Reliever (album)
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Reliever
| type = Album
| artist = William Prince
| cover =Reliever (album).jpg|border=yes
| alt =
| released = February 7, 2020
| recorded = 2019
| venue =
| studio = RCA Studio A, Nashville
The Song Shop, Winnipeg
| genre = Folk, Country, Americana
| length = 43:38
| label = Six Shooter Records
| producer = Dave Cobb, Scott Nolan
| prev_title = Earthly Days
| prev_year = 2015
| next_title = Gospel First Nation
| next_year = 2020
}}
Reliever is the second studio album from Canadian singer-songwriter William Prince, released on February 7, 2020, on Six Shooter Records.[https://www.cbc.ca/radio/unreserved/william-prince-on-borrowing-from-future-happiness-to-write-new-album-reliever-1.5477053 "William Prince on 'borrowing from future happiness' to write new album, Reliever"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522164802/https://www.cbc.ca/radio/unreserved/william-prince-on-borrowing-from-future-happiness-to-write-new-album-reliever-1.5477053 |date=May 22, 2023 }}. Unreserved, February 28, 2020.
Prince has described the album as about emotional transitions, encompassing the span between the death of his father prior to the release of his debut album Earthly Days and Prince himself becoming father to his own first child a couple of years later.Darren Bernhardt, [https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/william-prince-singer-career-success-manitoba-1.5459541 "William Prince stays grounded as his star goes into orbit"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522173312/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/william-prince-singer-career-success-manitoba-1.5459541 |date=May 22, 2023 }}. CBC News Manitoba, February 11, 2020. He has stated that while the songs were written during a difficult period in his life, he "borrowed from his future happiness" to make an album that was more hopeful and optimistic than he was feeling at the time.
The album was recorded at RCA Studio A in Nashville, Tennessee, and in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It was produced by Dave Cobb and Scott Nolan.Jon Freeman, [https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/william-prince-new-album-tour-dates-950266/ "How Canadian Songwriter William Prince Found Resilience and Hope on New Album ‘Reliever’"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522164805/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/william-prince-new-album-tour-dates-950266/ |date=May 22, 2023 }}. Rolling Stone, February 10, 2020.
Critical reception
Sarah Bea Milner of Exclaim! rated the album 8/10, writing that "Reliever is a happier, more hopeful and optimistic listening journey than Earthly Days. It's casually upbeat — a laidback conversation with an artist who's wise beyond his years. Prince still has stories to tell, but he's switched gears. Previously, the artist found strength in his vulnerability; here, Prince offers himself as an anchor for those feeling rudderless. This is the artist at his most inspirational, thankful and powerful."Sarah Bea Milner, [https://exclaim.ca/music/article/william_prince-reliever "William Prince: Reliever"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522164805/https://exclaim.ca/music/article/william_prince-reliever |date=May 22, 2023 }}. Exclaim!, February 5, 2020.
Awards
The single "The Spark" was the winner of the 2020 SOCAN Songwriting Prize.Calum Slingerland, [https://exclaim.ca/music/article/william_prince_wins_2020_socan_songwriting_prize "William Prince Wins 2020 SOCAN Songwriting Prize"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418101605/https://exclaim.ca/music/article/william_prince_wins_2020_socan_songwriting_prize |date=April 18, 2023 }}. Exclaim!, August 5, 2020.
The album was longlisted for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize.{{Cite web|last=Lau|first=Melody|date=June 15, 2020|title=Daniel Caesar, Jessie Reyez, Caribou and more make the 2020 Polaris Music Prize long list|url=https://www.cbc.ca/music/daniel-caesar-jessie-reyez-caribou-and-more-make-the-2020-polaris-music-prize-long-list-1.5610066|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616052038/https://www.cbc.ca/music/daniel-caesar-jessie-reyez-caribou-and-more-make-the-2020-polaris-music-prize-long-list-1.5610066 |archive-date=June 16, 2020 |access-date=|website=CBC Music}}
The album was a Juno Award nominee for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2021.Holly Gordon, [https://www.cbc.ca/music/junos/news/the-weeknd-jp-saxe-jessie-reyez-and-justin-bieber-lead-2021-juno-award-nominations-1.5940551 "The Weeknd, JP Saxe, Jessie Reyez and Justin Bieber lead 2021 Juno Award nominations"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210325182622/https://www.cbc.ca/music/junos/news/the-weeknd-jp-saxe-jessie-reyez-and-justin-bieber-lead-2021-juno-award-nominations-1.5940551 |date=March 25, 2021 }}. CBC Music, March 9, 2021. For the Juno ceremony, which was conducted from a variety of remote locations due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, Prince and Serena Ryder performed "The Spark" at Toronto's Church of the Holy Trinity.Corey Atad, [https://etcanada.com/news/788945/watch-william-prince-and-serena-ryders-performance-at-the-2021-junos/ "Watch William Prince And Serena Ryder’s Performance At The 2021 Junos"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419033321/https://etcanada.com/news/788945/watch-william-prince-and-serena-ryders-performance-at-the-2021-junos/ |date=April 19, 2023 }}. Entertainment Tonight Canada, June 7, 2021.
Prince won two Canadian Folk Music Awards at the 16th Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2021, for Contemporary Album of the Year and English Songwriter of the Year.[https://www.fyimusicnews.ca/articles/2021/04/11/pharis-jason-romero-head-cfma-winners-list "Pharis & Jason Romero Head CFMA Winners List"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127193723/https://www.fyimusicnews.ca/articles/2021/04/11/pharis-jason-romero-head-cfma-winners-list |date=November 27, 2022 }}. FYI Music News, April 11, 2021. Prince was also nominated for Contemporary Singer of the Year and Solo Artist of the Year.Brock Thiessen, [https://exclaim.ca/music/article/canadian_folk_music_awards_unveil_2021_nominees "Canadian Folk Music Awards Unveil 2021 Nominees"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207183609/https://exclaim.ca/music/article/canadian_folk_music_awards_unveil_2021_nominees |date=December 7, 2022 }}. Exclaim!, December 1, 2020.
Track listing
{{tracklist
| all_writing = William Prince
|total_length = 43:38
|title1=The Spark
|length1= 3:59
|title2=Wasted
|length2= 2:44
|title3=Reliever
|length3= 4:13
|title4=Always Have What We Had
|length4= 5:10
|title5=Old Souls
|length5= 4:13
|title6=That's All I'll Ever Become
|length6= 3:37
|title7=Leave It by the Sea
|length7= 3:46
|title8=Lighthouse
|length8= 3:24
|title9=The Gun
|length9= 3:50
|title10=Heaven and Hell
|length10= 4:38
|title11=Great Wide Open
|length11= 3:59
}}