III is the third studio album by American singer and songwriter Banks, released on July 12, 2019, by Harvest Records.[2] It was preceded by the release of three singles, "Gimme", "Look What You're Doing to Me", and "Contaminated". The album peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200.
III | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | July 12, 2019 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | Goth-pop[1] | |||
Length | 47:05 | |||
Label | Harvest | |||
Producer |
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Banks chronology | ||||
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Singles from III | ||||
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Background
editBanks revealed the album name along with its release month in an interview with Billboard, published on May 24, 2019. The album was almost titled Eros, but Banks chose the name III to convey the "beginning, middle, and end" of a part of her life.[3] The album cover was revealed on May 30, 2019.[4] She released the track listing on Twitter on June 11. Banks began The III Tour in support of the album in September 2019.[5]
Singles
edit"Gimme" was released as the album's lead single on April 29, 2019, and debuted on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 radio show.[6] The song was written by Banks and Josiah Sherman and produced by BJ Burton, Hudson Mohawke and Kito.[7][8]
"Look What You're Doing to Me" was released as the album's second single on June 11, 2019, along with a lyric video, and features American pop project Francis and the Lights.[9]
"Contaminated" was released as the album's third single on July 10, 2019. Banks released a sample of the track as well as the release date on July 9, 2019.[10]
Critical reception
editAggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 6.6/10[11] |
Metacritic | 76/100[12] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [13] |
Clash | 8/10[14] |
DIY | [15] |
The Guardian | [16] |
The Independent | [17] |
NME | [18] |
The Observer | [19] |
Pitchfork | 6.5/10[20] |
Q | [21] |
Rolling Stone | [1] |
III received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 76, based on 11 reviews.[12] Narzra Ahmed of Clash stated "III is definitely a progression for her as an artist. The more upbeat tracks are interspersed among softer, more delicate, heartfelt ones that represent the duality of her personality and also increase its replay value".[14] Rhys Harding of The Line of Best Fit commented, "Overall, Banks has taken a step forward in her development as an artist, and you can hear this increase in maturity across each album. At times, her evolution is not as convincing as other artists on her level, though the quality of the songwriting here generally makes up for that".[22]
From NME, Nick Levine concluded that "III is probably a couple of tracks too long, but Banks has created another supremely intriguing musical world filled with ear-snagging lyrics and quirky production flourishes: the lone dog-bark sound effect before the final chorus of 'Gimme' is a classic Banks touch. It's difficult to avoid the conclusion: 'that bitch' is a pretty apt description for her after all".[18] Will Hermes of Rolling Stone wrote, "Banks clearly encouraged them [her collaborators] to swing for the fences: The distressed sonics get as extreme as Low got on last year's Double Negative, albeit in much different context. It's thrilling, gutting stuff".[1] Roisin O'Connor from The Independent viewed III as "Banks's most cohesive album to date because she's no longer restricting herself to exploring one feeling at a time".[17]
Track listing
editNo. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Till Now" | 2:36 | ||
2. | "Gimme" |
|
| 3:39 |
3. | "Contaminated" |
|
| 4:41 |
4. | "Stroke" |
| 3:26 | |
5. | "Godless" |
|
| 3:10 |
6. | "Sawzall" |
| Buddy Ross | 3:39 |
7. | "Look What You're Doing to Me" (featuring Francis and the Lights) |
|
| 4:00 |
8. | "Hawaiian Mazes" |
| 4:03 | |
9. | "Alaska" |
|
| 3:07 |
10. | "Propaganda" |
| 4:05 | |
11. | "The Fall" |
| 2:56 | |
12. | "If We Were Made of Water" |
| 3:24 | |
13. | "What About Love" |
|
| 4:18 |
Total length: | 47:05 |
Notes
editPersonnel
editCredits adapted from the liner notes of III.[23]
Musicians
edit- Banks – vocals
- BJ Burton – synthesizers (tracks 1–4, 7, 10, 12); drums (tracks 1, 3, 4, 7, 11, 12); programming (tracks 1, 3, 4, 7, 12); drum programming (tracks 2, 5, 10); arrangement (tracks 2, 11); guitar (tracks 3, 4, 10, 12); piano (track 3); bass (track 4)
- Sohn – synthesizers (tracks 1, 5, 7); bass (track 1); drums (track 5)
- Hudson Mohawke – synthesizers, drum programming (track 2); 808 bass; programming (track 11)
- Mark McGee – programming (track 3)
- Jake Hanson – guitar (track 3)
- Ben Lester – pedal steel guitar (tracks 3, 4, 12)
- Trevor Hagen – trumpet (track 3)
- Nick Sanborn – synthesizers, bass (track 4)
- Lazerbeak – programming (track 4)
- Buddy Ross – keyboards (tracks 6, 9, 13); bass (tracks 6, 9, 10, 13); drums (tracks 6, 8–10, 12); piano (tracks 8, 13); Wurlitzer, strings (track 8); synthesizers (tracks 8, 10, 12); string arrangement (track 13)
- Jake Luppen – electric guitar (track 6)
- Chais Kinder – electric guitar (track 6); drums, synthesizer (track 10)
- Aliyah Hernandez – vocals (track 6)
- Jami Hernandez – vocals (track 6)
- Francis Farewell Starlite – vocals, piano, table drums (track 7)
- Paul Epworth – keyboards, bass (track 8)
- Aron Forbes – acoustic guitar (track 11)
- Rob Moose – string arrangements (tracks 11, 12); strings (track 12)
- Simon Edward Christensen p/k/a Psymun – drum programming (claps), vocal chop/background (track 11)
- JT Bates – drums (track 12)
- Georgie Banks Feil – vocals (track 13)
- Owen Pallett – string arrangement, violin, viola (track 13)
- Amy Laing – cello (track 13)
Technical
edit- BJ Burton – production (tracks 1, 3–5, 7, 10–12); vocal production (tracks 1, 3, 4, 12); engineering (tracks 1–5, 7, 11, 12); additional production (tracks 2, 8); executive production
- Sohn – additional production (track 1); production (track 5)
- Hudson Mohawke – production, engineering (track 2); co-production (track 11)
- Kito – co-production (track 2)
- Ross Birchard – engineering (track 2)
- Buddy Ross – engineering (tracks 2, 6, 8–10, 13); production (tracks 6, 8–10, 13); additional production (track 12)
- Aron Forbes – engineering (tracks 3, 11, 12); vocal production (tracks 3, 4, 9, 10, 12, 13); additional production (track 11)
- Sam Tusa – engineering assistance (tracks 3, 4, 6, 12, 13)
- Tim Anderson – vocal production (track 4)
- Jesse Ward – production (track 5)
- Tom Kahre – engineering (tracks 5, 9)
- Nathaniel Alford – engineering (tracks 5, 10); vocal production (track 10)
- John DeBold – engineering assistance (tracks 6, 13)
- Francis Farewell Starlite – production (track 7)
- Paul Epworth – co-production (track 8)
- Luke Pickering – engineering assistance (track 8)
- Psymun – co-production (track 11)
- Jillian Banks – executive production
- Tom Elmhirst – mixing
- Brandon Bost – engineering for mix
- Huntley Miller – mastering (tracks 1–12)
- Randy Merrill – mastering (track 13)
Artwork
edit- J & Associates – artwork
- Steph Wilson – photography
Charts
editChart (2019) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[24] | 25 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[25] | 113 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[26] | 165 |
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[27] | 7 |
French Albums (SNEP)[28] | 185 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[29] | 60 |
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[30] | 73 |
Scottish Albums (OCC)[31] | 62 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[32] | 41 |
UK Albums (OCC)[33] | 57 |
US Billboard 200[34] | 21 |
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[35] | 3 |
Tour
editTour by Banks | |
Associated album | III |
---|---|
Start date | September 3, 2019 |
End date | January 5, 2020 |
Legs | 3 |
No. of shows | 20 in North America 10 in Europe 3 in Oceania 33 in total |
Setlist
edit- "Till Now"
- "Fuck with Myself" (From the artist's second studio album, The Altar)
- "Stroke"
- "Drowning" (From the artist's debut album, Goddess)
- "Waiting Game" (From the artist's debut album, Goddess)
- "Ode to the Grey Zone" (From the artist's poetry book)
- "Contaminated"
- "Hawaiian Mazes"
- "Alaska"
- "Propaganda"
- "Poltergeist" (From the artist's second studio album, The Altar)
- "Underdog" (A non-album single)
- "Sawzall"
- "If We Were Made of Water"
- "This Is What It Feels Like" (From the artist's debut album, Goddess)
- "Godless"
- "The Fall"
- "Gimme"
- "Gemini Feed"
- "Beggin for Thread" (From the artist's debut album, Goddess)
Shows
editDate | City | Country | Venue |
---|---|---|---|
Leg 1 – North America | |||
September 3, 2019 | Toronto | Canada | Rebel |
September 4, 2019 | Montreal | MTELUS | |
September 7, 2019 | Brooklyn | United States | Brooklyn Steel |
September 8, 2019 | |||
September 11, 2019 | Silver Spring | The Fillmore Silver Spring | |
September 13, 2019 | Charlotte | The Fillmore Charlotte | |
September 14, 2019 | Atlanta | Piedmont Park | |
September 16, 2019 | Chicago | Riviera Theatre | |
September 17, 2019 | Minneapolis | Varsity Theater | |
September 19, 2019 | Denver | Fillmore Auditorium | |
September 21, 2019 | Las Vegas | Las Vegas Fremont Street | |
September 24, 2019 | Vancouver | Canada | Orpheum Theatre |
September 28, 2019 | San Francisco | United States | Masonic Auditorium |
October 1, 2019 | Los Angeles | Hollywood Palladium | |
October 3, 2019 | Santa Ana | The Observatory | |
October 6, 2019 | Austin | Zilker Park | |
October 13, 2019 | Historic Scoot Inn | ||
October 16, 2019 | New Orleans | The Fillmore | |
October 18, 2019 | Lake Buena Vista | House of Blues | |
October 19, 2019 | Miami | The Fillmore Miami | |
October 24, 2019 | San Francisco | Masonic Auditorium | |
Leg 2 – Europe | |||
November 1, 2019 | Manchester | United Kingdom | O2 Ritz |
November 4, 2019 | London | Roundhouse | |
November 5, 2019 | Birmingham | O2 Institute | |
November 8, 2019 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Paradiso |
November 12, 2019 | Stockholm | Sweden | Berns |
November 14, 2019 | Berlin | Germany | Heimathafen |
November 15, 2019 | |||
November 17, 2019 | Cologne | Live Music Hall | |
November 19, 2019 | Brussels | Belgium | Cirque Royal |
November 21, 2019 | Paris | France | Le Trianon |
Leg 4 – Oceania | |||
December 30, 2019 | Marion Bay | Australia | Falls Music & Arts Festival |
January 2, 2020 | North Byron Parklands | ||
January 5, 2020 | Fremantle | Falls Music Festival |
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Hermes, Will (July 11, 2019). "Review: Banks Doubles Down On Her Emo Goth-Pop with "III"". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ "III by Banks on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
- ^ Ginsberg, Gab (May 24, 2019). "Banks Was Rising to the Top When She Disappeared. Here's Why". Billboard. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
- ^ Banks [@hernameisBANKS] (May 30, 2019). "BANKS on Twitter: '... '" (Tweet). Retrieved June 2, 2019 – via Twitter.
- ^ Schatz, Lake (3 June 2019). "Banks Announces "The III Tour" across North America | Music News". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (April 29, 2019). "Banks Returns With Dark Banger 'Gimme': Listen". Billboard. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
- ^ "Gimme / Banks". Tidal. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- ^ Ilana, Kaplan (April 29, 2019). "Hear Banks' Electrifying New Song 'Gimme' The Altar singer shares first new music since 2017". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
- ^ Banks [@hernameisBANKS] (June 8, 2019). "6.11.19" (Tweet). Retrieved June 9, 2019 – via Twitter.
- ^ Banks [@hernameisBANKS] (July 9, 2019). "Contaminated. Tomorrow" (Tweet). Retrieved July 9, 2019 – via Twitter.
- ^ "III by Banks reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
- ^ a b "III by Banks Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
- ^ Yeung, Neil Z. "III – Banks". AllMusic. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ a b Ahmed, Narzra (July 8, 2019). "BANKS – III". Clash. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
- ^ Taylor, Chris (July 12, 2019). "Album Review: Banks – III". DIY. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ Cliff, Aimee (July 12, 2019). "Banks: III review – a break from dark R&B doesn't quite pay off". The Guardian. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
- ^ a b O'Connor, Roisin (July 11, 2019). "Album reviews: Banks – III and Ida Mae – Chasing Lights". The Independent. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ a b Levine, Nick (July 9, 2019). "Banks – 'iii' review". NME. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
- ^ Morris, Damien (July 14, 2019). "Banks: III review – her best album yet". The Observer. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ^ Yoo, Noah (July 17, 2019). "Banks: III". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
- ^ Aroesti, Rachel (August 2019). "Banks: III". Q. No. 401. p. 108. ISSN 0955-4955.
- ^ Harding, Rhys (July 9, 2019). "The new album from Banks is the sound of an artist on the cusp of superstardom". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
- ^ III (liner notes). Banks. Harvest Records. 2019. 2577842412.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Australiancharts.com – Banks – III". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Banks – III" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Banks – III" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
- ^ "Banks Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – Banks – III". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Banks – III" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
- ^ "Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. July 22, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Banks – III". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
- ^ "Banks Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ "Banks Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2019.