My Woman (album)

''My Woman'' (stylized as ''MY WOMAN'') is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Angel Olsen, released on September 2, 2016 by Jagjaguwar Records. Produced by Olsen and Justin Raisen, the album was accompanied by music videos for the tracks, "Intern", "Shut Up Kiss Me", and "Sister" all co-directed or directed by Olsen.

Production

Recording

''My Woman'' was recorded at Vox Studios in Los Angeles with producer Justin Raisen.Ravens, Chal
Angel Olsen announces third album MY WOMAN, North America and Europe tour
Fact. 6 June 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016. The album was structured as sides of a vinyl record: "On one side, it’s as if you were having an upbeat day and wanted to try something a little hectic. But then, if you feel like things were slowing down and you wanted to be more reflective, then you listen to Side B." With regard to the album's themes, Olsen said that ''My Woman'' addresses "the complicated mess of being a woman."Brodsky, Rachel
Angel Olsen Confirms New Album, ‘My Woman,’ Due This Fall
Spin. 6 June 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016.

Music

''My Woman'' was Olsen's attempt to expand her musical style after 2014's ''Burn Your Fire for No Witness'', with emphasis on avoiding being typecast as a lo-fi indie artist. With what she called a "plurality of voices," Olsen "wanted to use ervocal more and sing in the styles that heliked."

Compared to Olsen's previous album, ''My Woman'' contains a poppier, more diverse sound. Musical genres and musicians that influenced the album includes Fleetwood Mac, The Shirelles, Crazy Horse, 1970s glam rock, 1960s country pop and grunge.Todd, Bella
Angel Olsen: indie's dark star tackles 'the complicated mess of being a woman'
The Guardian. 29 August 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016. The album's opening track, "Intern," is a synthpop song that was considered to be a major departure from Olsen's previous works. Written as an experiment to "fuck with people," Olsen said of "Intern," "I have some friends who make synth music and I thought it might be fun to do something sarcastic."Darville, Jordan
Angel Olsen Goes Synth-Pop In New Song/Video "Intern"
The Fader. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2016. Critics have compared "Never Be Mine" to 1960s jangle pop and Portuguese guitar music. The album's closer, "Pops," is a piano ballad.

Promotion

Singles

The first single from the album, "Intern," was released on June 1, 2016. A music video directed by Olsen was released the same day.Claymore, Gabriela
Angel Olsen – "Intern" Video
Stereogum. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2016. On June 6, 2016, ''My Woman'' was announced.Breihan, Tom
Angel Olsen My Woman Details
Stereogum. 6 June 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2016. The second single from the album, "Shut Up Kiss Me," along with an accompanying Olsen-directed music video, was released on June 29.Breihan, Tom
Angel Olsen – "Shut Up Kiss Me" Video
Stereogum. 29 June 016. Retrieved 25 September 2016. It charted on the ''Billboard'' Adult Alternative Songs chart for six weeks, peaking at position 22. The third single from the album, "Sister," along with an accompanying Olsen directed music video, was released on August 24.Rettig, James
Angel Olsen – "Sister" Video
Stereogum. 24 August 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2016.

Critical reception

''My Woman'' received widespread acclaim from critics. At Metacritic, the album received an average score of 87 based on 30 professional reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim".

''Pitchfork''s Jenn Pelly gave the album a Best New Music designation, writing "Angel Olsen's latest is her best record yet, a bracing mix of sounds and styles congealing around songs of pain, sadness, and hope." Matt Williams of ''The A.V. Club'' gave the album a grade of A−, writing "When Olsen broke through with...''Burn Your Fire For No Witness''...she was quickly pigeonholed as the Sad Girl...With ''My Woman,'' Olsen obliterates that narrow perception, raising the bar on her own multifaceted output and building new aspects of her artistic identity in the process." PopMatters' Colin Fitzgerald called ''My Woman'' "a new watermark for Olsen" that "elaborates on the disparate missions of both ''Half Way Home'' and ''Burn Your Fire for No Witness'' while reaching out into the unfamiliar spaces of dreamy synthpop and more hook-driven, pop-oriented songwriting." Fitzgerald added "most remarkable thing about ''My Woman'' is that it all coheres (far better than ''Burn Your Fire for No Witness,'' as great as it was, ever did) into an expansive, all-encompassing vision."Fitzgerald, Colin
Angel Olsen: My Woman
Popmatters. 2 September 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2016. ''Record Collector'' gave the album a mixed review, writing "''My Woman'' is an odd, somewhat mismatched collection of good and then great songs that could have been more ghostly. When played simplest, or with the least traditional band structure buffeting them, they’re at their best – but it’s sadly not a constant."Kennedy, Jake
Angel Olsen - My Woman
Record Collector. Retrieved 25 September 2016.

In November 2016, UK record chain HMV named ''My Woman'' as its album of the year, calling it "an intuitively smart, warmly communicative and fearlessly generous record".

Accolades

Track listing

Charts

Personnel

The following people contributed to ''My Woman:''My Woman - Credits
Allmusic. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
* Angel Olsen - vocals, inside photo, producer
* Chris Allgood - assistant
* Stewart Bronaugh - main personnel
* Collin Dupuis - mixing
* Emily Elhaj - main personnel
* Michael Harris - engineer
* Joshua Jaeger - main personnel
* Miles Johnson - design
* Seth Kauffman - main personnel
* Emily Lazar - mastering
* Amanda Marsalis - cover photo, inside photo
* Lisa Nance - cover painting
* Justin Raisen - engineer, main personnel, producer
* Lawrence Rothman - additional production

References

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2016 albums
Angel Olsen albums
Jagjaguwar albums
Albums produced by Justin Raisen
Albums recorded at Electro-Vox Recording Studios