If You Wait Explained

If You Wait
Type:studio
Artist:London Grammar
Cover:London Grammar - If You Wait.png
Recorded:2012–2013
Studio:
Genre:
Label:
Producer:
Next Title:Truth Is a Beautiful Thing
Next Year:2017

If You Wait is the debut studio album by English indie pop band London Grammar, released on 6 September 2013 by Metal & Dust Recordings and Ministry of Sound. Seven singles were released from the album: "Metal & Dust", "Wasting My Young Years", "Strong", "Nightcall", "Hey Now", "Sights" and "If You Wait". The album debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 33,130 copies.

Background

After signing with Ministry of Sound and Big Life Management, the band began the first sessions of the album in early 2012 with Cam Blackwood. Later that year he was replaced by Tim Bran and Roy Kerr. Hannah Reid commented on the collaboration, saying, "Tim is amazing at recording, of finding the best way of recording a guitar or my vocal. Roy had the strongest relationship with Dot and they worked on production together."[3]

The album's lyrics are mainly based upon vocalist Hannah Reid's personal life, in particular her troubled teenage years,[4] prompting The Guardian to suggest that this was "the first quarter-life-crisis album."[4]

Critical reception

If You Wait received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 75, based on 19 reviews.

Andy Gill of The Independent summarised the album's production and instrumentation as "all beautifully sketched to evoke the crepuscular intimacies of the songs."

A large quantity of praise went to the vocal ability of Reid, whose husky contralto vocals have been described as "defining and soulful" by Clash magazine[5] and "emotive" and "folky" by Drowned in Sound.[2] Her voice has been compared to artists like Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine,[6] Annie Lennox,[7] and Julee Cruise. Benji Taylor of Pretty Much Amazing wrote a favourable review of the album, calling it "an enthralling, stunning, deeply emotive album that perfectly marries understated electronica to sublime vocals and melodies." Vocalist Hannah Reid's voice was particularly praised: "underscored by an enduring brittle beauty and an underlying otherworldliness, as if she honed her craft singing amidst the gardens of Lothlorien, or some far-flung corner of Westeros."[8]

Commercial performance

If You Wait entered the UK Albums Chart at number two, selling 33,130 copies in its first week.[9] As of June 2017, it had sold 642,301 copies in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the album debuted at number 91 on the Billboard 200 with 4,000 copies sold.[10]

Track listing

All tracks produced by Tim Bran, Roy Kerr and London Grammar, except where noted.

Notes

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of If You Wait.[11]

London Grammar

Additional musicians

Technical

Artwork

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for If You Wait
Chart (2013–2015)Peak
position
Greek Albums (IFPI)[12] 25
Irish Independent Albums (IRMA)[13] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (2013)! scope="col"
Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[14] 87
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[15] 182
French Albums (SNEP)[16] 95
UK Albums (OCC)[17] 33
Chart (2014)! scope="col"
Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[18] 23
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[19] 9
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[20] 9
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[21] 55
French Albums (SNEP)[22] 21
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[23] 27
UK Albums (OCC)[24] 17
Chart (2015)! scope="col"
Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[25] 27
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[26] 48
Chart (2019)! scope="col"
Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[27] 189
Chart (2021)! scope="col"
Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[28] 189

Decade-end charts

Release history

Release dates and formats for If You Wait
RegionDateFormatEditionLabel
Australia6 September 2013Dew Process[30] [31] [32] [33]
LPStandard[34]
France9 September 2013CDBecause[35]
United Kingdom[36] [37] [38] [39]
LPStandard[40]
United States10 September 2013Digital downloadColumbia[41]
Germany11 October 2013Deluxe[42]
15 November 2013CDIsland[43] [44]
United States25 March 2014US standardColumbia[45]
Digital downloadUS deluxe[46]
1 April 2014LPUS standard[47]
France28 April 2014LP + CDBecause[48]
Japan18 June 2014Japan standardUniversal[49] [50]
France24 November 2014CDCollector'sBecause[51]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bracaglia . Kate . Our weekly concert picks: January 28–February 3 . . 28 January 2015 . 4 March 2015.
  2. Web site: Fenwick . Tom . London Grammar – If You Wait . . 5 September 2013 . 8 September 2013 . 7 September 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130907032821/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/17829/reviews/4146819 . dead .
  3. http://www.thebeatjuice.com/read/2013/10/16/3588/london-grammar/
  4. Web site: Sam . Wolfson . London Grammar: 'A lot of our friends are really lost' . The Guardian. London . 5 September 2013 . 8 September 2013.
  5. Web site: London Grammar – If You Wait . . 27 August 2013 . 2013-08-30.
  6. Web site: OTW #523: London Grammar . Clash . 2012-03-30 . 2013-09-08.
  7. Web site: Hannah, London Grammar: I'm compared to every other female singer . Gigwise.com . 2012-07-28 . 2013-10-03.
  8. Web site: Taylor . Benji . Review: London Grammar – If You Wait . Pretty Much Amazing . 9 September 2013 . 4 March 2015 . 11 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201111211440/http://prettymuchamazing.com/reviews/london-grammar-if-you-wait/ . dead .
  9. Web site: Jones . Alan . Official Charts Analysis: Arctic Monkeys' AM doubles predecessor's week-one sales . . 16 September 2013 . 5 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180429150106/https://www.musicweek.com/analysis/read/official-charts-analysis-arctic-monkeys-am-doubles-predecessor-s-week-one-sales/056069 . 29 April 2018 . live.
  10. Caulfield . Keith . Chart Moves: 'God's Not Dead' Sales Surge, London Grammar Gains, Karmin's Full-Length Arrives . Billboard . 4 April 2014 . 7 March 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150606023355/http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/chart-alert/6039653/chart-moves-gods-not-dead-sales-surge-london-grammar-gains . 6 June 2015.
  11. If You Wait . liner notes . . Metal & Dust Recordings . 2013 . MADART1.
  12. Web site: Official Cyta-IFPI Charts – Top-75 Albums Sales Chart (Week: 7/2014) . . 24 February 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140226161749/http://www.ifpi.gr/charts_en.html . 26 February 2014.
  13. Web site: Top 10 Independent Artist Albums, Week Ending 13 February 2014 . . 15 February 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140222211419/http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p%2Fmusicvideo%2Fmusic%2Farchive%2Findex_test.jsp&ct=240007&arch=t&lyr=2014&year=2014&week=7 . 22 February 2014.
  14. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Albums for 2013 . . 26 March 2021.
  15. Web site: Rapports Annuels 2013 – Albums . fr . Ultratop . 1 January 2014.
  16. Web site: Top Albums annuel (physique + téléchargement + streaming) – 2013 . fr . Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . 12 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180814193329/http://www.snepmusique.com/tops-annuel/top-album-megafusion-annuel/?ye=2013 . 14 August 2018.
  17. Web site: Lane . Daniel . The Official Top 40 Biggest Artist Albums Of 2013 . Official Charts Company . 1 January 2014 . 16 June 2017.
  18. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Albums for 2014 . Australian Recording Industry Association . 26 March 2021.
  19. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2014 – Albums . nl . Ultratop . 29 December 2014.
  20. Web site: Rapports Annuels 2014 – Albums . fr . Ultratop . 29 December 2014.
  21. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Album 2014 . nl . . 11 January 2015.
  22. Web site: Top Albums annuel (physique + téléchargement + streaming) – 2014 . fr . Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . 12 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180812145738/http://www.snepmusique.com/tops-annuel/top-album-megafusion-annuel/?ye=2014 . 12 August 2018.
  23. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2014 . hitparade.ch . de . 26 March 2021.
  24. Web site: Moss . Liv . The Official Top 40 Biggest Selling Artist Albums Of 2014 . Official Charts Company . 1 January 2015 . 16 June 2017.
  25. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2015 – Albums . nl . Ultratop . 10 November 2020.
  26. Web site: Rapports Annuels 2015 – Albums . fr . Ultratop . 24 December 2015.
  27. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2019 – Albums . nl . Ultratop . 27 June 2020.
  28. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2021 – Albums . nl . Ultratop . 5 January 2021.
  29. Web site: Copsey . Rob . The UK's Official Top 100 biggest albums of the decade . Official Charts Company . 11 December 2019 . 12 December 2019.
  30. Web site: If You Wait . . 7 March 2015.
  31. Web site: If You Wait (Deluxe Edition) . JB Hi-Fi . https://archive.today/20150309153725/https://www.jbhifi.com.au/music/Whats-Hot/alternative/if-you-wait-deluxe-edition/444300/ . 9 March 2015 . 7 March 2015.
  32. Web site: If You Wait by London Grammar . iTunes Store . 6 September 2013 . Australia . https://web.archive.org/web/20140530001918/https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/if-you-wait/id677008203 . 30 May 2014 . 7 March 2015.
  33. Web site: If You Wait (Deluxe Version) by London Grammar . iTunes Store . 6 September 2013 . Australia . https://web.archive.org/web/20140704200115/https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/if-you-wait-deluxe-version/id676944688 . 4 July 2014 . 7 March 2015.
  34. Web site: If You Wait (Vinyl) . JB Hi-Fi . https://web.archive.org/web/20150406205832/https://www.jbhifi.com.au/music/Whats-Hot/alternative/if-you-wait-vinyl/444085/ . 6 April 2015 . 7 March 2015.
  35. Web site: If you wait – London Grammar – CD album . fr . Fnac . 7 March 2015.
  36. Web site: If You Wait by London Grammar . Amazon . United Kingdom . 7 March 2015.
  37. Web site: If You Wait: Deluxe by London Grammar . Amazon . United Kingdom . 7 March 2015.
  38. Web site: If You Wait: London Grammar: MP3 Downloads . Amazon . United Kingdom . 7 March 2015.
  39. Web site: If You Wait (Deluxe Edition): London Grammar: MP3 Downloads . Amazon . United Kingdom . 7 March 2015.
  40. Web site: If You Wait [VINYL] by London Grammar ]. Amazon . United Kingdom . 7 March 2015.
  41. Web site: If You Wait: London Grammar: MP3 Downloads . Amazon . United States . 7 March 2015.
  42. Web site: If You Wait (Deluxe Version) von London Grammar . iTunes Store . January 2013 . de . Germany . 7 March 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140211014031/https://itunes.apple.com/de/album/if-you-wait-deluxe-version/id717536128 . 11 February 2014.
  43. Web site: London Grammar If You Wait . de . . 7 March 2015.
  44. Web site: If You Wait (Deluxe Edition) . Amazon . de . Germany . 7 March 2015.
  45. Web site: London Grammar: If You Wait (US Edition) . Amazon . United States . 7 March 2015.
  46. Web site: If You Wait (Deluxe Version) by London Grammar . . 25 March 2014 . United States . 7 March 2015.
  47. Web site: London Grammar: If You Wait (US Vinyl Edition) . Amazon . United States . 7 March 2015.
  48. Web site: If you wait – Inclus CD – London Grammar – Vinyl album . fr . Fnac . 7 March 2015.
  49. Web site: https://www.universal-music.co.jp/london-grammar/products/uico-1269/ . ja:イフ・ユー・ウェイト . If You Wait . ja . . 7 March 2015.
  50. Web site: If You Wait: London Grammar: MP3 Downloads . Amazon . Japan . 7 March 2015.
  51. Web site: If you wait – Edition Collector 2 CD – London Grammar – Vinyl album . fr . . 7 March 2015.

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