Midwinter Swimmers
| Midwinter Swimmers | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 29, 2024 | |||
| Length | 39:41 | |||
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| The Innocence Mission chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Midwinter Swimmers | ||||
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Midwinter Swimmers is the thirteenth studio album by American alternative rock band The Innocence Mission, released on November 25, 2024, by Bella Union in Europe, P-Vine Records in Japan, and Thérèse Records internationally.
"This Thread Is a Green Street" and the title track preceded the album's release as singles, with vocalist Karen Peris creating animated music videos for both songs. She also created a music video for the song "Your Saturday Picture".
Composition and style
[edit]
Every song on the album was composed by Karen Peris, except "This Thread Is a Green Street", which was written by Karen alongside her husband Don.[1] Karen said the lyric of that song was inspired by the "transportive quality" of objects found in the "natural world", explaining that a "sewing thread when I'm mending something could remind me of a street map." She said that while writing the song, she was "envisioning the landscape as a world of doorways that might allow us to locate memory, or to be nearer in some way to people we miss." Karen related this lyrical concept to the song's recording, explaining that the band were seeking to "find the half-remembered beauty of sing-alongs of our 1970s childhoods."[2]
Karen said the song "Midwinter Swimmers" was about "looking ahead to the arrival of a loved and dear person". She said the contrast between the two words in the title reminded her of how "fragile-looking, small and pale winter flowers like snowdrops are actually so hardy and enduring that they can bloom in the snow. And this seemed to connect also with the bravery of the person who has been away."[3]
Release and promotion
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| The Arts Desk |   [4] |
| The Guardian | [5] |
| KLOF Magazine | Positive[6] |
| Mojo | [7] |
| Radio France | Positive[8] |
"This Thread Is a Green Street" was released as a one-track digital download and streaming single on September 3, 2024.[2][9] Karen directed a music video for the song, which was released the same day.[10] The title track was issued as the album's second single on October 16. Karen also created a music video for that song.[3] Midwinter Swimmers was released on November 29, 2024, by Bella Union in Europe, Thérèse Records in the United States and Canada,[1] and P-Vine Records in Japan. The Japanese edition contains an exclusive bonus track titled "Moving Around".[11] An animated music video for "Your Saturday Picture" was released on November 29.[12]
Track listing
[edit]All tracks are written by Karen Peris except track 1, written by Karen and Don Peris.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "This Thread Is a Green Street" | 3:46 |
| 2. | "Midwinter Swimmers" | 2:56 |
| 3. | "The Camera Divides the Coast of Maine" | 3:43 |
| 4. | "John Williams" | 3:41 |
| 5. | "We Would Meet in Center City" | 3:42 |
| 6. | "Your Saturday Picture" | 2:58 |
| 7. | "Cloud to Cloud" | 4:40 |
| 8. | "A Hundred Flowers" | 3:04 |
| 9. | "Sisters and Brothers" | 3:08 |
| 10. | "Orange of the Westering Sun" | 4:24 |
| 11. | "A Different Day" | 3:34 |
| Total length: | 39:41 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Moving Around" | 3:46 |
| Total length: | 43:27 | |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Breihan, Tom (September 3, 2024). "The Innocence Mission – 'This Thread Is A Green Street'". Stereogum. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
- ^ a b Pearis, Bill (September 3, 2024). "The Innocence Mission announce new album, share "This Thread Is A Green Street"". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
- ^ a b Pearis, Bill (October 16, 2024). "Watch The Innocence Mission's animated video for 'Midwinter Swimmers'". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
- ^ Tyler, Kieron (November 27, 2024). "Album: The Innocence Mission - Midwinter Swimmers". The Arts Desk. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ Simpson, Dave (November 29, 2024). "The Innocence Mission: Midwinter Swimmers". The Guardian. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ Blake, Thomas (November 12, 2024). "The Innocence Mission – Midwinter Swimmers". KLOF Magazine. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ Cameron, Keith (December 2024). Mulvey, John (ed.). "The Innocence Mission - Midwinter Swimmers". Album Reviews. Mojo. Vol. 373. London, United Kingdom: Bauer Media Group. p. 23. ISSN 1351-0193.
- ^ Carette, Catherine (November 13, 2024). "'Midwinter Swimmers', la flânerie sensorielle de The Innocence Mission". Radio France. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ Bonner, Michael (September 4, 2024). "the innocence mission share new track, 'This Thread Is a Green Street'". Uncut. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
- ^ Parkinson, Richard (September 5, 2024). "The Innocence Mission to issue first album in four years". Americana UK. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
- ^ "The Innocence Mission/ミッドウィンター・スウィマーズ" ["The Innocence Mission/Midwinter Swimmers"]. Tower Records (in Japanese). Retrieved December 6, 2024.
- ^ Gallacher, Alex (November 29, 2024). "Watch: The Innocence Mission – Your Saturday Picture". KLOF Magazine. Retrieved December 6, 2024.