Little Bit of Sun
A wheel of multicolored thread stitched together
Studio album by
Semisonic
ReleasedNovember 3, 2023 (2023-11-03)
StudioMinneapolis, Minnesota, United States[1]
Genre
Length39:58
LabelPleasuresonic
ProducerDan Wilson
Semisonic chronology
You're Not Alone
(2020)		 Little Bit of Sun
(2023)

"My approach as an artist has always been to write from where I am now. It's been two decades since Semisonic made a full record together, so it was interesting to write from the perspective of returning to the band and finding it inspiring but very different. I couldn't help but think about the early days, about the formative influences that shaped and inspired us, but a lot of the songs are about the present moment in my life."

—Dan Wilson on making the first Semisonic full-length album in over two decades[1]

Little Bit of Sun is the fourth full-length studio album by American alternative rock band Semisonic, released on November 3, 2023 through Pleasuresonic Recordings. It is the band's first full-length album in 22 years since All About Chemistry, and was preceded by four singles: the title track, "Grow Your Own",[4] "The Rope",[1] and "Out of the Dirt".[5] It has received positive reviews from critics.

Recording and release

Semisonic stopped recording together after almost a decade of touring and recording, leading frontman Dan Wilson to collaborate as a songwriter and producer with a variety of musicians for the next two decades.[3] The band briefly attempted to record around 2010, but the sessions were abandoned.[3] This full-length follows a 2020 EP that Semisonic released[6] and includes themes of long-term friendship, nostalgia, and an exploration of the perspective and wisdom that can come from aging.[3] The songs additionally explore a variety of moods and sentiments, but leaning toward hopefulness and optimism.[6] Wilson ended up writing just over 30 songs and recorded 15 to 18 for this album.[7]

Reception

In Glide Magazine, John Moore stated that this release has "everything longtime followers have loved about the band, smart, relatable lyrics with big choruses, sharp hooks, and sunny melodies, blending together influences like Big Star, The Beatles, and The Connells".[8] Ethan Beck of Paste rated this album a 5.9 out of 10, stating that the band struggled to capture the charm of their earlier career, stating that they sound too self-serious and calling out "The Rope" as the only highlight of the release.[9] Writing for Under the Radar, Frank Valish rated this album 7.5 out of 10, calling it "the next enticing chapter" of the band's career, made up of "top notch melodic pop/rock" that the band previously recorded.[2]

Track listing

  1. "Little Bit of Sun" (Amy Allen, Dan Wilson) – 2:33
  2. "The Rope" (Allen, Yves Rothman, and Wilson) – 2:30
  3. "Grow Your Own" (Wilson) – 3:34
  4. "Don't Fade Away" (Wilson) – 2:29
  5. "Keep Me in Motion" (Jacob Slichter and Wilson) – 3:44
  6. "All the Time" (Allen, Rothman, and Wilson) – 4:11
  7. "If You Say So" (John Munson and Wilson) – 3:19
  8. "Out of the Dirt" (Lori McKenna and Wilson) – 3:21
  9. "It Wasn't Like We Hoped It Would Be" (Wilson) – 3:20
  10. "So Amazed" (Wilson) – 2:35
  11. "Only Empathy" (McKenna and Wilson) – 3:31
  12. "Beautiful Sky" (Jim James and Wilson) – 4:58

The above track listing is from the compact disc edition; music download and streaming editions swap tracks 5 and 6.

Personnel

Semisonic

Additional personnel

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Brodsky, Rachel (August 1, 2023). "Semisonic Announce First New Album in Over 22 Years, Featuring Jason Isbell and Jim James". New Music. Stereogum. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Valish, Frank (November 2, 2023). "Semisonic: Little Bit of Sun (Pleasuresonic Recordings)". Reviews. Under the Radar. ISSN 1553-2305. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Farber, Jim (November 2, 2023). "Semisonic's Dan Wilson on Closing Time and a new album: 'I'm just a really earnest person'". Music. The Guardian. ISSN 1756-3224. OCLC 60623878. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  4. ↑ DeVille, Chris (July 5, 2023). "Semisonic – "Little Bit of Sun" & "Grow Your Own"". New Music. Stereogum. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Brodsky, Rachel (August 1, 2023). "Semisonic – "Out of the Dirt" (Feat. Jason Isbell)". New Music. Stereogum. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Moini, Nina; Brown, Gretchen (October 31, 2023). "Semisonic's Dan Wilson on the 'undemanding hopefulness' behind 'Little Bit of Sun'". Minnesota Now. Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  7. ↑ Baltin, Steve (November 11, 2023). "Saturday Conversation: Dan Wilson On New Semisonic Music, Adele And More". Lifestyle > Arts. Forbes. ISSN 0015-6914. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
  8. ↑ Moore, John (October 30, 2023). "Semisonic: Brimming with Sharp Hooks and Sunny Meolodies on on [sic] Triumphant Return 'Little Bit of Sun'". Album Reviews. Glide Magazine. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  9. ↑ Beck, Ethan (November 6, 2023). "Semisonic: 'Little Bit of Sun' Album Review". Music > Reviews > Semisonic. Paste. ISSN 1540-3106. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  10. ↑ Kurtz, Warren (December 5, 2023). "Celebrating 25th anniversary of Semisonic's "Closing Time" with new album". Goldmine. ISSN 1055-2685. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
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