Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9, 2022) is the third studio album from British producer Fred Gibson under the stage name Fred Again. It was released on October 28, 2022, through Atlantic Records.[1] Similar to the previous two releases in the Actual Life series, Actual Life 3 incorporates samples and audio clips from existing material, such as Instagram videos.[2] At the Grammy Awards 2024, it won Best Dance/Electronic Album and was shortlisted for the 2023 Mercury Prize.[3]
Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9, 2022) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 28, 2022 | |||
Recorded | 2022 | |||
Genre | Electronic | |||
Length | 40:42 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Producer |
| |||
Fred Again chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9, 2022) | ||||
|
Critical reception
editAggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 70/100[4] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Clash | 7/10[5] |
DIY | [6] |
NME | [7] |
Pitchfork | 5.9/10[8] |
Actual Life 3 was released to positive reviews. The album featured at 19th in Double J's 50 best albums of the year.[9] It also featured on Billboard's top 50 list, garnering 41st.[10]
It was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2023 Brit Awards.[11]
In the 2022 Triple J Hottest 100, two of the album's songs were featured in the countdown. "Delilah (Pull Me Out of This)" was 14th and "Danielle (Smile on My Face)" was 100th.[12] Although Pitchfork gave the album only 5.9/10, stating that "it feels slightly indulgent."[13]
It won the Best Dance/Electronic Music Album at the Grammy's in 2024.[14]
Track listing
editNo. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "January 1st 2022" | Fred Gibson | Fred Again | 0:12 |
2. | "Eyelar (Shutters)" (with Eyelar) |
|
| 3:30 |
3. | "Delilah (Pull Me Out of This)" (with Delilah Montagu) |
|
| 4:11 |
4. | "Kammy (Like I Do)" (with Kamille) |
|
| 3:59 |
5. | "Berwyn (All That I Got Is You)" (with Berwyn, Dermot Kennedy and Guante) |
| 3:41 | |
6. | "Bleu (Better with Time)" (with Yung Bleu) |
|
| 3:17 |
7. | "Nathan (Still Breathing)" (with Nathan Archie) |
|
| 2:44 |
8. | "Danielle (Smile on My Face)" (with 070 Shake) |
|
| 3:21 |
9. | "Kelly (End of a Nightmare)" (with Wet) |
|
| 4:17 |
10. | "Mustafa (Time to Move You)" |
|
| 2:35 |
11. | "Clara (The Night Is Dark)" (with Clara Ward) |
|
| 4:38 |
12. | "Winnie (End of Me)" |
|
| 4:03 |
13. | "September 9th 2022" | F. Gibson | Fred Again | 0:14 |
Total length: | 40:42 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
14. | "Kyren (My Son)" | F. Gibson | Fred Again | 4:34 |
15. | "Adam (Act Like)" | F. Gibson | Fred Again | 2:55 |
16. | "Homies" (featuring Henry Wu) |
| Fred Again | 3:01 |
17. | "Baxter (These Are My Friends)" (with Baxter Dury) |
| Fred Again | 4:04 |
Total length: | 55:16 |
Notes
- All track titles are stylised with parenthetical text in all lowercase. As an example, "Eyelar (Shutters)" is stylised "Eyelar (shutters)".
- ^[a] signifies an additional producer.
Personnel
editMusicians
- Fred Again – programming (1–5, 7, 8, 10–13), vocals (tracks 1, 6, 9, 12)
- Benjy Gibson – programming (2, 5, 8)
- Eyelar Mirzazadeh – vocals (2)
- Parisi[a] – programming (4, 7–12), bass (7, 10), synthesizer (7, 9, 11), sound effects (10), drums (11), keyboards (11)
- Marco Parisi – bass (3), synthesizer (3, 8), programming (4), keyboards (5)
- Giampaolo Parisi – drums (3, 8), programming (3, 4, 8), sound effects (5), bass (7, 10), synthesizer (7, 9)
- Alex Gibson – programming (3)
- Kieran Hebden – programming (3), drum programming (8)
- Delilah Montagu – vocals (3, 10)
- Kamille – vocals (4, 10)
- Rob Milton – programming (5)
- Dermot Kennedy – vocals (5, 10)
- Jeremy Biddle – vocals (6)
- Kelly Zutrau – vocals (9)
- Clara Ward Singers – vocals (10, 11)
- Jamie xx – programming (12)
- Winnie Raeder – vocals (12)
Technical
- Jay Reynolds – mastering, mixing (1, 2, 4, 6, 9–13)
- Fred Again – mastering (3, 5), mixing (5, 6, 8)
- Kieran Hebden – mastering, mixing (8)
- Peter Fenn – vocal engineering (7)
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Certifications
editRegion | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI)[37] | Silver | 60,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Notes
edit- ^ Marco and Giampolo Parisi are credited both as a group and as individuals throughout the track listing.
References
edit- ^ Minsker, Evan (September 14, 2022). "Fred Again.. Announces New Album Actual Life 3, Shares New Song: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
- ^ Moore, Sam (October 27, 2022). "Fred again.. – 'Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022)' review: candid dancefloor dispatches for the masses". NME. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
- ^ Snapes, Laura (July 27, 2023). "Mercury Prize 2023: Arctic Monkeys tie Radiohead's record for most nominations". The Guardian. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ "Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022) by Fred Again Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ Rigotti, Alex (October 28, 2022). "Fred again.. – Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022) | Reviews". Clash. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ Tipple, Ben (October 28, 2022). "Fred again.. – Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022) review". DIY. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ Moore, Sam (October 28, 2022). "Fred again..: 'Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022)' review: candid dancefloor dispatches for the masses". NME. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ Cardew, Ben (October 28, 2022). "Fred again..: Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022) Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "The 50 best albums of 2022". Double J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
- ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2022: Staff List". Billboard. December 6, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
- ^ Richards, Will (January 10, 2023). "Mo Gilligan returning to host 2023 BRIT Awards". NME. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
- ^ "Hottest 100 2022". Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. January 28, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
- ^ https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/fred-again-actual-life-3-january-1-september-9-2022/#:~:text=The%20album's%20backstory%20is%20far,everything%20radiates%20an%20expensive%20sheen.
- ^ "Fred again.. | Artist | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Fred Again.. – Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9, 2022)". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Fred Again.. – Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9, 2022)" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Fred Again.. – Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9, 2022)" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Fred Again.. – Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9, 2022)" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Fred Again.. – Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9, 2022)". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Fred Again.. – Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9, 2022)" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Fred Again..: Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9, 2022)" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – Fred Again.. – Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9, 2022)". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Fred Again.. – Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9, 2022)" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Fred Again..". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "2022 44-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. November 4, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Fred Again.. – Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9, 2022)". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Fred Again.. – Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9, 2022)". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Fred Again.. – Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9, 2022)". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Fred Again.. – Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9, 2022)". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Fred Again.. – Actual Life 3 (January 1 - September 9, 2022)". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Official Dance Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Heatseekers Albums: Week of December 3, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Top Dance/Electronic Albums: Week of December 3, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2023" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ "British album certifications – Fred Again – Actual Life 3 (Jan 1 - Sep 9 2022)". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 26, 2024.