experience as a woman, and we wanted that message to come through as loud as possible"[3]

Production

Writing and demoing for the album began in 2017 at Rothamn's home, in his hidden 'Narnia' studio. It was the first time the band had begun production on an album without an executive producer. How Does It Feel and Call Your Friends were written initially by Reid and producer Steve Mac in separate writing sessions, before eventually the rest of the band finalised the songs.[5] Reid acknowledged that the album's external producers - Mac, George FitzGerald and Charlie Andrew - were all male, which stands out given the album's feminist themes; "it was a big conflict within me...It’s changing now but there aren’t many female producers out there. That’s something that I really hope can change and it’s something that I do want to think about for a fourth album." The album was completed in 2019, and initially scheduled for a 2020 release. However, the band chose to delay the release to 2021 due to the pandemic; "we felt this was the most upbeat album we have probably ever made. In the middle of a pandemic, there is a risk that this just won’t connect right now. There was no rush and I’m glad we waited.”

Release

The album was announced on 1 October 2020, alongside the release of the title track. The band said the track was a "turning point" for them, deciding to name the album after the song.

On 5 January 2021, the band posted on their Twitter page that the release date had been postponed to 9 April of that same year, before being subsequently pushed back to 16 April. No reason was given for either delay.[6]

Promotion

Singles

Californian Soil was preceded by four singles: "Baby It's You", released on 19 August 2020,[7] the title track, released on 1 October 2020, "Lose Your Head", released on 4 January 2021[8] and "How Does It Feel" on 12 March 2021.[9] "Lord It's a Feeling" was released as the fifth single on 21 May 2021.

Critical reception

Californian Soil received generally positive reviews from music critics. On Metacritic, which assigns a normalised score out of 100 to ratings from publications, the album received an average score of 77 based on 10 reviews.[10] Christopher Hamilton-Peach of The Line of Best Fit said that "London Grammar use Californian Soil to hone their lush sonics and embrace the future".[11] Hannah Mylrea of NME wrote that "London Grammar are revitalised...[they] are more confident, and more fun, than they’ve ever been."

The Guardian Alim Kheraj stated that "the British trio stick to boilerplate emoting and bland imagery, but there are small sonic steps forward".[12] Writing for Pitchfork, Hannah Jocelyn wrote that "the UK electronic-pop trio's third album draws on a renewed sense of extroversion and energy, which can't always overcome its lyrical and production missteps."[13] Praising the album's surrealist sound and tone, The Daily Telegraph Neil McCormick said that the album was "hypnotically compelling".[14] However, Slant Magazine Charles Lyons-Burt felt that "the band's willingness to harness the latest sonic trends is hit and (mostly) miss."[15]

Track listing

Notes

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Californian Soil.[16]

London Grammar

Additional musicians

Technical

Artwork

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2021)! scope="col"
Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[17] 116
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[18] 109
French Albums (SNEP)[19] 153
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] 74
UK Albums (OCC)[21] 75

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateFormatsLabel
Various16 April 2021
AustraliaDew Process

Notes and References

  1. London Grammar set new release date for 'Californian Soil,' Share 'Lose Your Head': Watch . . 6 January 2021 . 13 January 2021 . Brandle . Lars.
  2. Mims . Taylor . 2021-04-15 . London Grammar's Hannah Reid Stands Her Ground on New Album 'Californian Soil': 'You Can't Censor Yourself' . 2022-05-18 . Billboard . en-US.
  3. Web site: 2021-02-19 . London Grammar: "I always end up being the only female in the room" . 2022-05-18 . NME . en-GB.
  4. Web site: 2021-04-16 . London Grammar's Hannah Reid Stands Firm on Californian Soil . 2022-05-18 . pastemagazine.com . en.
  5. Web site: Fuamoli . Words by Sose . 2021-04-23 . How London Grammar's two crises brought us Californian Soil . 2022-05-18 . triple j . en.
  6. London Grammar . londongrammar . Californian Soil / April 9th . 1346396135267704834 . 5 January 2021 . 13 January 2021.
  7. Web site: London Grammar – "Baby It's You" . . 19 August 2020 . 25 January 2021 . Helman . Peter.
  8. Web site: Listen to London Grammar's heavenly and "empowering" new single "Lose Your Head" . . 4 January 2021 . 25 January 2021 . Trendell . Andrew.
  9. Web site: Listen to London Grammar's beautiful new single "How Does It Feel". NME. 12 March 2021. 12 March 2021.
  10. Web site: Californian Soil by London Grammar Reviews and Tracks. 17 April 2021. Metacritic.
  11. Web site: Hamilton-Peach. Christopher. 16 April 2021. London Grammar - Californian Soil Album Review. 17 April 2021. The Line of Best Fit.
  12. Web site: Kheraj. Alim. 16 April 2021. London Grammar: Californian Soil review – bold sounds amid the usual spectral fare. 17 April 2021. The Guardian.
  13. Web site: Jocelyn. Hannah. London Grammar: Californian Soil. 16 April 2021. 17 April 2021. Pitchfork.
  14. News: McCormick. Neil. Neil McCormick. 16 April 2021. London Grammar on Californian Soil? Same lush pop, but with a fresh political edge. The Daily Telegraph. 17 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210416114213/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/london-grammar-californian-soil-lush-pop-fresh-political-edge/. 16 April 2021.
  15. Web site: Lyons-Burt. Charles. Review: London Grammar's Californian Soil Is Slick, Trendy, and Ultimately Anonymous. Slant Magazine. 16 April 2021. 17 April 2021.
  16. Californian Soil . liner notes . . Metal & Dust . 2021 . MADART3.
  17. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2021 – Albums. nl. Ultratop. 5 January 2022.
  18. Web site: Rapports annuels 2021 – Albums. fr. Ultratop. 5 January 2022.
  19. Web site: Top de l'année Top Albums 2021. SNEP. fr. 15 April 2022.
  20. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2021. hitparade.ch. 26 December 2021. de.
  21. Web site: End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2021. Official Charts Company. 6 January 2022.