Muna (Muna album)

In 2020, Muna was dropped by RCA Records, with which they had released their first two albums, and in May 2021 signed with Saddest Factory Records, an imprint of Dead Oceans owned by American singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers. Throughout 2021 and 2022, Muna toured with Bridgers on her Reunion Tour and with Kacey Musgraves on her Star-Crossed: Unveiled tour.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/phoebe-bridgers-2021-tour-dates-muna/|title=Phoebe Bridgers Is Hitting the Road For a 2021 Tour With Muna|last=Mims|first=Taylor|magazine=Billboard|date=July 12, 2021|access-date=May 9, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.them.us/story/kacey-musgraves-muna-king-princess-2022-tour|title=Kacey Musgraves Teaming Up With Muna and King Princess for 2022 Tour|last=Jossell|first=Shar|work=Them|date=September 1, 2021|access-date=May 9, 2022}}

Muna is primarily a synth-pop album, but according to lead singer Katie Gavin, "the sound of this record explodes in a ton of different directions".{{cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/indie/muna-anything-but-me-self-titled-album/|title=Muna Announce A Self-Titled Album And Release The Snarky Lead Single 'Anything But Me'|last=Chelosky|first=Danielle|work=Uproxx|date=March 15, 2022|access-date=May 9, 2022}} Guitarist Josette Maskin said of the album, "What ultimately keeps us together is knowing that someone's going to hear each one of these songs and use it to make a change they need in their life. That people are going to feel a kind of catharsis, even if it's a catharsis that I might never have known myself, because I'm fucked up."{{cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/muna_detail_self-titled_album_share_new_single_anything_but_me|title=MUNA Detail Self-Titled Album, Share Video for New Single "Anything But Me"|last=Gregory|first=Allie|work=Exclaim!|date=March 15, 2022|access-date=May 9, 2022}}

"Silk Chiffon", featuring vocals from Phoebe Bridgers, was released as the album's lead single on September 7, 2021. The song is an ode to queer love, and accompanied by a music video paying homage to the 1999 film But I'm a Cheerleader.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/muna-phoebe-bridges-silk-chiffon-video-9625752/|title=Muna & Phoebe Bridges Celebrate a Classic Queer Film With Colorful New 'Silk Chiffon' Video|last=Daw|first=Stephen|magazine=Billboard|date=September 7, 2021|access-date=May 9, 2022}} The song was sent to adult alternative radio on September 27, 2021, and hot adult contemporary radio on March 21, 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.allaccess.com/triple-a/future-releases|title=Triple A Future Releases|website=All Access|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922001138/https://www.allaccess.com/triple-a/future-releases|archive-date=September 22, 2021|access-date=May 9, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allaccess.com/hot-modern-ac/future-releases|title=Hot/Modern AC Future Releases|website=All Access|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220321121420/https://www.allaccess.com/hot-modern-ac/future-releases|archive-date=March 21, 2022|access-date=May 9, 2022}} It received acclaim from critics.{{Cite news |last=Weiss |first=Keely |date=July 20, 2022 |title=MUNA on Their Renaissance, Extreme Horniness, and the ‘Trap of Visibility’ |url=https://www.elle.com/culture/music/a40659913/muna-self-titled-album-interview/ |access-date=February 20, 2025 |work=Elle}}{{Cite news |last=Daw |first=Stephen |date=March 18, 2022 |title=Muna Spill the Tea on ‘Anything But Me,’ Give Phoebe Bridgers the Credit She Deserves |url=https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/muna-anything-but-me-phoebe-bridgers-sxsw-2022-interview-1235045770/ |access-date=February 20, 2025 |work=Billboard}} Muna performed the song on The Late Late Show with James Corden on November 8, 2021.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/phoebe-bridgers-and-muna-perform-silk-chiffon-on-corden-watch/|title=Phoebe Bridgers and Muna Perform "Silk Chiffon" on Corden: Watch|last=Hussey|first=Allison|work=Pitchfork|date=November 9, 2021|access-date=May 9, 2022}}

On March 15, 2022, Muna announced the album and released the single "Anything but Me", a song about "leaving a partnership simply because it doesn’t feel right."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/muna-self-titled-album-anything-but-me-1235044197/|title=Muna Is Back: Indie-Pop Trio Announces Self-Titled Album, Shares 'Anything But Me' Video|last=Daw|first=Stephen|magazine=Billboard|date=March 15, 2022|access-date=May 9, 2022}} The song was sent to adult alternative radio on March 28, 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.allaccess.com/triple-a/future-releases|title=Triple A Future Releases|website=All Access|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220321121326/https://www.allaccess.com/triple-a/future-releases|archive-date=March 21, 2022|access-date=May 9, 2022}} Muna performed the song on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on April 18, 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2022/04/muna-ellen/|title=MUNA Delivers Punchy Performance Of 'Anything But Me' On 'Ellen'|last=Colón|first=Izzy|work=Spin|date=April 18, 2022|access-date=May 9, 2022}}

"Kind of Girl" was released as the third single from the album on April 28, 2022. The song "explores the power of language and the words we use to describe who we are and who we want to be." The music video features the trio dressed in as cowboys to express the fluidity of gender.{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2185040/muna-kind-of-girl/music/|title=MUNA - "Kind of Girl"|work=Stereogum|last=Breihan|first=Tom|date=April 28, 2022|access-date=May 9, 2022}} The fourth single, "Home by Now" was released on May 25, 2022.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/first-out-new-music-muna-isaac-dunbar-jordy-1235077969/|title=First Out: New Music From MUNA, Isaac Dunbar, Jordy & More|last=Daw|first=Stephen|magazine=Billboard|date=May 27, 2022|access-date=June 11, 2022}}

The band embarked on a North American tour in support of the album,{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/muna-announce-new-album-on-phoebe-bridgers-label-share-video-for-new-song-watch/|title=Muna Announce New Album on Phoebe Bridgers' Label, Share Video for New Song: Watch|last=Minsker|first=Evan|work=Pitchfork|date=March 15, 2022|access-date=May 9, 2022}} followed by nine dates in the UK.{{cite web | url=https://diymag.com/2022/05/09/muna-uk-tour-november-2022- | title=MUNA schedule UK tour for November 2022 | date=May 9, 2022 }} In March 2023, they performed at the Sydney WorldPride closing concert before supporting Lorde in her Solar Power Tour and in April 2023 they will continue into a second North American tour beginning with Coachella on April 14, 2023.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-11 |title=MUNA announce New Tour, Coachella, and Huge 2023! |url=https://www.acl-radio.com/featured/muna-announce-new-tour-coachella-and-huge-2023/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Austin City Limits Radio {{!}} 97.1 FM |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=wrengraves |date=2023-01-10 |title=MUNA announce 2023 North American tour |url=https://consequence.net/2023/01/muna-2023-north-american-tour/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=Consequence |language=en-US}}{{cite web | url=https://themusic.com.au/features/muna-sydney-worldpride-2023-interview/n0Uds7K1tLc/02-03-23 | title=MUNA on Sydney WorldPride: 'We're Not Going to Stop Living Our Lives to the Fullest Extent' }}

Muna is primarily a synth-pop album influenced by new wave, disco, and hyperpop. "Silk Chiffon" and "Kind of Girl" are both country pop songs,{{cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/features/interviews/silk-chiffon-reintroduction-muna|title=Silk Chiffon and the Reintroduction of MUNA|last=Walker|first=Sophie|work=The Line of Best Fit|date=December 20, 2021|access-date=May 9, 2022}} with the former incorporating indie pop and bubblegum music,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/muna-phoebe-bridgers-silk-chiffon-song-review-1221089/|title=Muna and Phoebe Bridgers Team Up for a Bright, Buoyant, Very Gay Indie-Pop Anthem|last=Martoccio|first=Angie|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=September 7, 2021|access-date=May 9, 2022}} and the later interpolating Americana.{{cite web|url=https://thefortyfive.com/opinion/muna-album-review-2022/|title=MUNA – 'MUNA' review: winds of change take synth-pop superheroes to new heights|last=Holbrook|first=Emma|work=The Forty-Five|date=June 24, 2022|access-date=June 24, 2022}} "Anything but Me", "What I Want", and "Home by Now" are all electropop songs, with the latter fusing elements of dance music and emo. "Runner's High" is a disco song about self-care and grieving a break-up, with garage house-esque percussion and "hi-hats maintaining a staccato rhythm like a pattering heartbeat." "Solid" has a glam rock edge and "sparkles like the glitterball at an '80s prom".{{cite web|url=https://beatsperminute.com/album-review-muna-muna/|title=ALBUM REVIEW: MUNA – MUNA|last=Williams|first=Tom|work=Beats Per Minute|date=June 24, 2022|access-date=June 24, 2022}} Album closer "Shooting Star" uses the titular phenomenon as a metaphor for destructive relationships, with "spacey synthesisers and underlying pulsating percussion that builds to coming-of-age-movie prog-rock guitar". Every song on the album begins with a quiet introduction that crescendos into the track, "gently easing the listener in rather than hitting them over the head".

{{Music ratings

| ADM = 8.2/10{{cite web |title=MUNA by MUNA |url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/13338/MUNA-MUNA.aspx |website=AnyDecentMusic? |access-date=June 27, 2022}}

| MC = 82/100{{cite web |title=MUNA by MUNA Reviews and Tracks |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/muna/muna |website=Metacritic |access-date=July 13, 2022}}

| rev1 = Clash

| rev1score = 9/10{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/muna-muna|title=MUNA - MUNA|website=Clash|date=June 24, 2022|accessdate=June 24, 2022}}

| rev2 = DIY

| rev2score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Tipple|first=Ben|url=https://diymag.com/2022/06/22/muna-self-titled-album-review|title=Album Review: Muna – Muna|website=DIY|date=June 22, 2022|accessdate=June 22, 2022}}

| rev3 = Dork

| rev3score = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite web|last=Ackroyd|first=Stephen|url=https://readdork.com/albums/muna-muna/|title=Album Review: Muna – Muna|website=Dork|date=June 22, 2022|accessdate=June 22, 2022}}

| rev4 = Exclaim!

| rev4score = 7/10{{cite web|last=Akolo|first=Dede|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/muna_self-titled_album_review|title=MUNA Mine the Cacophony of Queerness on Self-Titled Album|website=Exclaim!|date=June 21, 2022|accessdate=June 22, 2022}}

| rev5 = Gigwise

| rev5score = {{rating|8|10}}{{cite web|last=Roskin|first=David|url=https://www.gigwise.com/reviews/3421644/album-review--muna---muna|title=Album Review: Muna – Muna|website=Gigwise|date=June 21, 2022|accessdate=June 21, 2022}}

| rev6 = The Line of Best Fit

| rev6score = 10/10{{cite web|last=Cobbald|first=David|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/muna-self-titled|title=MUNA continue to set the standard and raise the bar on their third album|website=The Line of Best Fit|date=June 19, 2022|accessdate=June 20, 2022}}

| rev7 = Loud and Quiet

| rev7score = 9/10{{cite web|last=Darlington|first=Susan|url=https://www.loudandquiet.com/reviews/muna-muna/|title=Album Review: Muna – Muna|website=Loud and Quiet|date=June 20, 2022|accessdate=June 21, 2022}}

| rev8 = NME

| rev8score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Hunt|first=El|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/muna-muna-album-review-3254208|title=MUNA – 'MUNA' album review: a field of sunflowers from poisoned ground|website=NME|date=June 23, 2022|accessdate=June 23, 2022}}

| rev9 = Pitchfork

| rev9score = 7.8/10{{cite web|last=Cliff|first=Aimee|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/muna-muna/|title=MUNA: MUNA Album Review|website=Pitchfork|date=June 28, 2022|access-date=June 28, 2022}}

| rev10 = Under the Radar

| rev10score = {{rating|6.5|10}}{{cite web|last=Nguyen|first=Alex|url=https://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/muna|title=MUNA – 'MUNA' Album Review|website=Under the Radar|date=June 24, 2022|accessdate=June 24, 2022}}

}}

MUNA was met with widespread acclaim upon release.{{Cite news |date=April 17, 2023 |title=Free live stream announcement: MUNA on April 24 |url=https://acltv.com/2023/04/17/free-live-stream-announcement-muna-on-april-24/ |access-date=February 20, 2025 |work=Austin City Limits |quote=MUNA earned widespread acclaim}}{{Cite news |last=Burditt |first=Peter |date=June 24, 2022 |title=Signed to Phoebe Bridgers’ Label, Indie Pop Group MUNA Releases Self-Titled Debut Album |url=https://americansongwriter.com/signed-to-phoebe-bridgers-label-indie-pop-group-muna-releases-self-titled-debut-album/ |access-date=February 20, 2025 |work=American Songwriter |quote=From its release, MUNA was met with critical acclaim}} At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album holds an average score of 82 based on thirteen reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".

The Line of Best Fit critic David Cobbald gave the album a perfect score, saying "MUNA is all killer no filler. From its overall sound down to its finer details, Gavin, Maskin and McPherson have hit the mark completely. It's amazing to see a band that are so unapologetically queer excel at their craft and create an album that is quite possibly, if not certainly, their masterpiece." Susan Darlington, writing for Loud & Quiet praised the album's overtones of "musical brightness and self-acceptance". David Roskin of Gigwise praised the release, saying "With a collection of bangers, slow tunes and refreshing melodies, MUNA are magic. They've created a space for all to lose themselves into for a little while, whether to dance or cry, they're here to carve through the monotony and troubles of daily life and transport us to a different, brighter, louder, prouder, and safer place." Ben Tipple of DIY writes "It's by far the happiest MUNA have sounded; a celebratory expression of queer love that loses none of the trio’s magic." Exclaim! contributor Dede Akomo wrote that the trio "emits a monstrous amount of something our world lacks: queer joy. Generation Z is no longer satisfied with simply seeing queer characters suffer in their media, and MUNA represent the counteraction to this anguish." In a five star review, Stephen Ackroyd of Dork called the album "A record that doesn't just thrill, but empowers too, it's enough to put MUNA firmly amongst the highest echelon of modern pop bands. Quite possibly the album of the year so far."

All tracks written by Katie Gavin and produced by MUNA, except where noted.

{{Track listing

| headline = Muna track listing

| total_length = 39:15

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title_width = 50%

| writing_width = 50%

| title1 = Silk Chiffon

| note1 = Feat. Phoebe Bridgers

| writer1 = {{hlist|Gavin|Daniel Tashian|Ian Fitchuk}}

| length1 = 3:26

| title2 = What I Want

| writer2 = {{hlist|Gavin|Leland}}

| length2 = 4:03

| title3 = Runner's High

| writer3 =

| length3 = 3:43

| title4 = Home By Now

| writer4 =

| length4 = 4:28

| title5 = Kind Of Girl

| writer5 =

| length5 = 4:06

| title6 = Handle Me

| writer6 =

| extra6 =

| length6 = 3:39

| title7 = No Idea

| writer7 = {{hlist|Gavin|Mitski}}

| extra7 =

| length7 = 2:54

| title8 = Solid

| writer8 =

| extra8 =

| length8 = 2:21

| title9 = Anything But Me

| writer9 =

| extra9 =

| length9 = 3:33

| title10 = Loose Garment

| writer10 =

| extra10 =

| length10 = 3:10

| title11 = Shooting Star

| writer11 =

| extra11 =

| length11 = 3:52

}}

• Katie Gavin – lead vocals, background vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, nylon-string guitar, tambourine, engineer, vocal engineer
• Josette Maskin – lead guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, slide guitar, Ebow, synthesizer, organ, background vocals, bass programming, drum programming, engineer
• Naomi McPherson – rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar, mandolin, background vocals, synthesizer, synth-bass, drum programming, bass programming, vocal programming, string arrangements, engineer

• Geo Botelho – bass, background vocals
• Phoebe Bridgers – featured vocals
• Luke Burgoyne – programming
• Dan Grech-Marguerat – programming
• Scott Heiner – drums
• Charles Haydon Hicks – programming
• Ryan Hommel – string arrangement
• Joy Oladokun – saxophone, trumpet, horn arrangement
• Cynthia Tolson – cello, violin, viola, string arrangement

• Geo Botelho – additional engineer, vocal engineer
• Luke Burgoyne – assistant mixing engineer
• Dan Grech-Marguerat – mixing engineer
• Charles Haydon Hicks – assistant mixing engineer
• Patricia Sullivan – mastering engineer

{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2022 albums

Category:Muna (band) albums

Category:Dead Oceans albums

Category:LGBTQ-related albums

Category:Saddest Factory Records albums