Almost Lover

"Almost Lover" is a piano-driven pop ballad with elements of alternative rock written and composed by Alison Sudol. According to the digital sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Publishing Co., Inc., the song was originally composed in the key of A minor and set in common time to a slow tempo of 63 BPM, with a vocal range spanning from G{{sub|3}} through C{{sub|5}}.{{cite web|title=A Fine Frenzy "Almost Lover" Sheet Music in A Minor (transposable)|url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0063004|website=Musicnotes.com| date=7 February 2008 |publisher=Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.|accessdate=8 October 2016}}

Susan Visakowitz of Billboard wrote that, although Sudol "tackles a well-worn subject" on the song, "she does so with poetic turns of phrase and a lovely, unassuming vocal" that result in "Almost Lover" creating a "lasting first impression."{{cite book|last1=Visakowitz|first1=Susan|display-authors=etal|title=Billboard|date=1 Sep 2007|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|page=56|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8g4EAAAAMBAJ&q=a+fine+frenzy+almost+lover+review&pg=PA56|accessdate=8 October 2016}} In a review of One Cell in the Sea, Shirley Halperin of Entertainment Weekly wrote that "attention to the dramatic works wonders" on "Almost Lover" by showcasing Sudol's vocals.{{cite magazine|last1=Halperin|first1=Shirley|title=One Cell in the Sea|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2007/07/20/once-cell-sea|accessdate=8 October 2016|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=Wenner Media|date=July 20, 2007}}

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| headline = Digital download – single{{cite web|title=Almost Lover - Single by A Fine Frenzy|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/almost-lover-single/716237125|website=iTunes Store (US)|date=January 2007 |publisher=Apple Inc|access-date=8 October 2016}}

| title1 = Almost Lover

| writer1 = Alison Sudol

| length1 = 4:30

}}

{{track listing

| headline = 2008 CD single

| title1 = Almost Lover

| note1 = radio edit

| writer1 = Alison Sudol

| length1 = 4:17

}}

{{track listing

| headline = 2008 CD maxi single

| title1 = Almost Lover

| note1 = radio edit

| writer1 = Alison Sudol

| length1 = 4:17

| title2 = Almost Lover

| note2 = instrumental

| writer2 = Sudol

| length2 = 4:33

| title3 = Whisper

| writer3 = {{hlist|Sudol|Lukas Burton}}

| length3 = 4:56

| total_length = 13:46

}}

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{{track listing

| headline = 2009 CD single{{cite web|title=Fine Frenzy - Almost Lover - Amazon.com Music|url=https://www.amazon.com/Almost-Lover-Fine-Frenzy/dp/B00140U24E|website=Amazon Music|accessdate=8 October 2016}}

| title1 = Almost Lover

| note1 = radio mix

| writer1 = Alison Sudol

| length1 = 3:38

| title2 = Almost Lover

| note2 = remix

| writer2 = Sudol

| length2 = 3:57

| title3 = Almost Lover

| note3 = radio edit

| writer3 = Sudol

| length3 = 4:17

| title4 = Almost Lover

| note4 = instrumental

| writer4 = Sudol

| length4 = 4:33

| title5 = Whisper

| writer5 = {{hlist|Sudol|Burton}}

| length5 = 4:56

| total_length = 21:21

}}

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1. "Almost Lover" (Album version)

2. "Almost Lover" (2nd Version)

3. "Almost Lover" (Radio Edit)

4. "Almost Lover" (Radio Mix)

5. "Almost Lover" (Video Mix)

6. "Almost Lover" (Instrumental)

7. "Almost Lover" (Eric Ivan Rosse Remix)

There are two music videos made for the single. The first one was directed by Laurent Briet, and sees A Fine Frenzy playing a piano in the forest, sitting in the middle of a stream. Suddenly rocks start to fly up to the sky. Later, it can be seen that parts of the piano start to detach from each other.{{cite web|title=A Fine Frenzy {{!}} Almost Lover {{!}} Music Video|url=http://www.mtv.com/videos/a-fine-frenzy/158667/almost-lover.jhtml#artist=2475588|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090123105228/http://www.mtv.com/videos/a-fine-frenzy/158667/almost-lover.jhtml#artist=2475588|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 23, 2009|website=MTV|publisher=Viacom|accessdate=8 October 2016}} The second video was directed by the Nee Brothers. In this version, A Fine Frenzy is behind glass doors. She plays a dirty piano as she recalls her almost lover from the past. Flashbacks can be seen of the pair on the beach.{{cite web|title=A Fine Frenzy {{!}} Almost Lover (Version 2) {{!}} Music Video|url=http://www.mtv.com/videos/a-fine-frenzy/166427/almost-lover-version-2.jhtml#artist=2475588|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130129083632/http://www.mtv.com/videos/a-fine-frenzy/166427/almost-lover-version-2.jhtml%23artist=2475588|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 29, 2013|website=MTV|publisher=Viacom|accessdate=8 October 2016}} The video was later edited to feature a revised "domestic remix" of the song.{{cite web|title=A Fine Frenzy {{!}} Almost Lover Domestic Remix {{!}} Music Video|url=http://www.mtv.com/videos/a-fine-frenzy/217947/almost-lover-remix-domestic.jhtml#artist=2475588|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081109061237/http://www.mtv.com/videos/a-fine-frenzy/217947/almost-lover-remix-domestic.jhtml#artist=2475588|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 9, 2008|website=MTV|publisher=Viacom|accessdate=8 October 2016}}

Chloe Lukasiak, a 13-year-old dancer from the television show Dance Moms, filmed a solo dance video to Almost Lover, using a cover version recorded by Jasmine Thompson in 2013. The video was directed by Director Brazil and choreographed by Brittany Pent, and it has over 3 million views (as of 2017).{{cite web|last1=Lukasiak|first1=Chloe|title=Almost Lover|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IXRO_6lnu0 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/8IXRO_6lnu0 |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|website=Chloe Lukasiak Youtube Channel|accessdate=31 August 2017|format=music video|date=10 February 2015}}{{cbignore}}

"Almost Lover" was featured on a season three episode of American reality television series, The Hills titled, "A Night at the Opera" and a season four episode of American legal comedy-drama, Suits titled, "Fork in the Road".{{cite web|title=Alison Sudol - IMDb|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0837223/|website=IMDb|publisher=Amazon.com|accessdate=8 October 2016}} Rolling Stone listed the Hills feature as one of the series' 15 best musical moments.{{cite magazine|last1=Goodman|first1=Abbey|title=The 15 Greatest Music Moments on "The Hills"|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/the-15-greatest-music-moments-on-the-hills-19691231|accessdate=8 October 2016|magazine=Rolling Stone|publisher=Wenner Media|date=August 28, 2012}} The song was also used as the backing music for a performance by Courtney Galiano on season four of American reality competition program, So You Think You Can Dance, and for performances by Lisa Auguste and Corynne Barron on the first and second seasons, respectively, of the Canadian counterpart, So You Think You Can Dance Canada.

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|type=single|artist=A Fine Frenzy|title=Almost Lover|award=Gold|relyear=2007|certyear=2013}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Switzerland|type=single|artist=A Fine Frenzy|title=Almost Lover|award=Gold|relyear=2007|certyear=2009}}

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{{reflist|30em}}

{{Alison Sudol}}

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Category:2007 singles

Category:Virgin Records singles

Category:2007 songs

Category:Pop ballads

Category:2000s ballads