The Spinning Top

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For other uses, see Spinning top (disambiguation).

The Spinning Top
Studio album by
Graham Coxon
Released11 May 2009
Recorded2008-2009
GenreEnglish folk
Length68:26
LabelTransgressive
ProducerStephen Street
Graham Coxon chronology
Love Travels at Illegal Speeds
(2006) 		The Spinning Top
(2009) 		A+E
(2012)
Singles from The Spinning Top
  1. "In the Morning" (limited 10" vinyl)"
    Released: 18 April 2009
  2. "Sorrow's Army"
    Released: 18 May 2009
  3. "Dead Bees" / "Brave the Storm" (7" vinyl)"
    Released: 28 Sep 2009
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic66/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Clash(7/10)[3]
Gigwise.com[4]
The Guardian[5]
The Independent[6]
Pitchfork Media(4.7/10)[7]
Planet Sound(7/10)[8]
PopMatters(8/10)[9]
NME(8/10)[10]
Uncut[11]

The Spinning Top is the seventh studio album by Blur guitarist Graham Coxon on new record label Transgressive Records. The album is produced by Stephen Street and was released on 11 May 2009. It was Coxon's first album since Crow Sit on Blood Tree (2001) to be released while concurrently a member of Blur, and the first to be released following his returned to Blur in 2008.[12] It is a concept album that follows a narrative of a man from birth to death.[13]

The album was supported by the single "Sorrow's Army", released on 18 May.

Production[edit]

The cover art and liner artwork, like previous releases, was painted by Coxon himself.[14] The two music promos Sorrow's Army and In the Morning were filmed by creative director Nick Craske. Dead Bees, the third single from The Spinning Top, was filmed by Chris Hopewell.

Live Album Tour[edit]

Coxon took the album on tour around the release date in May 2009 and also in November 2009 after the cool down from July's Blur reform gigs at Hyde Park and Glastonbury. Coxon played with his Power Acoustic Ensemble. Live Members included Coxon (Guitar, Vocals and Soprano Saxophone), Graham Fox (drums), Gareth Davies (Bass), Lucy Parnall and Jen Clayton (Vocals), Owen Thomas (Bass, Guitar), Louis Vause (piano), Ranbir (dilruba), Bee2 (Percussion). The short tour played the full album in order. The last concert on the list was at the Barbican Theatre in London where Coxon would play with some of his all time heroes. The gig featured Robyn Hitchcock and Martin Carthy (guitars), Natasha Marsh (Opera Vocals) and Max Eastley (The Arc). It also featured Radiohead visual artist Chris Hopewell.

Track listing[edit]

  1. "Look Into the Light" - 3:18
  2. "This House" - 2:54
  3. "In the Morning" - 8:26
  4. "If You Want Me" - 5:43
  5. "Perfect Love" - 2:51
  6. "Brave the Storm" - 5:19
  7. "Dead Bees" - 3:25
  8. "Sorrow's Army" - 4:20
  9. "Caspian Sea" - 4:54
  10. "Home" - 4:21
  11. "Humble Man" - 3:43
  12. "Feel Alright" - 4:37
  13. "Far From Everything" - 4:09
  14. "Tripping Over" - 4:52
  15. "November" - 5:40

References[edit]

  1. ^ "The Spinning Top by Graham Coxon". Metacritic.com. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  2. ^ The Spinning Top at AllMusic
  3. ^ "Graham Coxon - The Spinning Top". Clashmusic.com. 30 April 2009. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Graham Coxon - 'The Spinning Top' (Transgressive) Released 11/05/09". Gigwise.com. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  5. ^ "Pop review: Graham Coxon, the Spinning Top". TheGuardian.com. 18 April 2009.
  6. ^ "Album: Graham Coxon, the Spinning Top (Transgressive)". Independent.co.uk. 24 November 2013. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022.
  7. ^ "Graham Coxon: The Spinning Top". Pitchfork.
  8. ^ "Teletext Planet Sound Album/Live Reviews - Graham Coxon/The Spinning Top". Archived from the original on 9 May 2009. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
  9. ^ "Graham Coxon: The Spinning Top < PopMatters". Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  10. ^ "Album Review : Graham Coxon". NME. 8 May 2009.
  11. ^ "Album review: Graham Coxon - the Spinning Top - Review - Uncut.co.uk". Archived from the original on 6 December 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2009.
  12. ^ "Graham Coxon previews new album at SXSW | NME.COM". NME. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  13. ^ "Modern Music: Graham Coxon - the Spinning Top". Archived from the original on 24 June 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
  14. ^ "Blur's Graham Coxon reveals self-drawn artwork for new album | NME.COM". NME. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
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