Hollow (album)
| Hollow | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 8, 2023 | |||
| Length | 40:43 | |||
| Label | Milk & Scissors | |||
| Producer | Brett Sparks | |||
| The Handsome Family chronology | ||||
| ||||
Hollow is the eleventh studio album by American duo the Handsome Family, released on September 8, 2023, through Milk & Scissors Music. It is their first studio album in seven years, following Unseen (2016), and received acclaim from critics.
Critical reception
[edit]| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 83/100[1] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Mojo | [3] |
| Paste | 7.9/10[4] |
| Uncut | 8/10[5] |
| Under the Radar |    [6] |
Hollow received a score of 83 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic, based on five critics' reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[1] Mojo commented, "accompanied by electronic and acoustic instruments, Brett's baritone sounds less sombre on this album, more rich, relaxed, even crooning on Strawberry Moon – a perfect foil for Rennie's vision of a world full of blood and ghosts".[3] Uncut felt that "a surreal sense of the macabre in everyday life remains their MO, from 'Skunks'' shuffling crawl space inhabitants to the winged appetites of the softly intoned 'Mothballs'".[5]
AllMusic's Mark Deming called it "one of their most musically satisfying albums in decades", remarking that Brett and Rennie Sparks have "managed to keep this material sounding spare and intimate while adding extra layers of musical detail that strengthen the arrangements".[2] Writing for Paste, Eric R. Danton felt that the album "strikes a balance between foreboding quiet numbers and deceptively airy tracks that belie the fatalistic lyrical content".[4] Marc Abbott of Under the Radar concluded, "that these 11 songs evoke such solid mental images of their lyrical content is testament to the power of the Sparks' songwriting capabilities, and the duo's lasting aptitude for storytelling. And the timely, primal paean to Mother Earth weaving its wonderful way through Hollow is enough to send you off to the woods with no intention of returning".[6]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Joseph" | 4:14 |
| 2. | "Two Black Shoes" | 3:58 |
| 3. | "The King of Everything" | 3:43 |
| 4. | "Skunks" | 3:27 |
| 5. | "The Oldest Water" | 3:09 |
| 6. | "Mothballs" | 2:44 |
| 7. | "Shady Lake" | 3:19 |
| 8. | "To the Oaks" | 3:54 |
| 9. | "Strawberry Moon" | 4:23 |
| 10. | "Invisible Man" | 3:51 |
| 11. | "Good Night" | 4:01 |
| Total length: | 40:43 | |
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[7] | 79 |
| UK Country Albums (OCC)[8] | 5 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[9] | 30 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Hollow by The Handsome Family Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ a b Deming, Mark. "The Handsome Family – Hollow Album Review". AllMusic. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ a b "The Handsome Family – Hollow". Mojo. October 2023. p. 83.
- ^ a b Danton, Eric R. (September 7, 2023). "The Handsome Family Return With Western Gothic Fatalism on Hollow". Paste. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ a b "The Handsome Family – Hollow". Uncut. October 2023. p. 29.
- ^ a b Abbott, Marc (September 11, 2023). "The Handsome Family: Hollow (Loose Music) – review". Under the Radar. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
- ^ "Official Country Artists Albums Chart Top 20". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 16, 2023.