Blue Lips (Tove Lo album)
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Blue Lips
| type = studio
| artist = Tove Lo
| cover = Tove Lo - Blue Lips.png
| alt = White is replaced by red in a photo negative; a decorated hand squeezes a woman's bare left buttock.
| released = {{Start date|2017|11|17|df=yes}}
| recorded = October 2016 – July 2017
| genre = * Dance-pop
| length = 44:24
| label = Island
| producer = * Choukri Gustmann
- Alex Hope
- Jack & Coke
- Lulou
- Ali Payami
- The Struts
- Gustav Weber Vernet
| prev_title = Lady Wood
| prev_year = 2016
| next_title = Sunshine Kitty
| next_year = 2019
| misc = {{Extra album cover
| header = Alternative cover
| type = studio
| cover = BlueLipsDeluxeVinylCover.png
| caption = 2018 vinyl reissue with Lady Wood
| alt = A woman's hands clasp a beer bottle; her legs are covered in black fishnet and her torso is covered in black leather and shiny stars.
}}{{Singles
| name = Blue Lips
| type = studio
| single1 = Disco Tits
| single1date = 7 September 2017
| single2 = Bitches
| single2date = 7 June 2018
}}
}}
Blue Lips{{efn|The title is sometimes subtitled as Blue Lips (Lady Wood Phase II) and stylised as BLUE LIPS [lady wood phase II].}} is the third studio album by Swedish singer Tove Lo. It was released on 17 November 2017 by Island Records.{{cite magazine |last=Blistein |first=Jon |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/tove-lo-embraces-sex-drugs-puppets-in-wild-disco-tits-w507335 |title=Watch Tove Lo's Sexy Road Trip With a Puppet in 'Disco Tits' Video |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=5 October 2017 |access-date=5 October 2017}} Blue Lips is considered the second half of a two-piece concept album that describe "highs, lows and ultimate demise of a relationship."{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2016/10/31/tove-lo-lady-wood-short-film/|title=Tove Lo's Lady Wood short film previews new music|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|last=Feeny|first=Nolan|date=31 October 2016|access-date=7 September 2017}} Its chapters "Light Beams" and "Pitch Black" succeed the chapters "Fairy Dust" and "Fire Fade" from her previous album Lady Wood (2016).{{cite magazine |last=Spanos |first=Brittany |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/tove-lo-on-losing-control-exploring-rushes-on-lady-wood-w441207 |title=Tove Lo on Going to Extremes: 'I'm Never as Happy as When I Lose Control' |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=14 October 2016 |access-date=22 October 2016}}
In addition to the return of songwriter-producers such as the Struts, Ali Payami and Joe Janiak, the album features new collaborations with Alex Hope and Lulou, among others. Daye Jack is the only featured artist on the album. Musically, the album has been described as "sharply conceived dance-pop" and it is noted to follow the "hypnotizing electro-pop vein" of the preceding album that also features hip-hop and trap-influenced production.{{cite web|url=https://vmagazine.com/article/tove-los-new-album-blue-lips-uncensored-sequel-lady-wood/|title=Tove Lo's New Album 'Blue Lips' Is An Uncensored Sequel to 'Lady Wood'|work=V|first=Jake|last=Viswanath|date=17 November 2017|access-date=18 November 2017|archive-date=1 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201044115/https://vmagazine.com/article/tove-los-new-album-blue-lips-uncensored-sequel-lady-wood/|url-status=dead}}
A short film of the same name was released on 19 October 2018 to accompany the album.{{cite tweet|first=Tove|last=Lo|user=ToveLo|number=1050029212470407168|title="You like everyone" 💔 #BlueLips Oct 19th|date=10 October 2018}}
Background and recording
Tove Lo's previous album, Lady Wood, was released on 28 October 2016 to positive critical reviews and fair commercial success, with it eventually becoming her highest-charting album in the United States to date. In press interviews in support of the album's release, Tove Lo alluded to another album of thematically similar material slated for release the following year that was tentatively titled Lady Wood: Phase II.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2016/10/28/tove-lo-lady-wood-album/92709012/|title=Swedish singer Tove Lo: 'Don't tell me what I can't say'|work=USA Today|last=Ryan|first=Patrick|date=28 October 2016|access-date=7 September 2017}} In early 2017, Tove Lo began the Lady Wood Tour in further support of the album, and during press interviews she said she was working on new material to be included with the portion that was already recorded during the Lady Wood sessions.{{cite web|url=http://www.fuse.tv/2017/06/tove-lo-interview-governors-ball-2017-lady-wood-album-sequel-vaginas|title=Governors Ball 2017: Tove Lo Talks 'Lady Wood' Album Sequel & Being Proud of Your Vagina|work=Fuse|last=Gracie|first=Bianca|date=5 June 2017|access-date=7 September 2017}} She explained to Billboard, "There's a lot of songs that I wanted on [Lady Wood], but I didn't want to cram in 20 songs... so I decided to divide it into a double album, and release the second half a little bit later on".{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/podcasts/8046234/pop-shop-podcast-tove-lo |title=Pop Shop Podcast: Tove Lo Talks 'Emotional Rollercoaster' That Led to Her New Album 'Blue Lips' |magazine=Billboard |access-date=9 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514092634/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/podcasts/8046234/pop-shop-podcast-tove-lo |archive-date=14 May 2018}}
The Blue Lips track "Bitches", originally titled "What I Want for the Night (Bitches)", was previewed through Tove Lo's short film Fairy Dust in October 2016{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2016/10/31/tove-lo-lady-wood-short-film/|title=Tove Lo's Lady Wood short film previews new music|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|last=Feeney|first=Nolan|date=31 October 2016|access-date=13 November 2017}} and a live version was released through Spotify in November 2016.{{cite web|title=Spotify Singles by Tove Lo on Spotify|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/6FOhbAW6X74onlLJOTNIjD|website=Spotify|access-date=13 November 2017}} Tove Lo also previewed the track "Struggle" (then titled "The Struggle") during her performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1935431/watch-tove-lo-debut-new-song-the-struggle-at-coachella/video/|title=Watch Tove Lo Debut New Song "The Struggle" At Coachella|work=Stereogum|last=Rettig|first=James|date=17 April 2017|access-date=13 November 2017}}
During the months leading up to the album's release, Tove Lo said that thematically Blue Lips would be a "dramatic" and "highly emotional" sister to Lady Wood,{{cite web|url=http://www.papermag.com/swedish-pop-star-tove-lo-on-rocking-coachella-her-dream-collabs-and-fl-2376537617.html|title=Swedish Pop Star Tove Lo on Rocking Coachella, Her Dream Collabs, and Flashing Her Fans|work=Paper|last=Ward|first=Kat|date=24 April 2017|access-date=7 September 2017}} and it would have two contrasting chapters: "Light Beams" and "Pitch Black". The album's official title was announced in conjunction with its lead single "Disco Tits" on 7 September 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1961329/tove-lo-disco-tits/music/|title=Tove Lo – "Disco Tits"|work=Stereogum|last=Breihan|first=Tom|date=7 September 2017|access-date=7 September 2017}} The album's artwork was released on Tove Lo's social media on 31 October 2017.
Release
Tove Lo began teasing the release of her third studio album since the release of Lady Wood in 2016. During January 2017, she suggested that the album would be released in the spring of that year,{{cite web|title=Tove Lo is the no-holds-barred pop misfit we need right now|url=https://www.timeout.com/newyork/music/tove-lo-is-the-no-holds-barred-pop-misfit-we-need-right-now|website=Time Out New York|date=31 January 2017 |access-date=13 November 2017}} but on 31 October 2017 she confirmed that Blue Lips would be officially released on 17 November 2017.{{cite web|title=BLUE LIPS [lady wood phase II] will be out nov 17. can't wait to share with you|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Ba6xagqAIdr/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/Ba6xagqAIdr |archive-date=24 December 2021 |url-access=registration|website=Instagram|access-date=31 October 2017}}{{cbignore}} On the night of the album's release, Tove Lo hosted a release party concert at Elsewhere in Brooklyn, New York City.{{cite web|title=#BLUELIPS release party Nov 17 @elsewherespace in BKLYN. Can't wait to enter into the phase II era with my NY babes. Tickets on sale now, see you on the dance floor on Friday.|url=https://twitter.com/ToveLo/status/930137982631366661|website=Twitter|access-date=13 November 2017}}
Singles
The lead single "Disco Tits" was released on 7 September 2017. It reached number 55 in Tove Lo's native Sweden, and topped the US Dance Club Songs Chart.{{cite web|url=http://www.sverigetopplistan.se/|title=Sverigetopplistan – Sveriges Officiella Topplista|publisher=Sverigetopplistan|access-date=15 September 2017}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/tove-lo/chart-history/dsi/|title=Tove Lo Chart History|magazine=Billboard|access-date=2018-06-07}}
Tove Lo announced a remix of "Bitches" featuring Charli XCX, Icona Pop, Elliphant and Alma as the second single from Blue Lips.{{Cite news|first=Andrew|last=Trendell|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/tove-lo-bitches-charli-xcx-alma-icona-pop-elliphant-2332749|title=Tove Lo unveils NSFW video for new remix of 'Bitches' featuring Charli XCX, ALMA, Icona Pop and Elliphant|date=7 June 2018|work=NME|access-date=7 June 2018}} It was released on 7 June 2018.{{cite web|title=bitches – Single by Tove Lo, Charli XCX, Icona Pop, Elliphant & ALMA|url=https://music.apple.com/au/album/bitches-single/1391556933|website=Apple Music|location=Australia|access-date=30 July 2020}}
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| MC = 74/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/blue-lips/tove-lo |title=Reviews for Blue Lips by Tove Lo |work=Metacritic |access-date=30 November 2017}}
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{AllMusic | id= mw0003128498| title= Blue Lips | access-date=16 February 2020}}
| rev2 = DIY
| rev2Score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web |last=Kheraj |first=Alim |url=https://diymag.com/2017/11/17/tove-lo-blue-lips-album-review |title=Tove Lo – Blue Lips |work=DIY |date=17 November 2017 |access-date=7 December 2017}}
| rev3 = Financial Times
| rev3Score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web |last=Hunter-Tilney |first=Ludovic |url=https://www.ft.com/content/1dcc27ca-ca6b-11e7-ab18-7a9fb7d6163e |title=Tove Lo: Blue Lips — hedonistic abandon, moody reflection |work=Financial Times |date=17 November 2017 |access-date=7 December 2017 |url-access=subscription }}
| rev4 = Metro
| rev4Score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite web |last=Dawson |first=Amy |url=https://www.metro.news/review-tove-lo/829226/ |title=Review: Tove Lo
|work=Metro |date=23 November 2017 |access-date=7 December 2017}}
| rev5 = The Observer
| rev5Score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite web |last=Joshi |first=Tara |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/nov/19/tove-lo-blue-lips-review-humid-polished-production |title=Tove Lo: Blue Lips review – clubwise and candid |work=The Observer |date=19 November 2017 |access-date=7 December 2017}}
| rev6 = Pitchfork
| rev6Score = 7.1/10{{cite web |last=Cook |first=Cameron |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/tove-lo-blue-lips/ |title=Tove Lo: Blue Lips |work=Pitchfork |date=29 November 2017 |access-date=7 December 2017}}
| rev7 = Renowned for Sound
| rev7Score = {{rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |last=Scarsbrook |first=Rachael |url=http://renownedforsound.com/index.php/album-review-tove-lo-blue-lips-ladywood-phase-ii/ |title=Album Review: Tove Lo – BLUE LIPS (ladywood phase II) |website=Renowned for Sound |date=24 November 2017 |access-date=7 December 2017}}
| rev8 = Rolling Stone
| rev8Score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |last=Hermes |first=Will |author-link=Will Hermes |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/review-tove-los-blue-lips-lady-wood-phase-ii-w512145 |title=Review: Tove Lo Continues Dark Lust Saga on 'Blue Lips' |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=20 November 2017 |access-date=2 February 2018}}
}}
Blue Lips received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 74 based on six reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Frank Guan of Vulture called Blue Lips "the best album of her career" and said that "it's indisputable that the tracks on Blue Lips hit harder than their predecessors".{{cite web |last1=Guan |first1=Frank |title=Tove Lo's Blue Lips Is the Best Album of Her Career |url=https://www.vulture.com/2017/11/review-tove-lo-blue-lips.html |website=Vulture |date=17 November 2017 |access-date=12 August 2019}} Will Hermes, in his short review of the album for Rolling Stone, stated "Like much of Tove Lo's work, it's admirably uncensored, but may leave you craving a shower, however close to home it lands."{{cite magazine |last1=Hermes |first1=Will |title=Review: Tove Lo Continues Dark Lust Saga on 'Blue Lips' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/review-tove-lo-continues-dark-lust-saga-on-blue-lips-119585/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=20 November 2017 |access-date=12 August 2019}} Cameron Cook of Pitchfork noted that "Blue Lips is not a straight-up disco record, but Lo uses that genre's soft focus sheen to recall an era grown from the sexual liberation of the '60s, while sheltered from the excesses of the '80s". He praised the "Light Beams" section of the album but criticized "Romantics", stating that "'Romantics', with its trendy trap beats and distorted vocals, pale slightly next to the wild ride of the album's first half."
=Year-end lists=
class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
Critic/Publication
!scope="col"| List !data-sort-type="number"| Rank !scope="col" class="unsortable"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
---|
scope="row"|Melty
|Best Pop Albums of the Year |{{center|7}} | {{center|{{cite news|url=https://www.melty.fr/taylor-swift-loic-nottet-lorde-les-meilleurs-albums-pop-de-l-annee-a635080.html|title=Taylor Swift, Loïc Nottet, Lorde... Les meilleurs albums pop de l'année|trans-title=Taylor Swift, Loïc Nottet, Lorde... The best pop albums of the year|publisher=Melty|date=20 December 2017|access-date=5 September 2018|author=Rajona, Wyzman|language=fr}}}} |
scope="row" | Rolling Stone
| 20 Best Pop Albums of 2017 | align="center"| 13 |
{{clear}}
Track listing
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes{{cite AV media notes|title= Blue Lips |year= 2017 |type= booklet |publisher= Island Records}} and Tidal{{cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/81059029/credits|title=Blue Lips |year= 2017|website=Tidal}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Blue Lips{{cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/Tove-Lo-Confirms-1117-Release-Date-For-Blue-Lips-LP-20171031|title=Tove Lo Confirms 11/17 Release Date For 'Blue Lips' LP|work=BroadwayWorld|date=31 October 2017|access-date=31 October 2017}}
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| total_length = 44:24
| title1 = Light Beams
| writer1 = {{hlist|Tove Lo|Ludvig Söderberg|Jakob Jerlström}}
| extra1 = The Struts
| length1 = 1:07
| title2 = Disco Tits
| writer2 = {{hlist|Lo|Söderberg|Jerlström}}
| extra2 = The Struts
| length2 = 3:43
| title3 = Shedontknowbutsheknows
| writer3 = {{hlist|Lo|Söderberg|Jerlström}}
| extra3 = The Struts
| length3 = 3:16
| title4 = Shivering Gold
| writer4 = {{hlist|Lo|Söderberg}}
| extra4 = {{hlist|Söderberg|Jack & Coke}}
| length4 = 3:35
| title5 = Don't Ask Don't Tell
| writer5 = {{hlist|Lo|Ali Payami}}
| extra5 = Payami
| length5 = 3:46
| title6 = Stranger
| writer6 = {{hlist|Lo|Payami|Niklas Ljungfelt}}
| extra6 = Payami
| length6 = 3:54
| title7 = Bitches
| writer7 = {{hlist|Lo|Payami}}
| extra7 = Payami
| length7 = 2:17
| title8 = Pitch Black
| writer8 = {{hlist|Lukas Loules|Choukri Gustmann}}
| extra8 = {{hlist|Lulou|Gustmann}}
| length8 = 0:53
| title9 = Romantics
| note9 = featuring Daye Jack
| writer9 = {{hlist|Lo|Söderberg|Jerlström|Loules|Gustmann|Daye Jack}}
| extra9 = {{hlist|Lulou|Gustmann}}
| length9 = 3:31
| title10 = Cycles
| writer10 = {{hlist|Lo|Söderberg|Jerlström|Joe Janiak}}
| extra10 = The Struts
| length10 = 3:28
| title11 = Struggle
| writer11 = {{hlist|Lo|Söderberg|Jerlström}}
| extra11 = The Struts
| length11 = 3:46
| title12 = 9th of October
| writer12 = {{hlist|Lo|Söderberg|Jerlström}}
| extra12 = The Struts
| length12 = 3:25
| title13 = Bad Days
| writer13 = {{hlist|Lo|Gustav Weber Vernet}}
| extra13 = Vernet
| length13 = 3:26
| title14 = Hey You Got Drugs?
| writer14 = {{hlist|Lo|Alex Hope}}
| extra14 = Hope
| length14 = 4:18
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Lady Wood and Blue Lips {{nobold|– Deluxe vinyl exclusive 10-inch picture disc}}
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title1 = Cool Girl
| note1 = Timbaland remix
| writer1 = {{hlist|Lo|Söderberg|Jerlström}}
| extra1 = {{hlist|The Struts|Timbaland{{ref|a|[a]}}}}
| title2 = WTF Love Is
| note2 = Karma Fields remix
| writer2 = {{hlist|Lo|Söderberg|Jerlström}}
| extra2 = {{hlist|The Struts|Karma Fields{{ref|a|[a]}}}}
| title3 = Cycles
| note3 = MK remix
| writer3 = {{hlist|Lo|Söderberg|Jerlström|Janiak}}
| extra3 = {{hlist|The Struts|MK{{ref|a|[a]}}}}
| title4 = Bitches
| note4 = featuring Charli XCX, Icona Pop, Elliphant, and Alma
| writer4 = {{hlist|Lo|Payami|Elliphant|Nicki Adamsson}}
| extra4 = Payami
}}
=Notes=
- {{sup|{{note|a|[a]}}}} signifies a remixer
- "Light Beams" and "Pitch Black" are stylised in all caps, while all other track titles are stylised in all lowercase.
- "Don't Ask Don't Tell" is stylised as "dont ask dont tell".
- "Disco Tits" features additional vocals by Fat Max Gsus.
Charts
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
scope="col"| Chart (2017)
! scope="col"| Peak |
---|
{{album chart|BillboardCanada|78|artist=Tove Lo|rowheader=true|access-date=28 November 2017}} |
{{album chart|Netherlands|86|artist=Tove Lo|album=Blue Lips %5BLady Wood Phase II%5D|rowheader=true|access-date=25 November 2017}} |
scope="row"| French Digital Albums (SNEP){{cite web|url=http://www.snepmusique.com/tops-semaine/top-albums-telecharges/|title=Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Téléchargés (2017 – Semaine du 01 Décembre)|publisher=Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique|language=fr|access-date=30 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209140233/http://www.snepmusique.com/tops-semaine/top-albums-telecharges/|archive-date=9 December 2017}}
| 61 |
scope="row"| New Zealand Heatseeker Albums (RMNZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/albums/2017-11-24|title=NZ Heatseeker Albums Chart|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|date=27 November 2017|access-date=24 November 2017}}
| 4 |
{{album chart|Norway|39|artist=Tove Lo|album=Blue Lips %5BLady Wood Phase II%5D|rowheader=true|access-date=26 September 2018}} |
{{album chart|Sweden|15|artist=Tove Lo|album=Blue Lips %5BLady Wood Phase II%5D|rowheader=true|access-date=26 September 2018}} |
{{album chart|UKDigital|71|date=20171124|rowheader=true|access-date=7 September 2019}} |
{{album chart|Billboard200|138|artist=Tove Lo|rowheader=true|access-date=28 November 2017}} |
Release history
class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
scope="col"| Region
! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Format(s) ! scope="col"| Label ! scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
---|
scope="row" rowspan="2"| Various
| 17 November 2017 | {{hlist|Digital download|streaming}} | rowspan="2"| Island |
17 December 2018 |
Notes
{{Notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Tove Lo}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Albums produced by Alex Hope (songwriter)