Fine Art (Kneecap album)

2024 studio album by Kneecap From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fine Art is the debut studio album by Irish Hip-hop trio Kneecap, released on 14 June 2024 through Heavenly Recordings.[4] It is produced by Toddla T and includes guest appearances by Radie Peat, Grian Chatten, Nino, and Jelani Blackman. The album received positive reviews from critics and debuted at number two in Ireland.[5]

Released14 June 2024 (2024-06-14)
Studio
  • Bell Brothers (London)
  • The Clinic (Dublin)
Length37:46
Quick facts Studio album by Kneecap, Released ...
Fine Art
A framed balaclava
Studio album by
Released14 June 2024 (2024-06-14)
Studio
  • Bell Brothers (London)
  • The Clinic (Dublin)
Genre
Length37:46
Language
LabelHeavenly
ProducerToddla T
Kneecap chronology
3CAG
(2018)
Fine Art
(2024)
Kneecap: Music from the Motion Picture
(2024)
Singles from Fine Art
  1. "Better Way to Live"
    Released: 15 November 2023
  2. "Sick in the Head"
    Released: 20 February 2024
  3. "Fine Art"
    Released: 27 March 2024
  4. "Love Making"
    Released: 1 May 2024
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Critical reception

More information Aggregate scores, Source ...
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic79/100[6]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarHalf star[1]
Clash6/10[7]
DIYStarStarStarStarStar[8]
The Irish TimesStarStarStarStarStar[3]
MojoStarStarStarStar[9]
NMEStarStarStarStarStar[10]
RTÉStarStarStarStar[11]
The SkinnyStarStarStarStar[2]
Uncut7/10[12]
Under the RadarStarStarStarStarStarStar[13]
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Fine Art received a score of 79 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on eight critics' reviews, which the website categorised as "generally favourable" reception.[6] Mojo opined that "the wild times end on a poignant, giddy high with 'Parful' – a house-y banger raving about everyday hedonism transcending sectarian violence – an irresistible distillation of Kneecap's peacetime party music".[9] Uncut called it "overly indebted to its inspirations – among them Ghetts, Stormzy and the Streets – it may be, but the stroppy 'I Bhfiacha Linne' and 'Rhino Ket', a moody techno/dancehall hybrid, are hard to deny".[12]

Andrew Trendell of NME gave Fine Art a full five stars, praising the album's rave qualities and for keeping the Irish language alive, adding that it "couldn’t sound any more alive...That’s power – and Kneecap have it".[14] DIY's Lisa Wright described the album as "in its own warped way, as its title suggests: a fully-immersive, conceptual production that, much like their recent Sundance award-winning biopic, is far, far too clever to just be the work of three miscreants".[8] Chris Sneddon of The Skinny found that it "has its ups and downs, it can be deep, it can be controversial, but in the long run, it's a good laugh and a thumping good time" as well as "a banging collision of rap and rave music".[2]

Year-end lists

More information Publication/critic, Accolade ...
Select 2024 year-end rankings for Fine Art
Publication/critic Accolade Rank Ref.
The Line of Best Fit Best Albums of the Year 2024 46 [15]
Louder Than War Top 100 Albums of 2024 44 [16]
Mondo Sonoro Best International Albums of 2024 48 [17]
NME 50 Best Albums of 2024 13 [18]
Rough Trade UK Albums of the Year 2024 26 [19]
The Skinny 20 Albums of 2024 4 [20]
The Sunday Times 25 Best Albums of 2024 5 [21]
The Telegraph 10 Best Albums of 2024 10 [22]
Vogue The 36 Best Albums of 2024 N/a [23]
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Track listing

All lyrics are written by Kneecap; "Harrow Road" lyrics written with Jelani Blackman.

More information No., Title ...
Fine Art track listing
No.TitleMusicLength
1."3CAG" (featuring Radie Peat)3:08
2."Fine Art"Kneecap2:19
3."Interlude: Making Headlines"
  • Kneecap
  • Bell
0:27
4."I bhFiacha Linne"3:07
5."Interlude: Never Gets a Round"
  • Kneecap
  • Bell
0:24
6."I'm Flush"
  • Kneecap
  • Bell
  • Adrian McLeod
2:56
7."Interlude: State of Ya"
  • Kneecap
  • Bell
0:13
8."Better Way to Live" (featuring Grian Chatten)
  • Kneecap
  • Bell
  • McLeod
2:56
9."Sick in the Head"
  • Kneecap
  • Bell
  • McLeod
2:32
10."Love Making" (featuring Nino)
  • Kneecap
  • Bell
2:27
11."Interlude: Amhrán na Scadán"
  • Kneecap
  • Bell
0:24
12."Drug Dealin Pagans"
  • Kneecap
  • Bell
2:33
13."Interlude: Kneecap Chaps"
  • Kneecap
  • Bell
0:37
14."Harrow Road" (featuring Jelani Blackman)
3:45
15."Parful"
  • Kneecap
  • Bell
3:19
16."Rhino Ket"
  • Kneecap
  • Bell
3:07
17."Interlude: Last Orders"
  • Kneecap
  • Bell
0:15
18."Way Too Much"
  • Kneecap
  • Bell
  • McLeod
3:17
Total length:37:46
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More information No., Title ...
Fine Art (Remixes) track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Parful" (David Holmes remix)4:56
2."Better Way to Live" (featuring Grian Chatten; Sam Interface remix)3:28
3."Better Way to Live" (featuring Grian Chatten; Sam Interface dub)3:28
4."Sick in the Head" (Jonah Swilley remix)2:42
Total length:14:35
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Notes

  • On physical editions, the interludes do not include "Interlude" in the title and are listed as unnumbered tracks.
  • "3CAG" contains a sample of "Caravan" by Joe O'Donnell.
  • "I bhFiacha Linne" contains a sample of "Cübik" by 808 State.
  • "Harrow Road" contains elements from "Creeper" by Nick Detnon.
  • "Parful" contains excerpts from the film Dancing on Narrow Ground written and directed by Des Bell.
  • A demo of "Glue Man" was included as a bonus track on digital downloads of the album during its first week of release.[24]

Personnel

Kneecap

Additional contributors

  • Toddla Tproduction, mixing
  • James Eager – engineering
  • Tom Coll – drums ("I'm Flush", "Better Way to Live")
  • Adrian McLeod – synthesizer, keyboards ("I'm Flush", "Way Too Much"); piano ("Better Way to Live", "Way Too Much"), synth bass, synth pad ("Better Way to Live"), bass ("Way Too Much")
  • Grian Chatten – vocals ("Better Way to Live")
  • Andy Nicholson – bass ("Better Way to Live")
  • Steven Loughrin – flute ("Drug Dealin Pagans")
  • Manchán Magan – guest vocals ("Drug Dealin Pagans")
  • Lisa Canny – choir ("Way Too Much")
  • Saara Kaldma – choir ("Way Too Much")
  • Gertrud Aasaroht – choir ("Way Too Much")
  • Tony McHugh – choir ("Way Too Much")
  • Colin Andrews – choir ("Way Too Much")
  • Aoife O'Dea – choir ("Way Too Much")

Charts

More information Chart (2024), Peak position ...
Chart performance for Fine Art
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Irish Albums (OCC)[25]2
Scottish Albums (OCC)[26]3
UK Albums (OCC)[27]43
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[28]3
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[29]1
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References

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