Vagabon (album)

Vagabon is the self-titled second studio album by Cameroon-born musician Laetitia Tamko, under the stage name Vagabon. It was released on October 19, 2019 through Nonesuch Records. Vagabon was written, arranged, and produced by Tamko.[4][6]

Vagabon
Studio album by
Vagabon
ReleasedOctober 19, 2019 (2019-10-19)
RecordedJuly 2017 – March 2019[1]
StudioVagabon's Home Studio, SoundEQ Studios, Sunset Sound, Boulevard Studio[1]
Genre
Length35:50
LanguageEnglish
LabelNonesuch
ProducerLaetitia Tamko
Vagabon chronology
Infinite Worlds
(2017)		 Vagabon
(2019)
Singles from Vagabon
  1. "Flood"
    Released: June 13, 2019
  2. "Water Me Down"
    Released: August 27, 2019
  3. "Every Woman"
    Released: October 24, 2019

Vagabon received universal acclaim from music critics, who praised the artist's change in sound from guitar-based indie rock to more orchestral, electronic indie pop. Vagabon appeared on several year-end best album lists in 2019.

Background

Tamko began working on the album in 2017 after the release of her debut album Infinite Worlds that same year. Vagabon was originally titled All the Women in Me and scheduled for release on September 27, 2019.[7] The title was a quote from a poem by Nayyirah Waheed. However, at the request of Waheed, the album title and several lyrics were changed due to her not approving Tamko quoting her, which caused the album to be pushed back to October 19, 2019.[8] Two song titles also changed, including "Flood Hands" to "Flood" and "All the Women" to "Every Woman".

Music and lyrics

The album's themes include empowerment, self-exploration, and understanding. It comprises art-pop, indie-pop, house, and synth-pop, a departure from the indie-rock sound of her debut album. Tamko cited Frank Ocean's Blonde album as a reference point for Vagabon, stating that she liked the way it conveyed a deep sense of intimacy.[6] In an interview with Bandcamp, Tamko said that writing the record became a way for her to have an emotional reckoning with herself. "I was in a space in my life of not trying to feel like the victim and just move to survivorhood," she said. After she began working through her own trauma, she started examining the ways that she may have hurt others. "I was asking myself a lot of questions once I had the space to do it: 'What kind of person am I being? How am I to other people?' I'm turning the heat on myself."

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.8/10[9]
Metacritic82/100[10]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[11]
Clash9/10[4]
DIY[3]
Exclaim!8/10[5]
The Guardian[12]
Paste8.0/10[13]
Pitchfork7.6/10[14]
The Skinny[15]
Slant[16]
Under the Radar8/10[17]

Vagabon was met with universal acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 82, based on 16 reviews.[10]

Harry Todd of Paste described the album as "a more formless affair, a cosmic journey through synthetic sounds, lush orchestral suites and lyrical self-realization" and "an ambitious album overflowing with generosity and empathy, warm in production and rich in theme."[13] Ann-Derrick Gaillot of Pitchfork wrote, "Vagabon concludes as a work of not only personal self-discovery, but evolution in real time." Lauren deHollogne of Clash declared the album "simply captivating from start to finish" and "the work of an immensely talented melodic mastermind."[4] In her five-star review of the album, Bethany Davison of The Skinny wrote, "Vagabon is a record both stripped back yet electronically rich, genre disparate, but ultimately inclusive. A rewarding listen, it's an achievement beyond comprehension."[15] Émilie Kneifel of Exclaim! summarized the album as "good both for bobbing heads and bopping feet — both for being alone-alone, and alone-around-others, too."[5]

Year-end lists
Publication Accolade Rank Ref.
NPR The 25 Best Albums of 2019
11
[18]
Nothing but Hope and Passion The 50 Best Albums of 2019
37
[19]
Under the Radar The Top 100 Albums of 2019
72
[20]
Vinyl Me, Please The Best Albums of 2019
—
[21]

Track listing

All songs were written and produced by Laetitia Tamko.

No.TitleLength
1."Full Moon in Gemini"2:52
2."Flood"3:44
3."Secret Medicine"2:56
4."Water Me Down"4:32
5."In a Bind"3:40
6."Wits About You"2:39
7."Please Don't Leave the Table"3:41
8."Home Soon"4:50
9."Every Woman"3:27
10."Full Moon in Gemini (Monako Reprise)"3:26

Personnel

Musicians

According to the record's Bandcamp page.[1]

  • Laetitia Tamko – vocals, drums, guitars, keyboards, percussion, synths, Wurlitzer
  • Cameron Wisch – percussion
  • Emily Elkin – cello
  • Eric Littmann – drums and synths
  • Evan Lawrence – bass guitar
  • Jakob Hersch – guitar
  • Jannik Schneider – drums
  • Julie Byrne – additional vocals
  • Kate Outterbridge – viola
  • Laurens Bauer – bass guitar
  • Meg Duffy – guitar
  • Melina Duterte – trumpet
  • Naomie De Lorimier – additional vocals
  • Oliver Hill – violin and Wurlitzer
  • Sadek Massarweh – guitar and additional vocals
  • Sasami Ashworth – French horn
  • Thomas Bartlett – synths

Technical
  • Laetitia Tamko – producer, engineer
  • Jason Agel – engineer
  • Eric Littmann – engineer
  • Andrew Lappin – engineer
  • Thomas Bartlett – engineer
  • John Congleton – mixer
  • Ted Jensen – mastering

References
  1. "Vagabon - Vagabon". bandcamp.com. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  2. "Vagabon — Vagabon | Album Of The Year". albumoftheyear.org. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  3. "Album review: VAGABON - VAGABON | DIY". diymag.com. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  4. "Vagabon - Vagabon | Clash Music". Clash. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  5. {{cite web|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/vagabon-vagabon%7Ctitle=Vagabon: Vagabon|work=[[Exclaim!}]|last=Kneifel|first=Émilie|date=October 15, 2019|access-date=January 30, 2021}}
  6. {{cite web|url=https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/vagabon-self-titled-interview On Her New Album, Vagabon Embraces Pop and Bares Her Soul]
  7. "Vagabon announces new album All The Women In Me". The Fader. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  8. "Vagabon Changes Album Name, Pushes Back Release Date". Stereogum. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  9. "Vagabon by Vagabon reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  10. "Metacritic Review". Metacritic.com. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  11. Donelson, Marcy. "AllMusic Review". AllMusic. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  12. Snapes, Laura (October 18, 2019). "Vagabon: Vagabon review – indie star is expansive yet intimate". The Guardian. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  13. Todd, Harry (October 15, 2019). "Vagabon Overflows With Empathy". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  14. Gaillot, Ann-Derrick (October 19, 2019). "Vagabon – Vagabon". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  15. Davison, Bethany (October 14, 2019). "Vagabon: Vagabon album review: Vagabon". The Skinny. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  16. Lemmon, Kyle (October 3, 2019). "Vagabon's Self-Titled Album Expands Her Musical and Lyrical Scope". Slant Magazine. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  17. Moody, Mark (October 18, 2019). "Vagabon: Vagabon review – indie star is expansive yet intimate". Under the Radar. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  18. "The 25 Best Albums Of 2019". npr.org. December 11, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  19. "The 50 Best Albums of 2019". nbhap.com. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  20. "Top 100 Albums of 2019". Under the Radar. December 31, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  21. "The Best Albums of 2019". Vinyl Me, Please. December 13, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
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