Aventine (album)

Aventine is the second studio album by Danish singer-songwriter Agnes Obel, released on 30 September 2013 by PIAS Recordings. The album received positive reviews from music critics. It was also a commercial success, charting inside the top 40 of the charts in nine countries.

Aventine
Studio album by
Agnes Obel
Released30 September 2013
Recorded2012–2013
(Berlin, Germany)
Genre
Length40:56
LabelPIAS
ProducerAgnes Obel
Agnes Obel chronology
Philharmonics
(2010)		 Aventine
(2013)		 Citizen of Glass
(2016)
Singles from Aventine
  1. "The Curse"
    Released: 20 August 2013
  2. "Fuel to Fire"
    Released: 20 September 2013
  3. "Dorian"
    Released: 16 December 2013
  4. "Aventine"
    Released: 31 March 2014
  5. "Words Are Dead"
    Released: 18 July 2014

Background

The album was announced in June 2013.[1][2] The album was written, produced, arranged, and mixed by Obel herself at Chalk Wood Studios from 2012 to 2013.[3] In January 2013, the album was given its final mixdown. The album features the instrumentation of Timber Timbre musician Mika Posen.[4]

On Aventine, Agnes Obel commented : "I recorded everything quite closely, miking everything closely in a small room, with voices here, the piano here - everything is close to you. So it's sparse, but by varying the dynamic range of the songs I could create almost soundscapes. I was able to make something feel big with just these few instruments."[5]

Promotion

To promote the album, Obel streamed Aventine online.[6] On 4 September, Obel performed the album live at St Pancras Old Church for a select group of UK journalists and music industry members.[7] On 17 September, Obel opened for Ludovico Einaudi at the iTunes Festival and her performance was recorded and released as an EP titled iTunes Festival: London 2013.[8][9] In October, Obel appeared on France 24 to discuss the album.[10]

The album was preceded by the single "The Curse" in August 2013 with the music video being directed by Alex Brüel Flagstad.[11] Obel recorded a live version of the song in Berlin for KCRW.[12]

Reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic74/100[13]
Review scores
SourceRating
The Guardian[14]
Mojo[15]
musicOMH[16]
Q[17]
The QuietusVery Favourable[18]
Uncut [19]

Aventine received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 74, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", based on 10 reviews.[20]

James Skinner, in The Quietus, writes : "Ultimately, Aventine is a triumph of carefully sustained mood; of a sadness that is not so much overbearing as it beautiful, and one that lingers in the silences between listens of this unusual, unusually compelling record."[21]

Caroline Sullivan, from The Guardian, wrote, "The lyrics are impressionistic sketches (…) suggesting she saved the real firepower for the exquisite arrangements : sculpting strings and piano into beautifully melancholy ripples. Like Ane Brun and Seventh Tree-era Alison Goldfrapp, Obel is exceedingly good at conveying weariness and disorientation through sound (…). A wonderful autumn album."[22]

Alice Parker, from Contact Music, agreed: "This album is simply stunning and, if possible, even more captivating than her first album. 'Aventine' is nothing short of mesmerising and it is clear that this 'difficult second album' will live up to expectation and could quite possibly surpass the success of its predecessor."[23]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Agnes Obel.

No.TitleLength
1."Chord Left"2:29
2."Fuel to Fire"5:29
3."Dorian"4:48
4."Aventine"4:08
5."Run Cried the Crawling"4:26
6."Tokka"1:30
7."The Curse"5:53
8."Pass Them By"3:31
9."Words Are Dead"3:46
10."Fivefold"1:59
11."Smoke & Mirrors"2:57
Total length:40:56
Danish bonus track[24]
No.TitleLength
12."September Song"3:24
Total length:44:20

Special edition box set
  • The box set was released on 30 September 2013. It includes the original album on LP and CD, a bonus CD, a 5-page music sheet for "The Curse", and a photographic artwork print.[25]
Disc two[26]
No.TitleLength
1."The Curse" (instrumental version) 
2."Aventine" (instrumental version) 
3."Fuel to Fire" (instrumental version) 

Deluxe version
  • The deluxe version was released on 6 October 2014. It features three new songs, live versions from Berlin and Paris, and two remixes.[27]
Disc two
No.TitleLength
1."Under Giant Trees"5:24
2."Arches"3:24
3."September Song"3:22
4."Run Cried the Crawling" (Live)5:04
5."Chord Left" (Live)2:31
6."Fuel to Fire" (Live)5:07
7."Aventine" (Live)4:27
8."Words Are Dead" (Live)4:09
9."The Curse" (Live)6:44
10."Dorian" (Daniel Matz rework)3:51
11."Fuel To Fire" (David Lynch remix)4:31
Total length:48:34

Charts

In 2014 it was awarded a diamond certification from the Independent Music Companies Association,[47] which indicated sales of at least 200,000 copies throughout Europe.[48]

References
  1. "Agnes Obel to release new LP, Aventine". Complete Music Update. Unlimited Media. 21 June 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  2. "Het nieuwe Agnes Obel-album heet Aventine". Kicking The Habit. Two Kings. 20 June 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  3. "Agnes Obel's 'Aventine October' Out, 10/1". Broadway World. Wisdom Digital Media. 5 August 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  4. "Sortie du nouvel album d'Agnes Obel : "Aventine"". Sortir a Paris. 9 September 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  5. "Agnes Obel Announces New Album 'Aventine' Released 30th September 2013".
  6. "Agnes Obel – Aventine". Performance Reviewed. 26 September 2013. Archived from the original on 6 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  7. "Agnes Obel, St Pancras Old Church". The Arts Desk. 5 September 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  8. "AGNES OBEL: WATCH THE ITUNES FESTIVAL PERFORMANCE". PIAS Recordings. 18 September 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  9. "iTunes Festival: London 2013 - EP". iTunes USA. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  10. "Agnes Obel: understated elegance on her second album 'Aventine'". France 24. 2 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  11. "New Video For 'The Curse'". agnesobel.com. 27 August 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  12. "KCRW Exclusive: Agnes Obel – "The Curse"". KCRW. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  13. Metacritic score
  14. Sullivan, Caroline. Agnes Obel: Aventine – review. The Guardian. 26 September 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  16. Murphy, John. Agnes Obel - Aventine. musicOMH 25 September 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  18. Skinner, James (28 October 2013). "Agnes Obel - Aventine". The Quietus. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  20. "Aventine Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  21. "Aventine reviews".
  22. "Agnes Obel: Aventine – review".
  23. "Obel, Aventine".
  24. https://itunes.apple.com/dk/album/aventine/id681187053
  25. http://www.bilborecords.be/agnes-obel-aventine-deluxe-lp?language=fr
  26. http://www.melodiashop.sk/detail.php?titul=80162
  27. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  28. "Austriancharts.at – Agnes Obel – Aventine" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
  29. "Ultratop.be – Agnes Obel – Aventine" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  30. "Ultratop.be – Agnes Obel – Aventine" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  31. "Danishcharts.dk – Agnes Obel – Aventine". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  32. "Dutchcharts.nl – Agnes Obel – Aventine" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  33. "Lescharts.com – Agnes Obel – Aventine". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  34. "Offiziellecharts.de – Agnes Obel – Aventine" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  35. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Agnes Obel". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  36. "Norwegiancharts.com – Agnes Obel – Aventine". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  37. "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  38. "Swisscharts.com – Agnes Obel – Aventine". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 2013.
  39. "Official Albums Chart UK Top 100 - 12th October 2013". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 7 October 2013. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
  40. "Agnes Obel- Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  41. "Jaaroverzichten 2013". Ultratop. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  42. "Rapports Annuels 2013". Ultratop. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  43. "Top de l'année Top Albums 2013" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  44. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2 January 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  45. "Rapports Annuels 2014". Ultratop. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  46. "Top de l'année Top Albums 2014" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  47. http://www.impalamusic.org/sites/default/files/pictures/Awards1.png
  48. http://www.impalamusic.org/node/340
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