''A Matter of Time'' is the sixth studio album by British rock band

Shed Seven Shed Seven are an alternative rock band, formed in York in 1990. They were one of the groups which contributed to the Britpop music scene of the 1990s. They originally comprised singer Rick Witter, guitarist/keyboardist Joe Johnson, bassist To ...

. It was released on 5 January 2024 through

Cooking Vinyl Cooking Vinyl is a British independent record label, based in Acton, London, England. It was founded in 1986 by former manager and booking agent Martin Goldschmidt and his business partner Pete Lawrence. Goldschmidt remains the current owner an ...

Limited. The album marks their first studio release in over six years.

Background

The announcement of ''A Matter of Time'' arrived alongside the lead single release of "Kissing California" on 13 July 2023. Produced by

Youth Youth is the time of life when one is young. The word, youth, can also mean the time between childhood and adulthood (Maturity (psychological), maturity), but it can also refer to one's peak, in terms of health or the period of life known as bei ...

, the band took a "nostalgic journey back to

heir Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Offi ...

roots", delving into the sounds that ignited their passion "for song-writing at the tender age of 12". As a result, Shed Seven reconnected with classic albums from their youth in order to get inspired. Release of the album coincides with the band's 30th anniversary, having released their debut album '' Change Giver'' in 1994. Four other singles were release prior to the album - F:K:H, In Ecstasy, Starlings and Talk of the Town. Peter Doherty featured on vocals for the album's closing song, Throwaways. After topping the Album Chart in its first week, the album dropped to No.29 the following week.

Critical reception

Buzz Feed's Billy Edwards described the album as "strikingly immediate, accessible and fun". Robin Murray of Clash Music reported that ''A Matter of Time'' was "remarkably effective" and noted the band had "sculpted some fine guitar tunes, blending subtle melancholy with surging choruses, and a kind of everyman wisdom." RGM's Sam Bandock provided a track-by-track review, exclaiming "'A Matter of Time' is a wonderful album that just goes to show that Shed Seven have only become more complete as musicians over the years. The passion can be heard in every track and it is a solid listening experience." Writing for ''

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and also published digitally that focuses on business and economic Current affairs (news format), current affairs. Based in London, the paper is owned by a Jap ...

'', Ludovic Hunter-Tilney thought that the lyrics "resemble flat-pack-assembled Britpop slogans", calling the music "meat-and-potatoes rock". However, Hunter-Tilney argued that Witter sings "heartily", while the bandmates "play with crispness and energy".

Track listing

Personnel

Shed Seven *

Rick Witter Richard James Witter (born 23 November 1972) is a singer/songwriter in the York-based band Shed Seven. He was educated at Huntington School, York. Professional career Rick Witter formed his first band with schoolfriend Paul Banks (musician, b ...

– vocals, male

harmony In music, harmony is the concept of combining different sounds in order to create new, distinct musical ideas. Theories of harmony seek to describe or explain the effects created by distinct pitches or tones coinciding with one another; harm ...

vocals, blossom tree photo * Paul Banks – guitars, male harmony vocals, piano on "Starlings", back sleeve photo * Tom Gladwin – bass, male harmony vocals * Maxi – drums, percussion, male harmony vocals * Tim Wills – keyboards, additional acoustic guitars Additional musicians * Violeta Vicci – strings * Mary Pearce – backing vocals * Beverly Skeete – backing vocals * Rowetta – guest vocals on "In Ecstasy" * Laura McClure – guest vocals on "Tripping With You" * Peter Doherty – guest vocals on "Throwaways" Technical *

– production * Frank Arkwright – mastering *

Cenzo Townshend Vincenzo "Cenzo" Capellini Townshend (born 25 March 1963) is an English record producer, mixer, and audio engineer, and has worked with artists and bands including the Rolling Stones, a-ha, Kaiser Chiefs, U2, Snow Patrol, Florence and the Machi ...

– mixing * Michael Rendall –

engineering Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...

, string

arrangement In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orchestr ...

s * Rob Sellens – mixing assistance * Camden Clarke – mixing assistance * Elliot Verreux Debris – engineering assistance Visuals * Tommy Evans – artwork * Barnaby Fairley – photography

Charts

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Matter of Time, A 2024 albums Shed Seven albums Cooking Vinyl albums