Talk Memory

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Talk Memory
White and blue cover art
Studio album by
BadBadNotGood
ReleasedOctober 8, 2021
Length42:11 (digital version)
Label
Producer
BadBadNotGood chronology
Spotify Live EP
(2017) 		Talk Memory
(2021)
Singles from Talk Memory
  1. "Signal from the Noise"
    Released: July 15, 2021
  2. "Beside April"
    Released: September 8, 2021
  3. "Open Channels"
    Released: March 2, 2022

Talk Memory is the fifth solo album by Canadian instrumental group BadBadNotGood. It was released on October 8, 2021, by XL Recordings and Innovative Leisure, and is the band's first album in five years. A mostly improvisational work, it was produced and written by the trio with contributions from featured American instrumentalists Laraaji, Karriem Riggins, Terrace Martin, and Brandee Younger, and string arrangements from Brazilian composer Arthur Verocai.[1]

Following promotion on social media in early July, the band officially announced the album on July 15, 2021, simultaneously releasing the lead single "Signal from the Noise".[2]

Background[edit]

Aside from the 2020 single "Goodbye Blue", this is the first original release to be recorded in five years, since the sessions for IV. In a press release, the band said: "It took a year or two of just living life to get to the place where the creative process was exciting again and once we actually went in to the studio it was the most concise recording and writing process we’ve ever had. We hope that the improvised studio performances bring the listener closer to our live experience."[1][3]

This is the first album from the band without founding keyboardist Matthew Tavares; he departed in 2019. The long period of time between Talk Memory and IV was partly due to Taveres' leaving the group. As Leland Whitty told PostGenre, "[a]fter [Matt] quit the band in 2019, it took us time to establish a new vision of what the band would be like without him."[4]

Release and reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.5/10[5]
Metacritic80/100[6]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Clash8/10[8]
Exclaim!8/10[9]
NME[10]
Pitchfork8/10[11]
The Guardian[12]

The trio released their first album single on July 15, 2021, "Signal from the Noise"; a "nine-minute psychedelic jazz fusion odyssey", the track was produced with Floating Points and accompanied by a music video directed by Duncan Loudon.[3][13] The second single, "Beside April", was released on September 8, 2021.[14]

The album was released on October 8, 2021. It is the band's first album with XL Recordings, who released it in partnership with Innovative Leisure (to which the band has been signed since 2013).[3][15] Multiple limited edition color variants of the LP are available from different retailers, including their web store and VMP (Vinyl Me, Please).[16][17][18][19]

Overall, the album received generally favorable review from critics, with opinions of the album ranging from "virtuosic" to that of "considered jam sessions."[18] In a very positive review, Dean Van Nguyen of Pitchfork commented: “BadBadNotGood are known for turning tradition inside out, but Talk Memory is not just their finest album—it’s evidence of the historic appreciation that roots their reverence;” comparing the album to the group’s previous work, he detailed that “the velvety play and mildly psychedelic grooves are still present, but Talk Memory is also BBNG’s most compositionally complex record to date; it draws you in with vibrant hooks and melodic flourishes, then begs you to return and fully absorb its subtleties.”[20]

The album was longlisted for the 2022 Polaris Music Prize.[21]

Accolades[edit]

Publication Accolade Year Rank
Wired Albums of the Year 2021
4[22]
Clash Albums of the Year 2021
48[23]
Okayplayer Albums of the Year 2021
19[24]
Allmusic Albums of the Year 2021
–

Track listing[edit]

Talk Memory track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Signal from the Noise"
9:02
2."Unfolding (Momentum 73)" (featuring Laraaji)
BadBadNotGood4:30
3."City of Mirrors" (featuring Arthur Verocai)
  • Sowinski
  • Hansen
  • Whitty
BadBadNotGood3:50
4."Beside April" (featuring Karriem Riggins and Arthur Verocai)
BadBadNotGood5:13
5."Love Proceeding" (featuring Arthur Verocai)
  • Sowinski
  • Hansen
  • Whitty
BadBadNotGood5:25
6."Open Channels" (physical version only)
  • Sowinski
  • Hansen
  • Whitty
BadBadNotGood4:23
7."Timid, Intimidating"
  • Sowinski
  • Hansen
  • Whitty
BadBadNotGood6:17
8."Beside April (Reprise)" (featuring Arthur Verocai)
  • Sowinski
  • Hansen
  • Whitty
BadBadNotGood1:40
9."Talk Meaning" (featuring Arthur Verocai, Terrace Martin and Brandee Younger)
BadBadNotGood6:14
Total length:42:11

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer.
  • ^[b] signifies an assistant producer.
  • Arthur Verocai is credited for string arrangements on tracks 3–4 and 8–9.

Personnel[edit]

Adapted from album notes.

BadBadNotGood

  • Leland Whitty – soprano and tenor saxophone, flute, guitar, bass ("City of Mirrors", "Open Channels"), piano, synthesizer
  • Chester Hansen – bass, guitar ("City of Mirrors"), piano, organ, synthesizer
  • Al Sow – drums, percussion

Musicians

  • Laraaji – electric zither ("Unfolding (Momentum 73)")
  • Karriem Riggins – percussion ("Beside April")
  • Brandee Younger – harp ("Talk Meaning")
  • Terrace Martin – alto saxophone ("Talk Meaning")
  • Arthur Verocai – string arrangements
  • Clóvis Pereira Filho – violin
  • Ubiratã Rodrigues – violin
  • Wagner Rodrigues – violin
  • André Cunha Rego – violin
  • Nikolay Sapoundjiev – violin
  • William Issac – violin
  • Emila Valova – cello
  • Lisiane de los Santos – cello
  • David Chew – cello
  • Victor Botene – viola
  • Samuel Passos – viola
  • Nic Jodoin – tape effects

Technical

  • Nic Jodoin – engineer
  • Travis Pavur – assistant engineer
  • William Luna – engineer (Brazil)
  • Russell Elevado – mixing
  • Alex DeTurk – mastering[25]
  • Scott Hull – lacquer cutting
  • Matthew Langille – A&R
  • Patrick North – A&R

Artwork

  • BadBadNotGood – creative direction
  • Alaska-Alaska™ (Virgil Abloh, Tawanda Chiweshe, Francisco Gaspar) – creative direction [1][25]
  • Elias Hanzer – typeface
  • Jamal Burger – cover photography
  • Ivan Narez – gatefold photography

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for Talk Memory
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[26] 38
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[27] 143
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[28] 61
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[29] 17
Scottish Albums (OCC)[30] 36
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[31] 7
US Top Contemporary Jazz Albums (Billboard)[32] 1
US Top Jazz Albums (Billboard)[33] 3
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[34] 4
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[35] 5
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[36] 65
US Vinyl Albums (Billboard)[37] 6

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Minsker, Evan (2021-07-15). "BadBadNotGood Announce New Album Talk Memory, Share Video for New Song". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  2. ^ BADBADNOTGOOD (July 9, 2021). "Memory Catalogue". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-25. Retrieved 2021-07-10. The Memory Catalogue, is a print series which provides visual language to our next instrumental album, Talk Memory.
  3. ^ a b c Helman, Peter (2021-07-15). "BADBADNOTGOOD – 'Signal From The Noise'". Stereogum. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  4. ^ "Talk Memory: A Conversation with BADBADNOTGOOD's Leland Whitty". 5 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Talk Memory by BadBadNotGood reviews Any Decent Music". www.anydecentmusic.com. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
  6. ^ Talk Memory by BadBadNotGood, retrieved 2022-01-11
  7. ^ Talk Memory - BadBadNotGood | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 2021-10-11
  8. ^ Weaver, David (October 10, 2021). "BadBadNotGood - Talk Memory". Clash Music. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  9. ^ "BADBADNOTGOOD Reconnect with Their Jazz Roots on 'Talk Memory' Exclaim!". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  10. ^ "BADBADNOTGOOD – 'Talk Memory' review: technically dazzling jazz (and not much swagger)". nme.com. 6 October 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  11. ^ Van Nguyen, Dean (October 10, 2021). "BADBADNOTGOOD - Talk Memory". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  12. ^ "Talk Memory by BadBadNotGood review – widescreen wanderings". the Guardian. 2021-10-10. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  13. ^ "Credits Signal from the Noise". listen.tidal.com. July 15, 2021. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  14. ^ "BADBADNOTGOOD – "Beside April"". Stereogum. 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  15. ^ "BADBADNOTGOOD Sign With Innovative Leisure Records". Potholes in my Blog. August 6, 2013. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  16. ^ "BADBADNOTGOOD". BADBADNOTGOOD1. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  17. ^ "Talk Memory". Vinyl Me, Please. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  18. ^ a b "Talk Memory, by BADBADNOTGOOD". BADBADNOTGOOD. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  19. ^ "BADBADNOTGOOD Talk Memory". shopusa.xlrecordings.com. Retrieved 2021-07-15.
  20. ^ Van Nguyen, Dean (October 10, 2021). "BADBADNOTGOOD – Talk Memory". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  21. ^ Allie Gregory, "Here's the 2022 Polaris Music Prize Long List". Exclaim!, June 14, 2022.
  22. ^ Parham, Jason. "The 8 Best Albums of 2021". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  23. ^ "Clash Albums Of The Year 2021". Clash Magazine. 16 December 2021. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  24. ^ "Okayplayer's 21 Best Albums of 2021". Okayplayer. 2021-12-22. Retrieved 2022-04-16.
  25. ^ a b BadBadNotGood [@badbadnotgood] (July 15, 2021). "'Talk Memory'... is a true bucket list for us and we're beyond grateful for absolute legends that contributed!! The team is as follows: @arthurverocai_, @karriemriggins1, @terracemartin @laraaji_official, @harpista with mixing by @russelevado and mastered by @alexdeturk. Huge thanks to @virgilabloh and Alaska-Alaska™ for the design concepts and artwork..." Retrieved July 26, 2021 – via Instagram.
  26. ^ "Ultratop.be – BadBadNotGood – Talk Memory" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  27. ^ "Ultratop.be – BadBadNotGood – Talk Memory" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  28. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – BadBadNotGood – Talk Memory" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  29. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – BadBadNotGood – Talk Memory". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  30. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  31. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  32. ^ "BadBadNotGood Chart History (Top Contemporary Jazz Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  33. ^ "BadBadNotGood Chart History (Top Jazz Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  34. ^ "BadBadNotGood Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  35. ^ "BadBadNotGood Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  36. ^ "BadBadNotGood Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  37. ^ "BadBadNotGood Chart History (Vinyl Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
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