Actor is the second album by musician St. Vincent, released by 4AD on May 4, 2009, in the United Kingdom and a day later in the United States. The first single released was "Actor Out of Work" that April.[1] St. Vincent wrote the album using the computer music application GarageBand.[2]
The album received wide critical acclaim.[4]Pitchfork Media gave the album an 8.5/10 rating and a "Best New Music" tag, praising the concept and describing the sound as "melodic and controlled, conjuring abrasive textures that nevertheless have a clean, meticulous quality that complements her immaculate arrangements."
The AV Club's review called the album a departure from St. Vincent's debut, noting an absence of "the coy, conventional pop winks of Marry Me; even Actor’s lovelier moments come tinged with down-the-rabbit-hole danger." Clark has "found her own voice—and it's one you wouldn't want reading your kids any bedtime stories."
Other reviewers, such as Entertainment Weekly and Allmusic, praised the album's contrast of melodic pop and distorted guitars with dark lyrics.
^"Annie Clark Acts Out for Second". Billboard.com. On "Actor," Clark's writing process was esoteric. She used Apple's Garage Band software to orchestrate the elaborate, whimsical arrangements, then worked backward to create pop melodies and lyrics. "I didn't write it on guitar, I didn't write it on piano. It was really, really weird," she says.
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