What We Say in Private
| What We Say in Private | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 19, 2019 | |||
| Genre | Indie rock | |||
| Length | 37:52 | |||
| Label | Saddle Creek | |||
| Producer |
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| Ada Lea chronology | ||||
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What We Say in Private is the debut full-length studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Ada Lea. It was released on July 19, 2019 through Saddle Creek Records. Production was handled by Lea together with Tim Gowdy.
Critical reception
[edit]| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 7.6/10[1] |
| Metacritic | 82/100[2] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Clash | 7/10[3] |
| Exclaim! | 8/10[4] |
| God Is in the TV | 8/10[5] |
| Loud and Quiet | 7/10[6] |
| Paste | 6.8/10[7] |
| Pitchfork | 7.3/10[8] |
| The Irish Times |   [9] |
| The Line of Best Fit | 9/10[10] |
| The Skinny | [11] |
| Under the Radar |  [12] |
What We Say in Private was met with universal acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 82 based on ten reviews.[2] The aggregator AnyDecentMusic? has the critical consensus of the album at a 7.6 out of 10, based on fifteen reviews.[1]
Bethany Davison of The Skinny praised the album with perfect five-out-of-five stars rating, stating: "by welcoming the world into her record, Alexandra Levy has created something much more whole and warm than perhaps it might have been".[11] Steven Loftin of The Line of Best Fit declared: "not a single moment is out of place. Everything is crafted to induce a reaction. ... Ada Lea has a musical mind that pushes so much further than just some melodies and words".[10] Laura Stanley of Exclaim! noted: "Ada Lea's workmanship is striking on what we say in private, as she delicately showcases both the chaos and beauty of change".[4] Trev Elkin of God Is in the TV called it "a remarkably engaging debut, one that keeps giving up its secrets on every listen".[5] Margaret Farrell of Pitchfork wrote: "Ada Lea vacillates between timidity and aggression, are what make what we say in private so exciting. But it's Levy's willingness to wrestle with her own vulnerability that leads the album to its highest peaks".[8] Erin Bashford of Clash resumed: "each song presents itself as a story-in-miniature; a perfectly crafted beginning, middle, end (albeit sometimes the artistry of the track makes the listening experience more middle, end, beginning)".[3] Susan Darlington of Loud and Quiet determined: "initially conceived as a concept record of two distinct sides, itis also infused with breezy colour".[6] Eric R. Danton of Paste wrote: "songs like '180 Days' and 'The Party' are stand-outs, but some of the other tracks can blend together unobtrusively enough that they go scrolling by without commanding your full attention, not memorable enough to make a lasting impact. That could be a testament to their subtlety, though it's more likely a sign of an artist with vast potential who is still growing into her talent".[7] Stephen Mayne of Under the Radar stated: "songs rise and sink, her guitar sounds clearly, volume changes, uncertainty reigns, transcended by moments of beauty that disintegrate on contact with brutal lyrics drawn from a journal Levy poured her feelings into".[12] Zara Hedderman of The Irish Times concluded: "on this charming debut, Ada Lea embraces past sadness through a knowing smile, assured that everything will be all right".[9]
Track listing
[edit]All tracks are written by Alexandra Levy.
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mercury" |
| 4:41 |
| 2. | "Wild Heart" |
| 3:58 |
| 3. | "The Party" |
| 2:55 |
| 4. | "For Real Now (Not Pretend)" |
| 4:34 |
| 5. | "Just One, Please" | Ada Lea | 1:52 |
| 6. | "What Makes Me Sad" |
| 3:22 |
| 7. | "The Dancer" |
| 5:08 |
| 8. | "Yanking the Pearls Off Around My Neck…" | Ada Lea | 3:29 |
| 9. | "180 Days" |
| 3:50 |
| 10. | "Easy" |
| 4:03 |
| Total length: | 37:52 | ||
Personnel
[edit]- Alexandra "Ada Lea" Levy — lyrics, producer, recording (track 5)
- Tim Gowdy — producer & recording (tracks: 1–4, 6, 7, 9, 10)
- Harris Gilbertshper — recording (track 8)
- Heba Kadry — mastering
- Monse Muro — photography
- Catherine Pelletier — design
References
[edit]- ^ a b "What We Say In Private by Ada Lea reviews | Any Decent Music". anydecentmusic.com. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ a b "Critic Reviews for What We Say in Private - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ a b Bashford, Erin (July 19, 2019). "Ada Lea - what we say in private". CLASH. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ a b Stanley, Laura (July 16, 2019). "Ada Lea │ what we say in private". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ a b Elkin, Trev (July 22, 2019). "Ada Lea - What We Say In Private (Saddle Creek) - God Is In The TV". God Is in the TV. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ a b Darlington, Susan (July 17, 2019). "Ada Lea - What We Say In Private - Album review". Loud And Quiet. No. 135. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ a b Danton, Eric R. (July 18, 2019). "Ada Lea: What We Say in Private". Paste Magazine. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ a b Farrell, Margaret (July 17, 2019). "Ada Lea: what we say in private". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ a b Hedderman, Zara (July 26, 2019). "Ada Lea: What We Say in Private review – facing sadness with a knowing smile". The Irish Times. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ a b Loftin, Steven (July 15, 2019). "Ada Lea makes the private feel universal on debut LP". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ a b Davison, Bethany (July 15, 2019). "Ada Lea album review: what we say in private - The Skinny". The Skinny. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ a b Mayne, Stephen (August 12, 2019). "what we say in private". Under The Radar. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
External links
[edit]- What We Say In Private at Discogs (list of releases)