We're All Alone in This Together
We're All Alone in This Together is the second studio album by British rapper Dave, released on 23 July 2021 by Neighbourhood Recordings. The album succeeds the debut album Psychodrama, released in 2019, and includes guest appearances from Stormzy, James Blake, Wizkid, Snoh Aalegra, Boj, Fredo, Ghetts, Giggs and Meekz. We're All Alone in This Together was executive produced by Kyle Evans and Dave himself, with additional production from James Blake and Joe Reeves.
| We're All Alone in This Together | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 23 July 2021 | |||
| Recorded | 2019–2021[1] | |||
| Studio |
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| Length | 61:00 | |||
| Label | Neighbourhood | |||
| Producer |
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| Dave chronology | ||||
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| Singles from We're All Alone in This Together | ||||
The album follows the themes of loneliness and mental health, as well as social commentary on the conditions faced by young black people in society.
We're All Alone in This Together was supported by two singles: "Clash" featuring Stormzy, and "Verdansk", which reached number two and four respectively on the UK Singles Chart. The album received universal critical acclaim, with many comparing it favourably to its predecessor, Psychodrama.
Background edit
In April 2021, Dave released two songs as a two-track EP, "Titanium" and "Mercury" featuring Kamal, labelled as leftovers from his second album.[3] Two months later, Dave announced We're All Alone in This Together, alongside its cover art and release date.[4] Dave revealed that the title was inspired by Hans Zimmer, with it coming from a line that the composer had said to him during a conversation.[5] The album art itself is re-interpretation of French painter Claude Monet’s ‘Impression, Soleil Levant’ (‘Impression, Sunrise’).[6] Dave said that the two people in the boat on the cover represented him and his mum and, also, everyone who tries for a better life in the United Kingdom[7]
The lead single, "Clash" featuring Stormzy, was released on 9 July 2021.[8] It peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart in the chart week ending 30 July.
Critical reception edit
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 9.0/10[9] |
| Metacritic | 92/100[10] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Clash | 9/10[11] |
| The Daily Telegraph | [12] |
| DIY | [13] |
| Evening Standard | [14] |
| Gigwise | 10/10[15] |
| The Guardian | [16] |
| The Independent | [17] |
| The Line of Best Fit | 10/10[18] |
| NME | [19] |
| Pitchfork | 7.6/10[20] |
We're All Alone in This Together received widespread acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised score out of 100 to ratings from publications, the album received an average score of 92 based on 11 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[10] Reviewing the album, David Smyth of the Evening Standard called Dave "the greatest rapper working in Britain today".[14] In a five-star review, Kyann-Sian Williams of NME wrote that the album is a "stunning sequel [that] lives up to his debut".[19]
Clash's Robin Murray wrote that We're All Alone in This Together "thrives on openness while refusing to lay down easy answers" and that "it finds Dave asking tough questions, both of himself and the world around him." Murray continues to write that the album is "a step forwards from his debut, it feels simultaneously more diverse and yet more unified" and that it is "held together by the intensity of Dave’s vision, and the singularity of his purpose."[11] Writing for The Daily Telegraph Thomas Hobbs begun to write that the album "digs even deeper into the rapper’s subconscious, giving his fans a cause-and-effect insight into why he thinks the way that he thinks," while the meaningful content of the album "gives you a personal stake not only in Dave’s story, but that of so many other immigrant families, showing the human beings behind the statistics and defining why those with nothing in their pockets might be tempted by crime." Concluding his review, Hobbs noted that the album is an "experience as much as it is a set of songs. The results are compelling and well worth your time, but for everybody who comes away feeling transformed"[12]
For DIY, Sean Kerwick described We're All Alone in This Together as a part two to his debut Psychodrama as he wrote, "while Psychodrama used the framing of a therapy session to look inwards, We’re All Alone In This Together looks outwards." He continued to write and describe the album as "an album that’ll be excavated for years to come, but remains just as impactful on first listen," stating that, "at the rate he’s working at, watching him fill out the chapters to come is going to be a gift that keeps on giving."[13] David Smyth from Evening Standard gave a positive review of the album, noting that Dave is "wrestling all kinds of issues, finding it hard to reconcile the glitzy lifestyle he now enjoys."[14]
Gigwise's Adam England rated We're All Alone in This Together a ten out of ten. He states that Dave's craft "almost belies his age, if not for the injection of youthful vigour that accompanies the emotion and heart." When beginning his review, England writes that Dave is "becoming the voice of Gen Z, the conscious rap baton being passed down and Dave firmly lobbing it into the mainstream." England states that "it feels, and flows, like a truly coherent record," and as he concludes his review, he describes Dave as the best UK rapper, "The best rapper in Britain right now? Even at the age of 23, you’d be hard pressed to argue otherwise."[15]
Accolades edit
| Publication | Accolade | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complex UK | Complex UK's Best Albums of 2021 | 1 | [21] |
| Clash | Clash Albums Of The Year 2021 | 2 | [22] |
| The Independent | The Independent's 40 Best Albums of 2021 | 3 | [23] |
| MusicOMH | musicOMH's Top 50 Albums of 2021 | 5 | [24] |
| Dummy | The 25 Best Albums of 2021 | 6 | [25] |
| The Line of Best Fit | The Line of Best Fit's Best Albums of 2021 | 7 | [26] |
| The Vinyl Factory | The Vinyl Factory's 50 Favourite Albums of 2021 | 7 | [27] |
| Magnetic | Magnetic's 25 Best Albums of 2021 | 8 | [28] |
| PopMatters | PopMatters' 75 Best Albums of 2021 | 8 | [29] |
| The Sunday Times | The Sunday Times' 25 Best Albums of 2021 | 8 | [30] |
Commercial performance edit
We're All Alone in This Together debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, selling 74,000 album equivalent units first week, becoming Dave's second consecutive number one album. It made for the biggest UK album launch of 2021 at the time of release, beating out Olivia Rodrigo's Sour which sold 51,000 first week.[31] Single "Clash" and two other songs for the album charted on the UK Singles Chart: "Clash" (2), "Verdansk" (4), and "In the Fire" (6). UK chart rules prevent artists from having more than three songs in the top 40 at once, otherwise Dave's album would have generated further new entries in the countdown.[32] We're All Alone in This Together returned to number one on the UK charts, on 13 August 2021.[33]
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "We're All Alone" |
| 4:40 | |
| 2. | "Verdansk" |
| Evans | 3:02 |
| 3. | "Clash" (featuring Stormzy) |
| Evans | 4:11 |
| 4. | "In the Fire" |
|
| 7:03 |
| 5. | "Three Rivers" |
|
| 5:32 |
| 6. | "System" (featuring Wizkid) |
| 3:01 | |
| 7. | "Lazarus" (featuring Boj) |
| 3:24 | |
| 8. | "Law of Attraction" (featuring Snoh Aalegra) |
| Jae5 | 3:01 |
| 9. | "Both Sides of a Smile" (featuring James Blake) |
| 7:59 | |
| 10. | "Twenty to One" | 3:21 | ||
| 11. | "Heart Attack" |
|
| 9:55 |
| 12. | "Survivor's Guilt" |
| Dave | 5:40 |
| Total length: | 61:32 | |||
Notes
- ^[a] signifies an additional producer
- ^[b] signifies a co-producer
- "We're All Alone" features additional vocals from Molly Cowan and The Music Confectionary
- "In the Fire" features vocals from Fredo, Meekz, Ghetts and Giggs and additional vocals from Nathan Tettey
- "Three Rivers" and "System" features additional vocals from The Music Confectionary
- "Three Rivers" and "Survivor's Guilt" features additional vocals from Daniel Kaluuya
- "Both Sides of a Smile" features additional vocals from ShaSimone and Nathan Tettey
- "Twenty to One" features additional vocals from James Blake and The Music Confectionary
- "Heart Attack" features additional vocals from The Music Confectionary
- "Survivor's Guilt" features vocals from Jorja Smith
Sample credits
- "In the Fire" contains samples of "Have You Been Tried in the Fire", performed by The Florida Mass Choir
Personnel edit
Credits adapted from album's liner notes.
- Dave – vocals, production (tracks 1, 4, 5, 10–12)
- James Blake – production (track 4, 5, 9, 11)
- Dominic Maker – production
- P2J – production (tracks 6, 7, 10)
- Kyle Evans – production, instruments
- Jonny Leslie – engineering
- Leandro "Dro" Hidalgo – mixing (all tracks)
- Daniel Kaluuya – additional vocals
- Tobie Tripp – strings and arrangement (tracks 1, 5)
- ShaSimone – additional vocals (track 9)
- Nathan Tettey – additional vocals
- The Music Confectionary – additional vocals
- Molly Cowan – additional vocals (track 1)
- Evelyn Maillard – piano (track 1)
- Olivia Williams – choir arrangement
- Joe Reeves – production, guitar (tracks 6, 7, 10)
- Emmanuel Asamoah – saxophone (track 6)
- Jae5 – production, synths (track 6)
- Joshua "McKnasty" McKenzie – marching drums (track 1)
- Teniola Abosede – choir arrangement
- Aleysha Gordon – choir arrangement
- Nana Rogues – production, flute (track 2)
- Joel Peters – engineering (track 2)
- Luke Pickening – engineering (track 12)
- Leandro "Dro" Hidalgo – mastering (all tracks)
Charts edit
Weekly charts edit
| Year-end charts edit
|
Certifications edit
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[57] | Gold | 10,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[58] | Platinum | 300,000‡ |
| ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Instagram photos and videos: "Dave says he spent 2 years on the album". Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021 – via Instagram.
- ^ "Dave gives visual treatment to big 'We're All Alone in This together' cut "Verdansk"". GRM Daily. 8 September 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- ^ "Dave surprises fans with new tracks 'Titanium' and 'Mercury'". NME. 10 April 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- ^ "SANTAN on Twitter: "WE'RE ALL ALONE IN THIS TOGETHER. MY SECOND ALBUM. 23rd JULY 2021. PRE-ORDER NOW". Retrieved 5 July 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ "The Title Of Dave's New Album Was Inspired By A Talk With Hans Zimmer". Complex. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
- ^ "Dave's We're All Alone in This Together is Much More than an Album". The Urban Journal. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
- ^ Dean, Jonathan. "Dave, the rapper and voice of a generation, on his new album We're All Alone in This Together". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
- ^ "Listen to Dave team up with Stormzy on new track 'Clash'". NME. 9 July 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
- ^ "We're All Alone In This Together by Dave reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
- ^ a b "We're All Alone In This Together by Dave". Metacritic. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- ^ a b Murray, Robin (23 July 2021). "Dave - We're All Alone In This Together". Clash. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- ^ a b Hobbs, Thomas (24 July 2021). "Dave, We're All Alone in This Together, review: a slowed down soul-cleanser for the Covid age". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ a b Kerwick, Sean (23 July 2021). "Dave - We're All Alone In This Together". DIY. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ a b c Smyth, David (23 July 2021). "Dave - We're All Alone in This Together review: The greatest rapper working in Britain today". Evening Standard. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- ^ a b England, Adam (23 July 2021). "Album Review: Dave - We're All Alone In This Together". Gigwise. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ Aroesti, Rachel (23 July 2021). "Dave: We're All Alone in This Together review – an eerie, anguished triumph". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- ^ Brown, Helen (24 July 2021). "Dave – 'We're All Alone In This Together' review: Rapper's second album is full of spine-tingling frankness". The Independent. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ Williams, Kyann-Sian (23 July 2021). "Dave's We're All Alone In This Together is a perfectly crafted work of poetry and advocacy". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ a b Williams, Kyann-Sian (23 July 2021). "Dave – 'We're All Alone In This Together' review: stunning sequel lives up to his debut". NME. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- ^ Pritchard, Will (28 July 2021). "Dave: We're All Alone in This Together Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ^ Patterson, Joseph JP; Keith, James; Abiade, Yemi; Itseli, Minou; Kavuma, Jason (21 December 2021). "Complex UK's Best Albums of 2021". Complex UK. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ Murray, Robin (16 December 2021). "Clash Albums Of The Year 2021". Clash. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ Brown, Helen (18 December 2021). "The Independent's 40 Best Albums of 2021". The Independent. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ Hubbard, Michael (17 December 2021). "musicOMH's Top 50 Albums of 2021". MusicOMH. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ Ward, Billy (16 December 2021). "The 25 Best Albums of 2021". Dummy Magazine. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ Loftin, Steven (13 December 2021). "The Line of Best Fit's Best Albums of 2021". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ B., J. (9 December 2021). "The Vinyl Factory's 50 Favourite Albums of 2021". The Vinyl Factory. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ Middleton, Ryan (30 December 2021). "Magnetic's 25 Best Albums of 2021". Magnetic Magazine. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ Morgan, Tom (21 December 2021). "PopMatters' 75 Best Albums of 2021". PopMatters. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ Cairns, Dan; Dean, Jonathan; Helm, Jame (11 December 2021). "The Sunday Times' 25 Best Albums of 2021". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ "Dave's new album scores biggest opening week of 2021". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ "Dave's new album has biggest opening week of 2021". BBC News. 30 July 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ "Dave reclaims Official Albums Chart top spot". Official Charts.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Dave – We're All Alone in This Together". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Dave – We're All Alone in This Together" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Dave – We're All Alone in This Together" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Dave – We're All Alone in This Together" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ "Dave Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Dave – We're All Alone in This Together". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Dave – We're All Alone in This Together" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ "Albumit 30/2021" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ "Top Albums (Week 30, 2021)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
- ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ "2021 30-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 30 July 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Dave – We're All Alone in This Together". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Dave – We're All Alone in This Together". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Dave – We're All Alone in This Together". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Dave – We're All Alone in This Together". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ "Dave Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ Griffiths, George (9 January 2022). "Ireland's official biggest albums of 2021". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ Griffiths, George (4 January 2022). "The Official Top 40 biggest albums of 2021". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2022" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2022". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
- ^ "Danish album certifications – Dave – We're All Alone in This Together". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
- ^ "British album certifications – Dave – We're All Alone in This Together". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 October 2022.