Kicker (album)

Prior to the release of Kicker, in 2010, Day secured a management contract.[5] She met with record executives in Los Angeles, California, who wanted her to become a television star, however, she had conflicting views.[5][6] She was then forwarded to Nashville, Tennessee, and met American producer-songwriter Dann Huff. He wanted her to "connect with the writers".[6] Shortly after, she started penning songs at a BMG writing camp in Nashville for 1+1⁄2 years, while still residing in Pinetop, Arizona. In an interview with Idolator, Day stated that she had "really intensive writing days." Afterwards, "it came time to produce some of the tracks and it was too country."[5] This created a conflict between Day and her management team. They were not able to reach a resolution, resulting in her being sent back to Los Angeles. She promptly met Wally Gagel and Xandy Barry of Wax Ltd. They aligned creatively, and Day secured a recording contract with them shortly after.[7]

In 2013, Day secured a joint record and publishing agreement with B3SCI Records and Pinetop Records, an imprint of Hollywood Records.[8] Later that year, Day started production on her eponymous EP. Within the period, "1965", "Compass", "East of Eden", "Hypnotic", and "Sweet Ophelia" were written and recorded.[9][10] Day released the extended play on October 21, 2014. All tracks would eventually be featured on Kicker. In a July 2014 interview with Turntable Kitchen, Day officially announced she was "working on a full-length album, which I’m planning on having out next year."[9] The writing period for Kicker started in late-2014, and was a year long.[5] "Jameson" was the last song written for the album.[11] Throughout the production period, Day created over 200 demos for the album.[12] On March 17, 2015, Day announced the release date, track list, and title of the record, Kicker.[13] The album's title is a reference to an Apache man she met while growing up in Pinetop.[6][14]

Kicker is an alternative-pop indie record, with elements of "folk-pop",[8] "indie electronica", and "bluesy, symphonic balladry",[15] complimented by a "sound...influenced by the old American Midwest, Pacific beaches, and contemporary pop culture."[16] Day's vocals on the record are characterized as "dreamy",[17] "poetic",[15] "silky-smooth",[17] "mysterious", and "alluring".[16] South China Morning Post states that the album showcased "her soul-baring lyrics and beautiful vocals."[18] In a May 2015 interview with SFWeekly, Day says, "There's two sides to the record; the first half of the record was written last year when I started to become comfortable...and seeing things with optimistic eyes...The second half of the record is a little darker; I fell into a relationship that really messed with me." Day also says, "You get to hear two sides of me: the happy side and the tormented side."[19]

Lyrically, the album touches on exploration of love, loss, satisfaction, emotional maturity, intimacy, and are characterized as "storybook-like"[14] and "potent".[16]The opening track, "Jerome", is about the ghost of Zella in Jerome, Arizona.[5] The lyrics of "High" are about a "sad reality amongst lovers, when the need to seek outside substances becomes the source of fulfillment in the relationship.”[20] The album has many allusions to southwestern and Arizonan culture, apart of the record's "heavy lyricism."[14] "East of Eden" is described as a "fizzy and explosive" song with "chanty" lyrics.[21] "Hypnotic", the lead single, is described as a "siren song", and "an expression of enchantment by a lyricist frenzied for her man."[22]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	"[15]
Sputnikmusic	3.5/5[16]

Kicker received generally positive reviews upon release. AllMusic gave Kicker three out of five stars, with reviewer Matt Collar describing the album as, "a rootsy and engaging showcase for her pop theatricality." He praises Day's "dusty coo of a voice."[15] Sputnikmusic comments, "Day is a multi-faceted artist who can, with very little warning, turn the tide from joyful and whimsical to dark and desolate. It’s the kind of stuff that only the very best artists have in them." They dubbed the album as a "mixed bag".[16] Jon Pareles of The New York Times stated that Day "sings about desire and self-destruction, about pleasure bound up with addiction, betrayal and surrender."[35]

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes[36] and AllMusic.[37] All tracks were produced by Wax Ltd, except where noted.

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[36]

Digster Live Session is the first live extended play by American singer-songwriter Zella Day. Released as a part of Digster's Live Session series, the EP was released onto digital outlets on May 26, 2015, several days before the release of Day's album, Kicker. Like its parent album, the EP was released under Hollywood Records and Day's imprint, Pinetop.