''Winter Games'' is the third studio album by American songwriter
Chris Garneau
Chris Garneau (born November 5, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Since releasing his debut album, '' Music for Tourists'', Garneau has toured throughout the United States, Canada, Brazil, Europe, and Asia.
Garneau cites Jeff ...
. It was released in 2013 by Private Friend,
Leaplay Music (Korea), Pocket Records (China) and in 2014 by Clouds Hill (Europe).
Recording
For this record Garneau asked his closest friends and family to write down their earliest memories of winter to serve as an inspirational base for the writing of these songs.
Garneau recorded in a farm in
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is a geographic region consisting of the area of New York State that lies north and northwest of the New York City metropolitan area. Although the precise boundary is debated, Upstate New York excludes New York City and Long Is ...
.
When asked about how different is the record compared to the other, Garneau answered "On ''Winter Games'' I feel like I really play music. There is much more freedom and experimentation with sound. There is much looser form and much more time and patience is given to explore instrumental and other ambient sound."
The album features horns and strings arrangements by
Rob Moose
Rob Moose (born 1982) is an American multi-instrumentalist, arranger, producer, conductor, and orchestrator. He primarily plays the violin, viola, and guitar.
Early life and education
Moose was born in 1982. He was raised in Windsor, Connect ...
and
CJ Camerieri
CJ Camerieri (born in New Jersey) is a trumpet and french horn player, arranger, and producer. Camerieri is best known as the brass player for Paul Simon, Bon Iver, and the contemporary classic ensemble yMusic. His extensive discography is highli ...
(both members of
Bon Iver
Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon.
Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, ''For Emma, Forever Ago,'' independently in July 2007. The majority of the album was recorded while Vernon ...
and
yMusic
yMusic is an American sextet chamber ensemble from New York City. Consisting of a trumpet, flute, clarinet, violin, viola, and cello, the group was formed in Brooklyn by trumpeter CJ Camerieri and violinist Rob Moose in 2008.
Career
The ensem ...
).
Critical reception
The response by critics was generally positive. Maxime de Abreu for ''
Les Inrockuptibles
''Les Inrockuptibles'' () is a French cultural magazine. Started as a monthly magazine in 1986, it became weekly in 1995. Now it is a monthly again, since 2021. In the beginning, rock music was the magazine's primary focus, though every issue in ...
'' wrote it is "a magnificent third record". Marcel Schlutt for ''Kaltblut'' wrote "Winter Games isn’t a downer. In its own twisted way, it’s triumphant." Jacob Brown for ''
Vogue (magazine)
''Vogue'' is an American monthly fashion and lifestyle magazine that covers many topics, including haute couture fashion, beauty, culture, living, and runway. Based at One World Trade Center
One World Trade Center (also known as One Wor ...
'' wrote "the songs inhabit a bigger, almost stratospheric aesthetic—none more so than “Oh God”—which possesses a new sound that positions him to a much larger audience."
Alex Panisch for ''
Out (magazine)
''Out'' is an American LGBTQ news, fashion, entertainment, and lifestyle magazine, with the highest circulation of any LGBTQ monthly publication in the United States. It presents itself in an editorial manner similar to ''Details'', ''Esquire'', ...
'' wrote "It's haunting, melancholy, and utterly spellbinding." French website Goûte mes disques wrote that ''Winter Games'' is "by far his most accomplished work."
Track listing
# "Our Man" – 4:52
# "Oh God" – 3:27
# "Winter Game #1" – 3:50
# "Winter Game #2" – 6:14
# "Danny" – 3:54
# "The Whore in Yourself" – 4:03
# "Reindeer" – 3:06
# "Pas Grave" – 4:50
# "Catherine" – 3:22
# "Switzerland" – 2:42
References
{{Authority control
2013 albums
Chris Garneau albums