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Midwinter Swimmers
Studio album by The Innocence Mission
Released	November 29, 2024 (2024-11-29)
Genre	Dream pop folk
Length	39:41
Label	Bella Union P-Vine Records Thérèse Records
Producer	The Innocence Mission
The Innocence Mission chronology
See You Tomorrow (2020) Midwinter Swimmers (2024)
Singles from Midwinter Swimmers
"This Thread Is a Green Street" Released: September 3, 2024 "Midwinter Swimmers" Released: October 16, 2024

Midwinter Swimmers is the thirteenth studio album by American alternative rock band The Innocence Mission, released on November 25, 2024, by Bella Union in Europe, P-Vine Records in Japan, and Thérèse Records internationally.

"This Thread Is a Green Street" and the title track preceded the album's release as singles, with vocalist Karen Peris creating animated music videos for both songs. She also created a music video for the song "Your Saturday Picture".

Composition and recording

Every song on the album was composed by Karen Peris, except "This Thread Is a Green Street", which was written by Karen alongside her husband Don. They began composing material during the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic, when their children were home from college. Karen wrote the album's songs in her bedroom, attic, and garage, so as to not interfere with their online classes. She said this reminded her of her experience writing songs when she was a teenager. Karen and Don performed all instrumentation on the record, with the exception of upright bass on "This Thread Is a Green Street" and "A Hundred Flowers" and electric bass guitar on "Cloud to Cloud" and "A Different Day", which were performed by bassist Mike Bitts.

Midwinter Swimmers is a dream pop and folk album. The Line of Best Fit called it a "spectacularly beautiful" record. They said in contrast to their recent orchestral-based work, Midwinter Swimmers saw the band returning to the sound of their previous albums Glow and Small Planes, but with a "greater insight and deepened affection." The Arts Desk described it as a predominantly acoustic record, noting a Mellotron had been used to create the strings. Silent Radio noted the intricate level of detail found within the album's production style, which they said "mingles lo-fi charm with subtle shifts to create a cinematic palette." The Pinnacle Gazette also commented on the album's "rich production style", and said Karen's lyrics "shift between tangible imagery and ephemeral sentiments, creating vivid snapshots of longing and intimacy."

Songs

Karen said the lyric of "This Thread Is a Green Street" was inspired by the "transportive quality" of objects, and that the song is about "how love can transcend distance". She explained the song was composed while her children were away at college, and was inspired by her neighborhood, which she would walk around with her children when they were young. She noted that, now her children have grown, her neighborhood is a "landscape is full of doorways to those memories, and like doorways to possibility and just the joy of being alive." She also said that when recording the song, the band were seeking to "find the half-remembered beauty of sing-alongs of our 1970s childhoods." The backing vocals were recorded using GarageBand. Backing vocals are an unusual trait in the band's discography, but Karen said they "gave the song an atmosphere that seemed to fit what we'd been thinking of, so we just kept going forward with that until it was done." Numerous reviews compared the track to the work of The Mamas & the Papas.

According to Karen, the song "Midwinter Swimmers" is about anticipating the arrival of a loved one. She said the contrast between the two words in the title reminded her of how "fragile-looking, small and pale winter flowers like snowdrops are actually so hardy and enduring that they can bloom in the snow. And this seemed to connect also with the bravery of the person who has been away." Uncut described it as an album highlight, comparing it to the work of Arthur Lee and Yo La Tengo. Silent Radio praised the song's "heartbreaking" lyricism. Musically, they also commended the song's "shifts, pauses and changes". KLOF Magazine elaborated that the track "proceeds on a cool rustle of acoustic guitar and crisp but slightly detached tambourines. Occasionally, the music drops out entirely, and we are left with Karen's voice: at these points, the song crystallizes around a point of sadness or yearning or loss, sudden moments of sharp relief amid the hazy shades of winter."

The lyric of "The Camera Divides the Coast of Maine" was inspired by the work of poet Ivan V. Lalić, specifically his poem "Places We Love" and its line "What is beneath the window: a street or years?". The song features expansive instrumentation, and its lyric references the existential link between memory, place and time.

Release and promotion

"This Thread Is a Green Street" was released as a one-track digital download and streaming single on September 3, 2024. Karen directed a music video for the song, which was released the same day. The title track was issued as the album's second single on October 16. Karen also created a music video for that song. Midwinter Swimmers was released on November 29, 2024, by Bella Union in Europe, Thérèse Records in the United States and Canada, and P-Vine Records in Japan. The Japanese edition contains an exclusive bonus track titled "Moving Around". An animated music video for "Your Saturday Picture" was released on November 29.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
The Arts Desk
The Guardian
KLOF Magazine	Positive
Mojo
Pitchfork	8.0/10
Radio France	Positive

The album was released to positive reviews from music critics. BrooklynVegan dubbed it the album of the week, calling it an "achingly beautiful" record. They praised the "delicate, beautiful songwriting" and Karen's "fragile voice", which they said could "tap into your memory palace" and liberate "feelings you didn't know you had, memories that may not even be yours." Pitchfork listed it as one of the best albums released in November 2024, praising Karen's "evocative, tender falsetto as she tells stories of love, longing, and the lengths we will go to transcend distance in the name of both." Silent Radio included the record at number 36 on their list of the best albums of 2024.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Karen Peris except track 1, written by Karen and Don Peris.

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of the vinyl edition of the album.

• Karen Peris – vocals, production, nylon-string guitar, baritone guitar, piano, pump organ, melodica, mirage and mellotron; electric bass guitar (tracks 2, 3, 4, 6 and 9); electric rhythm guitar (track 4); illustration and design
• Don Peris – harmony vocals, production, acoustic and electric guitars, drums
• Mike Bitts – upright bass (tracks 1 and 8), electric bass guitar (tracks 7 and 11)

Charts

References

1. ^ Breihan, Tom (September 3, 2024). "The Innocence Mission – 'This Thread Is A Green Street'". Stereogum. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
2. ^ Pedder, Alan (November 22, 2024). "The best songs by The Innocence Mission". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
3. ^ The Innocence Mission (2024). "Rear vinyl cover". Midwinter Swimmers (Vinyl liner notes). Bella Union. BELLA1620V.
4. ^ Carette, Catherine (November 13, 2024). "'Midwinter Swimmers', la flânerie sensorielle de The Innocence Mission" ["'Midwinter Swimmers', the sensory stroll of The Innocence Mission"]. Radio France (in French). Retrieved December 5, 2024.
5. ^ Ağacı, Evrim (November 29, 2024). "The Innocence Mission Delivers Soothing Melodies With Midwinter Swimmers". The Pinnacle Gazette. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
6. ^ Tyler, Kieron (November 27, 2024). "Album: The Innocence Mission - Midwinter Swimmers". The Arts Desk. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
7. ^ Neal, Andrew (November 24, 2024). "Album Review — The Innocence Mission: Midwinter Swimmers". Silent Radio. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
8. ^ Pearis, Bill (September 3, 2024). "The Innocence Mission announce new album, share 'This Thread Is A Green Street'". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
9. ^ Blake, Thomas (November 12, 2024). "The Innocence Mission – Midwinter Swimmers". KLOF Magazine. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
10. ^ Pearis, Bill (October 16, 2024). "Watch The Innocence Mission's animated video for 'Midwinter Swimmers'". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
11. "Inside our latest free Uncut CD – Nocturnes: the month's best new music". Uncut. December 9, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
12. Bonner, Michael (September 4, 2024). "the innocence mission share new track, 'This Thread Is a Green Street'". Uncut. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
13. Parkinson, Richard (September 5, 2024). "The Innocence Mission to issue first album in four years". Americana UK. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
14. "The Innocence Mission/ミッドウィンター・スウィマーズ" ["The Innocence Mission/Midwinter Swimmers"]. Tower Records (in Japanese). Retrieved December 6, 2024.
15. Gallacher, Alex (November 29, 2024). "Watch: The Innocence Mission – Your Saturday Picture". KLOF Magazine. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
16. Simpson, Dave (November 29, 2024). "The Innocence Mission: Midwinter Swimmers". The Guardian. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
17. Cameron, Keith (December 2024). Mulvey, John (ed.). "The Innocence Mission - Midwinter Swimmers". Album Reviews. Mojo. Vol. 373. London, United Kingdom: Bauer Media Group. p. 23. ISSN 1351-0193.
18. Corcoran, Nina (January 8, 2025). "The Innocence Mission: Midwinter Swimmers". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
19. Pearis, Bill (November 29, 2024). "Indie Basement (11/29): the week in classic indie, alternative & college rock". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
20. Corcoran, Nina; Monroe, Jazz (November 29, 2024). "12 New Albums You Should Listen to Now: Juice WRLD, Leo Bhanji, Yung Kayo, and More". Pitchfork. Condé Nast. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
21. Silent Radio Staff (December 17, 2024). "Albums of the Year 2024". Silent Radio. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
22. "Official Independent Album Breakers Chart | 6 December 2024". Official Charts Company. December 6, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2025.

• 2024 albums
• Dream pop albums
• Folk albums
• The Innocence Mission albums
• Bella Union albums