'Akilotoa
ʻAkilotoa (subtitled Anthology 1994–2006) is the first greatest hits album by Australian vocal duo, Vika and Linda. The album is a two-disc, 28-track collection spanning 12 years from 1994 to 2006 and includes songs from five studio albums Vika and Linda, Princess Tabu, Two Wings, Love Is Mighty Close and Between Two Shores as well as live albums Live and Acoustic and Tell the Angels, a re-recorded version of "Down by the Jetty" and "Never Let Me Go" by The Black Sorrows.[1] The album debuted at number 1 on the ARIA Charts, earning the duo their first number one album.[2] In doing so, they became the first Australian sister duo to top the ARIA Albums Chart.[2]
| ʻAkilotoa | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Greatest hits album by | ||||
| Released | 12 June 2020 | |||
| Recorded | 1994–2006, 2020 | |||
| Label | Bloodlines | |||
| Vika and Linda chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
The title references their family heritage from Tonga. Vika Bull said "The title is pronounced exactly as it reads [and] it has lots of different meaning in Tongan. It actually means 'cascading' in the Tongan dictionary."[3] About the album's release, the duo said "It's like a little stepping stone before we go into the next part of our career. It was always on the back burner. We had productive years and then there's been a bit of a gap. Before we do a new record we want to acknowledge the past and then we can move on. We are proud of it."[3]
Release and promotion
To coincide with the release, Vika and Linda hosted a virtual album launch with a live performance and question and answer with Brian Nankervis, which was live-streamed on their Facebook page on 21 June 2020.[1][4]
Critical reception
Zoë Radas from Stack Magazine wrote: "The voices of Vika and Linda Bull have marinaded our ears in gorgeous sound waves for almost four decades" describing their sound as "unique, supple, and always bursting with spirit."[5]
Kathy McCabe from Perth Now felt that "You forget just how many great songs they have until you run down the track list. Their regular appearances at festivals in the past decade coupled with their new social media fandom, has given their audience a generational refresh."[4]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Album | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hard Love" | Paul Kelly | Vika and Linda | 4:41 |
| 2. | "When Will You Fall for Me" | Mark Seymour | Vika and Linda | 3:47 |
| 3. | "House of Love" | Wayne Burt | Vika and Linda | 4:12 |
| 4. | "We've Started a Fire" | Kelly | Vika and Linda | 5:06 |
| 5. | "Sacred Things" |
| Vika and Linda | 3:32 |
| 6. | "Ninety-Nine Years" |
| Vika and Linda | 3:57 |
| 7. | "I Know Where to Go to Feel Good" | Kelly | Vika and Linda | 5:03 |
| 8. | "The Blue Hour" | Vika and Linda | 4:55 | |
| 9. | "The Parting Song" |
| Princess Tabu | 4:01 |
| 10. | "Grandpa's Song" |
| Princess Tabu | 4:39 |
| 11. | "Princess Tabu" |
| Princess Tabu | 3:56 |
| 12. | "ʻAkilotoa" |
| Princess Tabu | 3:54 |
| 13. | "I'm On My Way" |
| Two Wings | 4:54 |
| 14. | "Be Careful What You Pray For" | Kelly | Two Wings | 3:33 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Album | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "God's Little Birds" | Ola Mae Terrell | Two Wings | 2:41 |
| 2. | "Reach for You" | Archie Roach | Two Wings | 3:02 |
| 3. | "If I Could Start Today Again" | Kelly | Two Wings | 2:55 |
| 4. | "Feeling Good" | Two Wings | 3:19 | |
| 5. | "Two Wings" (live) |
| Live & Acoustic | 3:22 |
| 6. | "Love is Mighty Close" |
| Love Is Mighty Close | 4:08 |
| 7. | "To Be Good Takes a Long Time (To Be Bad No Time at All)" | Kelly | Love Is Mighty Close | 2:41 |
| 8. | "Slow Train" (live) | Tell the Angels | 4:41 | |
| 9. | "Who Rolled the Stone Away" (live) |
| Tell the Angels | 3:21 |
| 10. | "Tell the Angels" (live) | W. Herbert Brewster | Tell the Angels | 4:34 |
| 11. | "Holy Waters" (acoustic) | Cyndi Boste | Between Two Shores | 5:19 |
| 12. | "Love Comes Easy" (acoustic) |
| Between Two Shores | 3:29 |
| 13. | "Down on the Jetty" |
| rerecorded in 2020, originally on The Merri Soul Sessions | 3:08 |
| 14. | "Never Let Me Go" (The Black Sorrows) (CD bonus track) |
| Harley and Rose | 4:03 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Label | Catalogue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 12 June 2020 | Bloodlines | BLOOD73 |
References
- "Vika and Linda release best-of 1994-2006 anthology Akilotoa". NME. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- "Debut 1 Album for Vika and Linda". ARIA. 20 June 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- "Vika and Linda Are About to Start Their First Studio Album in 14 Years". Noise11. 17 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
- "Magical Sibling Harmonies of Vika and Linda Bull Get the Spotlight on New Anthology Collection". Perth Now. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- "The sonic savvy of Vika & Linda Bull (and their delightfully '90s first clip)". Stack Magazine. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- "Australiancharts.com – Vika & Linda – 'Akilatoa - Anthology 1994-2006". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 July 2020.