| Crowded Places | |
| Cover: | Banks - Crowded Places.png |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Banks |
| Label: | Harvest |
| Producer: | Jack Antonoff |
| Prev Title: | To the Hilt |
| Prev Year: | 2016 |
| Next Title: | Underdog |
| Next Year: | 2017 |
"Crowded Places" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Banks. It was released as a single on April 7, 2017. The song was written by Banks, Tim Anderson and Jack Antonoff, and produced by the latter.[1]
"Crowded Places" was written and released specifically for the penultimate episode of the HBO series Girls, although Banks had already released The Altar, her sophomore studio album, six months prior.[2] [3] The episode was aired on April 9, 2017.[4]
The song was written by Banks, Anderson and Antonoff, and produced by the latter. The song is a ballad, which lasts for 4 minutes and 22 seconds.[1] [5] William Defebaugh of V Magazine described it as "stripped down and raw".[6] [7] Lyrically, "Crowded Places" talks about social anxiety and a relationship gone wrong because of this.[6] The song begins with Banks singing softly "Hey, Hey, Hey". During the chorus, she sings, "Cause I've been scared of crowded places/ Come with me, I'll take you home".[8]
Matthew Scott Donnelly of PopCrush described the song as "a quiet, moving lullaby".[4] For Laurence Day of The Line of Best Fit, the song is "darkly euphoric".[5] William Defebaugh V Magazine said that "Crowded Places" listens as of an open–hearted confessional, playing to the singer's strength in creating intimacy in sonic spaces–even more so than anything she's released prior.[6] Taylor Bryant of Nylon Magazine described "Crowded Places" as an intimate track that puts Banks' vulnerability on full display.[7]
Credits adapted from Tidal.[9]