''You're Not Alone'' is an EP by
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
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 September 18, 2020, it is the band's first collection of new material in 19 years following their hiatus after touring 2001's ''
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 ...
''. The EP was preceded by the release of its title track on June 26, 2020.
Background
Though largely inactive since 2001, Semisonic never broke up and over the years would still get together to play occasional shows that usually took place in their hometown of Minneapolis. However, despite lead singer and main songwriter
Dan Wilson's successful career as a songwriter and producer for the likes of
Dixie Chicks
The Chicks (formerly the Dixie Chicks) are an American country music band from Dallas, Texas. The band consists of Natalie Maines (lead vocals, guitar, bass guitar) and sisters Martie Maguire (vocals, fiddle, mandolin, guitar) and Emily Stra ...
and
Adele
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (; born 5 May 1988) is an English singer-songwriter. Regarded as a British cultural icon, icon, she is known for her mezzo-soprano vocals and sentimental songwriting. List of awards and nominations received by Adele, ...
and as a solo artist, he found it difficult to write new material that sounded like Semisonic.
It was when he met
Liam Gallagher
William John Paul Gallagher (born 21 September 1972) is an English singer and songwriter. He is the lead singer and co-founder of the rock band Oasis (band), Oasis and fronted the rock band Beady Eye from 2010 to 2014, before starting a succes ...
in 2017 with the prospect of writing songs for the former
Oasis
In ecology, an oasis (; : oases ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment[Beady Eye
Beady Eye were an English rock band formed in London in 2009 by former Oasis members Liam Gallagher (vocals), Gem Archer (guitar) and Andy Bell (guitar), and former Oasis touring musician Chris Sharrock (drums). The band was created when Oasi ...]
singer that Wilson found inspiration for Semisonic again. Though ultimately he and Gallagher did not work together, Wilson felt that the songs he set out to write for Gallagher were more suitable for Semisonic instead. Over the next two years, Wilson's bandmates
John Munson and
Jacob Slichter would record the new material during a couple of sessions at his house in Los Angeles.
In July 2019, Semisonic gave live debuts to the new songs "You’re Not Alone", "Basement Tapes" and "All It Would Take" at two shows they played in Milwaukee and Minneapolis. In between those two dates, the band also recorded the songs in a live session for
Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) is a public radio network for the state of Minnesota. With its three services, KNOW-FM, News & Information, KSJN, YourClassical MPR and KCMP, The Current, MPR operates a 46-station regional radio network in the upper ...
's ''The Current''. By the end of the year, Semisonic had finished mixing their new EP.
Singles
The EP's first single was its title track. Released on June 26, 2020, “You’re Not Alone” reached #14 on the AAA charts. Star Tribune music critic Chris Riemenschneider called it “as radio-ready as '
Closing Time,' the kind of hook-filled pop confection at which Wilson excels, with a stirring, consoling message for the current rocky times.”
Follow-up single “Basement Tapes” was released to radio on September 18, 2020, the same day as the EP release. Riemenschneider called it “a blazingly catchy and colorful rocker that could be about the nascent days of any rock band.”
Critical reception
Rolling Stone's review declared You're Not Alone “returns to the trio’s blend of winsome
melodies, power-chord guitars and largely angst-free lyrics.”
In the Minneapolis Star Tribune, music critic Chris Riemenschneider wrote, “The collection
sounds as timeless musically as it does right-on-time lyrically. . . Twenty-two years after
releasing “Closing Time,” Semisonic — like its trademark song — has endured and maybe
even grown in stature.”
On NPR’s New Music Friday, critic Ann Powers hailed the release. “The wonderful indie
band is back with their first music in nineteen years.”
Gwen Ihnat of The A.V. Club called out the release as one of five the outlet loved for the
week with the songwriting and vocal performances. “It seems that lightning can indeed strike
twice, even after almost 20 years.”
Track listing
References
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2020 EPs
Albums produced by Dan Wilson (musician)
Self-released EPs
Semisonic EPs