DecembeRadio (album)
| DecembeRadio | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 27, 2006 | |||
| Recorded | January 26 – February 1, 2006 at Southern Tracks Recording in Atlanta, Georgia | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 44:33 | |||
| Label | Slanted | |||
| Producer | Scotty Wilbanks | |||
| DecembeRadio chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
.jpg) Expanded Edition cover | ||||
| Singles from DecembeRadio | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| About.com |  [1] |
| Allmusic |  [2] |
| Christian Music Review |   [3] |
| CCM Magazine | A[4] |
| Christianity Today |  [5] |
| Cross Rhythms | [6] |
| Jesus Freak Hideout | [7] |
| The Phantom Tollbooth | [8] |
| The Phantom Tollbooth | (mixed)[9] |
| Wise Men Promotions | (3/5)[10] |
DecembeRadio is the eponymous major label debut album by the band DecembeRadio. Produced by Scotty Wilbanks, the album features a guitar-driven sound that quickly earned it comparisons to The Black Crowes, King's X, Aerosmith[11] and Free.[12] The album was nominated for a "Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album" Grammy Award, and won the 2007 Dove Award for "Rock Album of the Year".[13] Two of the album's tracks were also nominated for Dove Awards: "Drifter" for "Song of the Year", and "Dangerous" for "Rock Recorded Song of the Year".
Overview
[edit]DecembeRadio was recorded at Southern Tracks Recording in Atlanta, Georgia from January 26 to February 1, 2006.[14] Whereas the band's previous album of original material, Dangerous, contained many mid-tempo songs and ballads with prominent acoustic guitar, most of the songs on DecembeRadio are propelled by overdriven chords played in unison by the two guitarists. Verses often give way to sections of jangly ("Table" and "Can’t Hide") or ringing ("Greed") guitars punctuated by crunchy power chords. First single "Love Found Me (Love’s Got a Hold)" is the only obvious example of the band's Southern rock influences, sounding particularly like The Black Crowes[11] with its underlying piano, horns and female backing vocals. Acoustic guitars feature prominently in the ballad "Drifter", and also appear in the mid-tempo "Least of These" and "Alright My Friend". Producer Scotty Wilbanks adds color not only with subtle sound and vocal effects, but with his own keyboard playing (which takes center stage in the untitled studio jam after "Least of These").
Lyrical topics are varied, and include reminders that all will face God eventually ("Can’t Hide" and "Table"), exhortations to follow Biblical example ("Dangerous" and "Least of These") and acknowledgments of personal struggles ("Greed" and "Razor").
Three of the songs on DecembeRadio are rewrites of songs that appeared on Dangerous. "Love Found Me (Love’s Got a Hold)" features completely rewritten verses. "Live and Breathe" offers rewritten verses, new lyrics and a new melody in the chorus. Most radically changed, however, was "Dangerous", which retains only the main riff and the first line of the chorus.
Release
[edit]DecembeRadio was released in the US through Slanted Records on June 27, 2006. The album appeared in two of Billboard's Christian music charts during its first week of eligibility,[15][16] and then dropped out of the charts for over a year. It was during DecembeRadio's 2008 tour with Third Day that the album returned to the charts, including its first Billboard Top Heatseekers appearance, where it reached the antepenultimate spot.[17] DecembeRadio has sold nearly 50,000 copies.[18]
Expanded Edition
[edit]An Expanded Edition of DecembeRadio was released on November 13, 2007. This version includes the original album (minus the studio jam after "Least of These"), and adds a new single called "Find You Waiting" (written by DecembeRadio & Scotty Wilbanks), as well as an acoustic version of "Love Found Me (Love's Got a Hold)". "Find You Waiting" was recorded during the September 2007 sessions for the band's next album.[19] The Expanded Edition is also an Enhanced CD, containing video of a live performance of "Drifter" and a twenty-four-minute interview. New artwork and a sticker complete the package.
Track listing
[edit]All songs written by Brian Bunn, Eric Miker, Josh Reedy and Scotty Wilbanks, except where noted.
- "Can't Hide" – 3:25
- "Dangerous" – 4:07
- "Love Found Me (Love's Got a Hold)" – 3:38
- "Greed" – 4:26
- "Drifter" (Bunn, Miker, Reedy) – 4:39
- "Live and Breathe" – 3:37
- "Alright My Friend" – 4:30
- "Razor" – 4:00
- "Table" – 4:12
- "Least of These" – 4:33
- There is a hidden studio jam (2:54) that begins at 5:01, bringing the track length to 7:55.
Personnel
[edit]- Brian Bunn – lead guitar and vocals
- Boone Daughdrill – drums
- Eric Miker – guitar and vocals
- Josh Reedy – bass guitar and lead vocals
Additional personnel
[edit]- Scotty Wilbanks – piano, B3, keyboards and percussion
- Sam Skelton – saxophone on "Love Found Me (Love's Got a Hold)"
- Eric Alexander – trombone on "Love Found Me (Love's Got a Hold)"
- Mike Barry – trumpet on "Love Found Me (Love's Got a Hold)"
- Tann Smith, Keesha Dement and Cheryl Rogers – background vocals on "Love Found Me (Love's Got a Hold)" and "Drifter"
- Peter Stroud – slide guitar on "Drifter"
Charts
[edit]Album
[edit]| Year | Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | U.S. Billboard Top Heatseekers[17] | 48 |
| 2008 | U.S. Billboard Top Christian & Gospel Albums[20] | 38 |
| 2008 | U.S. Billboard Top Christian Albums[21] | 33 |
Singles
[edit]| Year | Single | Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | "Drifter" | U.S. Billboard Hot Christian Songs | 5 |
| 2007 | "Drifter" | U.S. Billboard Hot Christian Adult Contemporary | 18 |
Awards
[edit]In 2007, the album won a Dove Award for Rock Album of the Year at the 38th GMA Dove Awards.[22]
Notes
[edit]- ^ "About.com review". Archived from the original on April 10, 2008. Retrieved May 11, 2008.
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ Christian Music Review review Archived August 27, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ CCM Magazine review
- ^ Christianity Today review Archived November 13, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Cross Rhythms review
- ^ Jesus Freak Hideout review
- ^ The Phantom Tollbooth review
- ^ review
- ^ Wise Men Promotions review Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Breimeier, Russ. "DecembeRadio - DecembeRadio". Christianity Today. Archived from the original on October 10, 2007. Retrieved November 3, 2007.
- ^ Longville, Anthony (February 22, 2007). "DecembeRadio - Decemberadio". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved November 4, 2007.
- ^ "38th Annual Dove Award Recipients Archived March 22, 2005, at the Wayback Machine". Published by the Gospel Music Association. Retrieved April 26, 2007.
- ^ "DecembeRadio.com - Tour Details". Retrieved November 2, 2007. [dead link]
- ^ "Top Christian & Gospel Albums - DecembeRadio". Billboard. July 15, 2006. Retrieved May 28, 2008. [dead link]
- ^ "Top Christian Albums - DecembeRadio". Billboard. July 15, 2006. Retrieved May 28, 2008. [dead link]
- ^ a b "Top Heatseekers - DecembeRadio". Billboard. April 18, 2008. Archived from the original on July 3, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2008.
- ^ "Cup o'Joy – June, 2008 Schedule". Retrieved May 28, 2008.
- ^ Ward, Tyler. "twardphotos.com – DecembeRadio". Archived from the original on November 16, 2007. Retrieved November 29, 2007.
- ^ "Top Christian & Gospel Albums - DecembeRadio". Billboard. April 26, 2008. Retrieved May 8, 2008. [dead link]
- ^ "Top Christian Albums - DecembeRadio". Billboard. April 26, 2008. Retrieved May 8, 2008. [dead link]
- ^ 38th Annual GMA Awards Archived April 26, 2009, at the Wayback Machine on About.com
References
[edit]- DecembeRadio (CD liner). DecembeRadio. Brentwood, Tennessee: Slanted. 2006. CMD1113.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - "DecembeRadio MySpace Blog". MySpace. January 10, 2006. Retrieved December 23, 2007.
