Nikki Nack
{{distinguish|Nick Nack (disambiguation){{!}}Nick Nack}}
{{redirect|Water Fountain (song)|the Alec Benjamin song|Alec Benjamin}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Nikki Nack
| type = studio
| artist = Tune-Yards
| cover = Nikki_Nack_artwork.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2014|5|05}}
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Art pop,{{cite web |url=https://www.stereogum.com/1678157/stream-tune-yards-nikki-nack/mp3s/album-stream/|title=Stream tUnE-yArDs Nikki Nack|last1=Breihan |first1=Tom|date=April 25, 2014|publisher=Stereogum. SpinMedia|access-date=May 6, 2015}} worldbeat,{{cite web |url=http://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/tune-yards-nikki-nack|title=tUnE-yArDs - Nikki Nack|last1=Milo|first1=Jeff|date=|publisher=Tiny Mix Tapes|access-date=May 6, 2015}} dance, technopop, experimental{{cite web |url=http://www.michigandaily.com/arts/05tune-yards-nikki-nack-review07|title=Tune-Yards's 'Nikki Nack' an Experimental but Inviting Masterpiece|last1=Theisen|first1=Adam|date=May 4, 2014|work=The Michigan Daily|publisher=University of Michigan|access-date=May 6, 2015}}
| length = 44:18
| label = 4AD
| producer = Merrill Garbus, John Hill, Malay
| prev_title = Whokill
| prev_year = 2011
| next_title = I Can Feel You Creep Into My Private Life
| next_year = 2018
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Tune-Yards
| type = studio
| single1 = Water Fountain
| single1date = March 18, 2014
| single2 = Wait for a Minute
| single2date = April 8, 2014
| single3 = Rocking Chair
| single3date = August 6, 2015
}}
}}
Nikki Nack is the third album by American band Tune-Yards, released by 4AD in May 2014.{{cite web|last=Beauchemin|first=Molly|title=tUnE-yArDs Announce New Album Nikki Nack, Tour|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/54164-tune-yards-announce-new-album-nikki-nack-tour/|publisher=Pitchfork|accessdate=4 March 2014}}{{cite web|last=Hogan|first=Marc|title=tUnE-yArDs Teases 'Nikki Nack' LP With Deliriously Anarchic Megamix|url=https://www.spin.com/2014/03/tune-yards-nikki-nack-album-megamix-stream-tour-dates-4ad/|publisher=Spin.com|accessdate=3 March 2014}}
On March 3, 2014, singer Merril Garbus posted a two-and-a-half-minute megamix of tracks from the album on her website, thanking fans for "your support and patience while we cooked this chicken."{{cite web|last=Eakin|first=Marah|title=Tune-Yards' new record, Nikki Nack, has a release date|url=https://www.avclub.com/article/tune-yards-new-record-nikki-nack-has-release-date-201732|publisher=A.V. Club|accessdate=3 March 2014}} A subsequent tour was announced, including a batch of international tour dates and a few festivals.{{cite web|title=tUnE-yArDs announces new album & tour, playing Rough Trade|url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2014/03/tune-yards_anno_3.html|publisher=Brooklyn Vegan|accessdate=3 March 2014}} The album features work with record producers John Hill and Malay.{{cite web|last=Camp|first=Zoe|title=tUnE-yArDs Share New Song "Water Fountain", Announce Tour With Arcade Fire|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/54328-tune-yards-share-new-song-water-fountain-announce-tour-with-arcade-fire/|publisher=Pitchfork|accessdate=19 March 2014}}
On March 18, 2014, Garbus released the first album single, "Water Fountain".{{cite web|last=Kois|first=Dan|title=WOO-HA! Hear the Wild First Song from Tune-Yards' New Album|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/03/18/tune_yards_new_song_water_fountain_from_album_nikki_nack_stream_the_track.html|work=Slate|accessdate=19 March 2014}}
On April 25, 2014, NPR began streaming the album as part of its First Listen series.{{cite web|last=Kois|first=Dan|title=First Listen: tUnE-yArDs, 'Nikki Nack' : NPR|website=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/2014/04/25/306543443/first-listen-tune-yards-nikki-nack|accessdate=25 April 2014}}
Background and recording
In early 2013, Garbus took a trip to Haiti to work on the follow-up to her 2011 release Whokill.{{cite web|title=tUnE-yArDs Announce New Album Nikki Nack|url=http://www.jambands.com/news/2014/03/03/tune-yards-announce-new-album-nikki-nack#.UxTn-zbTnZ4|accessdate=3 March 2014}}
The album features contributions from the a cappella singing group Roomful of Teeth.{{cite web|title=@tuneyards Twitter|url=https://twitter.com/tuneyards/status/377662042355662848/photo/1|publisher=Twitter.com|accessdate=15 March 2014}}
Touring
On April 23, Garbus embarked on a tour supporting Arcade Fire in North America, before her own headline shows across Europe and North America, joined by a full touring band. Band members for the Nikki Nack tour were Merrill Garbus (drums, vocals, keys, ukulele), Nate Brenner (bass, synths, vocals), Haley Dekle (percussion, vocals), Jo Lampert (vocals), Dani Markham (percussion, vocals), and Abigail Nessen-Bengson (vocals).
Promotion
A music video directed by Joel Kefali was released on April 23, 2014, for "Water Fountain".{{cite web|last=Hogan|first=Marc|title=tUnE-yArDs Goes 'Pee-Wee's Playhouse' in Splashy 'Water Fountain' Video|url=https://www.spin.com/2014/04/tune-yards-water-fountain-video/|publisher=SPIN|accessdate=24 April 2014}} Garbus also appeared on the podcast Comedy Bang! Bang! alongside comedians Jenny Slate and Jon Daly in June 2014 to promote the album.{{cite web|title=DJs Are Sleaze-Js, episode #292 of Comedy Bang Bang: The Podcast on Earwolf|url=http://www.earwolf.com/episode/djs-are-sleaze-js/|publisher=Earwolf|accessdate=16 July 2014}} On August 6, 2015, a video created by Sarah Pupo for the song "Rocking Chair" was released.{{cite web|last=Geslani|first=Michelle|title=tUnE-yArDs share kaleidoscopic video for "Rocking Chair"|url=http://consequenceofsound.net/2015/08/tune-yards-share-kaleidoscopic-video-for-rocking-chair-watch/|publisher=Consequence of Sound|accessdate=6 August 2015}}
The single, "Water Fountain" featured as soundtrack in the EA Sports game, FIFA 15, along with the eight season finale of Shameless
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| MC = 83/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/nikki-nack/tune-yards|title=Reviews for Nikki Nack by tUnE-yArDs|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=May 18, 2014}}
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/nikki-nack-mw0002636562 |title=Nikki Nack – tUnE-yArDs |publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=May 6, 2014 |last=Phares |first=Heather}}
| rev2 = The A.V. Club
| rev2Score = A−{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/review/percussive-strength-tune-yards-finds-new-way-203932 |title=With percussive strength, Tune-Yards finds a new way |work=The A.V. Club |date=May 6, 2014 |accessdate=May 6, 2014 |last=Brusie |first=David}}
| rev3 = Cuepoint (Expert Witness)
| rev3Score = A−{{cite web |url=https://medium.com/cuepoint/robert-christgau-expert-witness-5e2b97cb2cc9#.cg9jvgt7p |title=Robert Christgau: Expert Witness |work=Cuepoint |date=February 13, 2015 |accessdate=May 14, 2016 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}
| rev4 = Entertainment Weekly
| rev4Score = B+{{cite magazine |url=https://www.ew.com/article/2014/06/11/nikki-nack |title=Nikki Nack |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=June 11, 2014 |accessdate=May 14, 2016 |last=Maerz |first=Melissa}}
| rev5 = The Guardian
| rev5Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/may/01/tune-yards-nikki-nack-review-merrill-garbus |title=Tune-Yards: Nikki Nack review – reeling with captivating contradictions |work=The Guardian |date=May 1, 2014 |accessdate=May 9, 2014 |last=Costa |first=Maddy}}
| rev6 = NME
| rev6Score = 8/10{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/tune-yards/15277 |title=Tune-Yards – 'Nikki Nack' |work=NME |date=May 2, 2014 |accessdate=May 9, 2014 |last=Traynor |first=Cian |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304131544/http://www.nme.com/reviews/tune-yards/15277 |archivedate=March 4, 2016}}
| rev7 = Pitchfork
| rev7Score = 8.1/10{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19314-tune-yards-nikki-nack/ |title=tUnE-yArDs: Nikki Nack |work=Pitchfork |date=May 6, 2014 |accessdate=May 6, 2014 |last=Powell |first=Mike}}
| rev8 = Q
| rev8Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal |title=Tune-Yards: Nikki Nack |journal=Q |issue=335 |date=June 2014 |page=122}}
| rev9 = Rolling Stone
| rev9Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/nikki-nack-20140506 |title=Nikki Nack |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=May 6, 2014 |accessdate=May 6, 2014 |last=Hermes |first=Will |author-link=Will Hermes}}
| rev10 = Spin
| rev10Score = 9/10{{cite web |url=http://www.spin.com/reviews/tuneyards-nikki-nack |title=tUnE-yArDs Transform Turbulence into Transcendence on Exultant 'Nikki Nack' |work=Spin |date=May 2, 2014 |accessdate=May 6, 2014 |last=Walters |first=Barry}}
}}
At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from music critics, Nikki Nack received an average score of 83, which indicates "universal acclaim", based on 34 reviews. Cian Taylor of NME described the album as pairing "non-western musical traditions with melodies fit for a playground" while combining "layers of fizzing electronics and rapid-fire wordplay" and stated that at its best, it is "easily Tune-Yards' finest work." Barry Walters of Spin stated that "Nikki Nack betters Whokill by beefing up its feral ferocity with more sophisticated chops" and, in particular, complimented the power of "Garbus's magnificent yelp." At Alternative Press, Jeff Rosenstock remarked on how "Nikki Nack pinballs between tidy arrangements and full-blown maximalism to find catchy melodies and dance beats in the strangest places."{{cite journal |url=http://www.altpress.com/magazine/issue/311_crown_the_empire |title=Tune-Yards – Nikki Nack |journal=Alternative Press |issue=311 |date=June 2014 |accessdate=May 5, 2014 |last=Rosenstock |first=Jeff |page=111 |issn=1065-1667}} Rolling Stone{{'}}s Will Hermes stated that the album suggests that Garbus is "an innovator in it for the long haul."
Track listing
{{track listing
| total_length= 44:18
|title1= Find a New Way
|length1= 3:28
|writer1= Brenner, Garbus
|title2= Water Fountain
|length2= 3:04
|writer2= Brenner, Garbus
|title3= Time of Dark
|length3= 4:33
|writer3= Brenner, Garbus
|title4= Real Thing
|length4= 3:22
|writer4= Brenner, Garbus
|title5= Look Around
|length5= 4:26
|writer5= Brenner, Garbus
|title6= Hey Life
|length6= 3:37
|writer6= Brenner, Garbus
|title7= Sink-O
|length7= 3:17
|writer7= Brenner, Garbus
|title8= Why Do We Dine on the Tots?
|length8= 1:28
|writer8= Garbus
|title9= Stop That Man
|length9= 3:33
|writer9= Brenner, Garbus
|title10= Wait for a Minute
|length10= 3:54
|writer10= Brenner, Garbus
|title11= Left Behind
|length11= 4:31
|writer11= Brenner, Garbus
|title12= Rocking Chair
|length12= 2:03
|writer12= Garbus
|title13= Manchild
|length13= 3:09
|writer13= Brenner, Garbus
}}
Charts
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
| scope="col"|Chart (2011)
!scope="col"|Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|Flanders|51|artist=Tune-Yards|album=Nikki Nack|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 13, 2018}} |
| {{album chart|Wallonia|152|artist=Tune-Yards|album=Nikki Nack|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 13, 2018}} |
| {{album chart|Scotland|90|date=20140511|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 13, 2018}} |
| {{album chart|UK|57|artist=TUNE YARDS|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 13, 2018}} |
| {{album chart|UKIndependent|11|date=20140511|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 13, 2018}} |
| {{album chart|Billboard200|27|artist=tUnE-yArDs|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 13, 2018}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardIndependent|4|artist=tUnE-yArDs|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 13, 2018}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardRock|8|artist=tUnE-yArDs|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 13, 2018}} |
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.tune-yards.com/}}
- {{Metacritic album|title=Nikki Nack}}
- {{AllMusic|album|mw0002636562|Nikki Nack}}
{{Authority control}}