Broken Hearts Club | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 8 April 2022 | |||
Genre | R&B, Alternative R&B | |||
Length | 38:55 | |||
Label | Columbia Records | |||
Syd chronology | ||||
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Broken Hearts Club is the second studio album by American singer Syd. The album was released through Columbia Records on April 8, 2022.
Background
Syd, a member of the Grammy-nominated band The Internet, released her second solo album five years after the release of her debut solo album, Fin.[1] Whilst Fin has been described as a 'confident' and self-assured album, Broken Hearts Club is more 'vulnerable' - inspired by contrasting experiences of love and heartbreak.[2][3] Syd began work on the album in the midst of a relationship, and finished it after they broke up. The album follows a similar narrative pattern to her experience, starting with "CYBAH": a song about starting a new relationship, and ending with "Goodbye My Love": which looks back on an ended relationship as both parties move on.[4] In an interview with NME, Syd talked about experiencing a creative period after she was diagnosed with depression and began to see a therapist, which enabled her to finish work on the album.[2]
Syd, the former engineer for ex-band Odd Future, produced most of the record herself, collaborating on some songs with Rodney (Darkchild) Jerkins, bandmate Steve Lacy, and ForteBowie.[3] Other collaboraters include Smino, Kehlani on "Out Loud", Nicky Davey, Brandon Shoop, Troy Taylor, G Koop and Lucky Daye on "CYBAH".[5]
"Missing Out" was released as a single in February 2021, with "Fast Car" and "Right Track" coming out in July and September of the same year respectively. Syd said in a press conference for "Fast Car" that she 'wanted to make something for the gay Black girls'.[6]
The album will be her last released by Columbia Records.[2]
Release and reception
Broken Hearts Club received positive reviews, with NME giving it four out of five stars and calling it 'arguably the R&B star's strongest project to date'.[5] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 82, based on 10 critic reviews.[7] Pitchfork gave the album a 7.5, saying that the album's more traditional sound than Fin, 'reaffirms her considerable versatility' and that the album is finished with 'artful finesse'.[8] Rolling Stone gave the album four stars, arguing it was an 'epic tale of love and loss with lush production'.[9] Independent music website The Quietus called the album 'terrific'.[4] The Guardian, giving 3 stars, called the album a 'mixed bag', stating that Syd was stronger on tracks where she collaborated with other artists.[10] Okayplayer included the album on their '22 Best Albums of 2022' list.[11]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "CYBAH" | Brandon Shoop, David Debrandon Brown, Michael La Vell McGregor, Syd (Sydney Loren Bennett) | Brandon Shoop | 4:04 |
2. | "Tie The Knot" | Syd, Tatiana Tenise Matthews | Syd | 2:32 |
3. | "Fast Car" | Brandon Hodge, Naji Kareen Lomax, Shawntoni Ajanae Nichols, Shonn Hinton, Syd, Troy Taylor | Troy Taylor, Brandon "B.A.M." Hodge, Raymond Hinton | 3:30 |
4. | "Right Track" | Christopher Smith Jr., Denzel Mbeng Ayuk-Okata, Paul Mond, Syd | ForteBowie | 2:38 |
5. | "Sweet" | Javonte Pollard, Shawntoni Nichols, Syd | Syd | 2:30 |
6. | "Control" | Rodney Jerkins, Syd | Rodney Jerkins | 2:20 |
7. | "No Way" | Dave Rosser, Nicholas Eaholtz, Syd | Nick Green, Dave Rosser | 3:03 |
8. | "Getting Late" | Syd | Syd | 3:10 |
9. | "Out Loud (feat. Kehlani)" | Rob Mandell, Kehlani Parrish, Shawntoni Nichols, Syd, Tatiana Tenise Matthews | Syd, G Koop | 3:23 |
10. | "Heartfelt Freestyle" | Denzel Mbeng Ayuk-Okata, Laura Lee Ochoa, Mark Stefan Speer, Syd | ForteBowie | 2:25 |
11. | "BMHWDY" | Rose Marie Tan, Steve Lacy, Syd | Steve Lacy | 3:07 |
12. | "Goodbye My Love" | Daniel Stanfill, Syd | Biloba | 2:14 |
13. | "Missing Out" | Syd | Syd | 4:00 |
Total length: | 38:55 |
References
- ↑ "Syd: Fin". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
- 1 2 3 Balram, Dhruva (2022-04-01). "Syd: "I don't care about validation anymore. I know I'm a genius"". NME. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
- 1 2 Pearce, Sheldon (2022-04-14). "On Syd's "Broken Hearts Club," an Evasive Player Falls in Love". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
- 1 2 Evans, Nathan. "The Quietus | Reviews | Syd". The Quietus. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
- 1 2 Balram, Dhruva (2022-04-07). "Syd – Broken Hearts Club' review: arguably the R&B star's strongest project to date". NME. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
- ↑ Love, Tirhakah (2022-04-12). "Syd's New Love Story". Vulture. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
- ↑ Broken Hearts Club by Syd, retrieved 2022-12-30
- ↑ Pearce, Sheldon. "Syd: Broken Hearts Club". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
- ↑ Conteh, Mankaprr (2022-04-08). "Syd's 'Broken Hearts Club' is More Than Mood Music -- It's a Motion Picture". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
- ↑ "Syd: Broken Hearts Club review – introspection with a little help from her friends". the Guardian. 2022-04-10. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
- ↑ "Okayplayer's 22 Best Albums of 2022". Okayplayer. 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
- ↑ Broken Hearts Club, 2022-04-08, retrieved 2022-12-31
- ↑ "Broken Hearts Club by Syd". Genius. Retrieved 2022-12-31.