songs and instrumentals
by Adrianne Lenker
  • Record Label: 4AD
  • Release Date: Oct 23, 2020
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 31 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 31
  3. Negative: 1 out of 31
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. ConnorBruce
    Nov 2, 2020
    10
    Painstakingly beautiful, Adrianne's song writing is vivid as she hones in a journey through grief and love.
  2. Ricko
    Feb 15, 2021
    8
    Not everyone sees it but for me, Adrianne Lenker is one of the great talents to appear over the last 5 years. She has put out 4 albums with "Big Thief" plus a few solo albums to boot. Prolific but also brilliant. This is her lockdown album simply called "songs" with an accompanying disc called "instrumentals". "songs" is as suitable a title you could come up with. Recorded in a cabin inNot everyone sees it but for me, Adrianne Lenker is one of the great talents to appear over the last 5 years. She has put out 4 albums with "Big Thief" plus a few solo albums to boot. Prolific but also brilliant. This is her lockdown album simply called "songs" with an accompanying disc called "instrumentals". "songs" is as suitable a title you could come up with. Recorded in a cabin in the mountains of Massachusetts, the album is a lo fi affair with no studio production. All the polish on the songs comes directly from deep within Lenker. Her soft, sometimes brittle vocals gently layered upon elegant finger picked guitar. On the surface, this is folk music but it is coming from such a deep place it is of a mysterious and achingly beautiful nature. At times, it is heartbreaking but it is never depressing. Lenker… Expand
  3. Lajaleaa
    Mar 17, 2021
    8
    ( 88/100 )

    En el 2019 aprendí que no podría disfrutar ni un poco a Big Thief. Con música aburrida y realmente invisible, abandoné cualquier intención de crear algún gusto por su música. A Lenker la escuché en "abysskiss" del 2018 y se me hizo normal, ni siquiera decente. Después de esos proyectos, la flojera de escuchar "songs" e "instrumentals" fue enorme. No sé de donde saqué las    ( 88/100 )

    En el 2019 aprendí que no podría disfrutar ni un poco a Big Thief. Con música aburrida y realmente invisible, abandoné cualquier intención de crear algún gusto por su música. A Lenker la escuché en "abysskiss" del 2018 y se me hizo normal, ni siquiera decente. Después de esos proyectos, la flojera de escuchar "songs" e "instrumentals" fue enorme. No sé de donde saqué las ganas de visitar estos proyectos pero ahora lo agradezco demasiado. Producido junto a Phil Weinrobe, "songs" es una delicia y belleza. Muy inmediatamente hay una luz delicada que penetra fuertemente en el alma del público. Con amables letras sobre la incertidumbre del amor y decidir disfrutar el romance que ahora florecen, cuidarlo y fortalecerlo, este álbum cura y acompaña las tristezas más arraigadas del corazón. Simplemente hay una increíble sensación de planitud difícil de describir que salvará vidas. Por favor escuchen estos proyectos.
    -
    In 2019 I learned that I would not be able to enjoy Big Thief. Not even a little. With boring and really invisible music, I give up any intention of having any taste for their music.
    I heard Lenker in "abysskiss" of 2018 and I thought she was normal, not even decent. After those projects, the laziness of hearing "songs" and "instrumentals" was huge. I don't know from where I took the energy to visit these projects but know I can not be more grateful. Produced with Phil Weinrobe, "songs" es a delight and a beauty. Very immediately, there is a delicate light that penetrates strongly in the soul of the public. With kind lyrics about the uncertainty of love and choosing to enjoy the romance the flourishes at the moment, take care of it, and strengthen it, this album heals and partners the most ingrained sadness of the heart. There is simply an incredible, hard to describe, sensation of fulfillment that will save lives. Please hear this.    … Expand
  4. All_ButTrU4
    Feb 12, 2022
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. song sounds like memories passing through your head as you fall asleep. it's so simple without being boring or generic. Her lyrics darker and mire profound tgen ever before. The sequencing is immaculate and the singles so telling of the overall sound. She navigates nostalgia, loss and heartbreak expertly that they begin to feel the same. My favorites:half return,anything, zombie girl.… Expand
  5. Melisa0210
    Nov 10, 2020
    4
    La cancion de Adrianne es hermosa pero el resto deja mucho que desear, un trabajo regular.
  6. N4thanC0re
    Nov 3, 2020
    10
    goes harder than a boner
    HARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARDHARD
  7. letsrock
    Jun 19, 2021
    10
    The prettiest album of 2020. A perfect marriage of a musical heart and a love of nature. When I hear that an album was recorded in a cabin in the woods, I should hope it sounds like this!
  8. shaneyboy
    Mar 15, 2022
    9
    A beautiful collection of songs, which contains some of my favourite songs released within the last decade.

Awards & Rankings

71
#71 Best Album of 2020

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Universal acclaim - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. Paste Magazine
    Nov 19, 2020
    86
    These tracks are among Lenker’s most striking and emotionally nuanced. While it lacks the musical dynamism of abysskiss, songs’ lyrics are more potent and detailed.
    Read full review
  2. Rolling Stone
    Oct 30, 2020
    80
    Painful memories are twirling around in Lenker’s head on Songs. It’s an album that lives up to it’s name by capturing the basic, natural truth of her art.
    Read full review
  3. Clash Music
    Oct 28, 2020
    80
    The sparse palette - Lenker’s acoustic, incidental percussion, reassuring tape hiss - serves to isolate the quiet brilliance of the melodies, setting their winding, spontaneous beauty against angst that spans existential questioning and the nuts and bolts of severing ties with someone you care about.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »