Hideaway (Wavves album) explained

Hideaway
Type:Studio
Artist:Wavves
Cover:Wavves Hideaway album art.jpg
Released:July 16, 2021
Studio:Dave Sitek's home studio (Los Angeles)
Genre:
  • Power pop
  • indie rock
  • pop punk
Length:29:15
Label:Fat Possum
Prev Title:You're Welcome
Prev Year:2017

Hideaway is an album by Wavves released on the record label Fat Possum Records on July 16, 2021.[1] This was the band's first album since You're Welcome was released four years earlier. The band worked with producer Dave Sitek, and the album's themes were inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background

In early 2019, Wavves began recording songs for what would become their seventh studio album.[2] This would become their first new music released since the 2018 standalone singles "All Star Goth" and "Emo Christmas".[3] After early studio sessions reportedly lacked surprises and "magic", according to frontman Nathan Williams, the band began working with producer Dave Sitek.[4] According to Williams, melodies were initially built around short samples of songs from the 1950s and 1960s before removing those samples and creating the rest of the song's structure. The album's lyrical themes were reportedly inspired by Williams living in a shed behind his parents' house during the album's recording, along with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Release and tour

On March 30, 2021, the album's first single "Sinking Feeling" was released.[5] On May 4, 2021, the band officially announced the album, simultaneously releasing the second single "Help Is on the Way".[6] The album was released by Fat Possum Records on July 16, 2021. On August 23, 2021, the band announced a live tour throughout the United States with 38 shows, starting in Las Vegas on October 1, 2021.[7] This was the first live performance by the band since December 31, 2019,[8] as plans to tour in support of the re-release of their third album King of the Beach had been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reception

The album was met with generally favorable reviews by critics, scoring 69 out of 100 on Metacritic.[9] NME called the album "Wavves' most original and varied work yet".[10] In a mixed review, Pitchfork called the album's hooks "straightforward to a fault, and short on those small, sometimes barely even perceptible deviations from expectation that distinguish a sublime hook from a routine one". Classic Rock was more negative, calling it "an album full of lo-fi pop-tinged melodies sugarcoating a bitter centre".[11]

Personnel

Wavves

Additional personnel

Notes and References

  1. FatPossum. 1416049997649432587. At long last. Produced by TV On The Radio's Dave Sitek, "Hideaway" is out now worldwide! Warm welcome back to @WAVVES; this marks their 7th album. https://wavves.lnk.to/Hideaway. Jul 16, 2021 . Twitter . Fat Possum Records.
  2. Web site: Schwarten. Chris. 2021-07-22. Wavves' Nathan Williams on why he took a stylistic left turn on diverse new album, Hideaway. 2021-10-05. Guitar World. en.
  3. Web site: Young. David. 2021-05-05. Wavves shares 'Help Is on the Way' from forthcoming album 'Hideaway'. 2021-10-05. NME. en-AU.
  4. Web site: Rytlewski. Evan. 2021-07-19. Wavves: Hideaway. 2021-10-05. Pitchfork. en.
  5. Web site: Yoo. Noah. 2021-03-30. Wavves Return With New Song 'Sinking Feeling'. 2021-10-05. Pitchfork. en-US.
  6. Scolforo. Carli. 2021-05-04. Wavves Announce New Album, Shares "Help Is on the Way". 2021-10-05. Paste. en.
  7. Web site: 2021-08-03. Wavves Announces Fall 2021 Tour Dates -. 2021-10-05. mxdwn Music. en-US.
  8. News: Gibbs. Jessica. Wavves Return to Miami After More Than a Decade. 2021-10-05. Miami New Times. en.
  9. Web site: Critic Reviews for Hideaway . . November 10, 2021.
  10. Web site: Buchanan. Rhys. 2021-07-13. Wavves – Hideaway review: San Diego garage-pop dons' most original and varied work yet. 2021-10-05. NME. en-GB.
  11. Johnstone . Emma . Wavves – Hideaway . . 86 . Summer 2021.