Siberia Acoustic
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Siberia Acoustic
| type = remix
| artist = Lights
| cover = Siberia Acoustic Album Art.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{start date|2013|04|30}}
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| length = {{duration|m=35|s=13}}
| label = Universal, Last Gang
| producer = Lights
| prev_title = Siberia
| prev_year = 2011
| next_title = Little Machines
| next_year = 2014
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Siberia Acoustic
| type = remix
| single1 = Cactus in the Valley
| single1date = March 15, 2013
}}
}}
Siberia Acoustic (alternately stylized as Siberia (Acoustic)) is the second acoustic album recorded by Canadian electropop artist Lights, featuring acoustic reworkings of songs off her second studio album, Siberia (2011).{{cite web|last1=Collar|first1=Matt|title=Siberia Acoustic – Lights|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/siberia-acoustic-mw0002504590|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=August 6, 2014}} It was released April 30, 2013 through Universal Music Group and Last Gang Records.{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/ca/album/siberia-acoustic/1440822439|title=Siberia (Acoustic) by Lights|access-date=August 6, 2014|publisher=iTunes Store (CA). Apple Inc}} The album was preceded on March 15 by the release of its first and only single, "Cactus in the Valley", which was re-recorded as a duet with American electronica project Owl City.{{cite web|title=Cactus in the Valley (Acoustic) – Single|url=https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/cactus-in-valley-acoustic/id618426134|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140415170359/https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/cactus-in-valley-acoustic/id618426134|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 15, 2014|website=iTunes Store (GB)|publisher=Apple Inc|accessdate=August 6, 2014}}
Upon its release, Siberia Acoustic debuted at number seven on the Billboard Canadian Albums Chart and at number 86 on the Billboard 200, her second-highest peak on either chart at the time. The album received generally positive reviews from contemporary music critics, who found that the acoustic production put emphasis on Lights's songwriting talents but also made the songs less compelling than in their studio renditions.
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}
| rev2 = PopMatters | rev2Score = 6/10{{cite web|last1=Faulkner|first1=Brent|title=Lights: Siberia Acoustic|url=http://www.popmatters.com/review/171127-lights-siberia-acoustic/|work=PopMatters|accessdate=August 6, 2014}}
| rev3 = Alter The Press! | rev3Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web|last1=Sheridan|first1=Claire Louise|title=ATP! Album Review: Lights – Siberia Acoustic|url=http://www.alterthepress.com/2013/05/atp-album-review-lights-siberia-acoustic.html|publisher=Alter The Press!|accessdate=August 6, 2014}}
}}
Siberia Acoustic received mostly positive reviews from contemporary music critics for showcasing her abilities as a singer-songwriter. At AllMusic, reviewer Matt Collar wrote that "although Lights normally makes electronic pop that often features electric guitars, keyboards, and dance-influenced beats, she is at her core a melodic singer-songwriter. Not surprisingly, many of the songs on Siberia lend themselves to these intimate re-recordings." He rated the album 4 stars out of 5. Brent Faulkner of PopMatters responded positively to Lights' vocals on the album ("Lights sounds superb throughout," he writes) but ultimately felt the acoustic soundscape "fails to compel as much" as Siberia′s original production. "All in all," he summarized before delivering a 6/10 rating, "Siberia Acoustic is enjoyable if sometimes bland."
Claire Louise Sheridan of Alter the Press! gave a particularly complimentary review in which she highlights Lights's vocal range and interpretive abilities. "No matter what your previous impressions of Lights may be," writes Sheridan, "cast them aside. Siberia Acoustic is a truly different experience which allows appreciation of the overwhelming beauty of her talent and thus the true basis of her appeal."
Track listing
{{Track listing
| title1 = Banner
| writer1 = {{flatlist|
| length1 = 3:52
| title2 = Cactus in the Valley
| writer2 = Poxleitner
| length2 = 3:22
| note2 = featuring Owl City
| title3 = Where the Fence is Low
| writer3 = {{flatlist|
- Poxleitner
- Salter
- Jason Parsons}}
| length3 = 3:37
| title4 = Siberia
| writer4 = {{flatlist|
- Poxleitner
- Brian Borcherdt
- Graham Walsh}}
| length4 = 3:22
| note4 = featuring Max Kerman
| title5 = Suspension
| writer5 = {{flatlist|
- Poxleitner
- Salter}}
| length5 = 3:36
| title6 = Toes
| writer6 = {{flatlist|
- Poxleitner
- Salter }}
| length6 = 3:22
| title7 = Peace Sign
| writer7 = {{flatlist|
- Poxleitner
- Dave Thomson}}
| length7 = 2:59
| note7 = featuring Coeur de Pirate
| title8 = Heavy Rope
| writer8 = {{flatlist|
- Poxleitner
- Salter}}
| length8 = 4:14
| title9 = Flux and Flow
| writer9 = {{flatlist|
- Poxleitner
- Salter
- Parsons}}
| length9 = 3:33
| title10 = ...And Counting
| writer10 = {{flatlist|
- Poxleitner
- Thomson}}
| length10 = 3:16
| total_length = 35:13
}}
{{track listing
|headline = iTunes bonus track{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/siberia-acoustic/id616891006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131210091203/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/siberia-acoustic/id616891006|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 10, 2013|title=iTunes – Music – Siberia (Acoustic) by Lights|publisher=iTunes Store|accessdate=April 28, 2015}}
|title11 = Timing Is Everything
|length11 = 3:11
}}
{{track listing
|headline = Rdio bonus track{{cite web|url=http://blog.rdio.com/us/2013/04/lights-unplugs-siberia-and-adds-exclusive-bonus-track.html|title=Lights Unplugs Siberia And Adds Exclusive Bonus Track – Rdio Blog|publisher=Rdio|accessdate=April 28, 2015}}
|title12 = Fourth Dimension
|length12 = 3:10
}}
{{track listing
|headline = LIGHTS store bonus track{{cite web|url=http://music.iamlights.com/everybody-breaks-a-glass-acoustic/|title=Everybody Breaks A Glass (Acoustic) |publisher=Lights|accessdate=April 28, 2015}}
|title13 = Everybody Breaks a Glass
|length13 = 3:56
}}
Credits and personnel
Credits for Siberia Acoustic adapted from AllMusic.{{cite web|title=Siberia Acoustic – Lights {{!}} Credits|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/siberia-acoustic-mw0002504590/credits|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=April 29, 2015}}
;Performance credits
- All vocals – Lights
- Featured vocals – Owl City (Adam Young), Max Kerman, Coeur de Pirate
;Instruments
- Cello – Kevin Fox
- Guitar – Lights
- Piano – Lights
;Production
- Engineers – Jason Dufour, Stephen Koszler
- Assistant engineers – Arthur Bastos, Jack Clow
- Mastering – João Carvalho
- Mixer – Jason Dufour
- Producer – Lights
- Songwriters – Brian Borcherdt, Jason Parsons, Lights Poxleitner, Thomas "Tawgs" Salter, Dave Thomson, Graham Walsh
;Packaging
- Creative director – Lights
- Designer – Simon Paul
- Photographers – Tina Lok, Katie Rodriguez
Charts
class="wikitable"
! Chart (2013) ! Peak |
{{album chart|BillboardCanada|7|artist=Lights|album=Siberia Acoustic}} |
{{album chart|Billboard200|86|artist=Lights|album=Siberia Acoustic}} |
{{album chart|BillboardIndependent|20|artist=Lights|album=Siberia Acoustic}} |
{{album chart|BillboardVinyl|8|artist=Lights|album=Siberia Acoustic}} |
Release history
References
{{reflist|2}}
{{Lights}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Lights (musician) albums