Echo the Diamond
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Echo the Diamond
| type = studio
| artist = Margaret Glaspy
| cover = Margaret Glaspy - Echo the Diamond.png
| alt =
| released = {{start date|2023|8|18}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 35:45
| label = ATO
| producer =
- Margaret Glaspy
- Julian Lage
| prev_title = Devotion
| prev_year = 2020
| next_title =
| next_year =
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Echo the Diamond
| type = studio
| single1 = Act Natural
| single1date = May 31, 2023
| single2 = Memories
| single2date = July 11, 2023
| single3 = Get Back
| single3date = August 15, 2023
}}
}}
Echo the Diamond is the third studio album by American musician Margaret Glaspy. It was released on August 18, 2023, through ATO.
Background and singles
The title Echo the Diamond was inspired by a conversation she had with her partner Julian Lage about Bruce Lee. To Glaspy, it signifies "shine bright" and "be brilliant".{{cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/MARGARET-GLASPY-Shares-New-Single-Get-Back-20230815|title=Margaret Glaspy Shares New Single 'Get Back|last=Major|first=Michael|website=BroadwayWorld|date=August 15, 2023|access-date=August 17, 2023}} The album was produced by Glaspy herself with co-production from Lage, featured as guitarist and composer.{{cite web|url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/margaret-glaspy-get-back/|title=Margaret Glaspy Returns With New Single And Video 'Get Back'|last=Schube|first=Will|website=UDiscover Music|date=August 15, 2023|access-date=August 17, 2023}} About the record, Glaspy revealed that it stems from the attempt of meeting "life on life's terms, instead of looking for a happy ending in everything", describing the creation process as "effortless catharsis".{{cite web|url=https://omearalondon.com/event/margaret-glaspy/|title=Margaret Glaspy|website=Omeara London|access-date=August 17, 2023}}
Glaspy announced the album on May 31, 2023, and shared the lead single "Act Natural", a "roaring, wondrous stroke of blues-injected rock 'n' roll".{{cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/margaret-glaspy/announces-new-album-echo-the-diamond|title=Margaret Glaspy Announces New Album Echo The Diamond|website=Paste Magazine|date=May 31, 2023|access-date=August 17, 2023}} Another preview of the album was given on July 11, with the release of the single "Memories". To her, the song constitutes the "most challenging song for me to track" as the take presented on the album is the only time Glaspy could "get through" the track completely, reaching a "level of vulnerability" she had never seen before on a record.{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2229634/margaret-glaspy-memories/music/|title=Margaret Glaspy – "Memories"|last=Brodsky|first=Rachel|website=Stereogum|date=July 11, 2023|access-date=August 17, 2023}} A third single titled "Get Back" was released on August 15, a song that helped her out of a "dark time".{{cite web|url=https://ourculturemag.com/2023/08/15/margaret-glaspy-shares-video-for-new-song/|title=Margaret Glaspy Shares Video for New Song 'Get Back'|last=Pappis|first=Konstantinos|website=Our Culture Mag|date=August 15, 2023|access-date=August 17, 2023}}
The album will be supported by a 33-date tour through North America and the United Kingdom starting on August 18.{{cite web|url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/watch-margaret-glaspys-get-back-video-new-album-out-this-week/|title=Watch Margaret Glaspy's "Get Back" video; new album out this week|last=Pearis|first=Bill|website=BrooklynVegan|date=August 15, 2023|access-date=August 17, 2023}}
Critical reception
{{expand section|date=September 2023}}
{{Music ratings
| MC = 84/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/echo-the-diamond/margaret-glaspy|title=Echo the Diamond by Margaret Glaspy Reviews and Tracks|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=August 17, 2023}}
| rev1 = American Songwriter
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://americansongwriter.com/review-margaret-glaspys-tough-urban-grip-energizes-echo-the-diamond/|title=Review: Margaret Glaspy's Tough, Urban Grip Energizes 'Echo The Diamond'|last=Horowitz|first=Hal|website=American Songwriter|date=August 14, 2023|access-date=August 17, 2023}}
| rev2 = The Irish Times
| rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/review/2023/08/11/margaret-glaspy-echo-the-diamond-the-best-kept-secret-in-indie-rock/|title=Margaret Glaspy: Echo the Diamond – The best-kept secret in indie rock?|last=Murphy|first=Lauren|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=August 11, 2023|access-date=August 17, 2023}}
| rev3 = Line of Best Fit
| rev3score = 8/10{{cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/albums/margaret-glaspy-echo-the-diamond-recapture-prickly-bluesy-magic|title=Margaret Glaspy "Echo The Diamond"|last=Taylor|first=Chris|website=Line of Best Fit|date=August 16, 2023|access-date=August 17, 2023}}
| rev4 = Pitchfork
| rev4score = 7.7/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/margaret-glaspy-echo-the-diamond/|title=Margaret Glaspy: Echo The Diamond Album Review|last=Hogan|first=Marc|website=Pitchfork|date=August 23, 2023|access-date=August 23, 2023}}
}}
Echo the Diamond was met with widespread acclaim and rave reviews by critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, Echo the Diamond received an average score of 84, based on four reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".
Track listing
{{track listing
| total_length = 35:45
| headline = Echo the Diamond track listing
| all_writing = Margaret Glaspy
| title1 = Act Natural
| length1 = 4:19
| title2 = Get Back
| length2 = 3:46
| title3 = Female Brain
| length3 = 2:26
| title4 = Irish Goodbye
| length4 = 3:45
| title5 = I Didn't Think So
| length5 = 3:58
| title6 = Memories
| length6 = 4:13
| title7 = Turn the Engine
| length7 = 3:22
| title8 = Hammer and the Nail
| length8 = 3:12
| title9 = My Eyes
| length9 = 3:29
| title10 = People Who Talk
| length10 = 3:15
}}