It was quite a big week for Canadian indie-pop five-piece Alvvays in a run full of big weeks. Their third LP, Blue Rev (Polyvinyl), logs a seventh straight week at #1, moving the band’s album into a tie with Courtney Barnett and Wet Leg for the third-longest #1 run on the NACC 200. Speaking of Wet Leg, it also ties Alvvays with the British duo for the longest run at #1 in 2022, a feat Alvvays will hope to take all for themselves next week. Cumulatively, Alvvays moves into a tie with Arlo Parks for the second-most weeks at #1 (two weeks behind Soccer Mommy). Notably, Alvvays now holds the smallest lead they’ve had over the #2 record since the first week they spent at #1. With two bulleted albums right behind them at #2 & 3, it will be a real battle next week.
Two new albums reach the NACC Top 10 this week. Brooklyn duo Rubblebucket rises 13-9 with their sixth LP, Earth Worship (their second album for Grand Jury). Formed in 2007 when Kalmia Traver and Alex Toth were attending the University of Vermont, the two have battled cancer (Talver), alcoholism (Toth), and their own personal relationship ending all while building Rubblebucket’s notoriety. This record reached #11 earlier and had dropped back to #13 last week before springing into the Top 10 this week, proving once again that you can’t keep Rubblebucket down.
Also reaching the NACC Top 10 this week is Lee Fields, who we featured about a month ago when his new album, Sentimental Fool (Daptone), scored the highest debut of the week. Fields has had a fascinating journey as a musician, releasing his first single in 1969 and his first album in 1979. He moved into real estate in the 80s to support his family before returning to music in the 90s. It took until 2002 for his second studio album, but since then six LPs have followed, including his latest, which climbs 12-10. The album also spends a third week at #1 on NACC R&B/Soul and rises to #1 at NACC Non-Comm.
Honorable mention this week goes to international ensemble Fievel Is Glauque, debuting at #42 (the highest debut on the NACC 200), and The Black Angels, whose 182-92 rebound with their recent Top 10-peaking album is the biggest climb on the chart this week.
Making the biggest climb into the Top 20 of the NACC 200 this week is Singapore trio Sobs. Formed in 2017 and fronted by Celine Autumn, a debut EP and LP quickly followed in that year and in 2018 respectively. Their sophomore LP, Air Guitar (the band’s first for Topshelf) is garnering them rave reviews and a larger audience. The album zips ahead to #13 on the NACC 200 this week after two weeks at #21.
Taking most-added honors this week is the Philadelphia five-piece Gladie. Fronted by former Cayetana lead singer Augusta Koch from 2011-2019, the project formed after the dissolution of Cayetana and resulted in the 2020 debut, Safe Sins. This new album, Don’t Know What You’re In Until You’re Out (Plum), is named for a mental, spiritual, and physical renaissance Koch experienced after getting sober. The album collects 61 Top 10 Adds this week (16 more than the #2 add) and hops aboard the NACC 200 at #149.
We have a real rarity with the song rising to #1 on the NACC Singles Chart this week. It’s been in the Top 10 for 13 weeks, reaching #2 twice before finally punching ahead 4-1 this week. It very well may be the longest any single has taken to get to #1 on this chart. The song is “Weird Goodbyes” from The National, featuring Bon Iver. The most-added single this week comes from Los Angeles-based musician Jenny O (not to be mistaken for turkey brand Jennie-O). “Solitary Girl” is the first single released from her upcoming fourth LP, Spectra, due February 24.
The current NACC Top 5 overall Adds, the genre chart-toppers, and the week’s most-added genre records are included below. In addition to a return to #1 at Heavy, we saw new #1s at NACC Non-Comm, Hip Hop, Jazz, and Electronic.
NACC 200 CHART: TOP 5 ADDS
# | ARTIST | TITLE | LABEL | # OF ADDS
1) GLADIE Don’t Know What You’re In Until You’re Out [Plum] // 61
2) JOHN MOODS The Great Design [Mansions And Millions] // 45
3) SUBSONIC EYE Melt The Wax (EP) [Topshelf] // 32
4*) ACTRESS Dummy Corporation (EP) [Ninja Tune] // 30
4*) ALBERTINE SARGES Family Of Things (EP) [Moshi Moshi] // 30
* denotes a tie
NACC 200 CHART: TOP 5 DEBUTS
# | ARTIST | TITLE | LABEL | DEBUT
1) FIEVEL IS GLAUQUE How The Light Felt [Bayonet] // 42
2) ADRIAN QUESADA Jaguar Sound [ATO] // 68
3) SUKI WATERHOUSE Milk Teeth (EP) [Sub Pop] // 70
4) QUADECA I Didn’t Mean To Haunt You [DeadAir] // 73
5) MONTELL FISH Her Love Still Haunts Me Like A Ghost (EP) [Virgin] // 79
NACC 200 CHART: TOP 5 CLIMBERS
# | ARTIST | TITLE | LABEL | MOVE
1) BLACK ANGELS, THE Wilderness Of Mirrors [Partisan] // 90
2) WHITE REAPER “Pages” (Single) [Elektra] // 89
3) SAM BUSH Radio JohnL Songs Of John Hartford [Smithsonian Folkways // 88
4) JORDANA I’m Doing Well, Thanks For Asking (EP) [Grand Jury] // 72
5) SAY SHE SHE Prism [Karma Chief/Colemine] // 71
#1 ON NACC GENRE CHARTS:
GENRE: ARTIST Title [Label]
NON-COMM: LEE FIELDS Sentimental Fool [Daptone]
NACC NEXT: ALVVAYS Blue Rev [Polyvinyl]
BLUES: BUDDY GUY The Blues Don’t Lie [RCA]
CANADIAN: ALVVAYS Blue Rev [Polyvinyl]
CHILL: BRIAN ENO FOREVERANDEVERNOMORE [Opal/Universal]
ELECTRONIC: DANIEL AVERY Ultra Truth [Mute]
FOLK: PLAINS I Walked With You A Ways [Anti-]
HEAVY: LAMB OF GOD Omens [Epic]
HIP-HOP: RUN THE JEWELS RTJ CU4TRO [Jewel Runners/BMG]
JAZZ: SAMARA JOY Linger Awhile [Verve]
LATIN: HERMANOS GUTIERREZ El Bueno Y El Malo [Easy Eye Sound/Concord]
R&B/SOUL: LEE FIELDS Sentimental Fool [Daptone]
WORLD: VIEUX FARKA TOURE AND KHRUANGBIN Ali [Dead Oceans/Secretly Canadian]
MOST-ADDED @ NACC GENRES:
GENRE: ARTIST Title [Label]
ELECTRONIC: ACTRESS Dummy Corporation (EP) [Ninja Tune]
FOLK: BENDIGO FLETCHER Wingding (EP) [Elektra]
HEAVY: OBVURT Triumph Beyond Adversity [Unique Leader]
HIP-HOP (tie): ALLERGIES, THE “Sometimes I Wonder” (Single) [Jalapeno]
CAPO CORLEONE AND KUBA WIECEK “Fly” feat. Zalia (Single) [C2]
YUNG XAVI “Deep End” feat. Kye Harris (Single) [Big Haus X]
JAZZ: LAURA AINSWORTH You Asked For It [Eclectus]
WORLD: SPADEI “Grateful Winds” [Remix] (Single) [Six Degrees]
NACC SINGLES:
GENRE: ARTIST Title [Label]
#1 SINGLE: NATIONAL, THE “Weird Goodbyes” feat. Bon Iver [4AD]
MOST-ADDED SINGLE: JENNY O “Solitary Girl” [Mama Bird]
