| The King of Whys | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 29, 2016 | |||
| Genre | Indie rock | |||
| Length | 38:20 | |||
| Label | Polyvinyl | |||
| Producer | S. Carey | |||
| Owen chronology | ||||
| ||||
The King of Whys is the ninth studio album by Chicago musician Mike Kinsella under the moniker Owen. Announced on May 25, 2016, the record was released on July 29, 2016. The album was recorded at April Base Studios in Eau Claire, WI. The first single, "Lost", was released via NPR on May 25, 2016. Kinsella collaborated with S. Carey who produced the album during two nine-day sessions.
Critical reception
Writing for Exclaim!, Adam Feibel called it "wrought with restless artistry". Consequence of Sound described it as "A lush, affecting album that probes life’s complexities only to arrive at more questions".
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 79/100 |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Exclaim! | 8/10 |
| Pitchfork | 7.2/10 |
| Consequence of Sound | B |
| Engine Start Media | 8.2/10 |
Track listing
All songs written by Mike Kinsella
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Empty Bottle" | 4:27 |
| 2. | "The Desperate Act" | 3:33 |
| 3. | "Settled Down" | 3:17 |
| 4. | "Lovers Come and Go" | 4:37 |
| 5. | "Tourniquet" | 4:14 |
| 6. | "A Burning Soul" | 3:30 |
| 7. | "Saltwater" | 2:55 |
| 8. | "An Island" | 4:12 |
| 9. | "Sleep Is a Myth" | 4:28 |
| 10. | "Lost" | 3:07 |
| Total length: | 38:20 | |
References
- ^ "Owen, The King of Whys". www.polyvinylrecords.com. Polyvinyl. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
- ^ a b c Feibel, Adam (July 27, 2016). "Owen - The King of Whys". Exclaim!. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
- ^ "Owen Announces New Album - The King of Whys". www.polyvinylrecords.com. Polyvinyl Records. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
- ^ Gotrich, Lars (25 May 2016). "Viking's Choice: Owen, 'Lost'". NPR. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
- ^ a b Cohen, Ian (August 2, 2016). "Owen -The King of Whys". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
- ^ a b Brennan, Colin (July 27, 2016). "Owen – The King of Whys". Retrieved August 4, 2016.
- ^ "The King of Whys by Owen". Metacritic.
- ^ Harris, Damani (2016-08-13). "June–August Short Album Reviews". theenginemedia.portfolik.com. Retrieved 2016-08-14.
- ^ "The King of Whys - Owen | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
