Courtesy of Choice is the second studio album by electronic music artist Leila, released by XL Recordings in 2000. It features vocal contributions from Roya Arab, Donna Paul, and Luca Santucci.[5]

Courtesy of Choice
Studio album by
Released2000 (2000)
GenreElectronica[1]
Length58:13
LabelXL Recordings
ProducerLeila
Leila chronology
Like Weather
(1998)
Courtesy of Choice
(2000)
Blood Looms and Blooms
(2008)
Singles from Courtesy of Choice
  1. "Sodastream"
    Released: 1999
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Exclaim!favorable[3]
Hot Pressfavorable[4]
The Irish Timesfavorable[1]

Critical reception edit

Denise Benson of Exclaim! called the album "creative, highly listenable, unpretentious electronic music at its best."[3] Peter Murphy of Hot Press described it as "a master class in designer distortion and dynamic range."[4] Jim Carroll of The Irish Times wrote that "Leila's warm and bittersweet electronica entices and enthralls in slow, swinging, stinging sweeps," stating that "she prefers to use colour and shade and fragments of songs rather than simply relying on monochrome beats and moods."[1] In a mixed review, Tim DiGravina of AllMusic stated that "the material isn't memorable and it doesn't take enough of a stance in any one genre to make much of an impact [...] the overall effect is more of a drugged stupor than the desired atmospheric soundscape."[2]

NME named it the 38th best album of 2000.[6]

Track listing edit

No.TitleLength
1."Brave"6:08
2."Work"3:42
3."From Before... What?"3:58
4."Sodastream"5:51
5."Gush Goog"3:21
6."To Win Her Love"4:13
7."Thanks, Mr. Jones"5:47
8."To Tell a Lie"3:14
9."I Won't Forget"5:12
10."Be Clowns"4:01
11."Different Time"4:58
12."Different Time (Reprise)"2:43
13."Young Ones"5:00

The vinyl version contains an additional track, titled "Relax the Pleasure Dome", between "From Before... What?" and "Sodastream".

Personnel edit

Credits adapted from liner notes.

  • Leila – production
  • Tim Giles – drums
  • Benet Walsh – clarinet
  • Luca Santucci – vocals (on "Brave", "Sodastream", "To Win Her Love", and "To Tell a Lie")
  • Donna Paul – vocals (on "Work" and "I Won't Forget")
  • Roya Arab – vocals (on "Different Time")

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Courtney, Kevin; Carroll, Jim (22 September 2000). "Rock/Dance". The Irish Times. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  2. ^ a b DiGravina, Tim. "Courtesy of Choice - Leila". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  3. ^ a b Benson, Denise (1 November 2000). "Leila - Courtesy of Choice". Exclaim!. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  4. ^ a b Murphy, Peter (12 October 2000). "Courtesy Of Choice". Hot Press. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  5. ^ Thompson, Ben (14 September 2000). "An auteur with attitude". The Independent. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  6. ^ Soghomonian, Talia (6 November 2009). "Best Albums Of 2000 – Have Your Say". NME. Retrieved 17 March 2017.

External links edit