Jesus at the Gay Bar is the fifth studio album by Australian pop group Cub Sport, released on 7 April 2023.[5][6] The album was announced on 19 January 2023, alongside the album's third single "Keep Me Safe".[3] The album title stems from Jay Hulme's poem published in his 2021 book The Backwater Sermons, that envisions Jesus Christ visiting a gay bar and being approached by a boy who "beg[s] to be healed", only to be told that "there is nothing in this heart of yours that ever needs to be healed".[7]
| Jesus at the Gay Bar | ||||
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| Released | 7 April 2023 | |||
| Length | 36:50 | |||
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| Singles from Jesus at the Gay Bar | ||||
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Tim Nelson said "This is definitely our most dance-forward, party-centric album".[7]
At the 2023 ARIA Music Awards, the album was nominated for Best Group, Best Independent Release and Best Cover Art.[8]
At the 2024 Queensland Music Awards, the album won Album of the Year, whilst "Songs About It", won the Electronic award.[9]
At the AIR Awards of 2024, the album was nominated for Independent Album of the Year and Best Independent Dance or Electronica Album or EP, while Adam Munnings was nominated for Independent Music Video of the Year for "Keep Me Safe".[10]
Promotion
editSingles
edit"Always Got the Love" was released on 14 June 2022. Upon release, Nelson said, "I've always felt like the songs that people can cry to are important but I think being able to celebrate and move is equally important and that's kind of where I'm at right now. I wanna make music that makes people feel uplifted."[1]
"Replay" was released on 11 November 2022 and was described by Alex Gallagher from NME as "a club-ready, house-influenced cut that marks the group's biggest venture yet into full-blown dance music."[2]
The album's third single, "Keep Me Safe" is described as "a postcard to [Nelson's] former self", which he wrote "about a euphoric but complicated time" – when, before coming out as queer in 2017, he and keyboardist Sam Netterfield were forced to keep their relationship a secret.[7]
"Songs About It" was released on 3 March 2023 as the album's fourth single.[4]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| NME | |
| Retropop | |
| Attitude Magazine | |
Kristen S. Hé from NME said "Across 10 tracks, they craft a palette of crystalline guitars, melancholy chord progressions, and gentle, propulsive beats that perfectly complement Nelson's voice."[11]
Retropop said "More than 10 years in the making, Cub Sport emerge with their finest body of work yet – an ode to celebrating one's past and looking boldly into the future, without the fear of past demons resurfacing – and finally set themselves up to take their sound global."[12]
Charlotte Manning from Attitude Magazine called it "the band's best work yet" adding, "They manage a no-skips pop record full of reflection and an exciting hint towards the more anthemic sound they're clearly eyeing up for the future."[13]
Bryget Chrisfield from Beat Magazine said "Jesus at the Gay Bar finds Cub Sport proudly celebrating queer joy – spiritual shackles, begone! – and more comfortable in their own skin than ever before."[14]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Always Got the Love" |
|
| 3:27 |
| 2. | "Replay" |
|
| 3:23 |
| 3. | "High for the Summer" (featuring Shamir) |
|
| 3:31 |
| 4. | "Keep Me Safe" |
| Styalz Fuego | 4:22 |
| 5. | "Zoom" | Nelson | Nelson | 3:29 |
| 6. | "Songs About It" |
| Styalz Fuego | 3:40 |
| 7. | "Beg U" | Nelson | Nelson | 2:53 |
| 8. | "Hold" |
|
| 3:05 |
| 9. | "Yaya" (featuring Mallrat) |
|
| 4:52 |
| 10. | "Magic in U" |
|
| 4:08 |
| Total length: | 36:50 | |||
Charts
edit| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[15] | 1 |
Release history
edit| Region | Date | Format | Label | Catalogue | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 7 April 2023 | Cub Sport / Believe | CUB008CD / CUB008LP1 | [16][5][17] |
References
edit- ^ a b "Cub Sport Shine With Release of New Single, "Always Got the Love"". Music Feeds. 14 June 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
- ^ a b Alex Gallagher (11 November 2022). "Listen to Cub Sport's new club-ready banger 'Replay'". NME. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
- ^ a b Varvaris, Mary (19 January 2023). "Cub Sport To Drop New Album 'Jesus At The Gay Bar' On Good Friday". The Music. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
- ^ a b "Cub Sport Release New Single 'Songs About It". DIY. 3 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ a b "Jesus At The Gay Bar (JB Hi-Fi AU Exclusive Translucent Orange Vinyl)". JB HiFi. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
- ^ "Cub Sport Announce New Album 'Jesus at the Gay Bar'". BroadwayWorld. January 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
- ^ a b c Ellie Robinson (18 January 2023). "Cub Sport's Tim Nelson talks new album 'Jesus At The Gay Bar' and "euphoric but complicated" single 'Keep Me Safe'". NME. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
- ^ "Nominees Announced for 2023 ARIA Awards". Music Feeds. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ "Cub Sport, Jem Cassar-Daley & Joff Bush Win Big At 2024 Queensland Music Awards". The Music. 17 April 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ "2024 AIR Awards Nominees: Genesis Owusu, Cub Sport, RVG, Teen Jesus & More". The Music. 14 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ a b Kristen S. Hé (11 April 2023). "Cub Sport – 'Jesus at the Gay Bar' review: a deep-dive into divinity on the dancefloor". NME. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Cub Sport – Jesus At The Gay Bar". Retropop. 5 April 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
- ^ a b Charlotte Manning (6 April 2023). "Album Review: Cub Sport's 'Jesus At The Gay Bar' marks soothing transition to euphoric pop sound". Attitude Magazine. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
- ^ "Cub Sport's Jesus At The Gay Bar: Spiritual shackles, begone!". Beat Magazine. 12 April 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
- ^ "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 17 April 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- ^ "Jesus At The Gay Bar (CD)". JB HiFi. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
- ^ "Jesus At The Gay Bar". Apple Music. Retrieved 28 January 2023.