Hovvdy (album)

Hovvdy
Studio album by Hovvdy
Released	April 26, 2024 (2024-04-26)
Genre	Pop
Length	53:43
Label	Arts & Crafts Productions
Producer	Hovvdy Andrew Sarlo Bennett Littlejohn
Hovvdy chronology
True Love (2021) Hovvdy (2024)

Hovvdy is the fifth studio album by American duo Hovvdy, released on April 26, 2024, through Arts & Crafts Productions. It received acclaim from critics.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	85/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
The Line of Best Fit	8/10
Paste	8.3/10
Spin	A−
Under the Radar
Pitchfork	8.3/10

Hovvdy received a score of 85 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on four critics' reviews, which the website categorised as "universal acclaim". Caleb Campbell of The Line of Best Fit wrote that the album "feels like a very intentional turning of the page" from their previous album True Love (2021), as it is "dotted with skittering drum machines, keening pedal steel, and simmering synths" and "trying to draw out moments of catharsis or festival-ready melody". Paste's Ellen Johnson felt that the duo "turn to some heavier fare" on the album, which "pack[s] as much of a punch as anything they've ever released, all while never sacrificing the earmarks of the experimental Hovvdy sound".

Reviewing the album for Spin, Margaret Farrell wrote that Hovvdy "houses their most eclectic transitions and banger-certified pop songs", calling it "a microscopic photo album of their inner values at work". Daniel Gard'ner of Under the Radar called the album "an expansion of the band's aesthetic, a broadening of scope that matches the evolving complexity of their lives" as "their hushed, intimate storytelling is given the required space to slowly unwind and cast a quiet spell". In a Highly Recommended review for Chorus.fm, Aaron Mook noted that in between the singles, the album was a "largely subdued collection with quiet, introspective moments inspired by songwriters like Bruce Springsteen, Randy Newman, and Jeff Tweedy," concluding that "Hovvdy are talented and ambitious enough to throw everything but the kitchen sink into their songwriting process and still arrive with a statement piece that feels like their least immediate in years, but their most rewarding album to date."

Track listing

Hovvdy track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro"	Charlie Martin	0:25
2.	"Bubba"	Martin	3:09
3.	"Jean"	Will Taylor	3:01
4.	"Big Blue"	Martin	3:20
5.	"Shell"	Taylor	2:42
6.	"Forever Piano"	Martin	0:21
7.	"Forever"	Martin	3:28
8.	"Heartstring"	Taylor	3:11
9.	"Clean"	Martin	1:49
10.	"Make Ya Proud"	Martin	3:30
11.	"Til I Let You Know"	Taylor	2:04
12.	"Meant"	Taylor	3:27
13.	"Song for Pete"	Martin	3:13
14.	"Every Exchange"	Taylor	3:57
15.	"Give It Up"	Martin	3:51
16.	"Portrait"	Taylor	3:02
17.	"Angel"	Martin	2:46
18.	"Bad News"	Martin Taylor	2:54
19.	"A Little"	Taylor	3:33
Total length:			53:43

Personnel

Hovvdy

• Charlie Martin – performance, production
• Will Taylor – performance, production

Additional contributors

• Bennett Littlejohn – performance, production, mixing
• Andrew Sarlo – performance, production
• Simon Lancelot – mastering
• Andy Gross – additional engineering
• Adam Alonzo – art direction, photography
• Bradley Pinkerton – design, layout
• Taylor Clark – photography