A Blade Because a Blade Is Whole
| A Blade Because a Blade Is Whole | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 7 March 2025 | |||
| Length | 42:33 | |||
| Label | International Anthem | |||
| Alabaster DePlume chronology | ||||
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| Singles from A Blade Because a Blade Is Whole | ||||
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A Blade Because a Blade Is Whole is the seventh studio album by English jazz musician Alabaster DePlume. It was released on 7 March 2025, by International Anthem.[1]
Background
[edit]The lead single of the album, "Oh My Actual Days", was released on 22 January 2025. It features a music video directed by Rebecca Salvadori.[2]
Critical reception
[edit]| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 82/100[3] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Pitchfork | [4] |
| The Guardian | [5] |
| The Skinny | [6] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, A Blade Because a Blade Is Whole received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 82 out of 100 from 9 critic scores.[3]
In its review about the album, AllMusic stated that it is "a brave record that confronts pain while embraces it with humility, acceptance, and yes, vulnerability, and brings his spiritual and creative worlds together."[1] Pitchfork assigned it a rating of eight out of ten, stating "A Blade is about responsibility to oneself and to others, and the ways in which those responsibilities overlap. To heal others, you must heal yourself, and to heal yourself, you must confront discomfort."[4] The Guardian noted that "At heart, A Blade Because a Blade Is Whole is packed with beautiful music, that seems to affect listeners emotionally far more effectively than the words. You could take that as a failing, but it isn’t: after all, that’s what music is for."[5] The Quietus referred to it as "a meticulous, focused record that concerns DePlume’s own efforts to heal himself."[7] British magazine The Skinny rated it five stars out of five, writing "Like the cover image, the record is a simple yet beautifully executed reminder to reflect, find healing and resist vanity."[6]
Track listing
[edit]All tracks are written by Angus Fairbarn; "Salty Road Dogs Victory Anthem" written with Conrad Singh, Momoko Gill, and Rosalind Anna Leyden.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Oh My Actual Days" | 3:47 |
| 2. | "Thank You My Pain" | 2:59 |
| 3. | "Invincibility" | 3:07 |
| 4. | "Form a V" | 3:06 |
| 5. | "A Paper Man" | 4:53 |
| 6. | "Who Are You Telling, Gus" | 3:56 |
| 7. | "Prayer for my Sovereign Dignity" | 4:01 |
| 8. | "Kuzushi" | 2:40 |
| 9. | "Salty Road Dogs Victory Anthem" | 3:56 |
| 10. | "Too True" | 2:34 |
| 11. | "That Was My Garden" | 7:34 |
| Total length: | 42:33 | |
Personnel
[edit]- Alabaster DePlume – saxophone, production, arrangement (all tracks); guitar (tracks 1–3, 7, 8, 10, 11), vocals (2–8, 10, 11), synthesizer (3, 7), engineering (3, 8, 10), bass guitar (7, 11)
- Donna Thompson – drums (tracks 1, 2, 5–7, 11), vocals (2, 3, 5), arrangement (3)
- Macie Stewart – violin (tracks 1, 3, 4, 7, 11), arrangement (1, 3, 7, 11)
- Mikey Kenney – fiddle (tracks 1, 7, 11), vocals (1)
- John Ellis – piano (tracks 1, 7, 11)
- Ruth Goller – bass guitar (tracks 2, 5, 6), vocals (2, 5)
- Hannah Miller – cello (tracks 3, 10)
- Momoko Gill – drums (tracks 4, 9); arrangement, vocals (4)
- Rozi Plain – bass guitar (tracks 4, 9)
- Conrad Singh – guitar (tracks 4, 9)
- David Allen – mastering
- Dilip Harris – mixing
- Kristian Craig Robinson – engineering (tracks 1, 2, 4–7, 9, 11)
- Dave Vettraino – engineering (tracks 1, 3, 7, 11)
- Aaron Lowell Denton – graphic design
- Chris Almeida – graphic design
- Rebecca Salvadori – graphic design
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Album Downloads (OCC)[8] | 73 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Jurek, Thom. "A Blade Because a Blade Is Whole – Alabaster D". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
- ^ Sacher, Andrew (22 January 2025). "Alabaster DePlume announces new album & tour, shares "Oh My Actual Days"". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
- ^ a b "A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole by Alabaster DePlume". Metacritic. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
- ^ a b Blackwell, Matthew (7 March 2025). "Alabaster DePlume: A Blade Because a Blade Is Whole". Pitchfork. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
- ^ a b Petridis, Alexis (6 March 2025). "Alabaster DePlume: A Blade Because a Blade Is Whole review – stunning sax melodies to silence the cynics". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
- ^ a b Kavanagh, Vicky (3 March 2025). "Alabaster DePlume – A Blade Because a Blade Is Whole review: The Skinny". The Skinny. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
- ^ Barry, Robert (27 February 2025). "Alabaster DePlume – A Blade Because a Blade Is Whole". The Quietus. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
- ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
External links
[edit]- A Blade Because a Blade Is Whole at Discogs (list of releases)