Thirty One | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 11 September 2015 | |||
Recorded | 2014–2015 Auckland, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Sydney | |||
Genre | Indie pop, alternative R&B | |||
Label | Dryden Street, Universal Music Australia | |||
Producer | Joel Little | |||
Jarryd James chronology | ||||
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Singles from Thirty One | ||||
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Thirty One is the debut studio album by Australian singer-songwriter, Jarryd James. It debuted at number 2 on the Australian ARIA Chart in September 2015.
At the J Awards of 2015, the album was nominated for Australian Album of the Year. [1]
Throughout 2014, James was working as a full time youth worker. [2] James supported New Zealand group Broods on their late 2014 Australian tour and Angus & Julia Stone on their February 2015 tour. [3] His breakthrough came early in 2015 when his debut solo single “ Do You Remember” climbed the charts, eventually peaking at number 2. James signed a record deal with Universal Music Australia. [4]
The album was announced on 23 July 2015. [5] Thirty One was recorded in Auckland, L.A., Melbourne and Sydney and was co-written by Joel Little, Malay, Pip Norman and (his longtime friend) Matt Corby. [6]
Roshan Clerke from The Music gave the album 4 out of 5, saying; “The bittersweet themes of 'Do You Remember' permeate the rest of this album" adding, “The songs here are made to reflect the kind of seminal tracks that inspired James himself." [7]
Jessica Thomas from Renowned for Sound gave the album 4.5 out of 5, saying: "His new record is all about minimalism; you won't find exaggerated or elaborate structures. Rather, it's all about simple rhythms centered around a message." She added: "Ultimately James has delivered a beautiful blend of soulful pop and subtle EDM that makes Thirty One a refined, fresh collection of inspired tracks." [8]
Anabelle Ross from Rolling Stone Australia was more critical, giving the album 3 out of 5. Ross said: "Despite having two star producers on board [...] the Brisbanite falls shy of expectations with his debut LP. In fact, perhaps the biggest disappointment is that the record meets our expectations almost exactly – there are no surprises and nothing half as immediate as 'Do You Remember' [...] and so we have tracks that are not awful but indistinct, and tending to bleed into one another, turning the album into one long, rather sooky lament". [9]
Claudia D'Amore from Sticky Trigger was also critical giving the album 4.5 out of 10. D'Amore commended first single "Do You Remember" but said the album reveals a common theme of "familiar drumbeat, clicks and snaps" and "the record overall becomes easily forgettable." [10]
Thirty One debuted and peaked at number 2 in Australia, behind Bring Me the Horizon's album, That's the Spirit. [11]
Chart (2015) | Peak position |
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Australian Albums ( ARIA) [12] | 2 |
New Zealand Albums ( RMNZ) [13] | 28 |
Country | Date | Format | Label | Catalogue |
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Australia [14] [15] | 11 September 2015 | CD, digital download | Dryden Street / Universal Music Australia | 4745533 |