Alpha
Studio album by
Charlotte Day Wilson
ReleasedJuly 9, 2021
Length33:12
LabelStone Woman
Producer
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

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

Alpha
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic79/100[5]
Review scores
SourceRating
Clash Music8/10[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 longlisted 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.

Track listing

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

  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. 1 2 "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. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  7. ↑ Van Nguyen, Dean (July 9, 2021). "Charlotte Day Wilson: Alpha". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  8. 1 2 "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. ↑ Allie Gregory, "Here's the 2022 Polaris Music Prize Long List". Exclaim!, June 14, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Credits / ALPHA / Charlotte Day Wilson". listen.tidal.com. 2021. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
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