Inner Song
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Inner Song
| type = studio
| artist = Kelly Lee Owens
| cover = Kelly Lee Owens Inner Song Cover.png
| border = yes
| alt =
| released = {{start date|2020|8|28|df=y}}
| genre = *Techno-pop
| length = 49:56
| label = Smalltown Supersound
| producer = {{hlist|Kelly Lee Owens|James Greenwood}}
| prev_title = Kelly Lee Owens
| prev_year = 2017
| next_title = LP.8
| next_year = 2022
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Inner Song
| type = studio
| single1 = Melt!
| single1date = 25 February 2020
| single2 = Night
| single2date = 22 April 2020
| single3 = On
| single3date = 24 June 2020
| single4 = Corner of My Sky
| single4date = 8 August 2020
| single5 = Jeanette
| single5date = 4 December 2020
}}
}}
Inner Song is the second studio album by the Welsh electronic musician Kelly Lee Owens. It was released through Smalltown Supersound on 28 August 2020.{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/kelly-lee-owens-delays-new-album-release-due-to-coronavirus/ |title=Kelly Lee Owens Delays New Album Release Due to Coronavirus |work=Pitchfork |date=24 March 2020 |access-date=1 June 2020 |author=Bloom, Madison}} It features a collaboration with Welsh musician John Cale.{{Cite web|title=Kelly Lee Owens delays album because of coronavirus|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/kelly-lee-owens-delays-album-because-of-coronavirus-2634379|date=2020-03-24|website=NME|access-date=2020-05-10}}
Background
Inner Song was first announced on 25 February 2020 alongside a release of the album's lead single, "Melt!".{{cite news |title=Kelly Lee Owens announces new album 'Inner Song' |url=https://crackmagazine.net/2020/02/kelly-lee-owens-new-album-inner-song/ |access-date=1 September 2020 |work=Crack Magazine |date=26 February 2020}} Owens wrote and recorded the album after what she considered to be the hardest three years of her life. Originally, the album was scheduled to be released on 1 May 2020,{{cite web |url=https://www.residentadvisor.net/news/72067 |title=Kelly Lee Owens' second album, Inner Song, is a product of 'the hardest three years' of her life |work=Resident Advisor |date=25 February 2020 |access-date=1 June 2020 |author=Smith, Mark}} but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the release date was pushed back to 28 August 2020. The album's name is borrowed from a 1974 album by Alan Silva.{{cite news |last1=Moreland |first1=Quinn |title=Kelly Lee Owens Announces New Album, Shares Video for New Song "Melt!" |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/kelly-lee-owens-announces-new-album-shares-video-for-new-song-melt-watch/ |access-date=1 September 2020 |work=Pitchfork |date=25 February 2020 |language=en-us}}
The single "Corner of My Sky" features vocals from John Cale in both English and Welsh. Owens explained her collaboration with Cale and the inclusion of the Welsh language was a means to connect with her Welsh heritage.{{cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Damian |title=Listen to Kelly Lee Owens and John Cale collaborate on new single |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/listen-to-kelly-lee-owens-and-the-velvet-undergrounds-john-cale-collaborate-on-new-single-corner-of-my-sky-2721065 |access-date=1 September 2020 |work=NME|date=4 August 2020}} Cale noted that his ability to conjure Welsh phrases was a "surprise since I hadn't written in Welsh for decades".{{cite magazine |last1=Shaffer |first1=Claire |title=Kelly Lee Owens Collaborates With John Cale on 'Corner of My Sky' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/kelly-lee-owens-john-cale-corner-of-my-sky-1039041/ |access-date=1 September 2020 |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=4 August 2020}}
The album also features a cover of the song "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi" from the 2007 Radiohead album In Rainbows.
Some vinyl editions of the album include a hidden bonus track, titled "My Own", which was released as a Bandcamp exclusive track in March 2021.{{Cite web|title=My Own (Bandcamp Exclusive), by Kelly Lee Owens|url=https://kellyleeowens.bandcamp.com/album/my-own-bandcamp-exclusive|access-date=2021-03-09|website=Kelly Lee Owens}}
Composition
Inner Song is a techno-pop, dream pop, ambient techno,{{cite web|url=https://crackmagazine.net/article/album-reviews/kelly-lee-owens-inner-song/|title=Album Review: Inner Song|work=Crack|last=Thomas|first=Katie|access-date=26 June 2022}} tech house,{{cite web|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/84783/Kelly-Lee-Owens-Lp.8/|title=Review: LP.8 by Kelly Lee Owens|work=Sputnik|access-date=26 June 2022}} downtempo, ethereal pop, electronic pop,{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/aug/30/kelly-lee-owens-inner-song-review-dj-finds-her-voice|title=Kelly Lee Owens: Inner Song review – a DJ finds her voice|last=Empire|first=Kitty|work=The Observer|date=30 August 2020 |access-date=26 June 2022}} and progressive house{{cite web|url=https://www.loudandquiet.com/reviews/kelly-lee-owens-inner-song/|title=Inner Song Album Review|work=Loud and Quiet|last=Younis|first=Reef|access-date=26 June 2022}} album with elements of trip hop, bedroom pop,{{cite web|url=http://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/kelly_lee_owens_inner_song/|title=Kelly Lee Owens - Inner Song Album Review|last=Radley|first=Blaise|work=Under the Radar|access-date=26 June 2022}} industrial techno, R&B, electro,{{cite web|url=https://beatsperminute.com/album-review-kelly-lee-owens-inner-song/|title=ALBUM REVIEW: KELLY LEE OWENS – INNER SONG|last=Dedman|first=Todd|work=BPM|date=September 2020 |access-date=26 June 2022}} experimental, psychedelic, minimalism{{cite web|url=https://www.gigwise.com/reviews/3388205/album-review-kelly-lee-owens-inner-song|title=Album Review: Inner Song - Kelly Lee Owens|work=Gigwise|last=Goggins|first=Joe|date=26 August 2020|access-date=26 June 2022}} and avant-garde.{{cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/kelly-lee-owens/lp8-album-review/|title=Kelly Lee Owens Soothes and Disorients on LP.8|last=King|first=Pat|access-date=26 June 2022}}
Critical reception
{{Album ratings
| MC = 84/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/inner-song/kelly-lee-owens|title=Inner Song by Kelly Lee Owens Reviews and Tracks|website=Metacritic|access-date=August 30, 2020}}
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/inner-song-mw0003362690|title=Inner Song - Kelly Lee Owens|website=AllMusic|access-date=August 30, 2020}}
| rev2 = Clash
| rev2score = 8/10{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/kelly-lee-owens-inner-song|title=Kelly Lee Owens - Inner Song|first=Josh|last=Crowe|website=Clash|date=25 August 2020 |access-date=August 30, 2020}}
| rev3 = Exclaim!
| rev3score = 8/10{{cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/kelly_lee_owens_inner_song_album_review|title=Kelly Lee Owens's Emotional 'Inner Song' Is About the Journey, Not the Destination|first=Daniel|last=Sylvester|website=Exclaim!|date= August 25, 2020|access-date=August 30, 2020}}
| rev4 = The Independent
| rev4score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/dua-lipa-club-future-nostalgia-review-stream-kelly-lee-owens-a9691526.html|title=Album reviews: Dua Lipa – Club Future Nostalgia, and Kelly Lee Owens – Inner Song|first=Roisin|last=O'Conner|website=The Independent|date=28 August 2020 |access-date=August 30, 2020}}
| rev5 = The Line of Best Fit
| rev5score = 8.5/10{{cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/kelly-lee-owens-inner-song-album-review|title=Kelly Lee Owens continues to be ahead of the curve on a richly expansive second outing|first=Evan|last=Lilly|website=The Line of Best Fit|access-date=August 30, 2020}}
| rev6 = NME
| rev6score = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/kelly-lee-owens-inner-song-review-radar-2739033|title=Kelly Lee Owens – 'Inner Song' review: techno-pop for the head and heart|first=Ben|last=Jolley|website=NME|date=27 August 2020 |access-date=August 30, 2020}}
| rev7 = Paste
| rev7score = 8.6/10{{cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/kelly-lee-owens/inner-song-album-review/|title=Kelly Lee Owens Masters the Dream Pop-Techno Divide on Inner Song|first=Max|last=Freedman|website=Paste|date=August 27, 2020|access-date=August 30, 2020}}
| rev8 = Pitchfork
| rev9 = Q
| rev9score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite magazine |last=Segal |first=Victoria |title=Multifaceted electronica from Welsh producer |magazine=Q |issue=Summer 2020 |page=104}}
| rev10 = Uncut
| rev10score = 8/10{{Cite magazine |last=Cochrane |first=Greg |title=A second dose of celestial techno |magazine=Uncut |issue=September 2020 |page=35}}
}}
The album was released to critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 84 based on fourteen reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/person/kelly-lee-owens|title=Kelly Lee Owens Music Profile|website=Metacritic|access-date=August 30, 2020}}
Critics praised Owens for her ability to combine multiple genres in a single album. Paul Simpson of AllMusic noted how Owens "flip[s] from downtempo dream pop to spacy techno with ease," and compared her multi-genre approach to her debut album, Kelly Lee Owens. Nathan Smith for Pitchfork writes that Owens is able to utilize multiple styles in the album as a result of "her unusual ability to join the physical with the emotional." Writing for NME, Ben Jolley lauded the album as "perfectly-arranged" and described it as "an emotive-yet-euphoric collection that's made for late-night reflection, Kelly Lee Owens has made one of the most beautiful records of the year."
Critics also praised Owens' vocals. Smith writes, "her vocals are as confident and captivating as her beats." Greg Cochrane of Uncut praised the development and use of Owens' voice: "this time, when deployed, it's positioned centrally."
=Accolades=
Track listing
All lyrics and vocal melodies written by Kelly Lee Owens; all music written by Kelly Lee Owens & James Greenwood, unless otherwise noted.{{Track listing
| all_writing =
| title1 = Arpeggi
| note1 =
| length1 = 4:45
| title2 = On
| length2 = 5:57
| title3 = Melt!
| length3 = 3:34
| title4 = Re-Wild
| length4 = 3:42
| title5 = Jeanette
| length5 = 6:14
| title6 = L.I.N.E.
| length6 = 3:47
| title7 = Corner of My Sky
| note7 = featuring John Cale
| length7 = 7:27
| title8 = Night
| length8 = 5:10
| title9 = Flow
| length9 = 4:54
| title10 = Wake-Up
| length10 = 4:26
| total_length = 49:56
| music1 = {{hlist|Colin Greenwood|Jonny Greenwood|Ed O'Brien|Philip Selway|Thom Yorke}}
| music6 = James Greenwood
| lyrics7 = John Cale
}}
Vinyl hidden track
{{Track listing
| all_writing =
| total_length = 53:07
| title11 = My Own
| length11 = 3:11
}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Chart performance for Inner Song |
| scope="col"| Chart (2020)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|Scotland|44|date=20200904|rowheader=true|accessdate=4 September 2020}} |
| {{album chart|UK2|80|date=20200904|rowheader=true|accessdate=4 September 2020}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Inner Song}}
Category:Kelly Lee Owens albums
Category:Smalltown Supersound albums
Category:Albums postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Category:Progressive house albums