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Old Love / New Love

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"Old Love / New Love"
A black-and-white picture of Twin Shadow. He wears teashades and he sticks his tongue out.
Single by Twin Shadow featuring D'Angelo Lacy
from the album The Music of Grand Theft Auto V and Eclipse
ReleasedSeptember 13, 2013 (2013-09-13)
Genre
Length3:49
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Twin Shadow
  • Herring
Twin Shadow singles chronology
"The One"
(2012)
"Old Love / New Love"
(2013)
"To the Top"
(2014)
Remix cover
The phrase "Twin Shadow "Old Love / New Love (Armand Van Helden Remix)", written in white with several typefaces, over a black background.
"Old Love / New Love [Armand Van Helden Remix]"

"Old Love / New Love" is a song by American singer-songwriter Twin Shadow featuring D'Angelo Lacy. It was written for the 2013 video game Grand Theft Auto V, broadcast on the fictional radio station Radio Mirror Park, which Shadow hosted. To promote the video game, the song was released as a single on September 13, 2013, and Rockstar Games included it on their soundtrack album The Music of Grand Theft Auto V, on the Vol. 1: Original Music side. Musically, "Old Love / New Love" is a dance and house song with R&B and Hi-NRG influences, whose lyrics describe the protagonist being confused by a phone call he received from an ex-girlfriend whom he still loves despite his sorrow.[1]

The song was included in the final track list of Shadow's third studio album Eclipse, which Warner Bros. published in 2015. When "Old Love / New Love" was first released, it was praised by music critics for its composition, which set it apart from previous Shadow tracks, and reviewers named it a dance-floor-friendly song. The singer promoted the song in several live performances that same year, and it was remixed by American DJ Armand Van Helden.

Background

[edit]

Rockstar Games published the action-adventure game videogame Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V) on September 17, 2013.[2][3] Its soundtrack contained 214 songs when it was first released,[4] including the track "Old Love / New Love",[5][6] which was written specifically for the video game by George "Twin Shadow" Lewis Jr., D'Angelo Lacy and Dennis Herring.[7] In an interview for Ouch, My Ego! Shadow explained he was involved in the project because he "kind of become friends with" some developers and they wanted to work with him "for a long time". Shadow also hosted the in-game radio station known as Radio Mirror Park. He responded positively when they contacted him and asked if he "wanted to host the radio show and do songs for the soundtrack."[8]

The lyrics, according to Shadow, are "a little bit about someone trying to get back into your life and have you repeat what has happened but then again, you know, to the top [he tries and talks] about how sometimes doing everything over again, even though it's all messed up, it's also important".[9] A music critic from Tiny Mix Tapes said "Old Love / New Love" depicts "a relationship of extremes".[10] According to Ascher Kulich of The Tufts Daily, Shadow still has feelings for his ex-lover despite her "calling and hurting him".[1] The refrain of "Old Love / New Love" includes the line "Drill me to the floor, this hurts even more than I expected it to do", which Christopher Monk from musicOMH considered it a "desperate death throe",[11] and Andrew Unterberger defined the phone call from the ex-girlfriend to influence "evocative and discomfiting lyrics".[12]

Composition

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Herring and Shadow record produced "Old Love / New Love"; the latter also played bass guitar, drums, guitar, and keyboards. Ted Jensen and Joe LaPorta handled the track's mastering, while Wynne Bennett added additional keyboards, Ryan Gilligan audio mixing, and Lacy contributed featured vocals.[14][15][16] Musically, while Shadow described it as "dance-y",[8] music critics labeled it as a dance,[17][18][19] dance-pop,[20][21][22] and house act,[23][24][25] that is influenced by R&B[26] and '90s Hi-NRG.[18][27][28] Tiny Mix Tapes compared the vocals to those of Michael McDonald, and wrote the song features a disco-influenced guitar, a "Geiger counter" drum program, and a simple house beat.[10] The track has a tempo of 116 beats per minute,[29] and it incorporates piano house elements,[11][27][30] guitars,[10][31][32] drum beats,[1][10][19] combined with a synthesizer.[32] Kulich said the refrain is sung with a "catchy, drum-and-piano [sound] in the background";[1] Jamie Milton defined it for DIY as a "gigantic trance chorus",[33] and Dan Reilly, from Spin, said that during that verse the song becomes "an electrifying jam".[34]

Release and promotion

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To promote GTA V, "Old Love / New Love" was released as a single,[2][18][35] on September 13, 2013.[36] The single cover features the black-and-white face of Shadow sticking his tongue out; music critics Alex Young and Josiah Hughes complimented it.[22][37] On September 24, Rockstar Games released the soundtrack album The Music of Grand Theft Auto V, and the song was featured on the Vol. 1: Original Music album.[38] In March 2015, Warner Bros. released Shadow's third album titled Eclipse, which included "Old Love / New Love".[39] In that year Shadow gave several performances of the song, including the Troubadour, in Los Angeles,[40] the Music Hall of Williamsburg, in New York City,[41] the South Side Music Hall, in Dallas,[42] at Fordham University's WFUV radio station,[43] after a cross-country train trek,[44] and the Landmark Music Festival.[45] In 2015, when asked about if he would film more music videos, Shadow commented about filming one for "Old Love / New Love", but it would be difficult because of his touring schedule.[9] The song was remixed by American DJ Armand Van Helden that same year.[46]

Critical reception

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A picture of George "Twin Shadow" Lewis Jr., a man in his late 20s, playing the guitar.
Shadow (pictured in 2011) was praised by music critics for offering a distinct sound from his prior songs.

After its 2013 release Dan Reilly called "Old Love / New Love" "soulful";[34] Ian Cohen wrote for Pitchfork that the song's "gleaming piano" flirts with Shadow's sincere "heatseaking lyricism".[18] In a Death and Taxes review, Alex Moore praised its introduction as Shadow "makes you wade through about 30 seconds of wind-up" and the singer chants the hook "about 50 seconds [later]". According to him, when the hook happens it is "good", and lauded the conclusion, and that unlike Lorde's "Team", which was released on the same day, "Old Love / New Love" "is your new fucking jam".[36] Jamie Milton penned for DIY it fits to the "mass rampages and elaborate bank robberies" featured in GTA V, and he compared it to David Guetta's music.[33] Alex Young mentioned in Consequence of Sound the song was more suitable for the dance clubs than "six-star killing spree";[37] During his The Music of Grand Theft Auto V soundtrack review, Gerrit Feenstra called "Old Love / New Love", for KEXP-FM, as "one of the finest tracks" from it,[47] a feeling Pat Levy shared in a Consequence of Sound review, adding it is Shadow's best efforts ever, and marked it as an "essential track".[32] Feenstra, in a separate review for the same radio station, claimed its "over-dramatic [tone]" matches without the context of the soundtrack.[48] The song was ranked at number 71 on Rolling Stone's 100 Best Songs of 2013, with a commentary comparing it to "Get Lucky" (2013) by Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams.[28]

After the release of Eclipse, Embling for Tiny Mix Tapes praised the song and Shadow.[10] In his analysis for Slant Magazine Jesse Cataldo examined it as cheerful and "less focused on grandiloquence" so it achieves to "[build] up an uncanny, off-kilter momentum";[49] Ian Gormely considered for Exclaim! that Shadow created a "sublime catharsis";[50] AllMusic's Heather Phares lauded its contemporary sound;[17] Philip Cosores from Paste commented it is Shadow's funniest song;[51] Jayson Greene from Pitchfork labeled it as "sexy";[21] Sand Avidar-Walzer described it for Glide as "a straight-up summer house jam";[35] Ryan Leas wrote for Stereogum that it could not be rare to hear "Old Love / New Love" in a music club,[52] a feeling shared by Andy Battagli, who compared it to Daft Punk in the Current review;[31] George Schlesinger noted for The Village Voice the song "[reminds] of the good stuff, the midnight mystique and inherent sexiness that help pull you back in";[15] and Andrew Unterberger mentioned for Spin that although it is the most aged song from Eclipse, it is "the most exciting for Shadow's future", as well.[12] However, Samuel Tolzmann from Pretty Much Amazing called it "cheesy",[25] and Joseph Moore asserted for No Ripcord that its millennial whoop is monotonous.[13]

Several music critics graded "Old Love / New Love" as a highlight from Eclipse.[19][23][30] But some of them criticized the album for this reason. In a review for The Observer, Daniel O'Boyle was disappointed of the result it "could have been";[19] J. Moore considered the "harmonies with Lacy [hinting] at a darkness far greater than what is expressed on" the album;[13] Tom Walters named it for DIY "an infectious dance floor belter" but felt discomforted it became the focal point on a "brand new material [record]";[53] and David Turner from Rolling Stone added that "Old Love / New Love" gives "rave-level bliss on an album that more often sticks to cocksure swagger or somber introspection".[23]

Track listing

[edit]
The Music of Grand Theft Auto V, Vol. 1: Original Music (2013)[7]
3. "Old Love / New Love" – 3:55
Armand Van Helden Remix (2015)[46]
1. "Old Love / New Love [Armand Van Helden Remix]" (featuring D'Angelo Lacy) – 6:15
Eclipse (2015)[17]
8. "Old Love / New Love" (featuring D'Angelo Lacy) – 3:49

Credits

[edit]

Liner notes adapted from Eclipse, published by Warner Bros. Records.[16]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Kulich, Ascher (April 8, 2015). "'Eclipse' lacks originality, seeks commercial appeal". The Tufts Daily. Evan Sayles. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  2. ^ a b Hilleary, Mike (September 13, 2013). "Listen: Twin Shadow – 'Old Love / New Love'". Under the Radar. Wendy Lynch Redfern and Mark Redfern. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  3. ^ Schreier, Jason (January 31, 2013). "Grand Theft Auto V Delayed, Out September 17". Kotaku. Archived from the original on March 16, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  4. ^ Corriea, Alexa Ray (October 3, 2013). "The accidental excellence of GTA 5's soundscape". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  5. ^ Trendell, Andrew (October 3, 2013). "Full Tracklist Of Songs On Grand Theft Auto V Soundtrack Revealed". Gigwise. Archived from the original on February 19, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  6. ^ Khrisd (November 18, 2014). "Murder Music: All of the Dance Tracks From "Grand Theft Auto V"". Complex. Complex Networks. Archived from the original on February 4, 2018. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  7. ^ a b Monger, James Christopher. "The Music of Grand Theft Auto V [Original Video Game Soundtrack]". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 29, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  8. ^ a b Soto, Isabella (March 7, 2014). "Dancing In The Dark: An Interview With George Lewis Jr. Of Twin Shadow". Ouch, My Ego!. Archived from the original on June 16, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  9. ^ a b Barta, Preston (September 4, 2015). "Off the Track with Twin Shadow – A Conversation About His Night Rally Tour". Fresh Fiction TV. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
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  11. ^ a b c Monk, Christopher (March 15, 2015). "Twin Shadow – Eclipse". musicOMH. Archived from the original on March 25, 2015. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  12. ^ a b Unterberger, Andrew (March 16, 2015). "Review: Twin Shadow, 'Eclipse'". Spin. Archived from the original on June 21, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  13. ^ a b c Moore, Joseph (March 25, 2015). "Twin Shadow: Eclipse – Music Review". No Ripcord. Archived from the original on October 23, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
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  15. ^ a b Schlesinger, George (March 31, 2015). "Twin Shadow's Midnight Ride Brings Him Back Home on Eclipse". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on October 3, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  16. ^ a b Eclipse (Compact disc). Warner Bros. Records. 2015. 547462-2.
  17. ^ a b c Phares, Heather. "Eclipse – Twin Shadow". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 30, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  18. ^ a b c d Cohen, Ian (September 16, 2013). ""Old Love/New Love" by Twin Shadow Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  19. ^ a b c d O'Boyle, Daniel (March 25, 2015). "Obscured: George Lewis Jr.'s 'Eclipse'". The Observer. University of Notre Dame. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  20. ^ Reed, James (March 17, 2015). "Twin Shadow, 'Eclipse'". The Boston Globe. John W. Henry. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  21. ^ a b Greene, Jayson (March 15, 2015). "Twin Shadow; Eclipse Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  22. ^ a b Hughes, Josiah (September 13, 2017). "Twin Shadow "Old Love / New Love"". Exclaim!. Ian Danzig. Archived from the original on October 3, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  23. ^ a b c Turner, David (March 23, 2015). "Eclipse". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Archived from the original on October 25, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  24. ^ Taylor (September 19, 2013). "Twin Shadow – Old Love / New Love". All Things Go. Archived from the original on December 6, 2014. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  25. ^ a b Tolzmann, Samuel (March 22, 2015). "Reviews: Twin Shadow, Action Bronson, Big Sean". Pretty Much Amazing. Archived from the original on November 18, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
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  28. ^ a b "100 Best Songs of 2013". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. December 4, 2013. Archived from the original on August 23, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  29. ^ "BPM and Key for 'Old Love / New Love' by Twin Shadow". Song BPM. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  30. ^ a b Ritchie, Kevin (March 18, 2015). "Twin Shadow". NOW Toronto. Archived from the original on October 3, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  31. ^ a b Battaglia, Andy (March 9, 2015). "First Listen: Twin Shadow, 'Eclipse'". The Current. Minnesota Public Radio. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
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  33. ^ a b Milton, Jamie (September 13, 2013). "Listen: Twin Shadow Streams 'Old Love / New Love' Track". DIY. Sonic Media Group. Archived from the original on October 2, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  34. ^ a b Reilly, Dan (September 13, 2013). "Twin Shadow Gets Drilled on 'GTA 5' Song 'Old Love/New Love'". Spin. Archived from the original on October 3, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  35. ^ a b Avidar-Walzer, Sand (March 25, 2013). "Eclipse (Album Review)". Glide Magazine. Archived from the original on March 27, 2015. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
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  39. ^ Wilson, Carl (March 17, 2015). "Album Review: Twin Shadow Clears the Electronic Fog on Major-Label Debut 'Eclipse'". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 5, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
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  44. ^ Watercuter, Angela (September 29, 2013). "Epic Cross-Country Train Trek Concludes With an Incredible West Coast Blowout". Wired. Archived from the original on December 22, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  45. ^ Murray, Peter B. (September 28, 2015). "Monumental: Landmark Music Festival 2015". FLOOD Magazine. Alan Sartirana. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  46. ^ a b "Old Love / New Love (feat. D'Angelo Lacy) [Armand Van Helden Remix] – Single ". iTunes Store United States. Apple Inc. February 27, 2015. Archived from the original on October 3, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
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  53. ^ Walters, Tom (May 4, 2015). "Twin Shadow – Eclipse album review". DIY. Sonic Media Group. Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
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