Jake Shears is the self-titled debut solo album by Jake Shears, released on August 10, 2018.[1] "Creep City" serves as the album's lead single.

Jake Shears
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 10, 2018 (2018-08-10)
Length45:08
LabelFreida Jean (Absolute UK)
Producer
  • Jake Shears
  • Kevin Ratterman
Jake Shears chronology
Jake Shears
(2018)
Last Man Dancing
(2023)
Singles from Jake Shears
  1. "Creep City"
    Released: May 25, 2018
  2. "Big Bushy Mustache"
    Released: August 3, 2018
  3. "Sad Song Backwards"
    Released: September 28, 2018

Recording and composition

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The album was recorded in Louisville with Kevin Ratterman, as well as members of My Morning Jacket.[1]

Promotion

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"Creep City" serves as the album's lead single.[2] The music video was directed by Mac Boucher.[1]

The second single was "Sad Song Backwards". It was accompanied by a lyric video.[3]

"Big Bushy Moustache" was released as the third single. Its video was directed by Mac Boucher too, and consists on Shears strutting in New Orleans, urging other men to join him in the celebration of facial hair. It features a cameo by Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme (who had previously collaborated with Scissor Sisters on the promotion of 2010 Magic Hour).[citation needed]

"Everything I Ever Need" was released as the fourth single, with a video (also directed by Boucher) inspired by Elton John and Freddie Mercury.[citation needed]

Shears toured the album in the United States and will support Kylie Minogue touring Australia in 2019.[citation needed]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic78/100[4]
Review scores
SourceRating
Albumism     [5]
AllMusic     [6]
The Guardian     [7]
MusicOMH     [8]
NME     [9]

Jake Shears received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 78 based on 12 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[4]

Track listing

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Jake Shears track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Introduction"0:25
2."Good Friends"3:30
3."Big Bushy Mustache"3:35
4."Sad Song Backwards"4:17
5."Everything I'll Ever Need"4:05
6."All for What"4:35
7."S.O.B."3:51
8."Creep City"3:25
9."The Bruiser"5:38
10."Clothes Off"3:50
11."Palace in the Sky"4:08
12."Mississippi Delta (I'm Your Man)"3:49

B-Sides EP

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The B-Sides EP was released in 2019, a year after the album.[10]

B-Sides EP track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Whatever It Takes"3:52
2."Fit Ain't One Thing"3:37
3."Arrington Fields"5:42

Charts

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Chart performance for Jake Shears
Chart (2018) Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC)[11] 17
UK Albums (OCC)[12] 20
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[13] 4

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears announces self-titled solo album, shares "Creep City": Stream". Consequence of Sound. May 27, 2018. Archived from the original on June 8, 2018. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  2. ^ "Jake Shears goes solo with "Creep City"". The FADER. Archived from the original on May 26, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
  3. ^ Youtt, Henry (25 July 2018). "Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears Gets Crafty For DIY 'Sad Song Backwards' Lyric Video: Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on 31 January 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Reviews for Jake Shears by Jake Shears". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 14 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  5. ^ Itkowsky, Liz (18 August 2018). "Jake Shears' Solo Dancing Shoes Fit Him Remarkably Well on Refreshing, Eponymous Debut". Albumism. Archived from the original on October 21, 2018. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  6. ^ Phares, Heather. "AllMusic Review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  7. ^ Aroesti, Rachel (August 10, 2018). "Jake Shears review – dirty pop with its makeup running". The Guardian. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  8. ^ Devlin, Ben (August 22, 2018). "MusicOMH Review". MusicOMH. Archived from the original on May 26, 2022. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  9. ^ Levine, Nick (August 7, 2018). "NME Review". NME. Archived from the original on April 5, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  10. ^ "B-Sides". Spotify. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  11. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  12. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
  13. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 19, 2018.