The Black & White Album is the eighth solo album from American singer-songwriter and violinist Imani Coppola. It was released on the Mike Patton-owned Ipecac Recordings in 2007, her first for the label. The album included the singles "Woke Up White", "Springtime", and "I Love Your Hair." Only one video ("Woke Up White") was released. Although Coppola had previously self-released several albums, The Black & White Album was only her third to be released by a record label – following her debut album, Chupacabra, from a decade earlier.
| The Black & White Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 6, 2007 (US) November 5, 2007 (UK) | |||
| Recorded | 2006–2007 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop, alternative rock, electropop | |||
| Length | 42:23 | |||
| Label | Ipecac Recordings | |||
| Producer | Imani Coppola, Josh Valleau | |||
| Imani Coppola chronology | ||||
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Release edit
The album was released on November 6, 2007, by Ipecac Records, which had been started by Faith No More's frontman, Mike Patton.[1][2] The album was Coppola's first in a decade to receive widespread release, and only her second, since 1997's Chupacabra.[2]
Critical reception edit
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Album of the Year | 75/100[3] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic[2] |   |
| Entertainment Weekly[4] | B+ |
| NME[5][3] | 7/10 |
| PopMatters[6] |   |
| The Skinny[7] | |
Upon its release, the album garnered favorable reviews from music critics, earning a score of 75/100 on the review aggregate site Album of the Year.[3] Mikael Wood, writing for Entertainment Weekly, awarded the album a grade of "B+" and compared Coppola's "eccentricity" to that of Macy Gray, also noting the record's topical range and commending the diverse assortment of genres: "ska, rap, electro-pop, and punk."[4] AllMusic's Marisa Brown awarded the album 3 stars (out of 5).[2]
Spin included the lead single "Woke Up White" on their list of "Songs You Need to Download Now!" in their November 2007 issue.[8] Meanwhile, Entertainment Weekly gave single "Raindrops from the Sun (Hey Hey Hey)" a rave review, with contributor Michael Sleazak calling the song "an exceedingly catchy little ditty, one that builds and builds and builds till you want to stand up at your desk and join in that final chorus."[9]
Media usage edit
"Raindrops from the Sun (Hey Hey Hey)" was included at the beginning of an episode of Gray's Anatomy,[9] titled "Kung Fu Fighting."[10]
Track listing edit
- "Black & White Jingle #1" 2:17 (Imani Coppola)
- "Springtime" 4:58 (Coppola)
- "Woke Up White" 2:16 (Coppola, Josh Valleau)
- "Raindrops from the Sun (Hey Hey Hey)" 3:33 (Coppola, Valleau)
- "30th Birthday" (feat. J. Martin Coppola & Pete Miser) 4:24 (I. Coppola, Valleau, Pete Miser, J. Martin Coppola)
- "Let It Kill You" 3:39 (Coppola, Valleau)
- "Dirty Pictures" 3:36 (Coppola, Valleau)
- "Keys 2 Your Ass" (feat. Rahzel) 3:46 (Coppola, Valleau, Rahzel Brown)
- "Black & White Jingle #2" 1:26 (Coppola)
- "I Love Your Hair" 4:05 (Coppola)
- "J.L.I.a.T.o.Y.O." 3:36 (Coppola, Valleau)
- "I'm a Pocket" 2:24 (Coppola, Valleau)
- "This is My Chicken" 0:12 (Coppola)
- "In a Room" 2:17 (Coppola, Valleau)
Personnel edit
- Imani Coppola – Main Vocal, Acoustic & Bass Guitars, Violin, Keyboards, Synthesizers, Synthesized Bass, DX-7, Acoustic, Fender Rhodes & Wurlitzer Electric Pianos, Drums, Percussion, Drum Programming
- Josh Valleau – Announcer, Synthesized Voices, Electric & Bass Guitars, Keyboards, Synthesizers, Hammond & B-3 Organs, Drums, Percussion, Drum Programming, Turntables
- Pete Miser – Vocals on track 05.
- J. Martin Coppola – Vocals on track 05.
- "Amanda" – Vocals
- Michael Burns – Bass
- Rahzel – Beat Boxing on track 08.
- John Altieri – Trumpet & Tuba
- Alex Elena – Drums, Percussion
References edit
- ^ "Artists: Imani Coppola". Ipecac. Ipecac Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
- ^ a b c d Brown, Marisa. "Review: The Black and White Album". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Imani Coppola – The Black & White Album". Album of the Year. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
- ^ a b Wood, Mikael. "Article: The Black & White Album". Entertainment Weekly. Time, Inc. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
- ^ "Album Reviews: Imani Coppola – The Black and White Album". NME. Time, Inc. March 13, 2014. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
- ^ Sawdey, Evan (November 7, 2007). "Imani Coppola – The Black & White Album". PopMatters. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
- ^ Maloney, Ali. "The Black & White Album". The Skinny. Radge Media. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
- ^ "The Spin Mix: Songs You Need to Download Now!". Spin. 23 (11): 22. November 2007. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
- ^ a b Sleazak, Michael. "Snap Judgment: Imani Coppola's 'Raindrops From the Sun'". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved January 19, 2018.
- ^ "Imani Coppola". IMDb. Amazon.com. Retrieved January 19, 2018.