Anna Calvi (album)

The debut album's material had been written in Anna Calvi's parents' attic, using eight-track equipment. Of Rob Ellis, best known for his work with PJ Harvey, she said: {{blockquote|He’s old-school rock‘n roll… you know, 'Hit the drums harder!' Which I love. We both share a love of classical music...he loves the same composers as I do. So I didn’t have to explain what I meant when I said that I wanted I wanted a guitar or a shaker to sound like an orchestra. It was great to find someone who understood.}}

Calvi herself said she was proud with the album and picked out two songs where she felt she'd got close to what she ultimately wanted to achieve: "Love Won’t Be Leaving" (noted for microscopic sound detailisation) and "The Devil". "I see music very visually. And I want the music itself to express the story as much, if not more, than the lyrics. I think I achieved that on Love Won’t Be Leaving," she commented on the former. As for the latter, "It’s a good example of how I wanted to make the guitar sound like another instrument. I wanted the middle-section to sound like the strings on a Hitchcock soundtrack. It crescendos towards an explosion, but in a real and honest way. It's not about bravado," she added.[http://www.dominorecordco.com/artists/anna-calvi/ Anna Calvi's profile]. Domino Records. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140420191856/http://www.dominorecordco.com/artists/anna-calvi/ |date=20 April 2014 }}

"Blackout" with the cover of Surrender (classic Neapolitan song, originally Torna a Surriento, adapted for Elvis Presley in 1961 by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, with lyrics by Claude Aveling) was released as the first single from the album on 21 March 2011[http://www.dominorecordco.com/uk/news/02-02-11/anna-calvi-announces-new-single-blackout/ Domino | News | Anna Calvi Announces New Single 'Blackout'] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020022825/http://www.dominorecordco.com/uk/news/02-02-11/anna-calvi-announces-new-single-blackout/ |date=20 October 2013 }} and was debuted on Pitchfork in the US.[https://pitchfork.com/forkcast/15328-blackout/ Pitchfork: Forkcast: Anna Calvi: Blackout]. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131024060917/http://pitchfork.com/forkcast/15328-blackout/ |date=24 October 2013 }} "Desire" was the second single (backed with a reworking of Leonard Cohen's "Joan of Arc") and was released on 20 June 2011. The track was available on 7" (RUG412) and via digital download (RUG412D).[http://www.annacalvi.com/ Desire to be next single.] – www.annacalvi.com {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019170951/http://www.annacalvi.com/ |date=19 October 2013 }} "Suzanne & I" (backed with the cover of the Shirelles "Baby It's You") was released as the third single from the album on 12 September 2011.

{{Music ratings

| ADM = 7.6/10{{cite web |url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/2486/Anna-Calvi-Anna-Calvi.aspx |title=Anna Calvi by Anna Calvi reviews |publisher=AnyDecentMusic? |access-date=12 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120530022739/http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/2486/Anna-Calvi-Anna-Calvi.aspx |archive-date=30 May 2012 |url-status=live}}

| MC = 80/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/anna-calvi/anna-calvi |title=Reviews for Anna Calvi by Anna Calvi |publisher=Metacritic |access-date=3 May 2019}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/anna-calvi-mw0002086389 |title=Anna Calvi – Anna Calvi |publisher=AllMusic|access-date=12 May 2011 |last=O'Brien |first=Jon |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111012220854/http://www.allmusic.com/album/anna-calvi-r2102846/review |archive-date=12 October 2011 |url-status=live}}

| rev2 = Evening Standard

| rev2Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/music/article-23914415-cds-of-the-week.do |title=CDs of the week |work=Evening Standard |date=14 January 2011 |access-date=3 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128161552/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/music/article-23914415-cds-of-the-week.do |archive-date=28 January 2011 |url-status=dead}}

| rev3 = Financial Times

| rev3Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/d6b4ad50-1e17-11e0-bab6-00144feab49a |title=Anna Calvi: Anna Calvi |work=Financial Times |date=15 January 2011 |access-date=3 May 2019 |last=Hunter-Tilney |first=Ludovic |url-access=subscription}}

| rev4 = The Guardian

| rev4Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jan/13/anna-calvi-cd-review |title=Anna Calvi: Anna Calvi – review |work=The Guardian |date=13 January 2011 |access-date=3 May 2019 |last=Costa |first=Maddy}}

| rev5 = The Irish Times

| rev5Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/album-reviews/shape-shifter-1.1278768 |title=Shape shifter |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=21 January 2011 |access-date=3 May 2019 |last=Carroll |first=Jim |author-link=Jim Carroll (journalist)}}

| rev6 = Mojo

| rev6Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal |title=Anna Calvi: Anna Calvi |journal=Mojo |issue=208 |date=March 2011 |page=96}}

| rev7 = NME

| rev7Score = 9/10{{cite journal |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/anna-calvi/11795 |title=Album Review: Anna Calvi – Anna Calvi |journal=NME|date=17 January 2011 |access-date=12 May 2011 |last=Cooper |first=Leonie |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011163200/http://www.nme.com/reviews/anna-calvi/11795 |archive-date=11 October 2013}}

| rev8 = Pitchfork

| rev8Score = 7.8/10{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15153-anna-calvi/ |title=Anna Calvi: Anna Calvi |work=Pitchfork |date=1 March 2011 |access-date=3 May 2019 |last=Ashurst |first=Hari}}

| rev9 = Q

| rev9Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite journal |title=Anna Calvi: Anna Calvi |journal=Q |issue=295 |date=February 2011 |last=Mongredien |first=Phil |page=113}}

| rev10 = Uncut

| rev10Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal |title=Anna Calvi: Anna Calvi |journal=Uncut |issue=165 |date=February 2011 |page=94}}

}}

Upon its release, Anna Calvi received generally positive reviews from music critics. Aggregating website AnyDecentMusic? reports a score of 7.6 based on 29 professional reviews.

Reviewer Eamonn Seoige (IHeart AU), called the album "fully-formed and... an instantly engaging body of work", argued that its "key strength is honest, raw power." Describing Calvi's songs as "poetic, free-flowing, often incorporating multiple styles that frame her distinctive and kaleidoscopic vocal range," he added: "A gifted musician, possessor of a unique voice and writer of inimitable songs, Calvi is already primed for greatness."[http://iheartau.com/reviews/anna-calvi-anna-calvi/ Anna Calvi review]. IHeart AU {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110212133157/http://iheartau.com/reviews/anna-calvi-anna-calvi/ |date=12 February 2011 }} Matt James of PopMatters described Calvi as "eternally glamorous, but perennially doomed nightclub torch-song singer with a skeleton army in their closet" and her debut, never "afraid to be fantastical, striking," as "rich and strange".Matt James [https://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/136588-anna-calvi-anna-calvi/ Anna Calvi PopMatters review]. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129181015/http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/136588-anna-calvi-anna-calvi/ |date=29 January 2013 }} NME called the debut "perhaps the first great record of 2011." According to Jon O'Brien of AllMusic, this "ambitious and always intriguing debut... heralds the arrival of a unique and inventive addition to the plethora of U.K. female singer/songwriters."

Mojo placed the album at number 8 on its list of "Top 50 albums of 2011."{{cite web|url=https://stereogum.com/894362/mojos-top-50-albums-of-2011/list/ |title=MOJO's Top 50 Albums Of 2011 |publisher=Stereogum |date=2 December 2011 |access-date=16 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104193728/http://stereogum.com/894362/mojos-top-50-albums-of-2011/list/ |archive-date=4 November 2012 |url-status=live}}

{{track listing

| all_writing = Anna Calvi

| title1 = Rider to the Sea

| length1 = 2:40

| title2 = No More Words

| length2 = 3:51

| title3 = Desire

| length3 = 3:51

| title4 = Suzanne & I

| length4 = 4:11

| title5 = First We Kiss

| length5 = 3:05

| title6 = The Devil

| length6 = 4:34

| title7 = Blackout

| length7 = 4:05

| title8 = I'll Be Your Man

| length8 = 3:10

| title9 = Morning Light

| length9 = 4:13

| title10 = Love Won't Be Leaving

| length10 = 5:37

}}

• Anna Calvi – lead vocals, bass guitar, guitar, organ, piano, production, string arrangements, strings, violin
• Brian Eno – piano, backing vocals (tracks 3, 4)
• Mally Harpaz – drums, harmonium, percussion
• Daniel Maiden-Wood – bass, drums, backing vocals
• Dave Okumu – backing vocals (track 2)

Technical personnel

• Peter Deimel – engineering
• Rob Ellis – production
• David Odlux – assistant
• Chris Potter – mastering
• Jimmy Robertson – engineering
• Craig Silvey – mixing
• Pritpal Soor – mixing, production
• Emma Nathan - artwork

{{certification Table Top}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=France|artist=Anna Calvi|title=Anna Calvi|nocert=true|salesamount=35,000|relyear=2011|salesref={{cite web|url=http://www.chartsinfrance.net/Anna-Calvi/news-88362.html|publisher=chartsinfrance|title=Anna Calvi joue les esprits fantômes dans le clip aérien de "Sing to Me"|first=Yohann|last=Ruelle|date=6 October 2013|access-date=7 June 2018}}}}

{{Certification Table Summary}}

!scope="row"|Worldwide

|

|170,000{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2014/oct/13/mercury-nominees-2014-anna-calvi|work=The Guardian|title=Mercury nominees 2014: Anna Calvi|first=Harriet|last=Gibsone|date=13 October 2014|access-date=7 June 2018}}

|-

{{End}}

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2011 debut albums

Category:Anna Calvi albums

Category:Domino Recording Company albums

Category:European Border Breakers Award–winning albums