Ken (album)
{{Infobox album
| name = Ken
| type = studio
| artist = Destroyer
| cover = Destroyer – Ken.png
| alt =
| released = October 20, 2017
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|Indie rock|new wave|jazz-rock}}
| length = 39:42
| label = Merge
| producer = Josh Wells
| prev_title = Poison Season
| prev_year = 2015
| next_title = Have We Met
| next_year = 2020
}}
Ken (stylized in all lowercase) is the eleventh studio album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer, released on October 20, 2017 by Merge Records.[https://www.mergerecords.com/ken Merge Records] Band Leader Dan Bejar began writing ken while on tour in Washington State. Many of the songs and sounds of the album were aesthetic callbacks to Bejar's teenage years in the mid 1980's, with loose ties to Thatcher era politics.{{Cite web|url=https://aquariumdrunkard.com/2017/10/13/catching-up-with-destroyer-the-aquarium-drunkard-interview/|title=Catching Up With Destroyer : The Aquarium Drunkard Interview|date=2017-10-13|website=Aquarium Drunkard|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-24}}
Background
Band leader Dan Bejar "lifted" the name ken from an early version of the song "The Wild Ones" by Suede. Despite sharing a title, Bejar claims that he "was not thinking about Suede when making this record" and that it was " unclear to me what that purpose is, or what the connection is".{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/ken/|title=Destroyer: ken|website=Pitchfork|language=en|access-date=2020-04-24}} Unlike previous records, Poison Season and Kaputt, Bejar composed most of the songs on guitar rather than on a computer. The majority of the songs on ken were written and debuted live while Bejar was touring in early 2017. In an interview with SPIN magazine, Bejar stated that recording ken felt like "singing to my teenage self" and was heavily influenced by the bands House of Love, and Church.{{Cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/featured/destroyer-ken-interview/|title=Interview: Destroyer Talks New Record 'ken'|date=2017-10-17|website=Spin|access-date=2020-04-24}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2017/10/interview-destroyers-dan-bejar.html|title=Destroyer’s Dan Bejar on His New Album and How the Doors Are Actually Good|last=Friedman|first=Nathaniel|date=2017-10-23|website=Vulture|language=en-us|access-date=2020-04-24}} Bejar characterizes ken as the first record where "a producer swept in," stating that many of the drum machines, minimalist rhythms, and synth patterns on tracks like "Sky's Grey" "came as a surprise to me."{{Cite web|url=https://www.treblezine.com/37118-destroyer-interview-dan-bejar-treating-depravity/|title=Treating depravity: A conversation with Destroyer's Dan Bejar|last=Prickett|first=Sam|date=2017-10-09|website=Treble|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-24}} The song “La Regle du Jeu” became more "euro-cabaret" in the studios compared to the original demo, with Bejar commenting "All of a sudden, the song had way more fangs than I had ever imagined."
Lyrics
Bejar stated that ken is influenced by the "casual extremism of a young person" and his personality as a teenager while writing ken.{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/song-by-song/destroyers-dan-bejar-decodes-every-song-on-his-new-album-ken/|title=Destroyer’s Dan Bejar Decodes Every Song on His New Album, ken|website=Pitchfork|language=en|access-date=2020-04-26}} Each song blends the themes of "madness, or disease, or violence, or decadence and depravity" that were present on other Destroyer albums, but "seem to be more constant on this album." In a press release for the album, Bejar stated that he was thinking about his experience with music leading up to the resignation of Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister of Great Britain while writing ken.{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/destroyer-announces-new-album-ken-shares-new-song-listen/|title=Destroyer Announces New Album ken, Shares New Song: Listen|last=Kim|first=Michelle|website=Pitchfork|language=en|access-date=2020-04-29}} The opening track "Sky's Grey" is Bejar's self-described "sort of state of the union address" for "Destroyer-world." Likening it to the ending of the film "The Seventh Seal," the lyric from "Sky's Grey," “I’ve been working on the new Oliver Twist” is described by Bejar as "a fool’s errand" or "antidote" in the midst of "dreariness and collapse." The song "In the Morning," borrows lyrics from the Debarge song, "Rhythm of The Night," in the verse “bands sing their songs and then disappear into the rhythm of the night.” Bejar partially based the song "Saw You at the Hospital" off his three-day stay in a Swiss hospital with pneumonia during the tour for Poison Season. A few lyrics written in that time made it on to the record. However, a lot of the original material was scrapped when Bejar decided to take the song in a more surrealist direction. Despite sharing its name with the French film La Règle Du Jeu directed by Jean Renoir, Bejar stated that the song "La Règle Du Jeu" was not inspired by the work, but rather that he liked saying the title.
Release
Destroyer announced the album on August 8, 2017, including the release of the first song from the album, "Sky's Grey," by way of a lyric video posted to YouTube.{{cite web |last=Kim |first=Michelle |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/destroyer-announces-new-album-ken-shares-new-song-listen/ |title=Destroyer Announces New Album ken, Shares New Song |work=Pitchfork |date=August 8, 2017 |accessdate=November 7, 2017}} The album's release date, track list, and artwork were announced the same day. A music video for the song "Tinseltown Swimming in Blood" directed by Karen Zolo and starring Bejar was released on September 21, 2017.{{Citation|title=Destroyer - Tinseltown Swimming in Blood|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-N6jfO5NOQ|language=en|access-date=2020-04-24}} Despite the minimal style of ken, Bejar toured with his 8-piece band, claiming "I think of the songs will lend themselves well to being blown-out and put through the wringer by us."{{Cite web|url=https://www.treblezine.com/37118-destroyer-interview-dan-bejar-treating-depravity/|title=Treating depravity: A conversation with Destroyer's Dan Bejar|last=Terich|first=Jeff|date=2017-10-09|website=Treble|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-24}} A deluxe edition also features acoustic versions of "A Light Travels Down the Catwalk" and "Stay Lost."
Critical reception
{{Album ratings
|MC=78/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/ken/destroyer|title=Reviews and Tracks for Ken by Destroyer|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=April 13, 2019}}
|rev1=AllMusic
|rev1Score={{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/ken-mw0003095050|title=Ken – Destroyer|publisher=AllMusic|last=Donelson|first=Marcy|accessdate=April 13, 2019}}
|rev2=The A.V. Club
|rev2Score=B{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/here-are-7-new-albums-you-should-know-about-this-week-1819509686|title=Destroyer, ken|website=The A.V. Club|last=Gerardi|first=Matt|date=October 20, 2017|accessdate=January 7, 2020}}
|rev3=Exclaim!
|rev3Score=8/10{{cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/destroyer-ken|title=Destroyer: Ken|last=Hudson|first=Alex|website=Exclaim!|date=October 19, 2017|accessdate=April 13, 2019}}
|rev4=Financial Times
|rev4Score={{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/47070a18-b3a2-11e7-a398-73d59db9e399|title=Destroyer: Ken — ‘entertaining dream logic’|website=Financial Times|last=Hunter-Tilney|first=Ludovic|date=October 20, 2017|accessdate=January 7, 2020|url-access=subscription}}
|rev5=The Guardian
|rev5Score={{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/oct/19/destroyer-ken-review-indie-polymath-moves-from-hurtling-shoegaze-to-blissed-out-electronica|title=Destroyer: Ken review – indie polymath moves from hurtling shoegaze to blissed-out electronica|website=The Guardian|last=Simpson|first=Dave|date=October 19, 2017|accessdate=January 7, 2020}}
|rev6=The Independent
|rev6Score={{Rating|5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/niall-horan-flicker-review-pink-beautiful-trauma-destroyer-ken-a8008901.html|title=Album reviews: Niall Horan – Flicker, Pink – Beautiful Trauma, Destroyer – Ken|website=The Independent|last=Gill|first=Andy|date=October 19, 2017|accessdate=January 7, 2020}}
|rev7=Mojo
|rev7Score={{Rating|3|5}}{{cite journal|title=Destroyer: ken|journal=Mojo|last=Barnes|first=Mike|issue=289|date=December 2017|page=93}}
|rev8=The Observer
|rev8Score={{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/oct/22/destroyer-ken-review-sneery-new-order-electronica|title=Destroyer: Ken review – shot through with scorn|website=The Observer|last=Mardles|first=Paul|date=October 22, 2017|accessdate=January 7, 2020}}
|rev9=Pitchfork
|rev9Score=7.9/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/ken/|title=Destroyer: ken|website=Pitchfork|last=Petrusich|first=Amanda|author-link=Amanda Petrusich|date=October 20, 2017|accessdate=April 13, 2019}}
|rev10=Uncut
|rev10Score=6/10{{cite journal|title=Destroyer: Ken|journal=Uncut|last=Mitchum|first=Rob|issue=246|date=November 2017|page=26}}
}}Ken holds a 78 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating generally favorable reviews.{{Citation|title=Ken by Destroyer|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/ken/destroyer|language=en|access-date=2020-04-24}} In her review for Pitchfork, Amanda Petrusich called the album "Lynchian" and compared Bejar's lyrics to Leonard Cohen on the track "Sky's Grey." Kayleigh Hughes of Consequence of Sound characterized ken as Destroyer's most accessible album. In her review Hughes named the track “A Light Travels Down the Catwalk” as the album's highlight, likening it to the film The Neon Demon. Hughes was more critical of the album's second half calling it a "letdown," singling out the tracks "Rome" and “La Regle Du Jeu” as "meandering."{{Cite web|url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2017/10/album-review-destroyer-ken/|title=Album Review: Destroyer - ken|date=2017-10-20|website=Consequence of Sound|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-24}} Winston Cook-Wilson of SPIN critiqued aspects of the album's instrumentals calling them a "plasticine" background "for some of the strongest, or at least stickiest, lyrics Bejar’s ever written."{{Cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2017/10/destroyer-ken-review/|title=Review: Destroyer - 'ken'|date=2017-10-20|website=Spin|access-date=2020-04-24}} Andy Gill of The Independent was more positive, awarding the album a perfect five stars and calling it "possibly [the] best" collection of Destroyer songs.{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/niall-horan-flicker-review-pink-beautiful-trauma-destroyer-ken-a8008901.html|title=Album reviews: Niall Horan, Pink, Destroyer and more|date=2017-10-19|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2020-04-24}}
=Accolades=
The album was shortlisted for the Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2019.[https://www.cbc.ca/music/junos/news/shawn-mendes-and-the-weeknd-lead-the-2019-juno-nominations-1.4992669 "Shawn Mendes and the Weeknd lead the 2019 Juno nominations"]. CBC Music, January 29, 2019.
| class="sortable wikitable" |
| Publication
! Accolade ! Year ! Rank ! class="unsortable"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| Drowned in Sound
| Favourite Albums of 2017 | {{center|2017}} | {{center|78}} | {{center|{{cite web|url=http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4151506-drowned-in-sounds-favourite-albums-of-2017|title=Drowned in Sound's Favourite Albums of 2017|work=Drowned in Sound|publisher=|date=November 22, 2017|accessdate=November 23, 2017|archive-date=November 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171123140446/http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4151506-drowned-in-sounds-favourite-albums-of-2017|url-status=dead}}}} |
Track listing
{{Track listing
| total_length = 39:42
| title1 = Sky's Grey
| length1 = 4:05
| title2 = In the Morning
| length2 = 3:16
| title3 = Tinseltown Swimming in Blood
| length3 = 4:46
| title4 = Cover from the Sun
| length4 = 2:13
| title5 = Saw You at the Hospital
| length5 = 3:30
| title6 = A Light Travels Down the Catwalk
| length6 = 3:07
| title7 = Rome
| length7 = 5:01
| title8 = Sometimes in the World
| length8 = 2:34
| title9 = Ivory Coast
| length9 = 4:48
| title10 = Stay Lost
| length10 = 2:21
| title11 = La Regle du Jeu
| length11 = 4:01
}}
Personnel
- Daniel Bejar – bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, synthesizer, vocals
- Zach Blackstone – assistant engineer
- Ted Bois – piano
- Nicolas Bragg – electric guitar
- David Carswell – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
- JP Carter – effects, trumpet
- John Collins – bass
- Robin Mitchell – design
- Joseph Shabason – effects, saxophone
- Jason Ward - mastering
- Josh Wells – bass, drum programming, drums, electric guitar, percussion, piano, piano strings, synthesizer, mixing, engineer
Charts
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| Chart
! Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|BillboardIndependent|17|artist=Destroyer|rowheader=true|accessdate=April 13, 2019}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.mergerecords.com/ken Destroyer at Merge Records]
{{Destroyer}}
{{Authority control}}