Hope (Palace Songs EP)

Hope
EP by
Palace Songs
Released1994
RecordedChicago, IL, London, England
GenreFolk rock
Length20:21
LabelDrag City
DC57 (US, miniLP, CD)[1]
Domino
WIG LP18 (UK, miniLP)
WIG CD18 (UK, CD)
ProducerSean O'Hagan[2]
Will Oldham[3]
Palace Songs chronology
An Arrow Through the Bitch
(1994) 		Hope
(1994) 		The Mountain
(1994)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Robert Christgau(dud)[5]
Drowned in Sound7/10[6]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[3]
New Musical Express6/10[7]
Spin Alternative Record Guide8/10[8]

Hope is an EP by Palace Songs.[9] It was released in 1994 through Drag City Records.[10] The title "Agnes, Queen of Sorrow" is a reference to the short story "Jane Sinclair; or, the Fawn of Springvale" by 19th century author William Carleton.

Critical reception

AllMusic wrote that "given a rich, reliable musical backing on Hope, Oldham is free to wander without hindering the songs."[4] Trouser Press wrote that "the fuller tone of these songs, colored to a great degree by Liam Hayes’ Hammond organ, is reminiscent of Dylan’s initial Nashville forays — particularly the hypnotic 'Agnes, Queen of Sorrow.'"[11] The Spin Alternative Record Guide wrote that Oldham "hones the edge between uncertainty and beauty."[8]

Track listing

  1. "Agnes, Queen of Sorrow" – 4:05
  2. "Untitled" – 2:23
  3. "Winter Lady" (Leonard Cohen) – 2:42
  4. "Christmastime in the Mountains" – 1:38
  5. "All Gone, All Gone" – 4:52
  6. "Werner's Last Blues to Blokbuster" – 4:41

Personnel

References

  1. ^ "Palace Music - Hope | Drag City". www.dragcity.com.
  2. ^ "Palace – Reissues: There is No One What Will Take Care Of You, Palace Brothers a.k.a. Days In The Wake, Hope, Lost Blues And Other Songs, Viva Last Blues". The Line of Best Fit.
  3. ^ a b MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 853.
  4. ^ a b "Hope - Palace Songs | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  5. ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: Palace Songs". www.robertchristgau.com.
  6. ^ "Album Review: Palace Brothers, Palace Music - Palace Re-issues". DrownedInSound. Archived from the original on 2021-01-26. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  7. ^ Robinson, John (17 December 1994). "Palace Songs: Hope". New Musical Express. p. 31.
  8. ^ a b Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 373–374.
  9. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 388.
  10. ^ Bowers, William (June 15, 2007). "Puritan Blister #27". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  11. ^ "Palace Brothers". Trouser Press. Retrieved 8 December 2020.