''Wisecrack'' is an

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

folk-pop Folk-pop is a musical style that may be 1) contemporary folk songs with large, sweeping pop arrangements, or 2) pop songs with intimate, acoustic-based folk arrangements. Recording production values created a unblemished style that appealed to ...

album by Canadian

singer-songwriter A singer-songwriter is a musician who writes, composes, and performs their own musical material, including lyrics and melodies. In the United States, the category is built on the folk-acoustic tradition, although this role has transmuted thr ...

Haley Blais, released on 15 September 2023 by Arts & Crafts. Blais began writing songs for the album in early 2020 and completed recording in the summer of 2022. Blais released several singles and music videos in the lead-up to the album. ''Wisecrack'' was inspired by 1990s and early 2000s

indie music Independent music (also commonly known as indie music or simply indie) is music that is produced independently from commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, a process that may include an autonomous, DIY ethic, do-it-yourself approach to r ...

and touches on themes of nostalgia, childhood, family and morality. The album has received generally positive reviews, with critics stating that the album shows Blais' growth as a musician, and praising it for its lyrics and production, as well as Blais' vocals.

Background and recording

Blais released her debut album, ''

Below the Salt ''Below the Salt'' is the fourth studio album by Steeleye Span and their first after they joined the Chrysalis label. The album takes medieval influence and combines it with the band's British folk rock style. The lineup on the album includes ...

'', in August 2020. Blais has said that she produced the album without thinking about its "cohesive

ess The suffix ''-ess'' (plural ''-esses'') appended to English words makes a female form of the word. ESS or ess may refer to: Education * Ernestown Secondary School, in Odessa, Ontario * European Standard School, in Dhaka, Bangladesh Governmen ...

. By contrast, when Blais began working on ''Wisecrack'' in early 2020, she "wanted to take ertime" with the album and "wanted it to be released with care and thoughtfulness". Blais brought on David Vertesi of

Hey Ocean! Hey Ocean! is a Canadian indie alternative rock and synthpop band formed in 2004 in Vancouver. David Beckingham and Ashleigh Ball had been friends since grade 6, joining with David Vertesi in the 2000s to form the band. The band consists of Ashlei ...

and Jonathan Anderson as the album's producers. Blais recorded ''Wisecrack'' at Protection Island Studio in

Maple Ridge, British Columbia Maple Ridge is a city in British Columbia, Canada. It is located in the northeastern section of Greater Vancouver between the Fraser River and the Golden Ears, which is a group of mountain summits which are the southernmost of the Garibaldi ...

, completing the album in the summer of 2022. Blais released several singles and music videos leading up to the album's release, including "Coolest Fucking Bitch in Town" and "Survivor's Guilt" in 2022, and "Matchmaker", "Baby Teeth", and "The Cabin" in 2023. In May 2023, Blais signed with Canadian record label Arts & Crafts and announced a limited summer tour. ''Wisecrack'' was released on CD, LP, and as a digital release on 15 September 2023 by Arts & Crafts.

Composition and themes

''Wisecrack'' is an

album that has been described as

. The album is titled after a lyric from the track "Baby Teeth". The album was inspired by the indie music of the 1990s and early 2000s; Blais and the producers said that they wanted the album to sound both "old and new at the same time". Blais has said that the album is "like a diary entry about growing older and saying goodbye to what you thought family was". Critics have noted that the album addresses themes of nostalgia, childhood, family, and morality. Writing for ''

The Georgia Straight ''The Georgia Straight'' is a free Canadian weekly news and entertainment newspaper published in Vancouver, British Columbia, by Overstory Media Group. Often known simply as ''The Straight'', it is delivered to newsboxes, post-secondary schools, ...

'', Mike Usinger has said that the moral of the album is "Sometimes you end up working things out, even if you’re not aware of it." Ljubinko Zivkovic in ''The Spill Magazine'' said that the album is about Blais' attempt to find new families while her parents were in the process of ending their relationship.

Critical reception

''Wisecrack'' has received positive reviews. Critics have said that the album exhibits Blais' growth as an artist and they have praised its lyrics, vocals, and production. For ''

The Line of Best Fit ''The Line of Best Fit'' is an independent online magazine based in London, concentrating on new music. It publishes independent music reviews, features, interview, and media. Founded by Richard Thane in February 2007 and currently edited by P ...

'', Lana Williams rated the album eight out of ten and said that it was "dynamic and self-depreciating". Usinger said that ''Wisecrack'' is "new territory" for Blais, calling it "insanely lovely" and full of "thrilling twists and turns." Writing for ''

Exclaim! ''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly Exclaim! print magazine publishes 7 ...

'', Heather Taylor-Singh has said that the album "has achieved both lyrical and sonic cohesion". Zivkovic rated the album four out of five stars and said that Blais' delicate and light voice and lyrics, along with "intricate arrangements", made the album relatable to and delightful for listeners.

Track listing

Personnel

Credits are from the artist's official

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page for the album. * Haley Blais – vocals, acoustic guitar,

Wurlitzer The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to as simply Wurlitzer, is an American company started in Cincinnati in 1853 by German immigrant (Franz) Rudolph Wurlitzer. The company initially imported stringed, woodwind and brass instruments ...

, bass organ, percussion, bells, string programming (on "Beginner’s Guide To Birdwatching") * David Vertesi – producer, engineering, horn arrangements, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar,

dobro Dobro is an American brand of resonator guitars, currently owned by Gibson and manufactured by its subsidiary Epiphone. The term "dobro" is also used as a generic term for any wood-bodied, single-cone resonator guitar. The Dobro was originally ...

, piano, keyboards, organ, synth, vocals, percussion,

hammered dulcimer The hammered dulcimer (also called the hammer dulcimer) is a percussion-stringed instrument which consists of strings typically stretched over a trapezoidal resonant sound board. The hammered dulcimer is set before the musician, who in more trad ...

, drums (on "Soft Spots for Monarchs") * Jonathan Anderson – producer, engineering, mixing, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar,

slide guitar Slide guitar is a technique for playing the guitar that is often used in blues music. It involves playing a guitar while holding a hard object (a slide) against the strings, creating the opportunity for glissando effects and deep vibratos tha ...

pedal steel guitar The pedal steel guitar is a Console steel guitar, console-type of steel guitar with pedals and knee levers that change the pitch of certain strings to enable playing more varied and complex music than any previous steel guitar design. Like all s ...

, banjo, dobro, piano, keyboard * Philip Shaw Bova – mastering * Johnny Andrews – drums (on all tracks except "Soft Spots for Monarchs") * Malcolm Aiken – trumpet, French horn, trombone (on "Survivor's Guilt" and "Coolest Fucking Bitch in Town") * Elisa Thorn – harp (on "Concrete")

References

{{Reflist 2023 albums Indie folk albums by Canadian artists Indie pop albums by Canadian artists Folk-pop albums