Little Songs (Colter Wall album)

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Little Songs
Studio album by
Colter Wall
ReleasedJuly 14, 2023 (2023-07-14)
Recorded2020–2023
StudioYellowdog Studios (Wimberley, Texas)
Length32:33
Label
Producer
Colter Wall chronology
Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs
(2020) 		Little Songs
(2023)
Singles from Little Songs
  1. "Evangelina"
    Released: April 27, 2023
  2. "Corralling the Blues"
    Released: June 1, 2023
  3. "For a Long While"
    Released: June 27, 2023

Little Songs is the fourth studio album by Canadian country and western artist Colter Wall. It was released on July 14, 2023, through La Honda Records and RCA.

Background and singles

The album was recorded at Yellowdog Studios in Wimberley, Texas and produced by Patrick Lyons.[1] Wall revealed that majority of the songs were created in the "last three years". He also stated that he "penned most of them from home" and believes that the songs reflect that.[2]

On September 21, 2022, over two years after the release of his third studio album Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs (2020), Wall released two songs titled "Cypress Hills and the Big Country" featuring Lyons and a cover version of "Let's All Help the Cowboys (Sing the Blues)".[3] However, both songs would not appear on the tracklist for the album. Wall continued to tease the record through snippets and previews over the following eight months.[4]

Wall announced the album on April 27, 2023, and shared a cover of Hoyt Axton's "Evangelina".[5] He had previously performed the song during several of his live sets.[6] The album is set to feature eight original and two cover songs.[7] On June 2, Wall shared a new original song titled "Coralling the Blues", described as a "sad, slow sway full of harmonica and dobro".[8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Paste7.7/10[9]
Pitchfork7.1/10[10]
Slant Magazine[11]

Jeremy Winograd of Slant Magazine stated that only when somebody learns Wall works as a rancher can the album "be fully appreciated as not just a charming batch of old-fashioned country-western tunes, but as something more personal and carefully considered". Winograd also felt that it "eschews familiar folk-based influences like Bob Dylan and Townes Van Zandt in pursuit of capturing a more novel and idiosyncratic style".[11] Ben Salmon of Paste found Wall's voice to be "as rugged and resonant as ever", also calling the cover of "The Coyote & the Cowboy" by Ian Tyson "a passing of the torch", with the album "prov[ing] he's ready to grab that torch and run".[10] Pitchfork's Amanda Wicks wrote that listening to Little Songs "can feel like dropping a coin into the local nickelodeon and watching the past flicker to life, and much of that movement comes from Wall's band", who she said gave "radiant performances".[10]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Colter Wall, except where noted.

Little Songs track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Prairie Evening/Sagebrush Waltz" 3:35
2."Standing Here" 2:42
3."Corralling the Blues" 2:27
4."The Coyote & the Cowboy"Ian Tyson3:20
5."Honky Tonk Nighthawk" 4:32
6."For a Long While" 3:19
7."Cow/Calf Blue Yodel" 2:53
8."Little Songs" 2:25
9."Evangelina"
3:47
10."The Last Loving Words" 3:33
Total length:32:33

Charts

Chart performance for Little Songs
Chart (2023) Peak
position
Australian Country Albums (ARIA)[12] 25
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[13] 82
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[14] 84
UK Country Albums (OCC)[15] 9
US Billboard 200[16] 75
US Americana/Folk Albums (Billboard)[17] 4
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[18] 17

References

  1. ^ Slingerland, Calum (April 27, 2023). "Colter Wall Sings 'Little Songs' on New Album, Shares Hoyt Axton Cover". Exclaim!. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  2. ^ "Colter Wall announces new album Little Songs with the release of new single "Evangelina"". RCA Records. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  3. ^ Sacher, Andrew (September 21, 2022). "Colter Wall returns with two new songs (listen)". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  4. ^ Mower, Maxim (May 2, 2023). "Colter Wall - Little Songs: New album". Holler. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  5. ^ Todd, Nate (April 28, 2023). "Colter Wall Pays Homage To His Home With 'Little Songs,' Shares Dusty 'Evangelina' Cover". JamBase. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  6. ^ Patton, Alli (April 27, 2023). "Colter Wall Announces New Album, Shares Hoyt Axton Cover "Evangelina"". American Songwriter. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  7. ^ Hatfield, Amanda (April 27, 2023). "Colter Wall announces new LP 'Little Songs,' shares cover of Hoyt Axton's "Evangelina"". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  8. ^ Deville, Chris (June 2, 2023). "Colter Wall – "Corralling The Blues"". Stereogum. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  9. ^ Salmon, Ben (July 13, 2023). "Colter Wall Fills the Big Empty With Little Songs". Paste. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c Wicks, Amanda (July 17, 2023). "Colter Wall: Little Songs Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Winograd, Jeremy (July 14, 2023). "Colter Wall Little Songs Review: Comfortingly Contemplative Cowboy Music". Slant Magazine. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  12. ^ "ARIA Top 40 Country Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  13. ^ "Billboard Canadian Albums: Week of July 29, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  14. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  15. ^ "Official Country Artists Albums Chart Top 20". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  16. ^ "Billboard 200: Week of July 29, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  17. ^ "Americana/Folk Albums: Week of July 29, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  18. ^ "Top Country Albums: Week of July 29, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
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