Avalanche is the fifth album by the English singer-songwriter Thea Gilmore. It was released on 9 September 2003 on the Hungry Dog record label. The album peaked at number 63 on the UK Albums Chart.[1] Uncut magazine ranked Avalanche at number 59 of its "Albums of the Year" for 2003 and said of Gilmore: "You can hear her growing in stature with every record she makes."[2]
| Avalanche | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 9 September 2003 | |||
| Studio | The Forge, Oswestry; The Loft, Liverpool; Chapel Studios, South Thoresby, Lincs | |||
| Genre | Rock, folk | |||
| Length | 46:46 | |||
| Label | Hungry Dog | |||
| Producer | Nigel Stonier | |||
| Thea Gilmore chronology | ||||
| ||||
Track listing edit
All songs written by Thea Gilmore, except where noted.
- "Rags and Bones" – 3:38
- "Have You Heard" – 3:26
- "Juliet (Keep That in Mind)" – 3:52
- "Avalanche" – 4:21
- "Mainstream" (Gilmore, Nigel Stonier) – 3:12
- "Pirate Moon" – 4:20
- "Apparition #13" – 3:27
- "Razor Valentine" – 3:46
- "God Knows" – 3:49
- "Heads Will Roll" – 2:33
- "Eight Months" – 5:33
- "The Cracks" – 4:49
Reception edit
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| The Guardian | [4] |
| The Independent | (favourable)[5] |
| Mojo | [2] |
| musicOMH | (highly favourable)[6] |
| No Depression | (mixed)[7] |
| Q | [2] |
| The Sunday Times | (favourable)[8] |
| Time Out | [citation needed] |
The Independent considered the album to be Gilmore taking "the final step to the forefront of British singer-songwriters, with 12 songs that establish her as the most prolific and intelligent wordsmith of her generation".[5] AllMusic's Hal Horowitz gave it four stars, stating the album saw her "moving a bit closer to the mainstream", also calling the songs "some of her best".[3] Adam Sweeting, for The Guardian, also gave it four stars, writing that it saw her "blazing her own path towards classic status as a songwriter".[4] Billboard's Steve Adams called it "an astonishingly literate collection of songs that marks another career leap".[9]
Personnel edit
- Thea Gilmore – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, xylophone, melodica, saw
- Nigel Stonier – producer, programming, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, gut string guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, Moog, Wurlitzer, Rhodes, backing vocals
- Robbie McIntosh – electric guitar, National guitar, backing vocals
- Paul Beavis – drums, percussion
- Jo Wadeson – bass guitar
- Dave "Munch" Moore – Hammond organ
- Mike Cave – drums, programming, cymbal
- Dylan Gallagher – programming
- Dave Hull-Denholm – backing vocals
- Freyja Gilmore – backing vocals
- Oliver Kraus – cello
- Ewan Davies – musical box
References edit
- ^ "Thea Gilmore", Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 January 2018
- ^ a b c "Thea Gilmore – Avalanche CD Album" > "Product Reviews". Muze/CD Universe. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
- ^ a b Horowitz, Hal. "Thea Gilmore Avalanche". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
- ^ a b Sweeting, Adam (2003) "Thea Gilmore: Avalanche", The Guardian, 22 August 2003. Retrieved 17 January 2018
- ^ a b "Album: Thea Gilmore, Avalanche, Hungry Dog". The Independent. 8 August 2003. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
- ^ Millington, Scott (11 August 2003). "Thea Gilmore – Avalanche". musicOMH. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
- ^ Archive (staff writer) (31 October 2003). "Thea Gilmore – Avalanche". No Depression. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
- ^ Edwards, Mark (2003) "Thea Gilmore Avalanche", The Sunday Times, 10 August 2003. Retrieved 17 January 2018
- ^ Adams, Steve (2003) "Swept Away by Gilmore's 'Avalanche'", Billboard, 2 August 2003, p. 51. Retrieved 17 January 2018 via Google Books