Jump to content

Big Swimmer

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Big Swimmer
Studio album by
King Hannah
Released31 May 2024 (2024-05-31)
Length49:44
LabelCity Slang
ProducerAli Chant
King Hannah chronology
I'm Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me
(2022) 		Big Swimmer
(2024)

Big Swimmer is the second studio album by King Hannah, an English music duo of Hannah Merrick and Craig Whittle.[1] It was released on 31 May 2024 through City Slang.[2] Sharon Van Etten provided guest vocals on the songs "Big Swimmer" and "This Wasn't Intentional".[2] The album received universal acclaim from critics.[3]

Background

[edit]

Hannah Merrick and Craig Whittle formed King Hannah in 2017.[4] The duo's debut studio album, I'm Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me, was released in 2022.[4] They then toured across the world, which would become a source of inspiration for their second studio album, Big Swimmer.[5] Ali Chant produced the album.[5] Sharon Van Etten provided guest vocals on the songs "Big Swimmer" and "This Wasn't Intentional".[5]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic81/100[3]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Exclaim!8/10[7]
The Line of Best Fit8/10[8]
Pitchfork6.9/10[9]
PopMatters8/10[10]
Under the Radar[11]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Big Swimmer received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 81 out of 100 from 8 critic scores.[3]

Marcy Donelson of AllMusic commented that "While Big Swimmer isn't especially hooky or melodic or cathartic, it is mesmerizing, and performed with an actor's command of an audience, a playwright's turn of phrase, and an expert sense of guitar tones -- as well as an enviable, intangible coolness."[6] Patrick Gill of PopMatters stated, "On Big Swimmer, King Hannah take another step forward in their songwriting and even production, which is of higher fidelity than previous records."[10] Andy Von Pip of Under the Radar called the album "a solidification of their oeuvre, brimming with confidence as Whittle's gritty, coruscating guitar riffs perfectly illuminate Merrick's often opaque yet playful poetic lyrics, often delivered with a laconic drawl."[11] He added, "The album boasts a widescreen musical style, executed with flair and panache."[11]

Accolades

[edit]
Year-end lists for Big Swimmer
Publication List Rank Ref.
Les Inrockuptibles 100 Best Albums of 2024
24
[12]
Magnet Top 25 Albums of 2024
20
[13]
Mondo Sonoro Best International Albums of 2024
9
[14]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Hannah Merrick and Craig Whittle..

Big Swimmer track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Big Swimmer" (featuring Sharon Van Etten)5:22
2."New York, Let's Do Nothing"3:22
3."The Mattress"4:45
4."Milk Boy (I Love You)"3:53
5."Suddenly, Your Hand"7:19
6."Somewhere Near El Paso"8:21
7."Lily Pad"3:33
8."Davey Says"2:47
9."Scully"1:35
10."This Wasn't Intentional" (featuring Sharon Van Etten)5:00
11."John Prine on the Radio"3:47
Total length:49:44

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from liner notes.[15]

  • Hannah Merrick – vocals (1–8, 10, 11), synthesizer (3), guitar (3, 5, 10), additional guitar (4)
  • Craig Whittle – guitar, vocals (2, 8, 11), synthesizer (2), piano (3, 5, 10, 11), keyboards (5)
  • Conor O'Shea – bass guitar, keyboards (1, 10, 11), piano (5)
  • Jake Lipiec – drums
  • Sharon Van Etten – vocal harmonies (1, 10)
  • Ted White – additional synthesizer (3, 7)
  • Ali Chant – additional guitar (4, 8), vibraphone (6, 10), production, recording, mixing
  • Niklas Lueger – engineering
  • Sarah Register – mastering

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Big Swimmer
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[16] 74
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[17] 63
Scottish Albums (OCC)[18] 92
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[19] 75
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[20] 69
UK Americana Albums (OCC)[21] 10
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[22] 13

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Von Pip, Andy (7 March 2024). "King Hannah Announces New Album, Share Title Track "Big Swimmer" (Feat. Sharon Van Etten)". Under the Radar. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  2. ^ a b Murray, Robin (7 March 2024). "King Hannah Announce New Album 'Big Swimmer'". Clash. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Big Swimmer by King Hannah Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  4. ^ a b Russell, Scott (25 February 2022). "King Hannah: The Best of What's Next". Paste. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Pearis, Bill (6 March 2024). "King Hannah announce new album 'Big Swimmer,' share title track ft Sharon Van Etten". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  6. ^ a b Donelson, Marcy. "Big Swimmer - King Hannah". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  7. ^ Thacker, Amanda (30 May 2024). "King Hannah Brave the Waves on 'Big Swimmer'". Exclaim!. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  8. ^ Amen, John (29 May 2024). "King Hannah cover substantial ground on Big Swimmer". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  9. ^ Jocelyn, Hannah (5 June 2024). "King Hannah: Big Swimmer". Pitchfork. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  10. ^ a b Gill, Patrick (10 June 2024). "King Hannah Deliver Another Satisfying Set of Songs". PopMatters. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  11. ^ a b c Von Pip, Andy (19 June 2024). "King Hannah: Big Swimmer (City Slang)". Under the Radar. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  12. ^ "Découvrez nos 100 meilleurs albums de 2024 (partie 4/4)". Les Inrockuptibles (in French). 26 November 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  13. ^ "MAGNET's Top 25 Albums Of 2024". Magnet. 20 December 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  14. ^ "Los mejores discos internacionales de 2024". Mondo Sonoro (in Spanish). 22 December 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  15. ^ King Hannah (2024). Big Swimmer (CD booklet). City Slang.
  16. ^ "Ultratop.be – King Hannah – Big Swimmer" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  17. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – King Hannah – Big Swimmer" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  18. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  19. ^ "Swisscharts.com – King Hannah – Big Swimmer". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  20. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  21. ^ "Official Americana Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  22. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Big_Swimmer&oldid=1285846759"