Singing Saw (album)

Singing Saw
Studio album by Kevin Morby
Released	April 15, 2016
Recorded	2015-2016 at Isokon Studios in Woodstock, New York
Genre	Folk rock indie folk
Length	43:25
Label	Dead Oceans
Producer	Sam Cohen
Kevin Morby chronology
Still Life (2014) Singing Saw (2016)
Singles from Singing Saw
"I Have Been to the Mountain" Released: February 9, 2016 "Dorothy" Released: March 24, 2016 "Destroyer" Released: April 13, 2016

Singing Saw is the third studio album by American indie rock musician Kevin Morby, released on April 15, 2016 on Dead Oceans.^[1] The album is Morby's first release since his departure from folk rock band Woods.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	84/100[2]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
Consequence of Sound	B[4]
DIY	[5]
Drowned in Sound	8/10[6]
The Guardian	[7]
musicOMH	[8]
NME	4/5[9]
Pitchfork	8.3/10[10]
PopMatters	[11]
Under the Radar	8.5/10[12]
Sputnikmusic	4.7/5[13]

Singing Saw received widespread critical acclaim from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 84, based on 13 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim ".^[2]

Mark Richardson of Pitchfork Media praised the album, stating, "Singing Saw is his strongest album because it shows a process of refinement, and because Morby’s songwriting has become less referential and more grounded. The basic ingredients haven’t changed, but Morby is figuring out how to retain and amplify his strongest points—his weary and wise voice, his understanding of how the musical pieces fit together—and leave everything else behind. On his debut, Morby’s voice cracked in places, suggesting effort that transcended ability, but Singing Saw finds him cool and controlled at every turn, fully aware of his limitations but confident in what he can accomplish within them. His singing is simultaneously intimate and distant, part conversation and part stylized monologue. Single lines don’t really stand out, but Morby’s commitment to such elemental concerns has a cumulative effect, and the album’s lack of specificity becomes a strength."^[10]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Kevin Morby. 

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Cut Me Down"	3:32
2.	"I Have Been to the Mountain"	3:14
3.	"Singing Saw"	7:15
4.	"Drunk and on a Star"	4:18
5.	"Dorothy"	5:08
6.	"Ferris Wheel"	3:05
7.	"Destroyer"	4:26
8.	"Black Flowers"	5:47
9.	"Water"	6:40
Total length:		43:25

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Singing Saw.^[14]

Main personnel

• Kevin Morby – guitar, vocals, piano
• Sam Cohen – guitar, bass, keyboards, drums
• Marco Benevento – piano (2, 3, 5, 8, 9), keyboards (2, 3, 5, 8, 9)
• John Andrews – singing saw (1, 3)
• Alec Spiegelman – saxophone (4, 7), flute (4, 7)
• Eliza Bagg – strings (1, 4, 7, 9)
• Oliver Hill – strings (1, 4, 7, 9)
• Cole Kamen-Green – trumpet (2, 5, 9)
• Justin Sullivan – drums (2-4), percussion (2-4)
• Nick Kinsey – drums (2, 5, 7-9), percussion (2, 5, 7-9)
• Alecia Chakour – backing vocals (2, 3, 5, 7-9)
• Hannah Cohen – backing vocals (2, 3, 5, 7-9)
• Lauren Balthrop – backing vocals (2, 3, 5, 7-9)

Additional personnel

• Sam Cohen – production, additional engineering
• Jeff Lipton – mastering
• D. James Goodwin – engineering, mixing
• John Thayer – assistant engineering
• Maria Rice – assistant mastering engineering
• Dusdin Condren – photography
• Miles Johnson – design

Charts

Chart (2016)	Peak position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[15]	104
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[16]	158
French Albums (SNEP)[17]	182

References

1. Camp, Zoe (2016-01-19). "Kevin Morby (Woods, the Babies) Announces Solo Album Singing Saw and Tour". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
2. "Critic Reviews for Singing Saw by Kevin Morby". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
3. Sendra, Tim (April 14, 2016). "Kevin Morby - Singing Saw". AllMusic. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
4. Sackllah, David (April 12, 2016). "Kevin Morby – Singing Saw". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
5. Walters, Tom (April 15, 2016). "Kevin Morby - Singing Saw". DIY. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
6. Trefor, Cai (April 14, 2016). "Kevin Morby - Singing Saw". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
7. Mardles, Paul (April 17, 2016). "Kevin Morby: Singing Saw review – cryptic lyrics, gorgeous melodies". The Guardian. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
8. Paton, Daniel (April 18, 2016). "Kevin Morby – Singing Saw". musicOMH. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
9. Homewood, Ben (April 15, 2016). "Kevin Morby – 'Singing Saw'". NME. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
10. Richardson, Mark (April 15, 2016). "Kevin Morby: Singing Saw". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
11. Dieringer, Ryan (April 18, 2016). "Kevin Morby: Singing Saw". PopMatters. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
12. Rogers, Nate (April 14, 2016). "Kevin Morby: Singing Saw". Under the Radar. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
13. "Kevin Morby: Singing Saw". Sputnikmusic. April 25, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
14. Singing Saw (LP liner notes). Kevin Morby. Dead Oceans. 2016. DOC111.
15. "Ultratop.be – Kevin Morby – Singing Saw" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
16. "Ultratop.be – Kevin Morby – Singing Saw" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
17. "Lescharts.com – Kevin Morby – Singing Saw". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 26, 2016.