The Waeve

The Waeve (stylised as The WAEVE) is the debut studio album by the band of the same name, a duo consisting of English singer-songwriters Graham Coxon and Rose Elinor Dougall. The album was released 3 February 2023 by Transgressive Records.[1]

The Waeve
Studio album by
the Waeve
Released3 February 2023
Length53:39
LabelTransgressive
Producer
Singles from The Waeve
  1. "Something Pretty"
    Released: 5 May 2022
  2. "Can I Call You"
    Released: 6 September 2022
  3. "Drowning"
    Released: 24 October 2022
  4. "Kill Me Again"
    Released: 29 November 2022
  5. "Over and Over"
    Released: 19 January 2023

Background

The duo and album were first announced 20 April 2022 along with a standalone single called "Here Comes the Waeve".[2][3] They also announced the lead single "Something Pretty" on that day; the single released on 5 May.[2][4] Four more singles were released prior to the album: "Can I Call You" on 6 September,[5] "Drowning" on 24 October,[6] "Kill Me Again" on 29 November,[7] and "Over and Over" on 19 January 2023.[8] Music videos were released for "Can I Call You" and "Kill Me Again", both directed by David J. East.[7][9]

Coxon and Dougall first met in December 2020 at a fundraiser for the Lebanese Red Cross at the Jazz Café in Camden Town, London where Coxon performed. The two subsequently started dating and had a baby girl together. The duo's name was inspired by an old English spelling of the word "sea" as "S-A-E", pointing to their English folk music inspiration, water-centric lyrics, and "a kind of reconciliation of feeling at odds with what [was] happening in" the United Kingdom at the time.[10]

When the two got together to write, Coxon took the opportunity to write music that "people wouldn't necessarily expect from him, something with 'rich chord progressions.'" Neither expected their sessions to lead to enough songs for a full album, as they went into the process without any planning, just being happy to work "at their own pace, with no label, management or producer looking over their shoulder." While Dougall said "it just wouldn't be right" if the album didn't contain Coxon's guitar playing, it was his work on the saxophone, an instrument he is classically trained in, which "really helped to shape the multi-angled outline" of the album. Coxon engineered most of the album before the duo brought on James Ford to finish the record. Ford made significant changes such as replacing the duo's synthesiser recordings with real string instruments and adding other sounds including a flute. Other instruments on the record include a cittern and a six string bass once owned by Sly and the Family Stone's Larry Graham. Dougall took vocal inspiration from singers such as Anne Briggs, Sandy Denny and Karen Dalton.[10]

When asked for a list of albums that inspired The Waeve in an interview with BrooklynVegan, Coxon named Talk Talk's Laughing Stock, King Crimson's In the Court of the Crimson King, Gong's Camembert Electrique, Irma Thomas's The Soul Queen of New Orleans, Van der Graaf Generator's Still Life, and Martin Carthy's Right of Passage; and Dougall named Broadcast's Tender Buttons, Fairport Convention's Unhalfbricking, Young Marble Giants's Colossal Youth, and Penguin Cafe Orchestra's Signs of Life.[11]

Reception
The Waeve ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.1/10[12]
Metacritic80/100[13]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
The Arts Desk[15]
Clash8/10[16]
The Daily Telegraph[17]
DIY[1]
Dork[18]
Gigwise[19]
Mojo[20]
MusicOMH[21]
Uncut8/10[22]

The Waeve received positive reviews from critics noted at review aggregator Metacritic. It has a weighted average score of 80 out of 100, based on 8 reviews.[13]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Graham Coxon and Rose Elinor Dougall. All production by Coxon and Dougall. All tracks mixed by James Ford.

The Waeve track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Can I Call You"4:23
2."Kill Me Again"4:09
3."Over and Over"6:13
4."Sleepwalking"5:57
5."Drowning"6:04
6."Someone Up There"2:41
7."All Along"5:33
8."Undine"7:47
9."Alone and Free"4:48
10."You're All I Want to Know"6:04
Total length:53:39

Personnel
  • Graham Coxon – lead vocals, saxophone, guitar, producer, recording engineer
  • Rose Elinor Dougall – lead vocals, producer
  • James Ford – mixing engineer, additional production, additional instruments
  • Elysian Quartet – strings

Charts
Chart performance for The Waeve
Chart (2023) Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC)[23] 5
UK Albums (OCC)[24] 30

References
  1. Martin, Bella. "The Waeve - The Waeve". DIY. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  2. Trendell, Andrew (20 April 2022). "Graham Coxon and Rose Elinor Dougall team up to form the Waeve". NME. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  3. ""Here Comes the Waeve" - Single by the Waeve". Apple Music. 20 April 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  4. Skinner, Tom (5 May 2022). "Graham Coxon and Rose Elinor Dougal's the Waeve share electrifying debut track, "Something Pretty"". NME. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  5. Rettig, James (6 September 2022). "The Waeve – "Can I Call You"". Stereogum. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  6. Rettig, James (24 October 2022). "The Waeve – "Drowning"". Stereogum. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  7. Skinner, Tom (29 November 2022). "Graham Coxon and Rose Elinor Dougall's the Waeve Share New Song "Kill Me Again"". NME. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  8. Redfern, Mark (19 January 2023). "The Waeve (Rose Elinor Dougall + Graham Coxon) Share New Song "Over and Over"". Under the Radar. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  9. Redfern, Mark (6 September 2022). "The Waeve (Rose Elinor Dougall + Graham Coxon) Announce Album, Share New Song "Can I Call You"". Under the Radar. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  10. Campbell, Lee (25 January 2023). "The Waeve are drawing out the blood and guts of their influences". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  11. Pearis, Bill (3 February 2023). "Graham Coxon & Rose Elinor discuss the inspirations behind The Waeve's debut LP". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  12. "The Waeve by The Waeve reviews". AnyDecentMusic. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  13. "The Waeve by The Waeve Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  14. Phares, Heather. "The Waeve - The Waeve". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  15. Green, Thomas H (2 February 2023). "Album: The Waeve - The Waeve". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  16. Mellen, James (2 February 2023). "The Waeve - The Waeve". Clash. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  17. Perry, Andrew (3 February 2023). "Shania Twain deals in pop clichés, Robert Forster faces family tragedy – the week's best albums". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  18. MacMillan, Jamie (1 February 2023). "The Waeve - The Waeve". Dork. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  19. Taylor, Sarah (2 February 2023). "Album Review: The Waeve - The Waeve". Gigwise. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  20. Perry, Andrew (March 2023). "The Waeve - The Waeve". Mojo. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  21. Murphy, John (3 February 2023). "The Waeve – The Waeve". MusicOMH. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  22. Wallace, Wyndham (March 2023). "The Waeve - The Waeve". Uncut. p. 33. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  23. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  24. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
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