''Little Bit of Sun'' is the fourth full-length studio album by American

alternative rock Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...

band

Semisonic Semisonic is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Minneapolis in 1995, consisting of Dan Wilson (musician), Dan Wilson (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), John Munson (bass, keyboards, backing vocals, guitar), and Jacob Slichter (drums, pe ...

, released on November 3, 2023 through Pleasuresonic Recordings. It is the band's first full-length album in 22 years since ''

All About Chemistry ''All About Chemistry'' is the third studio album by American rock band Semisonic, released on March 13, 2001, through MCA Records. With this release, the band failed, at least in America, to capitalize on the momentum it had generated with th ...

'', and was preceded by four singles: the title track, "Grow Your Own", "The Rope", and "Out of the Dirt". 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. The band briefly attempted to record around 2010, but the sessions were abandoned. This full-length follows a 2020 EP that Semisonic released and includes themes of long-term friendship, nostalgia, and an exploration of the perspective and wisdom that can come from aging. The songs additionally explore a variety of moods and sentiments, but leaning toward hopefulness and optimism. Wilson ended up writing just over 30 songs and recorded 15 to 18 for this album.

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 Big Star was an American rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee in 1971 by Alex Chilton (vocals, guitar), Chris Bell (vocals, guitar), Jody Stephens (drums), and Andy Hummel (bass). They have been described as the "quintessential American ...

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

, and

The Connells The Connells are an American musical group from Raleigh, North Carolina. They play a guitar-oriented, melodic, jangle-pop style of rock music with introspective lyrics that often reflect the history or culture of the American South. Though the ...

". 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. 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.

Track listing

#"Little Bit of Sun" (

Amy Allen Amy or Aimee Allen may refer to: *Amy Allen (actress) (born 1976), American actress *Amy Allen (philosopher) *Amy Allen (songwriter) *Aimee Allen (born 1982), American singer-songwriter *Amy Allen (The A Team), Amy Allen ''(The A Team)'' *Amy Allen, ...

, Dan Wilson) – 2:33 #"The Rope" (Allen, Yves Rothman, and Wilson) – 2:30 #"Grow Your Own" (Wilson) – 3:34 #"Don't Fade Away" (Wilson) – 2:29 #"Keep Me in Motion" ( Jacob Slichter and Wilson) – 3:44 #"All the Time" (Allen, Rothman, and Wilson) – 4:11 #"If You Say So" ( John Munson and Wilson) – 3:19 #"Out of the Dirt" (

Lori McKenna Lorraine McKenna ( Giroux; born December 22, 1968) is an American folk, Americana, and country music singer-songwriter. In 2016, she was nominated for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year and won Best Country Song for co-writing the hit singl ...

and Wilson) – 3:21 #"It Wasn't Like We Hoped It Would Be" (Wilson) – 3:20 #"So Amazed" (Wilson) – 2:35 #"Only Empathy" (McKenna and Wilson) – 3:31 #"Beautiful Sky" (

Jim James James Edward Olliges Jr. (born April 27, 1978), professionally known as Jim James or Yim Yames, is an American vocalist, guitarist, producer, and primary songwriter of the rock band My Morning Jacket. He has also released several solo albums. ...

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 * John Munson – bass guitar * Jacob Slichter – drums * Dan Wilson – guitar, vocals,

celesta The celesta () or celeste (), also called a bell-piano, is a struck idiophone operated by a keyboard. It looks similar to an upright piano (four- or five-octave), albeit with smaller keys and a much smaller cabinet, or a large wooden music ...

on "If You Say So", production Additional personnel *

Jason Isbell Michael Jason Isbell ( ; born February 1, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and actor. One of the most celebrated contemporary songwriters in his genre, his lyrics are defined by their raw emotional honesty. Isbell began his career as a me ...

–

lead guitar Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featur ...

on "Out of the Dirt" *

– vocals on "Beautiful Sky"

References

External links