Jessica Pratt (album)

Jessica Pratt
Studio album by
Jessica Pratt
ReleasedNovember 6, 2012
Recorded2007
GenreFolk
Length40:58
LabelBirth
ProducerCraig Gotsill
Jessica Pratt chronology
Jessica Pratt
(2012) 		On Your Own Love Again
(2015)
Singles from Jessica Pratt
  1. "Night Faces"
    Released: November 1, 2012

Jessica Pratt is the debut studio album by American folk singer-songwriter Jessica Pratt. It was released on November 6, 2012[1] through Darker My Love guitarist Tim Presley's record label, Birth Records. Produced by Craig Gotsill, the album features the songs that were originally recorded in 2007 over analogue tape.[2]

It was preceded by a single, Night Faces, which was released online on November 1[3] and was well received by Pitchfork, who called in "pure and radiant folk poetry that's commanding even at its most whispered moments".[4] The initial 500 pressings of the album sold out in less than two weeks.[5] It received attention from many music websites and magazines, including Pitchfork,[6] Consequence of Sound[7] and PopMatters.[8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic78/100[9]
Review scores
SourceRating
ConsequenceB[7]
Pitchfork7.5/10[6]
PopMatters6/10[8]

Upon its release, Jessica Pratt received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 78, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", based on 7 reviews.[9] James Reed of The Boston Globe though that "the album brings to mind the homespun intimacy of Sibylle Baier’s “Colour Green” and Karen Dalton’s world-weary take on folk blues," while describing the songs on the album as "quiet gems cradled in the rudimentary but delicate fingerpicking of her acoustic guitar."[10] Consequence of Sound critic Philips Cosores wrote: "Pratt has provided for herself a successful introduction to the world, where her unpredictable melodies and vocal tics proudly display strengths and weaknesses with unwavering confidence, reminding of the potential contained in minimal production and instrumentation."[7] Nevertheless, PopMatters critic Elias Leight was more mixed in his review, writing: "Sometimes Pratt’s nervousness about being looped into a scene extends to her album’s production. Some songs are cloaked in hissing tape, and her lyrics can be difficult to make out."[8]

Track listing

All songs written and performed by Jessica Pratt.

  1. "Night Faces" – 4:08
  2. "Hollywood" – 3:27
  3. "Bushel Hyde" – 4:10
  4. "Mountain'r Lower" – 3:18
  5. "Half Twain the Jesse" – 5:24
  6. "Casper" – 4:26
  7. "Midnight Wheels" – 3:19
  8. "Mother Big River" – 4:19
  9. "Streets of Mine" – 2:43
  10. "Titles Under Pressure" – 2:33
  11. "Dreams" – 3:11

Personnel

  • Jessica Pratt – writing, performance, insert artwork
  • Tim Presley – artwork, layout
  • Craig Gotsill – production

References

  1. ^ "Jessica Pratt - "Jessica Pratt"". music.apple.com. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  2. ^ Pickard, Joshua (December 20, 2012). "Interview: Jessica Pratt". Beats Per Minute.
  3. ^ Singh, Amrit (November 2012). "Jessica Pratt - "Night Faces", November 1, 2012". Stereogum.com. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  4. ^ Pelly, Jenn. "Tracks: Jessica Pratt - "Night Faces", October 30, 2012". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  5. ^ Bravo, Amber (November 20, 2012). "Interview: Jessica Pratt". The Fader. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  6. ^ a b Zoladz, Lindsay (November 20, 2012). "Jessica Pratt - Jessica Pratt". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  7. ^ a b c Cosores, Phillip (November 27, 2012). "Album Review: Jessica Pratt – Jessica Pratt". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  8. ^ a b c Leight, Elias (July 16, 2013). "Jessica Pratt: Jessica Pratt". PopMatters. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  9. ^ a b "Jessica Pratt - Jessica Pratt". Metacritic. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  10. ^ Reed, James (December 18, 2012). "Jessica Pratt's self-titled album echoes an era past". The Boston Globe. Retrieved July 15, 2015.