Not Even Happiness

Not Even Happiness is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Julie Byrne. It was released on 13 January 2017 by Basin Rock in the United Kingdom and on 27 January 2017 by Ba Da Bing Records in the United States.[1]

Not Even Happiness
Studio album by
Julie Byrne
ReleasedJanuary 13, 2017
GenreContemporary folk
Length32:37
Label
Julie Byrne chronology
Rooms with Walls and Windows
(2014)		 Not Even Happiness
(2017)		 The Greater Wings
(2023)
Singles from Not Even Happiness
  1. "Natural Blue"
    Released: November 15, 2016
  2. "Follow My Voice"
    Released: December 14, 2016
  3. "I Live Now as a Singer"
    Released: January 4, 2017

Background and composition

The album was recorded and mixed in Byrne's hometown, Buffalo, New York, except for the string arrangements by Jake Falby, which were recorded at a cabin in Holderness, New Hampshire.

The album is labeled as a contemporary folk release.[2] According to Ed Nash of The Line of Best Fit, Not Even Happiness features leitmotifs of "nature and matters of the heart".[3]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.7/10[4]
Metacritic82/100[5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Financial Times[7]
The Guardian[8]
Mojo[9]
NME[10]
The Observer[11]
Pitchfork8.3/10[12]
Q[13]
Record Collector[14]
Uncut8/10[15]

Not Even Happiness received universal acclaim from music critics. On Metacritic, the album holds an average critic score of 82, based on 22 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[5] Ed Nash of The Line of Best Fit gave the album a positive review, dubbing it "Album of the Week".[3]

Accolades
Publication Accolade Rank Ref.
AXS TV The Best Albums of 2017
N/A
[16]
Consequence of Sound Top 50 Albums of 2017
37
[17]
Exclaim! Top 10 Folk and Country Albums of 2017
10
[18]
Gorilla vs. Bear Albums of 2017
25
[19]
MOJO Mojo's Top 50 Albums of 2017
28
[20]
Paste The 50 Best Albums of 2017
27
[21]
Piccadilly Records End of Year Review 2017: Top 100 Albums
93
[22]
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 2017
37
[23]
Spin 50 Best Albums of 2017
9
[24]
Stereogum The 50 Best Albums of 2017
20
[25]
Tiny Mix Tapes 2017: Favorite 50 Music Releases
43
[26]
Uncut Albums of the Year
14
[27]
Uproxx 50 Best Albums of the Year
45
[28]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Julie Byrne, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Follow My Voice" 4:02
2."Sleepwalker" 4:19
3."Melting Grid"
  • Julie Byrne
  • Michele Finkelstein
4:21
4."Natural Blue" 3:59
5."Interlude"
  • Eric Littmann
1:37
6."Morning Dove" 2:59
7."All the Land Glimmered Beneath" 3:04
8."Sea as It Glides" 4:12
9."I Live Now as a Singer" 4:04
Total length:32:37

Personnel

Credits adapted from Not Even Happiness album liner notes.[29]

  • Julie Byrne – writing, performing
  • Michele Finkelstein – flute (track 3)
  • Chris Masullo – guitar (track 8)
  • Jake Falby – string arrangements
  • Johanna Warren – backing vocals
  • Eric Littmann – recording, mixing, synths and production
  • Alan Douches – mastering
  • Jonathan Bouknight – photography

References
  1. "Julie Byrne announces new album, 'Not Even Happiness'". DIY. November 16, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  2. Wallace, Scott (January 16, 2017). "Julie Byrne: Not Even Happiness - Sydney Scoop". Sydney Scoop. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  3. Nash, Ed (January 3, 2017). "Julie Byrne gets 2017 off to a heart-warming start with a timely meditation on change". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  4. "Not Even Happiness by Julie Byrne reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
  5. "Reviews for Not Even Happiness by Julie Byrne". Metacritic. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  6. Donelson, Marcy. "Not Even Happiness – Julie Byrne". AllMusic. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  7. Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (January 13, 2017). "Julie Byrne: Not Even Happiness — review". Financial Times. London. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  8. Jonze, Tim (January 12, 2017). "Julie Byrne: Not Even Happiness review – intimate songs of a life on the move". The Guardian. London. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  9. Hodgkinson, Will (February 2017). "Soul trader". Mojo (279): 94.
  10. Cooper, Leonie (January 11, 2017). "Julie Byrne – 'Not Even Happiness' Review". NME. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  11. Empire, Kitty (January 15, 2017). "Julie Byrne: Not Even Happiness review – a voice of rare elegance". The Observer. London. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  12. Pelly, Jenn (February 6, 2017). "Julie Byrne: Not Even Happiness". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  13. Fyfe, Andy (February 2017). "Julie Byrne: Not Even Happiness". Q (368): 111.
  14. Goldsmith, Mike (January 2017). "Julie Byrne – Not Even Happiness". Record Collector (462). Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  15. Snapes, Laura (February 13, 2017). "Julie Byrne – Not Even Happiness". Uncut. Archived from the original on November 21, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  16. "AXS picks: The best albums of 2017". AXS.com. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  17. "Top 50 Albums of 2017". Consequence of Sound. November 27, 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  18. "Top 10 Folk and Country Albums of 2017". Exclaim!. Dec 4, 2017. Retrieved Jan 9, 2018.
  19. "Gorilla vs. Bear's Albums of 2017". Gorilla vs. Bear. December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  20. "MOJO's Top 50 Albums of 2017". Album of the Year. November 16, 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  21. "The 50 Best Albums of 2017". Paste. November 27, 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  22. "End of Year Review 2017: Top 100 Albums". Piccadilly Records. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  23. "The 50 Best Albums of 2017". Pitchfork. December 12, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  24. "50 Best Albums of 2017". Spin. December 18, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  25. Stereogum Staff (December 5, 2017). "The 50 Best Albums of 2017". Stereogum. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  26. TMT Staff (December 18, 2017). "2017: Favorite 50 Music Releases". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  27. "Uncut's 75 Best Albums of 2017". Uncut. November 21, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  28. "50 Best Albums of 2017". Uproxx. December 4, 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  29. Not Even Happiness (CD liner notes). Julie Byrne. Ba Da Bing. 2017. BING 130.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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