Flood (Stella Donnelly album)

Flood is the second studio album by Welsh-Australian musician Stella Donnelly, released on 26 August 2022 by Secretly Canadian. It was written while travelling around Australia before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, with its lyricism a product of "hard months of introspection, and a lot of transition". Flood was supported by three singles and an international tour from September 2022 until April 2023.

Flood
Studio album by
Stella Donnelly
Released26 August 2022
Recorded2021
Studio
GenreIndie rock
Length38:54
LabelSecretly Canadian
Producer
  • Stella Donnelly
  • Jake Webb
  • Anna Laverty
Stella Donnelly chronology
Beware of the Dogs
(2019)		 Flood
(2022)
Singles from Flood
  1. "Lungs"
    Released: 10 May 2022[1]
  2. "Flood"
    Released: 21 June 2022[2]
  3. "How Was Your Day?"
    Released: 3 August 2022[3]

The album received critical acclaim and peaked at number 29 on the ARIA albums chart. In 2023, Flood was shortlisted for the Welsh Music Prize.[4]

Background

Following the success of her 2019 debut studio album Beware of the Dogs, Donnelly moved around the country amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote as much as 43 songs during the travel.[5] She became obsessed with birdwatching and became an ambassador for BirdLife Australia in 2021.[6]

Flood is described by Donnelly as the product of "months of risky experimentation, hard months of introspection, and a lot of transition". The songwriting is set to involve discussion of “relationships, be them familial, romantic or platonic”, with the artist explaining her interest in "observing human dynamics".[5]

Release and promotion

Singles

On 10 May 2022, Donnelly premiered lead single "Lungs" live on Triple J, and announced the release date for Flood of 26 August 2022.[7] A music video for the song was also released, directed by herself and Duncan Wright.[8] The title track "Flood" was released as the second single on 21 June 2022.[9] Third single "How Was Your Day?" was released on 3 August 2022.[10]

Tour

Donnelly embarked on the Flood World Tour on 11 September 2022, but performed two legs around Europe prior, supporting Australian band Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever on their tour for 26 shows. The first leg of the Flood World Tour consisted of 14 shows in North America from September to October.[11] She travelled to the United Kingdom and Ireland to perform nine shows in November, and then seven across Europe.[12] Donnelly then played five shows in Japan and Seoul from November to December 2022.[13]

Beginning in February 2023, the Australian leg of the tour had a number of shows in New South Wales cancelled due to medical issues.[14] She concluded the tour on 1 April 2023 in Margaret River, Western Australia, having completed almost 70 shows in total.[15]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic79/100[16]
Review scores
SourceRating
The Guardian[17]
And It Don't StopA–[18]
The Line of Best Fit9/10[19]
Paste8.2/10[20]
Pitchfork7.7/10[21]
NME[22]

According to Metacritic, Flood has received "generally favourable reviews".[23] Laura Snapes of Pitchfork praised the album for exploring "how we seek and create safety, which she essays with captivating tenderness".[21] Rhian Daly of NME, in a four-star review, called it a "beautiful, thought-provoking" album, containing "soft, lush pieces that deep-dive into life’s everyday moments and turn them into something extraordinary".[22] Writing for The Guardian, Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen called Flood "awash with vivid imagery", "deeply personal" and wrote "while Flood is overall darker than the musician’s past work, there’s still a lot of joy to be found".[17]

List of appearances on year-end lists
Publication List Rank Ref.
Far Out 50 Best Albums of 2022
38
 [24]
Gigwise 51 Best Albums of 2022
33
 [25]
Under the Radar 100 Best Albums of 2022
20
 [26]

Track listing

All tracks written by Stella Donnelly; "Move Me" co-written by Joe Russo. All tracks produced by Donnelly and Anna Laverty, unless otherwise noted.

Flood track listing
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Lungs"
  • Stella Donnelly
  • Jake Webb
3:31
2."How Was Your Day?" 2:32
3."Restricted Account" 4:08
4."Underwater" 4:57
5."Medals" 4:05
6."Move Me" 3:07
7."Flood"Donnelly3:43
8."This Week" 2:52
9."Oh My My My" 3:13
10."Morning Silence"Donnelly2:10
11."Cold"
  • Donnelly
  • Webb
4:36
Total length:38:54

Personnel

Musicians

  • Stella Donnelly – vocals, piano (tracks 1, 4, 6-8, 10), synth (tracks 1, 8, 9), guitar (tracks 2, 3, 5, 9, 10), lap steel (track 2), xylophone (tracks 3, 9), writing, producer
  • Jack Arnett – saxophone (track 5)
  • Jeniffer Aslett – bass (tracks 1–8, 11), backing vocals (tracks 5-7)
  • George Foster – piano (tracks 1, 3, 9), guitar (tracks 2-5, 7, 10), acoustic guitar (track 6), backing vocals (tracks 2, 5-7), drums (track 3)
  • Jack Gaby – guitar (tracks 1, 6, 9), piano (tracks 2, 5), backing vocals (tracks 2, 4-7), synth (tracks 5, 7, 10), lap steel (track 6), drum machine (track 8)
  • Broderick Madden-Scott – backing vocals (tracks 6, 7)
  • Joe Russo – writing (track 6)
  • Thom Stewart – backing vocals (tracks 2, 8, 9)
  • Marcel Tussie – drums and percussion (tracks 1, 2, 5-8, 11), backing vocals (track 2)
  • Julia Wallace – fluegelhorn (tracks 3, 5, 6, 8, 9), backing vocals (tracks 6, 7)
  • Jake Webb – guitar (track 10)

Technical

  • Jack Arnett – studio assistant (tracks 2-5)
  • Anna Laverty – producer (tracks 2-6, 8, 9)
  • Broderick Madden-Scott – engineer (tracks 1, 2, 6, 7, 11)
  • Lesse Marhaug – mixing
  • Stephan Mathieu – mastering
  • Jordan Shakespeare – studio assistant (tracks 2-5)
  • Jake Webb – producer (tracks 1, 11)

Promotional

  • Emma Daisy – photography
  • Tom Hunt – artwork photography
  • Miles Johnson – cover art
  • Olivia Senior – photography

Charts
Chart performance for Flood
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[27] 29
Scottish Albums (OCC)[28] 56
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[29] 13

Release history
Release history and formats for Flood
Region Date Format Catalogue Label Ref.
Various 26 August 2022
Not applicable Secretly Canadian [30][31]
Australia
SC432 [32][33]
Various 9 September 2022

References
  1. Robinson, Ellie (11 May 2022). "Stella Donnelly says new song 'Lungs' was inspired by dance music, Methyl Ethel and the Banded Stilt". NME. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  2. Newstead, Al (22 June 2022). "First Play: Stella Donnelly's 'Flood' takes you on a "sad little adventure"". Triple J. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  3. Disalvo, Tom (4 August 2022). "Listen to Stella Donnelly's new single, 'How Was Your Day?'". NME. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  4. Stickler, Jon (11 September 2023). "CVC, John Cale, H. Hawkline And Stella Donnelly Among Names On Welsh Music Prize Shortlist". Stereoboard. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  5. Skinner, Tom (2022-05-10). "Stella Donnelly announces second album 'Flood' and shares new single 'Lungs'". NME. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
  6. Donnelly, Stella (13 December 2021). "I'm just putting this out there, I love birds so much. When touring is a thing again for me..." Twitter. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
  7. Newstead, Al (2022-05-10). "Stella Donnelly returns with 'Lungs', talks up second album Flood". triple j. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
  8. Stella Donnelly – Lungs (Official Video), retrieved 2022-06-05
  9. "Stella Donnelly Shares New Song "Flood": Listen". Stereogum. 2022-06-21. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  10. How Was Your Day?, 2022-08-03, retrieved 2022-08-03
  11. Russell, Scott (2022-05-10). "Stella Donnelly Announces New Album Flood, Shares "Lungs" Video". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
  12. Misker, Evan (10 May 2022). "Stella Donnelly Announces New Album Flood and Tour, Shares Song". Pitchfork. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  13. Balfe, Patrick (8 November 2022). "Stella Donnelly Interview". Metropolis Japan. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  14. Newstead, Al (1 November 2022). "Stella Donnelly announces 2023 Australian tour". Triple J. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  15. Gallagher, Alex (1 November 2022). "Stella Donnelly announces 2023 Australian tour". NME. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  16. Metacritic. "Flood by Stella Donnelly Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  17. "Stella Donnelly: Flood review – dextrous songs and whip-smart lyrics reward a closer listen". the Guardian. 2022-08-25. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  18. Christgau, Robert (November 9, 2022). "Consumer Guide: November, 2022". And It Don't Stop. Substack. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
  19. Horton, Ross. "Stella Donnelly - Flood". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  20. Mitchell, Matt (24 August 2022). "Stella Donnelly's Flood Wades Through an Ocean of Revelation". Paste. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  21. "Stella Donnelly: Flood". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  22. Daly, Rhian (2022-08-26). "Stella Donnelly – 'Flood' review: sharp, sensitive tales from a masterful storyteller". NME. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  23. Flood by Stella Donnelly, retrieved 2022-09-27
  24. "The 50 best albums of 2022". faroutmagazine.co.uk. 2022-12-11. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  25. "Gigwise's 51 Best Albums Of 2022 | Gigwise". www.gigwise.com. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
  26. "Under the Radar's Top 100 Albums of 2022 Part 1 | Under the Radar Magazine". www.undertheradarmag.com. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  27. "Australiancharts.com – Stella Donnelly – Flood". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  28. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  29. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  30. Flood by Stella Donnelly, 2022-08-26, retrieved 2022-06-05
  31. "Flood, by Stella Donnelly". Stella Donnelly. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
  32. Valley, Happy. "Donnelly, Stella - Flood (Limited Edition Opaque Red Vinyl)". Happy Valley. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
  33. "Flood CD". Merch Jungle. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
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