''Path'' is the second studio album by American musician
Kraus
Kraus is a German-language surname, meaning 'curly'. In addition to German-speaking countries, the surname is commonly found in the United States, Israel, and the Czech Republic (Czech feminine: Krausová). Notable people with the surname include ...
, released on March 9, 2018, through
Terrible Records
Terrible (formerly Terrible Records) is a Los Angeles-based record label and artist management company founded by Chris Taylor and Ethan Silverman in 2009. Originally based in Brooklyn, New York, the label operated as a joint venture imprint o ...
. Preceded by singles "Reach" and "Bum", ''Path'' follows Kraus's debut ''End Tomorrow'' on the same label. A
shoegaze
Shoegaze (originally called shoegazing and sometimes conflated with dream pop) is a subgenre of indie rock, indie and alternative rock characterized by its ethereal mixture of obscured vocals, guitar distortion (music), distortion and effects, a ...
album, reviewers noted the album's influence from 1990s
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 ...
, evoking a vibe akin to
My Bloody Valentine. ''Path'' was described as "intriguing" by ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials.
The term is also applie ...
''
and "gorgeous" by ''
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating handgun with at least one barrel and a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold six cartridges before needing to be reloaded, ...
''.
In 2019, ''
Far Out Magazine
''Far Out'' is an independent British online culture platform founded in 2010 and headquartered in London. The site focuses on independent and alternative culture, providing analysis of music, film, travel and the arts alongside exclusive intervi ...
'' considered it the 18th best shoegaze album of all time.
Background and release
Kraus started working on his debut studio album, ''End Tomorrow'', in early 2016. After finishing it, he emailed several labels and music writers. Brian Justie from
Terrible Records
Terrible (formerly Terrible Records) is a Los Angeles-based record label and artist management company founded by Chris Taylor and Ethan Silverman in 2009. Originally based in Brooklyn, New York, the label operated as a joint venture imprint o ...
agreed to release the album.
''End Tomorrow'' was released through the label on September 9, 2016.
An interview published in January 2017 by ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials.
The term is also applie ...
'' noted that, while Kraus was "in no rush to release a new record", he had a playlist titled "Album 2" containing work-in-progress songs. According to Quinn Moreland, these sketches "contain
dmore of the ambitious instrumentation and ambiguous yet heartfelt songwriting
hat was
A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mechan ...
becoming his signature".
''Path'' was preceded by two singles: "Reach" on February 7, 2018,
and "Bum" on February 28.
''Path'' was released on March 9.
A music video for "Bum", which Fred Pessaro of ''
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating handgun with at least one barrel and a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold six cartridges before needing to be reloaded, ...
'' described as colorful, was released on June 6.
Composition
''Path'' was characterized as
shoegaze
Shoegaze (originally called shoegazing and sometimes conflated with dream pop) is a subgenre of indie rock, indie and alternative rock characterized by its ethereal mixture of obscured vocals, guitar distortion (music), distortion and effects, a ...
;
Joe Trainor of ''
Bandcamp Daily
Bandcamp is an American online music distribution platform founded in 2008 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with an office and record store in Oakland, California. Acquired by Epi ...
'' described it as "experimental shoegaze".
Writing for ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials.
The term is also applie ...
'', Ian Cohen described the album's 1990s
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 ...
vibe as its most unique aspect, writing how "about 70 percent of ''Path''" could be confused for the heaviest instrumental sections of
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins (also simply known as Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band formed in Chicago in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, guitarist James Iha, bassist D'arcy Wretzky and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. The ...
's ''
Siamese Dream
''Siamese Dream'' is the second studio album by the American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on July 19, 1993, by Virgin Records. The album was produced by Butch Vig and frontman Billy Corgan. Despite its recording sessions ...
''.
Further, he highlighted the combination of "
arena-rock
Arena rock (also known as stadium rock, pomp rock or corporate rock) is a style of rock music that became mainstream in the 1970s. It typically involves radio
Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are e ...
volume,
nu-metal
Nu metal (sometimes stylized as nü-metal, with a metal umlaut) is a subgenre of that combines elements of heavy metal music with elements of other music genres such as hip hop, funk, industrial, and grunge. Nu metal rarely features guita ...
digital dreams, and bedroom artist
claustrophobia
Claustrophobia is a fear of confined spaces. It is triggered by many situations or stimuli, including elevators, especially when crowded to capacity, windowless rooms, and hotel rooms with closed doors and sealed windows. Even bedrooms with a l ...
", keeping ''Path'' engaging.
Trainor described it as "rock music using modern tech to create exciting new sounds".
Fred Pessaro of ''
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating handgun with at least one barrel and a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold six cartridges before needing to be reloaded, ...
'' said that the album evokes
My Bloody Valentine's "noisy cacophony and lovely melody" while containing modern effects.
''
Chicago Reader
The ''Chicago Reader'', or ''Reader'' (stylized as ЯEADER), is an American alternative newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, noted for its literary style of journalism and coverage of the arts, particularly film and theater. The ''Reader'' has been ...
'' Leor Galil felt that Kraus's melancholic and resonant vocals, along with the sorrowful lyrics, were more distinct than the ones present in ''End Tomorrow''.
Cohen highlighted how Kraus sounds like a "fully staffed rock band", despite the project being composed of only one person.
Songs
On ''Path'' first and last tracks, "Figure" and "Mostly", Cohen said that "Kraus's coos are enveloped by gritty, spun-sugar drones", feeling that they are as expressive as the other songs in the record, despite being wordless.
On the latter track, Galil described it as "weightless" and "near-
ambient
Ambient or ambiance or ambience may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Ambiancé'', an unreleased experimental film
* ''Ambient'' (novel), a novel by Jack Womack
Music and sound
* Ambience (sound recording), also known as atmospheres or backgr ...
" while containing indistinguishable vocals.
"Bum" encapsulates the album's essence, according to Pessaro, being both sweet and sinister, with a recurring, distorted guitar line.
Chris DeVille of ''
Stereogum
''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine.
''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several awar ...
'' described it as "Kraus barreling through beautiful explosions of noise and melody".
Cohen found it inspired by
Hum's "
Stars
A star is a luminous spheroid of plasma held together by self-gravity. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night; their immense distances from Earth make them appear as fixed points of ...
".
Cohen said that the intro of "Games" resembles
the Big Pink
The Big Pink are an English electronic rock band from London, consisting of multi-instrumentalists Robertson "Robbie" Furze, Akiko Matsuura and Charlie Barker. Initially a duo, they signed to independent record label 4AD in 2009 and won the ' ...
and
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982, consisting of Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Flea (musician), Flea (bass), John Frusciante (guitar), and Chad Smith (drums). Their music incorporates elements of a ...
' "
Give It Away". Overall, he felt that the song blends
chillwave
Chillwave (originally considered synonymous with glo-fi and hypnagogic pop) is a music microgenre that emerged in the late 2000s. It is characterized by evoking the popular music of the late 1970s and early 1980s while engaging with notions of ...
with
Clinton
Clinton is an English toponymic surname, indicating one's ancestors came from English places called Glympton or Glinton.Hanks, P. & Hodges, F. ''A Dictionary of Surnames''. Oxford University Press, 1988 Clinton has also been used as a given nam ...
-era nostalgia by alluding to an
X Games
The X Games are a series of action sports events founded by ESPN Inc. and aired on ESPN networks and ABC. In late 2022, ESPN sold the long-running property to MSP Sports Capital, a private equity firm co-founded by Jahm Najafi and Jeff Mo ...
VHS recording, while accompanied by energetic guitar work.
Sasha Geffen of ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials.
The term is also applie ...
'' and ''Stereogum'' Sophie Israelsohn noted that "Reach" has frantic drums as Kraus repeatedly sings "Reaching through me".
Geffen described the guitar as "fuzzed-out",
while Isrealsohn found Kraus's voice airy, yet expressive.
Cohen said that "See" offers "a bedside elegy as a narcotized singsong".
On "Big Blood", Galil wrote that when combined with its powerful guitars, euphoric drums, and samples creating melodies "that cut through the atmosphere like a foghorn", Kraus's "vocal caterwauling" enhances the track's strength.
Reception and legacy
''
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating handgun with at least one barrel and a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold six cartridges before needing to be reloaded, ...
'' Fred Pessaro wrote that ''Path'' "caused a stir" when it was released.
Ian Cohen of ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials.
The term is also applie ...
'' wrote: "Shoegaze doesn't need ego, but ''Path'' shows it's always better with personality", saying that it was "one of the more intriguing entries into shoegaze of recent vintage".
''
Chicago Reader
The ''Chicago Reader'', or ''Reader'' (stylized as ЯEADER), is an American alternative newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, noted for its literary style of journalism and coverage of the arts, particularly film and theater. The ''Reader'' has been ...
'' Leor Galil said that Kraus "expresses himself even more clearly" when compared to ''End Tomorrow'' while highlighting that the artist "continues to do well at keeping his ideas—and words—as intangible as possible".
Pessaro described it as "mildly antisocial and downright gorgeous to the core, like a sweet lullaby being sung across a crackling radio".
In 2019, ''
Far Out Magazine
''Far Out'' is an independent British online culture platform founded in 2010 and headquartered in London. The site focuses on independent and alternative culture, providing analysis of music, film, travel and the arts alongside exclusive intervi ...
'' Carly Wu considered ''Path'' the 18th best shoegaze album of all time, declaring that it is "unfailingly one of the most brilliant contemporary shoegaze albums ever", ascending "to pure perfection". She concluded: "It ultimately helps you achieve catharsis and find an outlet for your frustration."
In 2023, Joe Trainor of ''
Bandcamp Daily
Bandcamp is an American online music distribution platform founded in 2008 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with an office and record store in Oakland, California. Acquired by Epi ...
'' included it in a list of "rare shoegaze gems".
Track listing
Release history
References
{{reflist, refs=
[{{Cite web , last=Moreland , first=Quinn , title=Kraus Makes Noise Rock for Anxious People , url=https://pitchfork.com/features/rising/10005-kraus-makes-noise-rock-for-anxious-people/ , date=2017-01-13 , access-date=2021-07-10 , website=]Pitchfork
A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials.
The term is also applie ...
, language=en , archive-date=May 19, 2024 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519224835/https://pitchfork.com/features/rising/10005-kraus-makes-noise-rock-for-anxious-people/ , url-status=live
[{{Cite web , last=Geffen , first=Sasha , date=2018-02-07 , title=Kraus: 'Reach' Track Review , url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/kraus-reach/ , access-date=2021-07-10 , website=]Pitchfork
A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials.
The term is also applie ...
, language=en , archive-date=October 20, 2021 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020100809/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/kraus-reach/ , url-status=live
[{{Cite web , last=Israelsohn , first=Sophie , date=2018-02-07 , title=Kraus – 'Reach' , url=https://www.stereogum.com/1982153/kraus-reach/music/ , access-date=2021-07-10 , website=]Stereogum
''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine.
''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several awar ...
, language=en , archive-date=October 20, 2021 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020033253/https://www.stereogum.com/1982153/kraus-reach/music/ , url-status=live
[{{Cite web , last=DeVille , first=Chris , date=2018-02-28 , title=Kraus – 'Bum' , url=https://www.stereogum.com/1985106/kraus-bum/music/ , access-date=2021-07-10 , website=]Stereogum
''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine.
''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several awar ...
, language=en , archive-date=October 19, 2021 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019055812/https://www.stereogum.com/1985106/kraus-bum/music/ , url-status=live
[{{Cite web , last=Pessaro , first=Fred , date=2018-06-06 , title=See Shoegaze Outfit Kraus' Searing, Psychedelic New 'Bum' Video , url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/see-shoegaze-outfit-kraus-searing-psychedelic-new-bum-video , access-date=2021-07-10 , website=]Revolver
A revolver is a repeating handgun with at least one barrel and a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold six cartridges before needing to be reloaded, ...
, language=en , archive-date=October 20, 2021 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020111351/https://www.revolvermag.com/music/see-shoegaze-outfit-kraus-searing-psychedelic-new-bum-video , url-status=live
[{{Cite web , last=Cohen , first=Ian , date=2018-03-12 , title=Kraus: ''Path'' Album Review , url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/kraus-path/ , access-date=2021-07-10 , website=]Pitchfork
A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials.
The term is also applie ...
, language=en , archive-date=May 17, 2022 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517050111/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/kraus-path/ , url-status=live
[{{Cite web , last=Galil , first=Leor , date=2018-07-20 , title=Young shoegaze maven Will Kraus expresses himself even more clearly on his second album, ''Path'' , url=https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/young-shoegaze-maven-will-kraus-expresses-himself-even-more-clearly-on-his-second-album-path/Content?oid=53429470 , access-date=2021-07-10 , website=]Chicago Reader
The ''Chicago Reader'', or ''Reader'' (stylized as ЯEADER), is an American alternative newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, noted for its literary style of journalism and coverage of the arts, particularly film and theater. The ''Reader'' has been ...
, language=en , archive-date=July 11, 2021 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711162816/https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/young-shoegaze-maven-will-kraus-expresses-himself-even-more-clearly-on-his-second-album-path/Content?oid=53429470 , url-status=live
[{{Cite web , last=Wu , first=Carly , date=9 July 2019 , title=From My Bloody Valentine to Slowdive: The 50 best shoegaze albums of all time , url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-50-best-shoegaze-albums-of-all-time/ , access-date=2021-07-15 , website=]Far Out Magazine
''Far Out'' is an independent British online culture platform founded in 2010 and headquartered in London. The site focuses on independent and alternative culture, providing analysis of music, film, travel and the arts alongside exclusive intervi ...
, language=en-US , archive-date=May 12, 2022 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512054523/https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-50-best-shoegaze-albums-of-all-time/ , url-status=live
[{{Cite web , last=Trainor , first=Joe , date=2023-01-09 , title=Rare Shoegaze Gems From All Eras Unearthed , url=https://daily.bandcamp.com/lists/rare-shoegaze-guide , access-date=2024-05-20 , website=]Bandcamp Daily
Bandcamp is an American online music distribution platform founded in 2008 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with an office and record store in Oakland, California. Acquired by Epi ...
, archive-date=March 27, 2024 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240327074047/https://daily.bandcamp.com/lists/rare-shoegaze-guide , url-status=live
[{{Cite web , title=''Path'', by Kraus , url=https://willkraus.bandcamp.com/album/path , access-date=2023-09-01 , publisher=]Bandcamp
Bandcamp is an American online music distribution platform founded in 2008 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with an office and record store in Oakland, California. Acquired by Epic ...
, archive-date=September 1, 2023 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230901020514/https://willkraus.bandcamp.com/album/path , url-status=live
[{{Cite web , title=''End Tomorrow'', by Kraus , url=https://willkraus.bandcamp.com/album/end-tomorrow , access-date=2023-09-01 , publisher=]Bandcamp
Bandcamp is an American online music distribution platform founded in 2008 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with an office and record store in Oakland, California. Acquired by Epic ...
, archive-date=September 1, 2023 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230901022051/https://willkraus.bandcamp.com/album/end-tomorrow , url-status=live
2018 albums
Shoegaze albums by American artists