The Feminine Divine
Studio album by
Dexys
Released28 July 2023
StudioFamous Times, Hackney, London and others
Length39:38
Label100%
Producer
  • Pete Schwier
  • Toby Chapman
Dexys chronology
Let the Record Show: Dexys Do Irish and Country Soul
(2016)		 The Feminine Divine
(2023)

The Feminine Divine is the sixth studio album by English pop rock band Dexys, released on 28 July 2023 by 100% Records.[1] The tracks were written by Kevin Rowland, Sean Read, Mike Timothy and Jim Paterson, and the album was produced by Pete Schwier and Toby Chapman.[2] It is the group's first album of original songs since One Day I'm Going to Soar in 2012,[3] and their first album in seven years since Let the Record Show in 2016.[4]

The album's lead single, "I'm Going to Get Free", was released on 3 April 2023.[2] An accompanying promotional video, featuring Rowland dancing along Bethnal Green Road, was directed by Guy Myhill.[5][3] The song was originally written by Rowland and Paterson in the early 1990s.[6] The song "It's Alright Kevin (Manhood 2023)" is a reworking of "Manhood", a song that Rowland performed on television in 1993 and later recorded for Let's Make This Precious: The Best of Dexys Midnight Runners (2003).[6]

"Coming Home", "My Submission" and title track "The Feminine Divine" were also released as teasers for the album, the first two accompanied by videos.

The album entered the UK Official Albums Chart at number 6,[7] making it the band's highest charting album in over 30 years.

Background and recording

Following the release of Let the Record Show: Dexys Do Irish and Country Soul by Dexys in 2016, the band's frontman Rowland lacked ideas for new music for at least three years. In 2021, however, he started writing and producing demos for songs that he had composed with Read, Timothy and Paterson. The following year, studio recordings were made in venues including Read's Famous Times studio in Hackney, London, Chapman's studio in Catford, and Timothy's studio in Willesden. Both actual and synthesized instruments were used. After tensions between Rowland and Chapman threatened to derail the sessions, Pete Schwier, who had previously co-produced Dexys recordings, was engaged to work with the group and Chapman, and work on the album was completed.[6]

Official press materials to publicise the album described it as "A personal, if not strictly autobiographical, record portraying a man whose views have evolved over time. Not just on women, but the whole concept of masculinity he had been raised with."[8] Rowland told Harriet Gibsone of The Guardian that a trip to Thailand, where he learnt about Tao, had been significant for him: "Through Tao, I learned about the concept of women as goddesses. I realised that women are powerful. Until then, I'd never really tried to understand them. That's quite an incredible admission, really."[9] Rowland explained that the first five songs of the album have a narrative where the narrator expresses different attitudes towards a relationship. in the fifth song, the title track, "he examines his relationships with women, and he sees that he's been sadly lacking".[10] The remaining tracks concern a new relationship after this insight.[10]

The album's cover art features an illustration inspired by Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes and fire.[3] A supporting tour, of theatre venues, was organised, with the band intending to play the entire album live.[6][11] Rowland told Tina Benitez-Eves of American Songwriter that the group would "theatrically perform the songs — act them out".[10]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic77/100[12]
Review scores
SourceRating
The Line of Best Fit6/10[13]
Record Collector[14]
Mojo[15]
The Guardian[1]
RetroPop[16]

The Feminine Divine received a score of 77 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on four critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception.[12] Uncut felt that "the group confidently flits between low-key funk, lush symphonic Philly soul and the more punchy post-Motown dance grooves of Chairmen of the Board", with "the constant being Rowland's powerfully assured vocal delivery of his mea culpa confessionals".[12] Record Collector's Shaun Curran wrote that the first half has a "recognisably Dexys feel: full of blaring brass, soul-inflections, Rowland's histrionic vocals and something of the musical theatre of 2012's One Day I'm Going to Soar", calling the second half "a striking electronic makeover". He concluded that "if the premise is laid on a bit thick – Rowland never does things by halves – at least torch song My Submission is the most beautiful thing Dexys have ever done".[14]

Mojo's David Hutcheon wrote that "the second half – 'a saucy, synth-heavy cabaret' – will undoubtedly lose a few fans, yet Rowland still manages to pull a gem out of the fire with the touching 'My Submission'".[15] Simon Heavisides of The Line of Best Fit concluded that the album "can't match those first three deathless classic albums and falls just below the convincing return that was One Day I'm Going to Soar. Still, there's enough of their unique brilliance on display to make this a qualified victory".[13]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The One That Loves You"Kevin Rowland, Jim Paterson4:33
2."It's Alright Kevin (Manhood 2023)"Rowland, Paterson5:02
3."I'm Going to Get Free"Rowland3:26
4."Coming Home"Rowland, Paterson3:29
5."The Feminine Divine"Rowland, Sean Read4:37
6."My Goddess Is"Rowland, Michael Timothy3:29
7."Goddess Rules"Rowland, Timothy, Kamaria Castang3:23
8."My Submission"Rowland, Read6:15
9."Dance with Me"Rowland, Timothy5:24

Charts

Chart performance for The Feminine Divine
Chart (2023) Peak
position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[17] 100
Irish Albums (IRMA)[18] 60
Scottish Albums (OCC)[19] 4
UK Albums (OCC)[20] 6
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[21] 1

References

  1. 1 2 Petridis, Alexis (27 July 2023). "Dexys: The Feminine Divine review – Kevin Rowland worships at the altar of women". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 Dunworth, Liberty (3 April 2023). "Dexys announce new album and share upbeat first single 'I'm Going To Get Free'". NME. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Richards, Sam (3 April 2023). "Watch the video for Dexys' new single, 'I'm Going To Get Free'". Uncut. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  4. ↑ "The Feminine Divine Review by Tim Sendra". allmusic.com. 21 September 2023.
  5. ↑ Breihan, Tom (3 April 2023). "Dexys – 'I'm Going To Get Free'". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Harrison, Ian (June 2023). "Dexys return with The Feminine Divine". Mojo. No. 335. p. 16.
  7. ↑ Smith, Carl (4 August 2023). "Travis Scott secures first Number 1 album with UTOPIA". Official Charts. Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  8. ↑ Reilly, Nick (3 April 2023). "Dexys announce 'The Feminine Divine', their first album in over a decade". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  9. ↑ Gibsone, Harriet (17 June 2023). "Kevin Rowland looks back: 'Trying to calm myself down never even occurred to me'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 Benitez-Eves, Tina (2 August 2023). "Dexys (Midnight Runners) Worship Women on New Album 'The Feminine Divine'". American Songwriter. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  11. ↑ Linazasoro, Nick (3 April 2023). "Dexys announce new album & tour including Brighton date". Brighton and Hove News. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  12. 1 2 3 "The Feminine Divine by Dexys Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  13. 1 2 Heavisides, Simon (26 July 2023). "Dexys: The Feminine Divine Review". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  14. 1 2 Curran, Shaun (21 July 2023). "The Feminine Divine: Dexys". Record Collector. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  15. 1 2 Hutcheon, David (August 2023). "Dexys: The Feminine Divine". Mojo. No. 337. p. 78.
  16. ↑ "Dexys – The Feminine Divine". RetroPop. 24 July 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  17. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Dexys – The Feminine Divine" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  18. ↑ "Irish Albums Chart: 4 August 2023". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  19. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  20. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  21. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
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