DecembeRadio (album)
Encyclopedia
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
and Free
. 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". 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".
from January 26 to February 1, 2006. 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
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.
on June 27, 2006. The album appeared in two of Billboard
s Christian music charts during its first week of eligibility, 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. DecembeRadio has sold nearly 50,000 copies.
, containing video of a live performance of "Drifter" and a twenty-four-minute interview. New artwork and a sticker complete the package.
DecembeRadio
DecembeRadio is an American Christian rock band originally formed in 2003; presently composed of bassist and lead vocalist Josh Reedy, lead guitarist Brian Bunn and rhythm guitarist Eric Miker....
. Produced by Scotty Wilbanks, the album features a guitar-driven sound that quickly earned it comparisons to The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in 1989. Their discography includes nine studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer George Drakoulias and released their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, the...
, King's X
King's X
King's X is an American hard rock band that combines progressive metal, funk and soul with vocal arrangements influenced by gospel, blues, and British Invasion rock groups. The band's lyrics are largely based on the members' struggles with religion and self-acceptance...
, Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
and Free
Free (band)
Free were an English rock band, formed in London in 1968, best known for their 1970 signature song "All Right Now". They disbanded in 1973 and lead singer Paul Rodgers went on to become a frontman of the band Bad Company along with Simon Kirke on drums; lead guitarist Paul Kossoff died from a...
. The album was nominated for a "Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album" Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, and won the 2007 Dove Award for "Rock Album of the Year". 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
DecembeRadio was recorded at Southern Tracks Recording in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
from January 26 to February 1, 2006. Whereas the band’s previous album of original material, Dangerous
Dangerous (DecembeRadio album)
Dangerous is the debut album by the band DecembeRadio, released independently in 2005. It contains three songs that would later appear in rewritten form on the band's self-titled major label debut.-Track listing:...
, 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
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
influences, sounding particularly like The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in 1989. Their discography includes nine studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer George Drakoulias and released their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, the...
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
Jam session
Jam sessions are often used by musicians to develop new material, find suitable arrangements, or simply as a social gathering and communal practice session. Jam sessions may be based upon existing songs or forms, may be loosely based on an agreed chord progression or chart suggested by one...
after "Least of These").
Lyrical topics are varied, and include reminders that all will face God
God in Christianity
In Christianity, God is the eternal being that created and preserves the universe. God is believed by most Christians to be immanent , while others believe the plan of redemption show he will be immanent later...
eventually ("Can’t Hide" and "Table"), exhortations to follow Biblical
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
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
DecembeRadio was released in the US through Slanted RecordsSlanted Records
Slanted Records is a Contemporary Christian record label based in Brentwood, Tennessee. As part of the larger Spring Hill Music Group, Slanted Records signs Contemporary Christian artists whose music may be described as progressive pop or modern rock....
on June 27, 2006. The album appeared in two of Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Christian music charts during its first week of eligibility, and then dropped out of the charts for over a year. It was during DecembeRadio's 2008 tour with Third Day
Third Day
Third Day is a Grammy award-winning Christian rock band formed in Marietta, Georgia during the 1990s. The band was founded by lead singer Mac Powell, guitarist Mark Lee and former member Billy Wilkins. The other band members are bassist Tai Anderson and drummer David Carr...
that the album returned to the charts, including its first Billboard Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
appearance, where it reached the antepenultimate spot. DecembeRadio has sold nearly 50,000 copies.
Expanded Edition
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. The Expanded Edition is also an Enhanced CDEnhanced CD
Enhanced CD, also known as CD Extra and CD Plus, is a certification mark of the Recording Industry Association of America for various technologies that combine audio and computer data for use in both Compact Disc and CD-ROM players....
, containing video of a live performance of "Drifter" and a twenty-four-minute interview. New artwork and a sticker complete the package.
Track listing
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
- Brian Bunn – lead guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and vocals - Boone Daughdrill – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Eric Miker – guitar and vocals
- Josh Reedy – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and lead vocals
Additional personnel
- Scotty Wilbanks – pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, B3, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
and percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - Sam Skelton – saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
on "Love Found Me (Love's Got a Hold)" - Eric Alexander – tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
on "Love Found Me (Love's Got a Hold)" - Mike Barry – trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
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 guitarSlide guitarSlide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles...
on "Drifter"
Album
| Year | Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | U.S. Billboard Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
48 |
| 2008 | U.S. Billboard Top Christian & Gospel Albums | 38 |
| 2008 | U.S. Billboard Top Christian Albums | 33 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | "Drifter" | U.S. Billboard Hot Christian Songs | 5 |
| 2007 | "Drifter" | U.S. Billboard Hot Christian Adult Contemporary | 18 |