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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox album| <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Albums -->
{{Infobox album
| Name = Thin Air
| Type = [[Album]]
| name = Thin Air
| Artist = [[Peter Hammill]]
| type = Album
| Cover = Peter Hammill Thin Air.jpg
| artist = [[Peter Hammill]]
| Released = June 2009
| cover = Peter Hammill Thin Air.jpg
| Recorded = August 2008 - March 2009
| alt =
| Genre = [[Art rock]]
| released = June 2009
| recorded = August 2008 – March 2009
⚫
| Length =
| Label = Fie!
| venue =
| Producer = Peter Hammill
| studio =
| Reviews =
| genre = [[Art rock]]
⚫
| length =
*[[Allmusic]] {{Rating|4|5}} [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wjfqxz90ldke~T1 link]
| label = Fie!
*[[BBC Music]] [http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/qbgb favourable]
| Last album = ''[[Singularity (Peter Hammill album)|Singularity]]''<br />(2006)
| producer = [[Peter Hammill]]
| prev_title = [[Singularity (Peter Hammill album)|Singularity]]
| This album = '''''Thin Air'''''<br />(2009)
| prev_year = 2006
| Next album =
| next_title = [[Consequences (Peter Hammill album)|Consequences]]
| next_year = 2012
}}
}}
{{Album ratings

| rev1 = [[Allmusic]]
⚫
'''''Thin Air''''' is [[British people|British]] [[singer-songwriter]] [[Peter Hammill]]'s 30th solo album, released on his own Fie! Records label in June 2009. It was additionally made available as digital download through [[Burning Shed Records]].
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1590319/review|first=François|last=Couture}}</ref>
| rev2 = [[BBC Music]]
| rev2Score = (favourable)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/qbgb|title=BBC – Music – Review of Peter Hammill – Thin Air|first=Daryl|last=Easlea|publisher=|accessdate=2 April 2018}}</ref>
}}
⚫
'''''Thin Air''''' is British singer-songwriter [[Peter Hammill]]'s 32nd solo album, released on his own [[Fie! Records]] label in June 2009. It was additionally made available as digital download through Burning Shed Records.


As on his previous release, ''[[Singularity (Peter Hammill album)|Singularity]]'', Hammill played all instruments, wrote all the songs and produced the album.
As on his previous release, ''[[Singularity (Peter Hammill album)|Singularity]]'', Hammill played all instruments, wrote all the songs and produced the album.


The main theme of the album is disappearance, as Hammill told British music magazine [[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]] in February 2009: "it became apparent fairly quickly that strong thematic links were running through the songs' lyrics: disappearance, change, loss, dislocation in various forms were stitched through all of them."<ref>[http://www.vandergraafgenerator.co.uk/pawnhearts/ph_mojo_feb09.jpg Mojo piece]</ref>
The main theme of the album is disappearance, as Hammill told British music magazine [[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]] in February 2009: "it became apparent fairly quickly that strong thematic links were running through the songs' lyrics: disappearance, change, loss, dislocation in various forms were stitched through all of them."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vandergraafgenerator.co.uk/pawnhearts/ph_mojo_feb09.jpg|title=Mojo piece|publisher=|accessdate=2 April 2018}}</ref>


Another topic reappearing in several songs is the one of the [[World Trade Center]] along with images of [[Airplane|planes]], though Hammill denied "any direct" reference to [[September 11 attacks|9/11]].<ref>[http://www.sofasound.com/nljune09.htm Sofasound newsletter June 2009]</ref>
Another topic reappearing in several songs is the one of the [[World Trade Center (1973–2001)|World Trade Center]] along with images of [[Airplane|planes]], though Hammill denied "any direct" reference to [[September 11 attacks|9/11]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sofasound.com/nljune09.htm|title=Sofa Sound – Newsletters|website=www.sofasound.com|accessdate=2 April 2018}}</ref>


According to [[Allmusic]], ''Thin Air'' "may be less experimental than ''Singularity'', but bleaker -- and a more cohesive, consistent artistic proposition." The songs contain "almost no percussion, just acoustic guitars, piano, some gnarly electric guitar lines, bass, and those massed and intertwined back vocals that have become his signature".<ref>[http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wjfqxz90ldke~T1]</ref>
According to François Couture of [[AllMusic]], ''Thin Air'': "... may be less experimental than ''Singularity'', but bleaker – and a more cohesive, consistent artistic proposition." The songs contain "almost no percussion, just acoustic guitars, piano, some gnarly electric guitar lines, bass, and those massed and intertwined back vocals that have become his signature".<ref>[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1590319/review|pure_url=yes}}]</ref>


The album's cover was again created by Paul Ridout, using stills from his video work "Minutely Observed Horizon".<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyRGOYmsrI8 Ridout video on Youtube]</ref>
The album's cover was again created by Paul Ridout, using stills from his video work "Minutely Observed Horizon".<ref>{{YouTube|xyRGOYmsrI8|Ridout video}}</ref>


== Track listing ==
== Track listing ==
All tracks composed by Peter Hammill
All tracks composed by Peter Hammill


#"The Mercy" - 6:21
#"The Mercy" – 6:21
#"Your Face on the Street" - 5:21
#"Your Face on the Street" – 5:21
#"Stumbled" - 4:48
#"Stumbled" – 4:48
#"Wrong Way Round" - 2:40
#"Wrong Way Round" – 2:40
#"Ghosts of Planes" - 5:23
#"Ghosts of Planes" – 5:23
#"If We Must Part Like This" - 4:38
#"If We Must Part Like This" – 4:38
#"Undone" - 4:25
#"Undone" – 4:25
#"Diminished" - 6:11
#"Diminished" – 6:11
#"The Top of the World Club" - 7:03
#"The Top of the World Club" – 7:03


=={{anchor|Personel}}Personnel==
==Personnel==
* Peter Hammill – composer, vocals, producer, engineer
* Peter Hammill – vocals

⚫
* Paul Ridout – design, photography
===Technical===
*Peter Hammill – recording engineer, mixing (Terra Incognita, Wiltshire)
⚫
*Paul Ridout – design, photography

==Your Face on the Street==
While living in [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]], Hammill had the inspiration for the song "Your Face on the Street" from the disappearance of [[Murder of Melanie Hall|Melanie Hall]] in the same city. Some of the song's lyrics were written at the time of Hall's disappearance, and when the album came out, the discovery of her remains had yet to be made.<ref name="sofasound">{{cite web|url=http://www.sofasound.com/nljan10.htm|title=Sofa Sound&nbsp;– Newsletters|publisher=www.sofasound.com|accessdate=7 April 2011}}</ref>


==Notes==
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


== External links ==
==External links==
* [http://peterhammill.com/phx/content/thin-air-0 Notes and information on Peter Hammill's website]
* [http://peterhammill.com/phx/content/thin-air-0 Notes and information on Peter Hammill's website]
* {{Discogs master |master=1805161 |name=Thin Air |type=album}}


{{Peter Hammill}}

{{Authority control}}


[[Category:2009 albums]]
[[Category:2009 albums]]
[[Category:Peter Hammill albums]]
[[Category:Peter Hammill albums]]

[[fr:Thin Air]]
[[he:Thin Air]]
[[nl:Thin Air]]

Latest revision as of 01:02, 25 January 2021

Thin Air
Studio album by
Peter Hammill
ReleasedJune 2009
RecordedAugust 2008 – March 2009
GenreArt rock
LabelFie!
ProducerPeter Hammill
Peter Hammill chronology
Singularity
(2006) 		Thin Air
(2009) 		Consequences
(2012)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
BBC Music(favourable)[2]

Thin Air is British singer-songwriter Peter Hammill's 32nd solo album, released on his own Fie! Records label in June 2009. It was additionally made available as digital download through Burning Shed Records.

As on his previous release, Singularity, Hammill played all instruments, wrote all the songs and produced the album.

The main theme of the album is disappearance, as Hammill told British music magazine Mojo in February 2009: "it became apparent fairly quickly that strong thematic links were running through the songs' lyrics: disappearance, change, loss, dislocation in various forms were stitched through all of them."[3]

Another topic reappearing in several songs is the one of the World Trade Center along with images of planes, though Hammill denied "any direct" reference to 9/11.[4]

According to François Couture of AllMusic, Thin Air: "... may be less experimental than Singularity, but bleaker – and a more cohesive, consistent artistic proposition." The songs contain "almost no percussion, just acoustic guitars, piano, some gnarly electric guitar lines, bass, and those massed and intertwined back vocals that have become his signature".[5]

The album's cover was again created by Paul Ridout, using stills from his video work "Minutely Observed Horizon".[6]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks composed by Peter Hammill

  1. "The Mercy" – 6:21
  2. "Your Face on the Street" – 5:21
  3. "Stumbled" – 4:48
  4. "Wrong Way Round" – 2:40
  5. "Ghosts of Planes" – 5:23
  6. "If We Must Part Like This" – 4:38
  7. "Undone" – 4:25
  8. "Diminished" – 6:11
  9. "The Top of the World Club" – 7:03

Personnel

[edit]
  • Peter Hammill – vocals

Technical

[edit]
  • Peter Hammill – recording engineer, mixing (Terra Incognita, Wiltshire)
  • Paul Ridout – design, photography

Your Face on the Street

[edit]

While living in Bath, Hammill had the inspiration for the song "Your Face on the Street" from the disappearance of Melanie Hall in the same city. Some of the song's lyrics were written at the time of Hall's disappearance, and when the album came out, the discovery of her remains had yet to be made.[7]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Couture, François. Thin Air at AllMusic
  2. ^ Easlea, Daryl. "BBC – Music – Review of Peter Hammill – Thin Air". Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  3. ^ "Mojo piece". Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  4. ^ "Sofa Sound – Newsletters". www.sofasound.com. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  5. ^ [1]
  6. ^ Ridout video on YouTube
  7. ^ "Sofa Sound – Newsletters". www.sofasound.com. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
[edit]
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