Modern Anxiety (stylized in all lowercase) is the second studio album by Australian singer and songwriter Josef Salvat. It was released on 15 May 2020 through Sony Music, succeeding his 2016 debut album Night Swim.

modern anxiety
Studio album by
Released15 May 2020
Length33:19
Label
Producer
Josef Salvat chronology
Night Swim
(2016)
modern anxiety
(2020)
Islands
(2022)
Singles from Modern Anxiety
  1. "Modern Anxiety"
    Released: 13 November 2019
  2. "In the Afternoon"
    Released: 16 January 2020
  3. "Paper Moons"
    Released: 20 March 2020
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic75/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Clash8/10[3]
DIY[4]
MusicOMH[5]

Background edit

Upon the release of the album's lead and title cut "Modern Anxiety", Salvat described roughly what his audience could expect from the album sonically in an interview with Gay Times, saying "It's coming next year, I'm just doing final touches on that. And sonically it is a mixed bag, as was my first one, I think. And I think that's what I'm interested in. Thematically it deals with a lot of issues that I found really funny, and I tried to do it in a light way, because that was the only way I could do it. If I was too happy about all of it, not even when writing, but when I was thinking about it, I'd get stuck in this maze. But by trying to be light, and graceful in the way I dealt with stuff, and with compassion for myself and for other people which I've lacked in the past, but I feel like I have a lot more of that now. That's kind of what's gone into the writing process. And sonically I've been restrained. This whole album is open. I felt like I lived in a prison of my own making for eight years. I feel with the first album, I was so proud of that, but I feel this whole album is about connecting with people."[6]

The artwork for the album, created by Mat Maitland, was revealed on 6 February 2020.[citation needed]

Singles edit

The album's lead single and title cut "Modern Anxiety" was released on 13 November 2019 with a music video directed by Salvat himself, alongside Meg O'Connell.[7] The second single "In the Afternoon" succeeded on 16 January 2020 with a music video directed my Andrea Mae Perez.[8]

Promotional singles edit

The singles "Alone" and "Playground Love" were both released as promotional singles and b-sides to "Modern Anxiety" and "In the Afternoon" respectively.

Track listing edit

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."modern anxiety"Josef Salvat3:03
2."call on me"
  • Salvat
  • Jarly
3:00
3."in the afternoon"
  • Salvat
  • Cooper
  • Craft[a]
3:18
4."alone"
  • Salvat
  • Cooper
  • Manson
3:15
5."playground love"
  • Salvat
  • Richard Cooper
  • Carrie Haber
  • Rotana Tarabzouni
  • Salvat
  • Cooper
2:57
6."melt"Salvat
  • Salvat
  • Cooper
3:58
7."no vacancies"
  • Salvat
  • Cooper
  • Ahlund
3:45
8."paper moons"
  • Salvat
  • Manson
  • Salvat
  • Cooper
  • Manson
3:27
9."human"
  • Salvat
  • Cooper
  • Parker
3:24
10."enough"
  • Salvat
  • David Spinelli
  • Salvat
  • Spinelli
  • Cooper[c]
3:12
Total length:33:19

Notes

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Metacritic Review". Metacritic. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  2. ^ Monger, Timothy. "AllMusic Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  3. ^ Niwa, Rae (14 March 2020). "Clash Magazine Review". Clash. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  4. ^ Tipple, Ben. "DIY Magazine Review". DIY. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  5. ^ Young, Martyn (13 May 2020). "MusicOMH Review". MusicOMH. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Josef Salvat talks Modern Anxiety and why he rejects the 'gay music' label". Gay Times. 19 November 2019. Archived from the original on 20 December 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  7. ^ Salvat, Josef (13 November 2019). "Josef Salvat - modern anxiety (official video)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  8. ^ Salvat, Josef (16 January 2020). "Josef Salvat - in the afternoon (Official Video)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 24 January 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2020.