Iechyd Da is the fifth studio album by English singer-songwriter Bill Ryder-Jones, released on 12 January 2024 through Domino Recording Company. It is his first album in five years, and received acclaim from critics.
| Iechyd Da | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 12 January 2024 | |||
| Studio | Yawn, West Kirby, England | |||
| Length | 48:42 | |||
| Label | Domino | |||
| Producer | Bill Ryder-Jones | |||
| Bill Ryder-Jones chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
editThe album was produced by Ryder-Jones at his Yawn studio in West Kirby, England. Its title translates as "good health" in Welsh, while the title of the final track, "Nos Da", means "goodnight".[1] Ryder-Jones stated that he has not been "this proud of a record since A Bad Wind Blows in My Heart" and called it his "most produced record".[1]
Critical reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 90/100[2] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| The Guardian |   [3] |
| Mojo | [4] |
| Record Collector | [5] |
| Uncut |  [6] |
Iechyd Da received a score of 90 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on eight critics' reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[2] Mojo felt that the album "documents a period of intense anguish with careful understatement and smart musical references".[4] Shaun Curran of Record Collector called it "a truly wonderful record, one that embellishes Ryder-Jones' writing in ways both grand and unusual, without sacrificing any of the closeness – his lyrics remain raw and direct – or melodic knack".[5] The Guardian's Dave Simpson described it as "overwhelmingly lovely, with classy hooks and rousing choruses" and remarked that Ryder-Jones's "closely mic-ed voice is fragile, delicate, even on the edge of croaky, giving the impression he's sharing intimacies directly with the listener".[3] Reviewing the album for Uncut, Laura Barton found it to contain "songs marked by a remarkable closeness, by the intimacy of place and people" in "a world filled with colloquialisms and gentle wit, where we were all on first-name terms and the geography sat in our marrow."[6]
Year-end lists
edit| Publication/critic | Accolade | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| MOJO | 75 Best Albums of 2024 | 5 | [7] |
| Rough Trade UK | Albums of the Year 2024 | 19 | [8] |
| Uncut | 80 Best Albums of 2024 | 16 | [9] |
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Bill Ryder-Jones, except where noted. All tracks are arranged by Bill Ryder-Jones.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Know That It's Like This (Baby)" (Bill Ryder-Jones, Caetano Veloso) | 4:32 |
| 2. | "A Bad Wind Blows in My Heart Pt. 3" | 3:57 |
| 3. | "If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" | 3:06 |
| 4. | "We Don't Need Them" | 4:55 |
| 5. | "I Hold Something in My Hand" | 3:04 |
| 6. | "This Can't Go On" (Ryder-Jones, William Hines) | 4:30 |
| 7. | "...And the Sea..." | 2:10 |
| 8. | "Nothing to Be Done" | 4:02 |
| 9. | "It's Today Again" | 3:33 |
| 10. | "Christinha" | 4:04 |
| 11. | "How Beautiful I Am" | 4:18 |
| 12. | "Thankfully for Anthony" | 4:54 |
| 13. | "Nos Da" | 1:37 |
| Total length: | 48:42 | |
Notes
- "I Know That It's Like This (Baby)" samples "Baby", written by Caetano Veloso, as performed by Gal Costa.
Personnel
edit- Bill Ryder-Jones – vocals, production, mixing
- Amy Chalmers – violins
- Ian Stephens – cello
- Martin Smith – horns
- Andy Frizell – flute
- Phil Murphy – drums
- Bidston Avenue School Choir
- Guy Davie – mastering
- James Ford – mixing
- Felipe Chapman-Fromm – engineering
- Liam Power – engineering
- Nathaniel Cummings – engineering
Charts
edit| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[10] | 3 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[11] | 69 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[12] | 30 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[13] | 2 |
References
edit- ^ a b Duran, Anagricel (20 September 2023). "Bill Ryder-Jones shares new single 'This Can't Go On' and announces LP Iechyd Da". NME. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Iechyd Da by Bill Ryder-Jones Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ a b Simpson, Dave (4 January 2024). "Bill Ryder-Jones: Iechyd Da review – Coral co-founder's songs of heartache and hope". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Bill Ryder-Jones – Iechyd Da". Mojo. February 2024. p. 87.
- ^ a b Curran, Shaun (31 December 2023). "Iechyd Da | Bill Ryder-Jones". Record Collector. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ a b Barton, Laura (22 December 2023). "Bill Ryder-Jones – Iechyd Da". Uncut. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ "MOJO's 75 Best Albums of 2024". albumoftheyear.org. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ "Albums of the Year 2024". roughtrade.com. 19 November 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ Pearis, Bill (8 November 2024). "List Season comes early with Uncut's Top 80 Albums of 2024". brooklynvegan.com. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Bill Ryder-Jones – Iechyd Da". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 January 2024.