Forfolks
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- June 28, 2021
- June 29, 2021[1]
| Forfolks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | December 10, 2021 | |||
| Recorded |
| |||
| Studio | Sholo (Altadena, California)[1] | |||
| Length | 40:19 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | Scott McNiece | |||
| Jeff Parker chronology | ||||
| ||||
Forfolks is a solo studio album by American guitarist Jeff Parker.[2] It was released on December 10, 2021, through International Anthem Recording Company and Nonesuch Records.[3] It received universal acclaim from critics.[4]
Forfolks consists of solo guitar works by Jeff Parker.[5] It features six original songs, as well as his versions of the standard "My Ideal" and Thelonious Monk's "Ugly Beauty".[6] The album was recorded at Parker's home studio in Altadena, California, over two days in June 2021.[5] A music video for "Suffolk" was directed by Cauleen Smith.[7]
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 87/100[4] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [8] |
| Mojo | [9] |
| The Observer | [10] |
| Pitchfork | 8.2/10[11] |
| PopMatters | 7/10[12] |
| Uncut | [13] |
| Under the Radar | 8.5/10[14] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Forfolks received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 87 out of 100 from 7 critic scores.[4]
Mariel Fechik of Under the Radar described the album as "a transfixing solo guitar record that finds Parker turning inward, creating a collection of songs that border on musical meditation."[14] Erin Osmon of Uncut commented that "He situates his intuitive, improvised guitar work among a menagerie of textural loops, working alone and thus fully exposed, his playing a gift of intimacy and warmth in a climate very much in need of such things."[13] Jesper Nøddeskov of PopMatters stated, "Forfolks is Jeff Parker on his own, but it's a selfless statement."[12] He added, "Here the music, like life, thrives in collaboration, and context is everything."[12]
Grayson Haver Currin of Pitchfork stated, "The games he plays with rhythm and repetition feel like a frontier, a suggestion of new spaces to explore for solo guitarists indebted to minimalism, drone, and electronics."[11] He added, "Hearing a long-consummate instrumentalist well into his 50s grapple so clearly with the future of his own idiom is plenty inspiring; the quiet confidence with which Parker proclaims there is something else to say with just six strings and a few effects feels like a revelation, for himself and the form."[11] Andrew Male of Mojo praised "an ability to create entire new sonic worlds from the tiniest of elements."[9] Thom Jurek of AllMusic commented that "Forfolks is as welcoming as it is musically adventurous."[8]
Accolades
| Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mojo | The 50 Best Albums of 2022 | 33 |
|
| Pitchfork | The 50 Best Albums of 2022 | 48 |
|
| The Quietus | Quietus Albums of the Year 2021 | 69 |
Track listing
All tracks are written by Jeff Parker, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Off Om" | 1:21 | |
| 2. | "Four Folks" | 5:34 | |
| 3. | "My Ideal" |
| 3:10 |
| 4. | "Suffolk" | 7:38 | |
| 5. | "Flour of Fur" | 4:08 | |
| 6. | "Ugly Beauty" | Thelonious Monk | 3:24 |
| 7. | "Excess Success" | 10:53 | |
| 8. | "La Jetée" | 4:11 | |
| Total length: | 40:19 | ||
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes.[1]
- Jeff Parker – electric guitar
- Scott McNiece – production, sequencing
- Graeme Gibson – engineering, mixing
- David Allen – mastering
- Jeremiah Chiu – cover design
- Craig Hansen – insert design
- Lee Anne Schmitt – photography
- Matthew Lux – liner notes
Charts
| Chart (2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Album Downloads (OCC)[18] | 72 |