Suburban Light
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Suburban Light
| type = studio
| artist = the Clientele
| cover = Suburban light.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{start date|2000|11|28|df=yes}}
| recorded = 1997–2000
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|Indie pop|dream pop}}
| length = {{duration|m=44|s=15}}
| label = Pointy
| producer = The Clientele
| prev_title = A Fading Summer
| prev_year = 2000
| next_title = Lost Weekend
| next_year = 2002
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Suburban Light
| type = studio
| single1 = What Goes Up" / "Five Day Morning
| single1date = {{start date|1998|6}}
| single2 = Reflections After Jane" / "An Hour Before the Light
| single2date = {{start date|1999|3}}
| single3 = Lacewings" / "Saturday
| single3date = {{start date|1999|9}}
| single4 = I Had to Say This" / "Monday's Rain
| single4date = {{start date|1999|12}}
| single5 = (I Want You) More Than Ever" / "6AM Morningside
| single5date = {{start date|2000|2}}
}}
}}
Suburban Light is the debut studio album by English indie pop band the Clientele. The album was released on 28 November 2000 by Pointy Records in the United Kingdom. In 2001, it was released by Merge Records in the United States. Suburban Light contains several tracks originally released on singles and compilations from 1997 through 2000, causing some websites such as Pitchfork to label it a compilation album.{{cite web|last= Pitchfork Staff |title= The 200 Best Albums of the 2000s |website= Pitchfork |date= October 2, 2009|url= https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/7710-the-top-200-albums-of-the-2000s-20-1/|accessdate= April 28, 2023}}
Release
The track "We Could Walk Together" first appeared on the Fierce Panda Records compilation Cry Me a Liver in November 1997. Several other tracks were issued as 7-inch singles across various labels: "What Goes Up" / "Five Day Morning" on Pointy Records in June 1998, "Reflections After Jane" / "An Hour Before the Light" on Johnny Kane Records in March 1999, "Lacewings" / "Saturday" on Motorway Records in September 1999, "I Had to Say This" / "Monday's Rain" on Pointy Records in December 1999, and "(I Want You) More Than Ever" / "6AM Morningside" on Elefant Records in February 2000. "Bicycles" first appeared on the March Records EP A Fading Summer in May 2000.
Critical reception
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/suburban-light-mw0000001115|title=Suburban Light – The Clientele|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=17 May 2017|last=Ankeny|first=Jason}}
| rev2 = Entertainment Weekly
| rev2Score = A−{{cite magazine|title=The Clientele: Suburban Light|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=25 May 2001|last=Brunner|first=Rob|page=80}}
| rev3 = The Guardian
| rev3Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal|title=The Clientele: Suburban Light (Pointy Records)|journal=The Guardian|date=17 November 2000|last=Clarke|first=Betty}}
| rev4 = Pitchfork
| rev4Score = 9.1/10{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19257-suburban-light/|title=The Clientele: Suburban Light|work=Pitchfork|date=27 May 2014|accessdate=17 May 2017|last=Richardson|first=Mark}}
| rev5 = PopMatters
| rev5Score = 9/10{{cite web|url=http://www.popmatters.com/review/183285-the-clientele-suburban-light-reissue/|title=The Clientele: Suburban Light (Reissue)|work=PopMatters|date=10 July 2014|accessdate=17 May 2017|last=Elingburg|first=Scott}}
| rev6 = Spin
| rev6Score = 7/10{{cite journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qhgIKMHie3kC&pg=PA146|title=The Clientele: Suburban Light|journal=Spin|volume=17|issue=6|date=June 2001|accessdate=17 May 2017|last=Fields|first=Gaylord|page=146}}
| rev7 = Under the Radar
| rev7Score = 8/10{{cite web|url=http://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/suburban_light|title=The Clientele: Suburban Light (Merge)|work=Under the Radar|date=16 May 2014|accessdate=24 April 2018|last=Hamm|first=Ryan E. C.}}
}}
In 2009, Suburban Light was ranked at number 80 on Pitchfork{{'}}s list of the best albums of the 2000s.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/7708-the-top-200-albums-of-the-2000s-100-51/?page=3|title=The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 100–51|work=Pitchfork|date=30 September 2009|accessdate=20 April 2018|page=3}} In 2018, Pitchfork listed it at number 21 on its list of the 30 best dream pop albums.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-30-best-dream-pop-albums/?page=1|title=The 30 Best Dream Pop Albums|work=Pitchfork|date=16 April 2018|accessdate=24 April 2018|page=1}}
Track listing
{{track listing
|all_writing = Alasdair MacLean and James Hornsey
|headline = Pointy Records release
|title1 = I Had to Say This
|length1 = 3:34
|title2 = Rain
|length2 = 2:34
|title3 = Reflections After Jane
|length3 = 3:21
|title4 = We Could Walk Together
|length4 = 2:34
|title5 = Monday's Rain
|length5 = 5:05
|title6 = Joseph Cornell
|length6 = 2:23
|title7 = An Hour Before the Light
|length7 = 2:30
|title8 = (I Want You) More Than Ever
|length8 = 3:03
|title9 = Saturday
|length9 = 3:52
|title10 = Five Day Morning
|length10 = 4:08
|title11 = Bicycles
|length11 = 2:14
|title12 = As Night Is Falling
|length12 = 5:13
|title13 = Lacewings
|length13 = 3:44
|total_length = 44:15
}}
{{track listing
|headline = Merge Records release
|title1 = I Had to Say This
|length1 = 3:34
|title2 = Rain
|length2 = 2:34
|title3 = Reflections After Jane
|length3 = 3:21
|title4 = We Could Walk Together
|length4 = 2:34
|title5 = Monday's Rain
|length5 = 5:05
|title6 = Joseph Cornell
|length6 = 2:23
|title7 = What Goes Up
|length7 = 3:35
|title8 = (I Want You) More Than Ever
|length8 = 3:03
|title9 = 6AM Morningside
|length9 = 1:51
|title10 = Five Day Morning
|length10 = 4:08
|title11 = From a Window
|length11 = 2:40
|title12 = As Night Is Falling
|length12 = 5:13
|title13 = Lacewings
|length13 = 3:44
|total_length = 43:45
}}
Personnel
Credits for Suburban Light adapted from album liner notes.{{cite AV media notes |author=Basia Tobada |others=The Clientele |year=2000 |title=Suburban Light |type=liner notes |publisher=Pointy Records |id=POINT003 CD}}
The Clientele
- Alasdair MacLean – vocals, guitar
- James Hornsey – bass
- Mark Keen – drums
Additional musicians
- Daniel Evans – drums
- Howard Monk – drums
Artwork and design
- Seonad MacLean – photography
- Marianna Parker – photography
- Basia Taboda – sleeve design
References
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
External links
- {{Discogs master|53571|Suburban Light|type=album}}
- {{MusicBrainz release group|name=Suburban Light|id=1f8c5b94-d903-35a2-b31f-20ce0540ff26}}
{{The Clientele}}
{{Authority control}}