Fatherland (album)

2017 folk album by Kele Okereke

Fatherland

Studio album by

Kele Okereke

Released| 6 October 2017
Genre| Folk
Length| 45:01
Label| BMG
Producer| Justin Harris
Kele Okereke chronology
| Trick
(2014)  | Fatherland
(2017)  | 2042
(2019)

|
|

Singles from  Fatherland

1. "Yemaya"
Released: 28 April 2017
2. "Streets Been Talkin'"
Released: 6 July 2017
3. "Grounds for Resentment"
Released: 3 August 2017
4. "Do U Right"
Released: 1 September 2017

Fatherland is the third solo album by Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke. The album was released on 6 October 2017 and was his first solo album released under his full name instead of the professional name of Kele. It also produced by the band's bassist Justin Harris.

## Background[edit]

The album was a departure from the alternative dance and electro house style of his previous two albums and instead opted for a folk sound inspired by Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake and Elliott Smith.[1][2] The album focuses on Kele's experiences being a father despite being a gay man as well as reconnecting with his Nigerian heritage.[3] The album features duets from Olly Alexander from synth-pop band Years & Years and Corinne Bailey Rae on the songs "Grounds for Resentment" and "Versions of Us." Kele embarked on his first solo acoustic tour in support of the album in May 2017 in which he played a mixture of the album, previous solo songs and acoustic renditions of Bloc Party songs.[4]

## Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratingsAggregate scores

Source| Rating
Metacritic| 66/100[5]
Review scores
Source| Rating
AllMusic| [6]
Clash| 7/10[7]
DIY| [8]
Drowned in Sound| 7/10[9]
The Observer| [1]
Paste| 5.6/10[10]
Pitchfork| 6.5/10[11]

Fatherland received "generally favourable reviews" from critics; at Metacritic which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 66 based on 10 reviews. Critics praised Okereke's honest and personal lyrics as well as usage of "tenor sax, soft electric piano and clarinets."[7] Neil Young from AllMusic described the album as "forlorn and delicate" and as remaining "mostly sullen and occasionally sharp in its content, but the instrumentation helps lift the songs from the gloom." He also praised Okereke's restraint and maturation as a songwriter.[6] Leander Hobbs from The Line of Best Fit described the duets with Olly Alexander and Corinne Bailey Rae as showing "that Okereke understands how to add greater texture and contrast to his shaky vocals without resorting to the autotuned experiments of his early career."[12] However, others were critical of the album, with The Observer describing "Okereke's shaky voice" as making the album "far slighter than it might have been."[1] Paste magazine said it was a shame "that what lies behind dozens of layers of metaphorical shrouds, isn’t a bit more poetic and interesting."

## Track listing[edit]

No.| Title| Writer(s)| Length

|
|
|

1.| "Overture"| Okereke| 0:45
2.| "Streets Been Talkin'"| Okereke| 3:25
3.| "You Keep On Whispering His Name"| Okereke| 4:09
4.| "Capers"| Okereke| 3:51
5.| "Grounds for Resentment" (featuring Olly Alexander)| Okereke & Alexander| 4:17
6.| "Yemaya"| Okereke| 3:32
7.| "Do U Right"| Okereke| 3:51
8.| "Versions of Us" (featuring Corinne Bailey Rae)| Okereke & Bailey Rae| 4:13
9.| "Portrait"| Okereke| 3:31
10.| "Road to Ibadan"| Okereke| 3:23
11.| "Savannah"| Okereke| 2:56
12.| "The New Year Party"| Okereke| 3:11
13.| "Royal Reign"| Okereke| 3:50
Total length:| 45:01

## Personnel[edit]

Credits adapted from Discogs.[13]

* Kele Okereke – lead vocals, lead guitar, songwriting

### Additional musicians[edit]

* Olly Alexander – co-lead vocals and songwriting on "Grounds for Resentment"
* Corinne Bailey Rae – co-lead vocals and songwriting on "Versions of Us"
* Bruce Withycombe – brass
* Megan Diana McGeorge – brass
* Paul Brainard – brass
* Scott Van Schoick – brass
* Willie Matheis – brass
* Collette Alexander – cello
* Sean Flynn – guitar

### Production[edit]

* Justin Harris – production
* Jeff Stuart Saltzman – mixing
* Nigel Walton – mastering

### Design[edit]

* Kele Okereke – photography
* Rachael Wright – photography
* David Drake – photography, art direction, design, layout

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Kele Okereke: Fatherland review – goodbye disco, hello folk". 8 October 2017. Archived from the original on 17 October 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
2. ^ "Fascinating Melancholia: Bloc Party's Kele Okereke on 'Pink Moon' by Nick Drake". 9 October 2017.
3. ^ "Kele Okereke: Fatherland Review". 3 October 2017. Archived from the original on 17 October 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
4. ^ "Bloc Party's Kele Okereke announces solo acoustic tour". 3 April 2017. Archived from the original on 17 October 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
5. ^ "Fatherland by Kele Okereke". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 22 April 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
6. ^ a b Young, Neil. "Fatherland – Kele Okereke". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 8 January 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
7. ^ a b Butler, Will. "Kele Okereke - Fatherland". Clash. Archived from the original on 25 March 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
8. ^ Wright, Lisa. "Kele Okereke - Fatherland". DIY. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
9. ^ Linnell, Harriett. "Album Review: Kele Okereke - Fatherland". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 4 May 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
10. ^ Edelstone, Steven (3 October 2017). "Kele Okereke: Fatherland Review". Paste. Archived from the original on 17 October 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
11. ^ Anderson, Stacey. "Kele Okereke: Fatherland Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
12. ^ Hobbs, Leander. "Fatherland by Kele Okereke". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
13. ^ "Kele Okereke - Fatherland (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 15 October 2018.

* v
* t
* e

Kele Okereke

Studio albums|

* The Boxer
* Trick
* Fatherland
* 2042
* The Waves Pt. 1
* The Flames Pt. 2

EPs|

* The Hunter

Singles|

| The Boxer|

* "Tenderoni"
* "Everything You Wanted"
* "On the Lam"

|

The Hunter|

* "What Did I Do?"

Other songs|

* "Goodbye Horses"

Featured singles|

* "Believe" (with The Chemical Brothers)
* "Ready 2 Go" (with Martin Solvieg)

Other collaborations|

* "It's Not The Things You Say" (with Tiësto)
* "Step Up" (with Hercules & Love Affair)

Related articles|

* Bloc Party
* Bloc Party discography
* Russel Lissack
* Gordon Moakes
* Matt Tong
* XXXChange

* v
* t
* e

Bloc Party

* Kele Okereke
* Russell Lissack
* Justin Harris
* Louise Bartle

* Gordon Moakes
* Matt Tong

Studio albums|

* Silent Alarm
* A Weekend in the City
* Intimacy
* Four
* Hymns
* Alpha Games

Remix albums|

* Silent Alarm Remixed
* Intimacy Remixed

Extended plays|

* Bloc Party
* Little Thoughts
* The Nextwave Sessions

Singles|

* "She's Hearing Voices"
* "Banquet"/"Staying Fat"
* "Little Thoughts"/"Tulips"
* "Helicopter"
* "Tulips"
* ""So Here We Are"/"Positive Tension""
* "Banquet"
* "Pioneers"
* "Two More Years"
* "The Prayer"
* "I Still Remember"
* "Hunting for Witches"
* "Flux"
* "Mercury"
* "Talons"
* "One Month Off"
* "Signs"
* "One More Chance"
* "Octopus"
* "Truth"
* "Ratchet"

Other songs|

* "Like Eating Glass"

Related articles|

* Discography
* Pin Me Down
* Young Legionnaire

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