2024 studio album by Kneecap
Fine Art Released 14 June 2024 (2024-06-14 ) Studio
Bell Brothers (London)
The Clinic (Dublin)
Length 37 :46 Language Label Heavenly Producer Toddla T
3CAG (2018)
Fine Art (2024)
"Better Way to Live" Released: 15 November 2023
"Sick in the Head" Released: 20 February 2024
"Fine Art" Released: 27 March 2024
"Love Making" Released: 1 May 2024
Fine Art is the second studio album by Irish hip hop trio Kneecap , released on 14 June 2024 through Heavenly Recordings . It includes guest appearances by Radie Peat, Grian Chatten , Nino, and Jelani Blackman. The album received positive reviews from critics.
Critical reception
Fine Art received a score of 79 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on eight critics' reviews, which the website categorized as "generally favorable" reception.[ 1] Mojo opined that "the wild times end on a poignant, giddy high with 'Parful' – a house -y banger raving about everyday hedonism transcending sectarian violence – an irresistible distillation of Kneecap's peacetime party music".[ 6] Uncut called it "overly indebted to its inspirations – among them Ghetts , Stormzy and The Streets – it may be, but the stroppy 'I Bhfiacha Linne' and 'Rhino Ket', a moody techno/dancehall hybrid, are hard to deny".[ 10]
DIY ' s Lisa Wright described the album as "in its own warped way, as its title suggests: a fully-immersive, conceptual production that, much like their recent Sundance award-winning biopic, is far, far too clever to just be the work of three miscreants".[ 4] Chris Sneddon of The Skinny found that it "has its ups and downs, it can be deep, it can be controversial, but in the long run, it's a good laugh and a thumping good time" as well as "a banging collision of rap and rave music".[ 9]
Year-end lists
Track listing
All lyrics are written by Kneecap ; "Harrow Road" lyrics written with Jelani Blackman.
Fine Art track listingTitle Music 1. "3CAG" (featuring Radie Peat) 3:08 2. "Fine Art" Kneecap 2:19 3. "Interlude: Making Headlines" 0:27 4. "I bhFiacha Linne" 3:07 5. "Interlude: Never Gets a Round" 0:24 6. "I'm Flush" 2:56 7. "Interlude: State of Ya" 0:13 8. "Better Way to Live" (featuring Grian Chatten ) 2:56 9. "Sick in the Head" 2:32 10. "Love Making" (featuring Nino) 2:27 11. "Interlude: Amhrán na Scadán" 0:24 12. "Drug Dealin Pagans" 2:33 13. "Interlude: Kneecap Chaps" 0:37 14. "Harrow Road" (featuring Jelani Blackman) 3:45 15. "Parful" 3:19 16. "Rhino Ket" 3:07 17. "Interlude: Last Orders" 0:15 18. "Way Too Much" 3:17 Total length: 37:46
Notes
On physical editions, the interludes do not include "Interlude" in the title and are listed as unnumbered tracks.
"3CAG" contains a sample of "Caravan" by Joe O'Donnell .
"I bhFiacha Linne" contains a sample of "Cübik" by 808 State .
"Harrow Road" contains elements from "Creeper" by Nick Detnon.
"Parful" contains excerpts from the film Dancing on Narrow Ground written and directed by Des Bell.
A demo of "Glue Man" was included as a bonus track on digital downloads of the album during its first week of release.[ 21]
Personnel
Kneecap
Móglaí Bap – vocals
Mo Chara – vocals
DJ Próvaí – vocals
Additional contributors
Toddla T – production , mixing
James Eager – engineering
Tom Coll – drums ("I'm Flush", "Better Way to Live")
Adrian McLeod – synthesizer, keyboards ("I'm Flush", "Way Too Much"); piano ("Better Way to Live", "Way Too Much"), synth bass, synth pad ("Better Way to Live"), bass ("Way Too Much")
Grian Chatten – vocals ("Better Way to Live")
Andy Nicholson – bass ("Better Way to Live")
Steven Loughrin – flute ("Drug Dealin Pagans")
Manchán Magan – guest vocals ("Drug Dealin Pagans")
Lisa Canny – choir ("Way Too Much")
Saara Kaldma – choir ("Way Too Much")
Gertrud Aasaroht – choir ("Way Too Much")
Tony McHugh – choir ("Way Too Much")
Colin Andrews – choir ("Way Too Much")
Aoife O'Dea – choir ("Way Too Much")
Charts
References
^ a b "Fine Art by Kneecap Reviews and Tracks" . Metacritic . Retrieved 4 August 2024 .
^ Simpson, Paul. "Fine Art Review by Paul Simpson" . AllMusic . Retrieved 23 December 2024 .
^ Murray, Robin (13 June 2024). "KNEECAP – Fine Art" . Clash . Retrieved 23 December 2024 .
^ a b Wright, Lisa. "Kneecap – Fine Art review" . DIY . Retrieved 13 June 2024 .
^ Mullally, Una (13 June 2024). "Kneecap: Fine Art review – Intimidatingly brilliant tribute to hedonism, identity and the pure joy of living fast" . The Irish Times . Retrieved 23 December 2024 .
^ a b "Kneecap – Fine Art ". Mojo . July 2024. p. 94.
^ Trendell, Andrew (14 June 2024). "Kneecap – 'Fine Art' review: poetry on the cubicle wall of a wild night out" . NME . Retrieved 23 December 2024 .
^ Corr, Alan (14 June 2024). "Kneecap make an exhibition of themselves on Fine Art" . RTÉ . Retrieved 23 December 2024 .
^ a b Sneddon, Chris (12 June 2024). "Kneecap – Fine Art album review" . The Skinny . Retrieved 13 June 2024 .
^ a b "Kneecap – Fine Art ". Uncut . July 2024. p. 36.
^ Matt the Raven (26 June 2024). "Kneecap: Fine Art (Heavenly) - review" . Under the Radar . Retrieved 23 December 2024 .
^ The Line of Best Fit (9 December 2024). "The Best Albums of the Year 2024" . thelineofbestfit.com . Retrieved 19 December 2024 .
^ Whittle, Nathan (4 December 2024). "Louder Than War Top 100 Albums of 2024" . louderthanwar.com . Retrieved 19 December 2024 .
^ "Mondo Sonoro: Best Albums of 2024" . yearendlists.com . 4 December 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024 .
^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2024" . nme.com . 6 December 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024 .
^ "Albums of the Year 2024" . roughtrade.com . 19 November 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024 .
^ The Skinny Music Team (3 December 2024). "The Skinny's Albums of 2024" . theskinny.co.uk . Retrieved 19 December 2024 .
^ The Sunday Times Music Staff (8 December 2024). "The 25 best albums of 2024—the critics' choice, ranked" . thetimes.com . Retrieved 19 December 2024 .
^ McCormick, Neil (13 December 2024). "The 10 best albums of 2024, ranked" . telegraph.co.uk . Retrieved 19 December 2024 .
^ Cafolla, Anna (20 December 2024). "The 36 Best Albums of 2024" . Vogue . Retrieved 23 December 2024 .
^ "KNEECAP include exclusive unreleased track in digital downloads of new album for this week only" . Hot Press . 19 June 2024. Retrieved 23 December 2024 .
^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50" . Official Charts Company . Retrieved 21 June 2024.
^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100" . Official Charts Company . Retrieved 22 June 2024.
^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100" . Official Charts Company . Retrieved 21 June 2024.
^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50" . Official Charts Company . Retrieved 22 June 2024.
^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40" . Official Charts Company . Retrieved 22 June 2024.