Shake the Spirit

Shake the Spirit
Studio album by
Elle King
ReleasedOctober 19, 2018 (2018-10-19)
Length50:28
LabelRCA Records
Producer
Elle King chronology
Love Stuff
(2015) 		Shake the Spirit
(2018) 		Come Get Your Wife
(2023)
Singles from Shake the Spirit
  1. "Shame"
    Released: August 10, 2018
  2. "Baby Outlaw"
    Released: December 4, 2018

Shake the Spirit is the second studio album by American singer Elle King, released on October 19, 2018 by RCA Records.[1] It was recorded in Denton, Texas.[2]

Commercially, Shake the Spirit peaked at No. 9 on the US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) and No. 6 on the US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard).

Upon the album's release it received critical acclaim from music critics. Many stated since King's global success with "Ex's and Oh's" it proves that she has much more to offer, stating it is infused with "divorce, self-doubt, medicinal drinking, and PTSD," all of which King suffered in her personal life after being in the spotlight.

Music

[edit]

Variety described Shake the Spirit as "confessional rock and roll".[1] Billboard said it is "a cathartic, rough-edged diary entry of a project that couldn't be more personal".[2]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic76/100[3]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Paste6.5/10[5]

Chris Willman of Variety called the album "a first-rate second album that deals frankly with a rough year or two the singer has had since "Ex's and Oh's" took her big-time. It's infused with divorce, self-doubt, medicinal drinking, PTSD and, well, more divorce."[1] Eric R. Danton of Paste said the album "plays like a kind of musical revue, with nods at muscular rock, old-school spy movie songs, vintage soul, '60s girl groups and tunes that blend elements of all four", but that they do not "hang together as a group, which gives Shake the Spirit a scattershot feel. It's an Elle King album, to be sure—her voice is what stitches these songs together, though what is probably supposed to be evidence of her range often feels like she's trying on musical costumes. The result is a lack of cohesion that turns Shake the Spirit into a series of genre exercises."[5]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Talk of the Town"
  • King
  • DeVincenzo
3:36
2."Baby Outlaw"
Kurstin3:19
3."Shame"
  • Pagnotta
  • Brian Phillips (co.)
2:39
4."Man's Man"
  • King
  • Rebecca Lovell
  • Megan Lovell
2:48
5."Naturally Pretty Girls"
  • King
  • Ben Gibbard
King3:13
6."Told You So"KingKing2:39
7."Good Thing Gone"
  • King
  • McClellan
  • DeVincenzo
  • Scalia
  • Jesse Gibbon
  • King
  • Pence
4:52
8."Runaway"
  • King
  • Kurstin
Kurstin4:26
9."It Girl"
  • King
  • McClellan
  • DeVincenzo
  • Scalia
  • Neal
  • Gibbon
  • Jason Frederick
  • King
  • Pence
3:42
10."Ram Jam"
  • King
  • McClellan
  • DeVincenzo
  • Scalia
  • King
  • Pence
4:06
11."Sober"
  • King
  • McClellan
  • DeVincenzo
  • Scalia
  • Neal
  • Gibbon
  • R. Lovell
  • M. Lovell
  • Elliott Jacobsen
  • King
  • Pence
4:25
12."Chained" (featuring Cameron Neal)
  • King
  • Neal
  • King
  • Pence
4:10
13."Little Bit of Lovin'"King
  • King
  • Pence
6:33
Total length:50:28

Personnel

[edit]

Adapted credits from the liner notes of Shake the Spirit.[6]

Vocals
  • Lead vocals – Elle King, Cameron Neal
  • Background vocals – Denton Choir, Paul DeVincenzo, Jesse Gibbon, Joey McClellan, Cameron Neal, Cherish Robinson, Dave Scalia
  • Gang vocals – Tim Pagnotta, Brian Phillips
Instruments
  • Alto, Tenor, Flute and Clarinet – David Monsch
  • Bari Sax – Mike Morisson
  • Bass – Paul DeVincenzo, Elle King, Greg Kurstin, Brian Phillips, Paul Unger
  • Cellos – Shawna Hamilton, Buffi Jacobs
  • Drums and percussion – Elliott Jacobson, Elle King, Greg Kurstin, Dave Scalia
  • Guitars – Elle King, Greg Kurstin, Rebecca Lovell, Joey McClellan, Cameron Neal, Tim Pagnotta
  • Keyboards – Jesse Gibbon, Brian Phillips
  • Lap Steel – Elle King, Megan Lovell
  • Trombone – David J. Piere
  • Violins – Catherine Price Allain, Anne Bonnett, Arthur Busby, Ordabek Duissen, Steven Li, Amy Faires Lin, Swang Lin (Concertmaster), Florence Wang
Production
Imagery
  • Art director – Meghan Foley
  • Creative producer – Tyler Morgan
  • Hair – Marwa Basihr
  • Makeup – Michelle Clark
  • Photography – Dennis Leupold
  • Stylists – Dani + Emma

Charts

[edit]
Chart (2018) Peak
position
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[7] 67
Scottish Albums (OCC)[8] 47
US Billboard 200[9] 68
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[10] 6
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[11] 9

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Willman, Chris (October 21, 2018). "Elle King Takes Candor to an Extreme in 'Shake the Spirit' Album". Variety. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Cirisano, Tatiana (September 28, 2018). "How Elle King Bounced Back From An 'Earth-Shattering' Year For Her Most Vulnerable Album Yet". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  3. ^ "Shake the Spirit by Elle King Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  4. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Shake the Spirit – Elle King | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  5. ^ a b Danton, Eric R (October 17, 2018). "Elle King: Shake The Spirit Review". Paste. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  6. ^ Shake the Spirit (liner notes). Elle King. RCA. 2018. 19075-88310-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ "Elle King Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  8. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  9. ^ "Elle King Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  10. ^ "Elle King Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  11. ^ "Elle King Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
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