Veronica Falls (album)

History

In 2010, Veronica Falls released two singles - "Found Love in a Graveyard" and "Beachy Head" - on the American label Captured Tracks.

After releasing their first two singles, the band released their self-titled debut album in September 2011 on Slumberland Records in the United States and Bella Union in the European Union, to generally favorable reviews. The album was recorded with veteran producer Guy Fixsen. The album was followed by a single, "Bad Feeling", in August 2011.

Reception

Veronica Falls received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 76, based on 14 reviews, indicating "generally favourable reviews".

Allmusic writer Tim Sendra, gave a very positive review to the album and awarded it with 4 and half stars out of 5 and wrote: "The album sounds effortless and truly organic in the best sense of the word, like four people blending together to make one perfectly formed sound." Pitchfork was also positive on the album and scored it 7.7 out of 10 and noted: "There's a striking physicality to these songs, and Guy Fixsen and Ash Workman's production makes every tambourine beat hit with the clarity of a shattering window." Now magazine gave the album 4 stars out of 5 and said: "While the songs sound effortlessly crafted, there's a complexity to the melodies and structures that surprises on repeat listens." Dom Gourlay of Drowned in Sound praised the album and scored it 9 out of 10 and wrote: "For an album with no discernible weak links – we'll deduct a mark simply because half these songs were previously available – the final quarter is where Veronica Falls finds itself elevated alongside 2011's best." Consequence of Sound also gave a positive review to the album and gave it 3 and half stars out of 5 and said: "While this sense of restraint feels deliberate, it does raise hopes that the band will fully go off the deep end the next time around. Nevertheless, Veronica Falls is an overall engaging album of contrasts." Clash magazine was also positive on the album and commented: "Given time, it's enjoyably addictive" and scored it 7 out of 10. BBC music gave favourable review and said: "Despite the odd patch of fluffier filler, it's still filled with enough dark delights to send tingles up and down your spine." Jon Caramanica of The New York Times also gave a favourable review and noted: "The boy-girl harmonies on this album at least suggest the possibility of outside points of view, but really, Ms. Clifford's tension is everything."

The album also received some mixed reviews. One of them came from NME which gave the album 6 out of 10 and said: "Even if they're a hard band to fall in love with, this record is ridiculously easy to admire." The other one was from MusicOMH which gave it 3 stars out of 5 and wrote: "Veronica Falls have carved into a niche that will always have a small but loyal following which will baffle those on the outside. Newcomers would do well to do their homework first, and enjoy this debut with a thousand points of reference." The Guardian also gave a mixed review to the album and said: "For a group so in thrall to death, there's a surprising amount of life here."

The album was placed at number 6 in Rough Trade's best albums of 2011.

Tour Dates

Tour dates confirmed by the band official website

(*) These shows featured with Dum Dum Girls
(^) This show featured with Wild Flag

Personnel

Additional credits confirmed by Allmusic:

Sounding