Spark is the third studio album by American rock duo Whitney. It was released on September 16, 2022, on Secretly Canadian.[8]
| Spark | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 26, 2022 | |||
| Studio | Sonic Ranch, Tornillo, Texas | |||
| Length | 38:18 | |||
| Label | Secretly Canadian | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Whitney chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Spark | ||||
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| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 64/100[1] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [2] |
| Clash | 7/10[3] |
| Exclaim! | 7/10[4] |
| The Line of Best Fit | 7/10[5] |
| Pitchfork | 5.8/10[6] |
| Under the Radar | 7.5/10[7] |
Background edit
In the fall of 2019, band members Julian Ehrlich and Max Kakacek left Chicago for Portland, Oregon, after they both had recently gone through breakups. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they stayed in a rented house in Portland longer than expected, where they began working on what would become Spark.[8][9] They wrote the album in Portland over the course of 14 months.[10] It was recorded at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas.[7]
The album is noted for its classic pop sound, rather than the duo's previous folk-soul sound.[9][11] Kakacek described it as "trying to make music that sounds like the early 2000s," with influences including Usher, Ne-Yo, and Gwen Stefani.[8] The album was produced by Brad Cook and John Congleton.[8]
The album was announced on June 16, 2022, along with the release of the single "Real Love".[11] On September 29, 2022, the band began a North American and European tour in support of the album.[11]
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Nothing Remains" | 3:00 |
| 2. | "Back Then" | 2:29 |
| 3. | "Blue" | 3:05 |
| 4. | "Twirl" | 4:32 |
| 5. | "Real Love" | 2:56 |
| 6. | "Memory" | 3:53 |
| 7. | "Self" | 2:40 |
| 8. | "Never Crossed My Mind" | 3:25 |
| 9. | "Terminal" | 3:11 |
| 10. | "Heart Will Beat" | 2:51 |
| 11. | "Lost Control" | 2:48 |
| 12. | "County Lines" | 3:22 |
| Total length: | 38:18 | |
Charts edit
| Chart (2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Top Current Album Sales (Billboard)[12] | 91 |
References edit
- ^ "Critic Reviews for Spark by Whitney". Metacritic. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ Donelson, Marcy. "Spark Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ "Whitney - SPARK". Clash. 14 September 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ Sylvester, Daniel (14 September 2022). "Whitney Find Their 'SPARK' in Slick Studio Experimentation". Exclaim!. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ Kuscher, Oliver (16 September 2022). "Whitney reignite their Spark". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ Howe, Brian (19 September 2022). "Whitney: SPARK". Pitchfork. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ a b Moody, Mark (14 September 2022). "Whitney: SPARK". Under the Radar. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ a b c d Cohen, Jonathan (12 September 2022). "Whitney's 2000s-Era Pop Inspirations Hit Just Right On Spark". Spin. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ a b Covington, Abigail (16 September 2022). "The Beautiful Bromance That Is Whitney". Esquire. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ Xie, Teresa (16 September 2022). "The Story Behind Every Song On Whitney's New Album SPARK". Stereogum. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ a b c Corcoran, Nina (16 June 2022). "Whitney Announce New Album Spark and Tour, Share New Song". Pitchfork. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ "Whitney Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2023.