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Alpha (Charlotte Day Wilson album)

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Alpha
A closeup, black-and-white photograph of the artist's face, staring directly into the camera with a serious look, with the word "Alpha" written in pink bubble letters on top.
Studio album by
Charlotte Day Wilson
ReleasedJuly 9, 2021
Genre
Length33:12
LabelStone Woman
Producer
Charlotte Day Wilson chronology
Stone Woman
(2018) 		Alpha
(2021) 		Cyan Blue
(2024)
Singles from Alpha
  1. "Take Care of You"
    Released: August 13, 2020
  2. "If I Could"
    Released: May 20, 2021
  3. "Keep Moving"
    Released: June 11, 2021

Alpha (stylized in all caps) is the debut studio album by Canadian singer/songwriter Charlotte Day Wilson, released on July 9, 2021, via her independent imprint Stone Woman Music.

The album was preceded by three singles: "Take Care of You" featuring Los Angeles singer/producer Syd was released August 13, 2020 with the non-album b-side "Summertime",[1] while follow-up singles "If I Could"[2] and "Keep Moving"[3] were released May 20 and June 11, 2021, respectively.

Background

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After a decade in the music industry, Alpha is Wilson's first full-length album. The album is preceded by three EPs, the latter two which are commercially available.[4] Like her previous work, all of her tracks are written, produced, and released by Wilson and employ collaborations with fellow Toronto-based artists. This included frequent collaborators BadBadNotGood and Daniel Caesar as well as Mustafa and singer Merna Bishouty.

Release and reception

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Alpha
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic79/100[5]
Review scores
SourceRating
Clash8/10[6]
Pitchfork7.6/10[7]
The Line of Best Fit7/10[8]

Announced in May 2021, the album was released on July 9, 2021, by Wilson and distributed by The Orchard.[9]

Alpha received favorable reviews from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 79, based on 4 reviews.

Reviewers were particularly complimentary of her voice on the album.[4] At Pitchfork, reviewer Dan Van Nguyen noted, "A sense of spiritual power defines much of Alpha... the body of the artist with the bourbon-soaked lounge-singer shimmer now sounds inhabited by the spirit of a transcendent preacher... yet Day Wilson funnels the evangelism into a focus on the self, always looking inward." Chris Taylor at The Line of Best Fit said, "There's no denying the talent on display across the album. Wilson's voice is a singular one; all at once offering heartache, confusion, hope and growth... Wilson's harmonies take on an almost choral quality where they had once been a whisper."[8]

The album was shortlisted for the 2022 Polaris Music Prize.[10]

The song "Adam Complex" was selected by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to soundtrack the "In Memoriam" segment at the 10th Canadian Screen Awards in 2022.[citation needed]

Track listing

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Adapted from TIDAL.[11]

Alpha track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Strangers"
  • Charlotte Day Wilson
  • Wilson
2:06
2."I Can Only Whisper" (featuring BadBadNotGood)
2:45
3."If I Could"
  • Wilson
  • Rochon
  • Merna Bishouty
  • Wilson
  • Rochon
3:03
4."Lovesick Utopia"
  • Wilson
  • Wilson
  • Rochon
2:55
5."Mountains"
4:09
6."Danny's Interlude" (featuring Daniel Caesar)
  • Wilson
  • Caesar
  • Wilson
0:35
7."Changes"
  • Wilson
  • Wilson
2:59
8."Take Care of You" (featuring Syd)
  • Wilson
  • Rochon
3:34
9."Keep Moving"
  • Wilson
4:39
10."Wish It Was Easy"
  • Wilson
  • Wiggins
3:12
11."Adam Complex"
  • Wilson
  • Wilson
3:16
Total length:33:12
Alpha (Deluxe)
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
12."Even Is the Lie"
  • Wilson
  • Rochon
  • Wilson
  • Rochon
4:06
13."Take Care of You - Remix" (featuring King Princess, Amaarae & Meshell Ndegeocello)
  • Wilson
  • Rochon
  • Bishouty
  • Ama Serwah Genfi
  • Meshell Ndegeocello
  • Mikaela Straus
  • Wilson
  • Rochon
3:34
Total length:40:53

References

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  1. ^ Johnson, Patrick (2020-08-13). "Charlotte Day Wilson Premieres Two New Singles". HYPEBEAST. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  2. ^ Brimstin, Chelsea (2021-05-20). "Watch: Charlotte Day Wilson releases video for new track 'If I Could,' announced debut album 'Alpha'". Indie88. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  3. ^ McInnes, Laura (12 June 2021). "Charlotte Day Wilson shares lush new single and video, 'Keep Moving'". sniffers.co.nz. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  4. ^ a b "Charlotte Day Wilson: Alpha". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  5. ^ ALPHA by Charlotte Day Wilson, retrieved 2021-07-13
  6. ^ "Charlotte Day Wilson - ALPHA". Clash Magazine. 9 July 2021. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  7. ^ Van Nguyen, Dean (July 9, 2021). "Charlotte Day Wilson: Alpha". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Alpha is Charlotte Day Wilson masterfully honing her craft". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  9. ^ Allie Gregory (May 20, 2021). "Charlotte Day Wilson Announces Debut Album 'Alpha'". Exclaim!.
  10. ^ Assaly, Richie (July 14, 2022). "Six take-aways from the 2022 Polaris Prize Short List". Toronto Star. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  11. ^ "Credits / ALPHA / Charlotte Day Wilson". listen.tidal.com. 2021. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
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