''Only Sparrows'' is the third studio album by Australian musician,

Josh Pyke Joshua Jon Pyke (born 18 December 1977) is an Australian singer-songwriter, producer, musician and children's book author. Biography Josh Pyke is a prolific songwriter, with a successful and critically acclaimed career both domestically and ove ...

. It was released on the 19 of August 2011 by

Ivy League Records Ivy League Records is a record label based in Sydney, Australia. History Ivy League Records is an Australian-based record label established in 1997 by three ex-musician friends: Pete Lusty (John Reed Club) (RIP), Andy Cassell (Youth Group) and ...

and peaked at number 4 on the ARIA Charts. At the

ARIA Music Awards of 2012 The 26th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) were a series of award ceremonies which included the 2012 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Hall of Fame Awards, ARIA Fin ...

, the album was nominated for

ARIA Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album The ARIA Music Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album, is an award presented at the annual ARIA Music Awards, which recognises "the many achievements of Aussie artists across all music genres", since 1987. It is handed out by the Australian Reco ...

Reception

Jon O'Brien from ''AllMusic'' said "Inspired by a soul-searching trip to

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, Sydney singer/songwriter Josh Pyke abandons his usual one-man band style of recording and for the first time, relinquishes some control to additional musicians... it's an approach which has resulted in a more expansive sound". O'Brien said "Opener 'Clovis Son' is a gorgeous fusion of gently strummed acoustics, twinkling glockenspiels, and dreamy West Coast harmonies which shows that his ability to tug at the heartstrings hasn't deserted him during his three-year solo absence, a quality also perfectly showcased on 'Punch in the Heart', a somber, stripped-back ballad featuring the ethereal vocals of

Little Birdy Little Birdy were an Australian alternative rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia, in 2002 by singer and guitarist Katy Steele, drummer Matt Chequer, guitarist and keyboardist Simon Leach, and bass guitarist Scott O'Donoghue. They gaine ...

's Katy Steele, while the melancholic 'Particles' begins with a brooding alt-rock hook before merging with an array of clattering rhythms and skittering synths on a surprisingly convincing attempt at folktronica."

Track listing

Charts

Release history

References

2011 albums Josh Pyke albums Ivy League Records albums {{2010s-alt-rock-album-stub