Gulp!
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Gulp!
| type = studio
| artist = Sports Team
| cover = Sports Team - Gulp!.png
| alt =
| released = {{start date|2022|9|23|df=y}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 33:42
| label = Island
| producer = Burke Reid
| prev_title = Deep Down Happy
| prev_year = 2020
| next_title = Boys These Days
| next_year = 2025
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Gulp!
| type = studio
| single1 = R Entertainment
| single2 = The Game
| single3 = Cool It Kid
| single4 = The Drop
}}
}}
Gulp! is the second studio album by English band Sports Team. It was released on 23 September 2022 through Island.{{cite web|url=https://diymag.com/news/sports-team-new-listen-dig|title=Sports Team Share New Track 'Dig'|work=DIY|date=2 September 2022|access-date=22 April 2023}}
Background
On 29 March 2022, Sports Team announced they were releasing their new album on 22 July 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/sports-team-announce-new-album-gulp-single-r-entertainment-3193190|title=Sports Team announce new album|website=NME|last=Jones|first=Damian|date=29 March 2022|access-date=22 April 2023}} Along with the album announcement, the band released the first single "R Entertainment".{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2181442/sports-team-r-entertainment-gulp/music/|title=Sports Team Announce New Album|website=Stereogum|last=Leas|first=Ryan|date=29 March 2022|access-date=22 April 2023}}
The band released their second single "The Game", with the music video featuring musician John Otway, on 19 May 2022.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/news/sports-team-new-single-the-game-listen-video-watch-17155/|magazine=Rolling Stone|title=Sports Team Share John Otway video 'The Game'|last=Skinner|first=Tom|date=19 May 2022|access-date=22 April 2023}} "The Game" was featured on the NHL 23 soundtrack.{{Cite web |last=Arts |first=Electronic |date=2022-10-03 |title=NHL 23 Soundtrack Playlist Reveal |url=https://www.ea.com/en-ca/games/nhl/nhl-23/soundtrack |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=Electronic Arts Inc. |language=en}}
The third single "Cool It Kid" was released on 19 June 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/sports-team-think-before-they-leap-on-wavy-new-track-cool-it-kid-3250488|title=Sports Team think before they leap on wavy new track|website=NME|last=Lavin|first=Will|date=19 June 2022|access-date=22 April 2023}} The band said the single is about "getting too deep in your stress about stuff and sometimes saying to yourself, You know what, maybe sometimes you should sit back and it's best not to react on your intense, irrational emotions."{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2190658/sports-team-cool-it-kid/music/|title=Sports Team Release New Song "Cool It Kid"|website=Stereogum|date=17 June 2022|access-date=22 April 2023}} Asha Lorenz, of the band Sorry, features as vocals on the single.{{cite web|url=https://diymag.com/news/sports-team-sorry-new-video-cool-it-kid|title=Sports Team Join Forces with Sorry's Asha Lorenz|work=DIY|date=17 June 2022|access-date=22 April 2023}}
However, on 12 July 2022, in an Instagram post, Sports Team announced they were moving the release of the album to 26 August 2022 due to production issues.{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/sports-team-push-back-second-album-gulp-due-to-production-delays-3267107|title=Sports Team push back second album 'Gulp!' due to "production delays"|website=NME|last=Shutler|first=Ali|date=12 July 2022|access-date=22 April 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://readdork.com/news/sports-team-album-delay-2/|title=Sports Team Have Put Back The Release Of Their Upcoming Album|work=Dork|last=Cabot|first=Madeline|date=12 July 2022|access-date=22 April 2023}} The album ended up being moved again to 23 September 2022, along with the cancellations of their U.S. tour.{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/sports-team-postpone-us-tour-as-they-delay-second-album-gulp-3280100|title=Sports Team postpone US Tour as they delay second album|website=NME|last=Shutler|first=Ali|date=30 July 2022|access-date=22 April 2023}}
The fourth single "The Drop" was released on 4 August 2022.{{cite web|url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/sports-team-new-single-the-drop/|title=Sports Team Share New Single 'The Drop'|work=Farout Magazine|last=Taysom|first=Joe|date=4 August 2022|access-date=22 April 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/sports-team-unveil-jaunty-new-single-the-drop-3282790|title=Sports Team unveil jaunty new single 'The Drop'|website=NME|last=Aubrey|first=Elizabeth|date=3 August 2022|access-date=22 April 2023}} The music video for the single is directed by A. T. Mann.{{cite web|url=https://readdork.com/news/sports-team-single-the-drop/|title=Sports Team share new single 'The Drop'|work=Dork|last=O'Connor|first=Siobhain|date=3 August 2022|access-date=22 April 2023}}
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
|MC=78/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/gulp!/sports-team|title=Metacritic Review|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=22 April 2023}}
|rev1 = AllMusic
|rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/gulp%21-mw0003697908|title=AllMusic Review|publisher=AllMusic|last=Donelson|first=Marcy|access-date=22 April 2023}}
|rev2 = DIY
|rev2score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://diymag.com/review/sports-team-gulp-album-review|title=DIY Magazine Review|work=DIY|last=Cabre|first=Alex|date=23 September 2022 |access-date=22 April 2023}}
|rev3 = The Independent
|rev3score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/sports-team-review-gulp-b2172257.html|title=The Independent Review|work=The Independent|last=Beaumont|first=Mark|authorlink=Mark Beaumont (journalist)|date=22 September 2022|access-date=22 April 2023}}
|rev4 = NME
|rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/sports-team-gulp-review-3312312|title=Sports Team – 'Gulp!' review: cocksure anthems see off 'difficult second album' trope|website=NME|last=Shutler|first=Ali|date=23 September 2022|access-date=22 April 2023}}
}}
Gulp! was met with "generally favorable" reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 78, based on 6 reviews.
Track listing
{{Track listing
|headline =Gulp! track listing
|total_length=33:42
|title1=The Game
|length1=2:50
|title2=Dig!
|length2=2:41
|title3=The Drop
|length3=2:58
|title4=Cool It Kid
|length4=3:30
|title5=Unstuck
|length5=3:45
|title6=R Entertainment
|length6=3:08
|title7=Kool Aid
|length7=3:03
|title8=Getting Better
|length8=4:13
|title9=Fingers (Taken Off)
|length9=2:55
|title10=Light Industry
|length10=4:35
}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Chart performance for Gulp! ! scope="col"| Chart (2022) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{album chart|Scotland|3|date=20220930|rowheader=true|access-date=22 April 2023}} |
| {{album chart|UK2|3|date=20220930|rowheader=true|access-date=22 April 2023}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs master|2796455|type=album}}
- {{MusicBrainz release group|mbid=95274c86-37f1-4c4a-ae40-f96ed0f15a9a|name=Gulp!}}
- [https://shop.islandrecords.co.uk/*/*/Gulp-Standard-CD/7DNS0000000 Gulp!] at Island Records
{{Authority control}}