Pines (album) explained

Pines
Type:studio
Artist:A Fine Frenzy
Cover:A Fine Frenzy, Pines.jpg
Length:67:42
Label:Virgin
Producer:Keefus Green
Prev Title:A Fine Frenzy Live at the House of Blues Chicago
Prev Year:2009

Pines is the third and final studio album by A Fine Frenzy, the former stage name for American singer-songwriter Alison Sudol. The album was released in the United States on October 9, 2012, and in the United Kingdom on January 28, 2013, through Virgin Records.[1] [2] Pines is accompanied by a companion book and short animated film, 'The Story of Pines,' which premiered on TakePartTV on October 2.[3] [4]

To support the album, Sudol co-headlined the "Live and In Concert" tour throughout the United States and western Canada in October and November 2012 with musician Joshua Radin.[5]

Composition

Pines contains thirteen original tracks, each written or co-written by Sudol, and totals 67 minutes, 47 seconds in length.[1] In an interview with Anthropologie, Sudol stated that "the entire record is a story, and each song is a chapter that leads into the next."[6]

Promotion

Singles

The song "Now Is the Start" was released as the lead single for "Pines" on July 30, 2012.[7] Sudol performed the song live on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on October 3, 2012.[8] [9] The accompanying music video was released on November 15, 2012.[10]

Other songsIn addition, a music video for "Avalanches", a promotional single for "Pines", was released on October 9 to coincide with the album's release date. To date, lyric videos for both "Now Is The Start" and "Avalanches" have been posted to A Fine Frenzy's official YouTube account.

Critical response

Reviews for Pines have been generally positive. Maggie Levin of mxdwn.com praised the quality of Sudol's writing and commented that "aptly, there is as much forest as longing in this record," concluding that "the journey is as diverse as it is exquisite, with moments of solemn austerity cleverly offset by felicitous rapture."[11] Caitlin White of Spinner.com also gave the album a favorable review in her interview of Sudol, writing "Pines manages to combine the real world with the world of imagination in a very tangible way."[12] Consequence of Sound awarded the album three out of five stars, asserting that Pines is "double-edged walk through the woods," and the album reflects "the sound of growing up."[13] James Christopher Monger of AllMusic gave Pines four stars out of five, praising Sudol's successful integration of natural themes and emphasizing that "Sudol is a masterful architect of atmosphere" and her songs "all benefit from her ability to balance musicality with austerity, and like the rivers she draws much of her inspiration from, blissfully follow a course to the ocean of their own design." EY Magazine also awarded Pines four stars out of five, calling the album "authentic music" and remarking that "A Fine Frenzy releases the kind of music you’re not only compelled to listen but dared to feel in your soul."

Track listing

Track listing adapted from Allmusic.[1]

Charts

ChartsPeak
position
US Billboard 20062
US Billboard Digital Albums20
US Billboard Rock Albums28

Tour

DateCityCountryVenue
October 11, 2012[14] Santa RosaUnited StatesWells Fargo Center
October 12, 2012[15] San FranciscoWarfield Theatre
October 13, 2012[16] Newport BeachBalboa Beach Fest
October 16, 2012[17] PortlandCrystal Ballroom
October 17, 2012[18] VancouverCanadaVogue Theatre
October 18, 2012SeattleUnited StatesCity Arts Festival
October 20, 2012EdmontonCanadaMcDougall United Church
October 21, 2012CalgaryKnox United Church
October 23, 2012WinnipegGarrick Center
October 25, 2012MinneapolisUnited StatesMill City Nights
October 26, 2012ChicagoThe Vic Theatre
October 27, 2012DetroitMajestic Theater
October 29, 2012New York CityBest Buy Theater
October 30, 2012PhiladelphiaElectric Factory
November 1, 2012TorontoCanadaDanforth Music Hall
November 2, 2012MontrealCorona Theatre
November 3, 2012BostonUnited StatesOrpheum Theatre
November 5, 2012CharlottesvilleParamount Theater
November 7, 2012DurhamCarolina Theatre
November 8, 2012AtlantaBuckhead Theatre
November 9, 2012NashvilleMarathon Music Works
November 10, 2012BirminghamWorkplay Soundstage
November 12, 2012HoustonHouse of Blues
November 13, 2012AustinParamount Theatre
November 14, 2012DallasHouse of Blues
November 16, 2012Los AngelesWiltern Theatre

Tour listing adapted from A Fine Frenzy's official live page.[19]

Personnel

Personnel adapted from Allmusic.[1]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pines. October 5, 2012. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. https://web.archive.org/web/20130302163915/http://www.allmusic.com/album/pines-mw0002416134. 2013-03-02.
  2. Web site: A Fine Frenzy Exclusive Interview. www.femalefirst.co.uk . https://web.archive.org/web/20140111145302/http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/music/interviews/A+Fine+Frenzy+Interview-273926.html . January 11, 2014.
  3. Web site: Joshua Radin maps tour with A Fine Frenzy. August 3, 2012. August 2, 2012. Boston Music Spotlight.
  4. http://afinefrenzy.com/news/watch-the-story-of-pines-on-takepart-tv Watch ‘The Story of Pines’ on TakePart TV
  5. News: Upcoming gigs: Joshua Radin/A Fine Frenzy, Crystal Castles, etc.. August 3, 2012. August 1, 2012. Edmonton Journal. Postmedia Network. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
  6. http://afinefrenzy.com/news/alison-is-anthropologies-newest-push-play-project-artist Alison is Anthropologie’s newest Push Play Project Artist!
  7. A Fine Frenzy – listen to new song, 'Now Is The Start'. Shahlin. Graves. August 3, 2012. July 27, 2012. Coup de Main.
  8. Web site: Wednesday, October 3, 2012. October 5, 2012. NBC.
  9. A FINE FRENZY – 'NOW IS THE START' LIVE ON JAY LENO.. October 5, 2012. Coup de Main. Shahlin. Graves.
  10. http://afinefrenzy.com/news/now-is-the-start Now Is The Start
  11. http://www.mxdwn.com/2012/09/20/reviews/a-fine-frenzy-pines/ A Fine Frenzy – PINES | mxdwn.com High Fidelity
  12. http://www.spinner.com/2012/10/09/a-fine-frenzy-pines/ AOL Radio – Listen to Free Online Radio – Free Internet Radio Stations and Music Playlists
  13. Web site: Album Review: A Fine Frenzy – Pines. October 5, 2012. Amanda. Koellner. October 5, 2012. Consequence of Sound. https://web.archive.org/web/20140121140028/http://consequenceofsound.net/2012/10/album-review-a-fine-frenzy-pines/. 2014-01-21.
  14. https://www.twitter.com/AFineFrenzy/status/256505061843292160 Twitter / AlisonSudol: Hey Santa Rosa! Do you want
  15. https://www.twitter.com/AFineFrenzy/status/256895458557964288 Twitter / AlisonSudol: Do you want free tickets to
  16. https://www.twitter.com/AFineFrenzy/status/257218945621315584 Twitter / AlisonSudol: Hey Newport Beach! We've hidden
  17. https://www.twitter.com/SquarePegNW/status/258278397623554048 Twitter / SquarePegNW: http://t.co/soFEbtsI TONIGHT
  18. https://www.twitter.com/AFineFrenzy/status/258689118022811649 Twitter / AlisonSudol: Hey Vancouver! We've hidden
  19. http://www.afinefrenzy.com/live Live