Flying Colours (Shad album)

Flying Colours is the fourth studio album by Canadian rapper Shad, released in Canada on 15 October 2013.[1]

Flying Colours
Studio album by
Released15 October 2013
GenreCanadian hip hop
Length51:44
LabelBlack Box
ProducerRic Notes, Shad, Skratch Bastid, I. K. Koiter, Tone Mason, Michael Tompkins, That Brotha Lokey, Rel McCoy
Shad chronology
TSOL
(2010)
Flying Colours
(2013)
Adult Contempt
(2016)

The album was a shortlisted nominee for the 2014 Polaris Music Prize.[2]

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Exclaim!(7/10)[3]
NOW     [4]
The Varsityfavorable[5]

Flying Colours garnered generally positive reviews from music critics. Tabassum Siddiqui of NOW gave high praise to the versatile production and lyrical delivery made throughout the album, concluding that "the result is a record that fully reveals all of Shad's musical colours."[4] Jacob Lorinc of The Varsity praised the lyrical content for tackling socio-political topics without coming across as obvious and trite when going for positivity, saying that "Although he is still an underdog in the world of hip-hop, Shad’s clever rhymes and intricately woven verses throughout Flying Colours show the rapper’s ability to cover all sorts of ground on this album."[5] Aaron Matthews of Exclaim! said that despite some out-of-place tracks, he praised the album for its vast use of different genres and instruments, and Shad's continued growth as a mature rapper, calling it "a wake-up call to anyone sleeping on Canadian rappers and Shad's coming for the crown next time."[3] Flying Colours was named the 49th best Canadian album of the 2010s, by Exclaim!.[6]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)ProducerLength
1."Intro: Lost" (featuring Lisa Lobsinger, Kamau, and k-os)Ric Notes, Ian Kamau, k-os, ShadRic Notes4:37
2."Yall Know Me" (featuring Ebrahim)Ian Koiter, ShadCommittee (Shad, Skratch Bastid, and I. K. Koiter)3:25
3."Fam Jam (Fe Sum Immigrins)"Skratch Bastid, ShadSkratch Bastid3:33
4."He Say She Say"ShadCommittee3:50
5."Dreams"Max Zipursky, Michael Tompkins, ShadCommittee3:18
6."Interlude: Grace"  0:59
7."Stylin" (featuring Saukrates)Max Zipursky, Skratch Bastid, ShadSkratch Bastid3:51
8."Progress (Part 1: American Pie, Part 2: The Future Is Here)"Part 1: Tone Mason, Ian Koiter, Shad. Part 2: ShadTone Mason7:08
9."Remember to Remember" (featuring Lights)Michael Tompkins, Lights, ShadMichael Tompkins4:36
10."Love Means" (featuring Eternia)Lokey, Eternia, Matthew Johnston, ShadThat Brotha Lokey4:45
11."Thank You"Ric Notes, ShadRic Notes4:47
12."Epilogue: Long Jawn"Rel McCoy, ShadRel McCoy6:58

Personnel

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Adapted from the Flying Colours liner notes.[7]

  • Bryden Baird – trumpets
  • Trent Reschney – saxophones
  • Sebastian Ostertag – cello
  • Allison Stewart – viola
  • Tanya Charles – violin
  • Ian Koiter – string arrangements, bass, keyboards, synths, acoustic guitar
  • Max Zipursky – synths, pianos
  • Michael Libis – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
  • Shad – electric guitar
  • Skratch Bastid – drum programming
  • Andrew Hootsalack – drum programming
  • Jahmal Tonge – live drums
  • Ayo Leilani – additional vocals
  • Elijah Walsh – engineer
  • Crispin Day – engineer
  • Rob Stefanson – engineer
  • Elisa Pangseng – engineer
  • Michael Tompkins – engineer
  • Dan Weston – mixer
  • Tom Coyne – mastering
  • Justin Broadbent – album art, photography

Charts

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Chart Peak
position
Heatseekers Albums[8] 36

References

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  1. ^ Power, Tom. "New music: Shad raps, Hedley gets quiet, Neko Case fights harder". CBC News. Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  2. ^ The Canadian Press (15 July 2014). "Arcade Fire, Drake, Shad make Polaris Music Prize short list". CTV News. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b Matthews, Aaron (11 October 2013). "Shad - Flying Colours". Exclaim!. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  4. ^ a b Siddiqui, Tabassum (10 October 2013). "Shad". Now. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  5. ^ a b Lorinc, Jacob (28 October 2013). "Album Review: Flying Colours by Shad". The Varsity. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  6. ^ "Exclaim!'s 50 Best Canadian Albums of the 2010s". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  7. ^ Flying Colours (media notes). Shad. Black Box. 2013.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ "Shad - Chart history - Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
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