Natalie Prass (album)

Natalie Prass is the self-titled debut studio album by Natalie Prass. It was co-produced by Matthew E. White and Trey Pollard.

Natalie Prass
Studio album by Natalie Prass
Released	January 27, 2015
Recorded	2012
Genre	Indie pop, chamber pop, baroque pop, pop soul
Length	39:06
Label	Spacebomb Records, Startime International, Caroline International
Producer	Matthew E. White, Trey Pollard
Natalie Prass chronology
Natalie Prass (2015) The Future and the Past (2018)
Singles from Natalie Prass
"Bird of Prey" Released: July 22, 2014

Composition, recording, and production

Prass began writing songs for her self-titled as early as 2009.[1] In January 2012, Prass began to record with Matthew E. White, her childhood friend and founder of Spacebomb Records, in his studio attic in Richmond, Virginia. White provided the horn arrangements and Trey Pollard provided the string arrangements.[2] Since the budget for the album was “virtually nonexistent,” White utilized the help of his friends from the Virginia Commonwealth University jazz program to record the strings.[3] By February 2012, recording for the album was complete but the release was delayed due to Spacebomb’s inaugural release of Big Inner.[4]

Music videos

The first music video for the album, "Why Don't You Believe In Me", was released on February 4, 2015.[5] The music video, which was co-directed by Erica Prince and Tiona McClodden, features Prass "cutting up the features of her face and rearranging them in increasingly bizarre patterns".[6]

A second music video from the album, "Bird of Prey", was released on June 15, 2015.[7] The music video was directed by Malia James, bassist for the Dum Dum Girls.[8]

Reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	8.3/10[9]
Metacritic	86/100[10]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[11]
The A.V. Club	B+[12]
The Guardian	[13]
The Independent	[14]
The Irish Times	[15]
Mojo	[16]
The Observer	[17]
Pitchfork	8.3/10[18]
Q	[19]
Uncut	8/10[20]

Accolades

Publication	Accolade	Year	Rank
The Guardian	The Best Albums of 2015	2015	28[21]
Paste	The 50 Best Albums of 2015	2015	7[22]
Pitchfork	The 50 Best Albums of 2015	2015	49[23]
Rough Trade	Albums of the Year 2015	2015	22[24]
Stereogum	The 50 Best Albums of 2015	2015	26[25]

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"My Baby Don't Understand Me"	5:12
2.	"Bird of Prey"	5:22
3.	"Your Fool"	3:16
4.	"Christy"	3:52
5.	"Why Don't You Believe in Me"	3:54
6.	"Violently"	5:46
7.	"Never Over You"	3:59
8.	"Reprise"	3:44
9.	"It Is You"	4:01

Charts

Chart (2015)	Peak position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[26]	114
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[27]	96
UK Albums (OCC)[28]	50
US Folk Albums (Billboard)[29]	11
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[30]	6
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[31]	46

References

1. Syme, Rachel (January 31, 2015). "Natalie Prass Escapes Nashville". The New Yorker. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
2. Terry, Josh (January 21, 2015). "Natalie Prass – Natalie Prass". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
3. Graves, Kirk Walker (December 2, 2014). "Rising: Natalie Prass". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
4. Chau, Danny (January 21, 2015). "A Long Hello: Natalie Prass's Beautiful, Time-Tested Fairy Tale". Grantland. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
5. Hilton, Robin (February 4, 2015). "Natalie Prass, 'Why Don't You Believe In Me?'". NPR. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
6. White, Caitlin (February 4, 2015). "Natalie Prass – "Why Don't You Believe In Me" Video". Stereogum. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
7. "Watch Natalie Prass' video for Bird of Prey". The Guardian. June 15, 2015. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
8. Golden, Zara (June 15, 2015). "Natalie Prass "Bird Of Prey" Video Is A Pop Of Primary Color". The Fader. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
9. "Natalie Prass by Natalie Prass reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
10. "Reviews for Natalie Prass by Natalie Prass". Metacritic. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
11. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Natalie Prass – Natalie Prass". AllMusic. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
12. Arroyo, Steven (January 27, 2015). "Natalie Prass' debut is full of personality, big-hearted pop". The A.V. Club. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
13. Jonze, Tim (January 22, 2015). "Natalie Prass: Natalie Prass review – spellbinding country-soul". The Guardian. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
14. Gill, Andy (January 23, 2015). "Natalie Prass, 'Natalie Prass' – album review: Soul slow-burner charms on her gorgeous debut". The Independent. Archived from the original on January 26, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
15. Carroll, Jim (February 5, 2015). "Natalie Prass: Natalie Prass | Album Review". The Irish Times. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
16. "Natalie Prass: Natalie Prass". Mojo (255): 94. February 2015.
17. Empire, Kitty (January 25, 2015). "Natalie Prass: Natalie Prass review – a gem of a heartbreak album". The Observer. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
18. Gordon, Jeremy (January 26, 2015). "Natalie Prass: Natalie Prass". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
19. "Natalie Prass: Natalie Prass". Q (343): 113. February 2015.
20. "Natalie Prass: Natalie Prass". Uncut (215): 67. February 2015.
21. "The Best Albums of 2015". The Guardian. December 2, 2015. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
22. "The 50 Best Albums of 2015". Paste. December 1, 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
23. "The 50 Best Albums of 2015". Pitchfork. December 16, 2015. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
24. "Albums of the Year 2015". Rough Trade. November 25, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
25. "The 50 Best Albums Of 2015". Stereogum. December 1, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
26. "Ultratop.be – Natalie Prass – Natalie Prass" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
27. "Dutchcharts.nl – Natalie Prass – Natalie Prass" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
28. "Natalie Prass | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
29. "Natalie Prass Chart History (Top Americana/Folk Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
30. "Natalie Prass Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
31. "Natalie Prass Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2016.