Second Chance (album)
Encyclopedia
Second Chance is the fifth studio album
by American R&B
recording artist El DeBarge
, released November 30, 2010, on Geffen Records
and Interscope Records
. It is his first studio album in 16 years and the follow-up to Heart, Mind and Soul (1994). Production for the album took place at various recording studios and was handled by DeBarge and several other record producers, including Ron Fair
, Mike City
, Michael Angelo, and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
.
The album debuted at number 57 on the US Billboard 200
chart, selling 21,000 copies in its first week. It remained on the chart for 12 weeks and produced two singles, "Second Chance" and "Lay with You". Upon its release, Second Chance received general acclaim from music critics, who complimented its material and praised DeBarge's singing. It was nominated for a Grammy Award
for Best R&B Album
, set to be presented at the 54th Grammy Awards
in 2012.
and Jimmy Iovine
at Geffen
and Interscope Records
. DeBarge sang a cappella
in his audition for the label. He later said of the meeting and audition, "we put a plan together and the minute I stepped into the studio I was so nervous, but I felt so much power just coming through me soon as I hit the microphone it was like, it was still there". He subsequently signed a recording deal with the label and began working on Second Chance.
, Ron Fair, the Avila Brothers, and Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, who had worked with him on his previous album Heart, Mind and Soul (1994). He also worked with guest artists 50 Cent
, Faith Evans
, and Fabolous
. DeBarge said of the album's music, "There's music to dance to and make love to, music to cry to. I'm starting from scratch, coming fresh. But my sound still embodies the same soulful, intricate harmonies".
Second Chance was released by Geffen Records
on November 30, 2010 in the United States and on February 11, 2011 in the United Kingdom. It was also issued as a two-disc deluxe edition, packaged with a bonus disc of Christmas-themed songs.
Prior to the album's release, DeBarge made several well-received performances and reintroduced himself to the public. On June 27, 2010, he made his first media appearance since his prison release as a surprise guest at the 2010 BET Awards
, performing a medley of his earlier hit songs as a member of DeBarge
and as a solo artist, including "Second Chance". Subsequently, he opened for recording artist Vivian Green
and performed at the 2010 Essence Music Festival
in July. Throughout October 2010, he opened for recording artist Mary J. Blige
on her Music Saved My Life Tour
. He also made promotional appearances on BET
's 106 & Park
, The Steve Harvey Morning Show
, and The Wendy Williams Show
, as well as signing events at CD retailers in New York City, Chicago, and Houston during the album's release week.
The album's lead single
, "Second Chance", was released on August 17, 2010 as a digital download
. It debuted the following week at number 84 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
chart. It spent two weeks on the chart and peaked at number 41. "Second Chance" earned DeBarge two Grammy Award
nominations, for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
and Best R&B Song
, presented at the 53rd Grammy Awards
in 2011. The album's second single, "Lay with You", features Faith Evans and was released on October 25, 2010. It reached number 20 and spent 14 weeks on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
In promotion of Second Chance, DeBarge headlined an eight-date US tour in October, coinciding with concert dates for Blige's tour. In December, he toured with recording artist Fantasia
and performed on The Mo'Nique Show
and
The View. He was scheduled to tour during the Spring in the US with Kem
and Ledisi
, beginning February 17, 2011, but withdrew after checking himself into a rehabilitation center
to address his drug abuse. Recording artist Musiq Soulchild served as his replacement on the tour.
chart, with first-week sales of 21,000 copies, in the week ending December 18, 2010. It also entered at number 13 on Billboard
s R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album has spent 12 weeks on the Billboard 200.
, which assigns a normalized
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
score of 84, based on six reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim". Allmusic editor Andy Kellman gave it four out of five stars and called it "one of the year’s best R&B albums". Noting him as "in top form", Kellman complimented the album's "sweet love songs — pleasurable, fresh updates of his tried and true approach", adding that DeBarge's voice "remains capable of elevating substandard material, not that there is much of it here". Entertainment Weekly
s Mikael Wood gave Second Chance a B+ rating and commented that "his ethereal vocals still shimmer so effortlessly", calling it "the year’s most elegant tell-all". Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe
commented that "DeBarge simply soars, his feather-light vocals still in top form". Steve Jones of USA Today
gave the album three-and-a-half out of four stars and stated "His sweet, soaring falsetto remains intact, and he has lost none of his knack for writing catchy, romantic tunes". The Huffington Post
s Marlynn Snyder noted DeBarge's three-octave vocal range and "distinctive" falsetto, and stated "The effort to surround the 49-year-old DeBarge with a mix of both established, hit-making songwriters and producers, and younger creative voices, is a rousing success".
John Jurgensen of The Wall Street Journal
gave the album a positive review and commended DeBarge's "falsetto and romantic vibe". Steve Horowitz of PopMatters
complimented his "honeyed voice" and the album's varied material, writing that it "succeeds to a large extent simply because it addresses a wide demographic". Mario Tarradell of The Dallas Morning News
praised DeBarge's "melodic soul-pop" vocals and described the album as "an elegant effort that updates his style without obliterating it". Okayplayer
's E. Esi Arthur gave it an 82 out of 100 rating and viewed that the album "does an efficient job of lining up songs where his unique vocal styling is in the front seat". In his consumer guide for MSN Music
, critic Robert Christgau
gave Second Chance an A- rating, indicating "the kind of garden-variety good record that is the great luxury of musical micromarketing and overproduction". Christgau noted DeBarge's voice as "unspoiled" and commented on its significance, stating "DeBarge's special gift has always been combining the boyish innocence of J5
-era Michael Jackson
with intimations of physical congress. The quirky murmurs, yelps, and coos of his head voice, a high end of unequalled softness and give, sound responsive where Jackson's sound willed. There's a girl there, or just as likely a grown woman. And whether or not El seems manly to you, he's turning her on and vice versa".
(add.) Additional production
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
recording artist El DeBarge
El DeBarge
Eldra Patrick "El" DeBarge is an American R&B/pop falsetto singer and was the focal point and lead singer of the family group DeBarge throughout the early to mid-1980s....
, released November 30, 2010, on Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
and Interscope Records
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
. It is his first studio album in 16 years and the follow-up to Heart, Mind and Soul (1994). Production for the album took place at various recording studios and was handled by DeBarge and several other record producers, including Ron Fair
Ron Fair
Ron Fair is a veteran A&R executive, record producer arranger, recording engineer and songwriter. In a career that has spanned over 30 years at major record labels he has produced and arranged hits for several artists, but he is best known as a "guru/mentor", guiding the careers of unknown artists...
, Mike City
Mike City
Mike City is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Flowers is also the founder and CEO of Unsung Entertainment, Inc. He's currently working on his personal album titledMike City a.k.a...
, Michael Angelo, and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...
.
The album debuted at number 57 on the US Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, selling 21,000 copies in its first week. It remained on the chart for 12 weeks and produced two singles, "Second Chance" and "Lay with You". Upon its release, Second Chance received general acclaim from music critics, who complimented its material and praised DeBarge's singing. It was nominated for a 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...
for Best R&B Album
Grammy Award for Best R&B Album
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works on albums in the R&B music genre...
, set to be presented at the 54th Grammy Awards
54th Grammy Awards
The 54th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 12, 2012, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It will be broadcasted on CBS. Nominations were announced on November 30, 2011 on prime-time television as part of "The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live! – Countdown to Music's Biggest Night", a...
in 2012.
Background
The album is DeBarge's first studio release in 16 years, following a period of drug addiction and legal problems. After his release from prison in 2009, he was introduced by his manager, Pete Farmer, to music executives Ron FairRon Fair
Ron Fair is a veteran A&R executive, record producer arranger, recording engineer and songwriter. In a career that has spanned over 30 years at major record labels he has produced and arranged hits for several artists, but he is best known as a "guru/mentor", guiding the careers of unknown artists...
and Jimmy Iovine
Jimmy Iovine
James "Jimmy" Iovine is an American music producer, entrepreneur and chairman of Interscope-Geffen-A&M.-Biography:...
at Geffen
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
and Interscope Records
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
. DeBarge sang a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
in his audition for the label. He later said of the meeting and audition, "we put a plan together and the minute I stepped into the studio I was so nervous, but I felt so much power just coming through me soon as I hit the microphone it was like, it was still there". He subsequently signed a recording deal with the label and began working on Second Chance.
Recording
Recording sessions for the album took place at various recording studios, namely Capitol Studios, Flight Time Studios, House of Music, MAS Sounds Studio, Mischkemusic Studios, No Excuses, Oceanway Studios, Redstar Recording, Shelter Studios, Sly Doggie Studios, Sounds Studio, The Boiler Room, The Boom Boom Room, and Unsung Studios. DeBarge co-wrote and co-produced the album, working with producers such as Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Mike CityMike City
Mike City is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Flowers is also the founder and CEO of Unsung Entertainment, Inc. He's currently working on his personal album titledMike City a.k.a...
, Ron Fair, the Avila Brothers, and Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, who had worked with him on his previous album Heart, Mind and Soul (1994). He also worked with guest artists 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
, Faith Evans
Faith Evans
Faith Renée Evans is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, Evans relocated to Los Angeles during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B...
, and Fabolous
Fabolous
John David Jackson , better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper of African American and Dominican descent. He grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Part of his early popularity arose from his hit single "Can't Deny It" in 2001, from his debut...
. DeBarge said of the album's music, "There's music to dance to and make love to, music to cry to. I'm starting from scratch, coming fresh. But my sound still embodies the same soulful, intricate harmonies".
Release and promotion
Second Chance was released by Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
on November 30, 2010 in the United States and on February 11, 2011 in the United Kingdom. It was also issued as a two-disc deluxe edition, packaged with a bonus disc of Christmas-themed songs.
Prior to the album's release, DeBarge made several well-received performances and reintroduced himself to the public. On June 27, 2010, he made his first media appearance since his prison release as a surprise guest at the 2010 BET Awards
BET Awards
The BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on BET...
, performing a medley of his earlier hit songs as a member of DeBarge
DeBarge
DeBarge was a sibling music group of American origin whose repertoire included R&B, soul, funk, and later gospel. Active as a professional recording group from 1979 and 1989, the group was one of the few recording acts to bring success to the Motown label during the 1980s.-Background:Hailing from...
and as a solo artist, including "Second Chance". Subsequently, he opened for recording artist Vivian Green
Vivian Green
Vivian Green is an American R&B and soul singer, songwriter and pianist.-Early life:Green was born May 22, 1979 in the East Oak Lane neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and took an interest in singing, playing the piano, and songwriting at a very young age. At the age of thirteen, she...
and performed at the 2010 Essence Music Festival
Essence Music Festival
Essence Music Festival is an annual music festival celebrating contemporary African American music and culture. It is the largest event celebrating African American culture and music in the United States. It has been held in New Orleans, Louisiana every year since 1995 except for 2006, where it...
in July. Throughout October 2010, he opened for recording artist Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
on her Music Saved My Life Tour
Music Saved My Life Tour
The Music Saved My Life Tour is the ninth concert tour by American recording artist, Mary J. Blige. Visiting North America, Europe, Asia and Australasia, the tour supports Blige's ninth studio album, Stronger with Each Tear.-Background:...
. He also made promotional appearances on BET
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
's 106 & Park
106 & Park
106 & Park is a Top Ten Hip-Hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that airs weekdays at 6:00 PM on BET . Since its inception, it was the network's #1 rated show...
, The Steve Harvey Morning Show
The Steve Harvey Morning Show
The Steve Harvey Morning Show is a nationally-syndicated radio program, featuring host Steve Harvey and a team of comedians and commentators.-Broadcast history:...
, and The Wendy Williams Show
The Wendy Williams Show
The Wendy Williams Show is a syndicated talk show hosted by Wendy Williams that premiered on July 14, 2008, as six-week sneak peek, in Detroit, Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York City. The test run was picked up for a full season that began its run on July 13, 2009 in over 70% of the country in...
, as well as signing events at CD retailers in New York City, Chicago, and Houston during the album's release week.
The album's lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
, "Second Chance", was released on August 17, 2010 as a digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
. It debuted the following week at number 84 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart. It spent two weeks on the chart and peaked at number 41. "Second Chance" earned DeBarge two 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...
nominations, for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance was awarded between 1968 and 2011. The award has had several minor name changes:*In 1968 it was awarded as Best R&B Solo Vocal Performance, Male...
and Best R&B Song
Grammy Award for Best R&B Song
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Song has been awarded since 1959. From 1969 to 2000 it was known as the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song, from 1962 to 1968 it was known as Best Rhythm & Blues Recording, and from 1959-1961 as Best Rhythm & Blues Performance...
, presented at the 53rd Grammy Awards
53rd Grammy Awards
The 53rd annual Grammy Awards were held on February 13, 2011, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. They were broadcast on CBS with a rating of 26.6 million viewers. Barbra Streisand was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year two nights prior to the telecast on February 11. Nominations were...
in 2011. The album's second single, "Lay with You", features Faith Evans and was released on October 25, 2010. It reached number 20 and spent 14 weeks on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
In promotion of Second Chance, DeBarge headlined an eight-date US tour in October, coinciding with concert dates for Blige's tour. In December, he toured with recording artist Fantasia
Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Monique Barrino commonly known as Fantasia, is an American R&B singer, Broadway and television actress who rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series American Idol in 2004. Following her victory, she released her debut single, "I Believe", which...
and performed on The Mo'Nique Show
The Mo'Nique Show
The Mo'Nique Show is an American talk show hosted by comedienne actress Mo'Nique. Aired on BET, the series began October 5, 2009. She is the first African American woman to host her own late night show. The show's second and final season premiered on Monday, October 4, 2010.On July 18, 2011, BET...
and
The View. He was scheduled to tour during the Spring in the US with Kem
Kem (singer)
KEM Owens , professionally known as "'KEM'", is an American R&B/soul singer, songwriter, and producer...
and Ledisi
Ledisi
Ledisi Anibade Young is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Her first name means "to bring forth" or "to come here" in Yoruba. Ledisi is known for her jazz influenced vocals. In 1995, Ledisi formed the group known as Anibade. After unsuccessfully trying to get the group signed to a major...
, beginning February 17, 2011, but withdrew after checking himself into a rehabilitation center
Drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...
to address his drug abuse. Recording artist Musiq Soulchild served as his replacement on the tour.
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number 57 on the US Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, with first-week sales of 21,000 copies, in the week ending December 18, 2010. It also entered at number 13 on Billboard
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
s R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album has spent 12 weeks on the Billboard 200.
Critical response
Second Chance received general acclaim from music critics. At MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which assigns a normalized
Standard score
In statistics, a standard score indicates how many standard deviations an observation or datum is above or below the mean. It is a dimensionless quantity derived by subtracting the population mean from an individual raw score and then dividing the difference by the population standard deviation...
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
Weighted mean
The weighted mean is similar to an arithmetic mean , where instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others...
score of 84, based on six reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim". Allmusic editor Andy Kellman gave it four out of five stars and called it "one of the year’s best R&B albums". Noting him as "in top form", Kellman complimented the album's "sweet love songs — pleasurable, fresh updates of his tried and true approach", adding that DeBarge's voice "remains capable of elevating substandard material, not that there is much of it here". Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
s Mikael Wood gave Second Chance a B+ rating and commented that "his ethereal vocals still shimmer so effortlessly", calling it "the year’s most elegant tell-all". Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
commented that "DeBarge simply soars, his feather-light vocals still in top form". Steve Jones of USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
gave the album three-and-a-half out of four stars and stated "His sweet, soaring falsetto remains intact, and he has lost none of his knack for writing catchy, romantic tunes". The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
s Marlynn Snyder noted DeBarge's three-octave vocal range and "distinctive" falsetto, and stated "The effort to surround the 49-year-old DeBarge with a mix of both established, hit-making songwriters and producers, and younger creative voices, is a rousing success".
John Jurgensen of The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
gave the album a positive review and commended DeBarge's "falsetto and romantic vibe". Steve Horowitz of PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
complimented his "honeyed voice" and the album's varied material, writing that it "succeeds to a large extent simply because it addresses a wide demographic". Mario Tarradell of The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
praised DeBarge's "melodic soul-pop" vocals and described the album as "an elegant effort that updates his style without obliterating it". Okayplayer
Okayplayer
Okayplayer.com is an online hip-hop and alternative music website and community, described by Rolling Stone as a "tastemaker" and "an antidote to dull promotional Web sites used by most artists". The group was co-founded by The Roots' drummer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson as a loose musical...
's E. Esi Arthur gave it an 82 out of 100 rating and viewed that the album "does an efficient job of lining up songs where his unique vocal styling is in the front seat". In his consumer guide for MSN Music
MSN Music
MSN Music was a part of the MSN web services. It delivered music news, music videos, spotlights on new music, artist information, and live performances of artists. In 2004, Microsoft created an MSN Music download store to compete with Apple's iTunes Music Store, though its sales in comparison were...
, critic Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...
gave Second Chance an A- rating, indicating "the kind of garden-variety good record that is the great luxury of musical micromarketing and overproduction". Christgau noted DeBarge's voice as "unspoiled" and commented on its significance, stating "DeBarge's special gift has always been combining the boyish innocence of J5
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
-era Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
with intimations of physical congress. The quirky murmurs, yelps, and coos of his head voice, a high end of unequalled softness and give, sound responsive where Jackson's sound willed. There's a girl there, or just as likely a grown woman. And whether or not El seems manly to you, he's turning her on and vice versa".
Track listing
(co.) Co-producer(add.) Additional production
- "5 Seconds" contains elements of "Stay with MeStay with Me (DeBarge song)"Stay With Me" is a song performed by popular Motown recording group DeBarge issued on their popular 1983 album, In a Special Way.-Song information:...
", written by Mark DeBargeMark DeBargeMark "Marty" DeBarge is an American R&B/soul singer-songwriter, trumpeter and flugelhorn player best known for his work as member of 1980s Motown singing family group DeBarge...
and Etterlene JordanBunny DebargeEtterlene "Bunny" DeBarge is an American soul singer-songwriter, best known as the lone female sibling of the Motown family group DeBarge...
, and elements of "The ShowThe Show (Doug E. Fresh song)"The Show" is a 1985 hip hop single by Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew. Described as "a reality show of a Hip Hop performance" the track focuses on a conversation between Doug E Fresh and MC Ricky D as they prepare for a show...
", written by Ricky WaltersSlick RickRichard Walters , better known by his stage name Slick Rick is a Grammy-nominated English-American rapper...
and Doug DavisDoug E. FreshDouglas E. Davis , better known by the stage name Doug E. Fresh, is an American rapper, record producer, and beat boxer, also known as the Human Beat Box...
.
Musicians
- Nico Abondolo – bass
- Bobby Ross Avila – bass, celeste, drum programming, drums, guitar, percussion, piano
- Rick Baptist – horn
- Charlie Bisharat – violin
- Chris Bleth – alto flute, oboe
- Jackie Brand – violin
- Rob Brophy – viola
- Roberto Cani – violin
- Lily Ho Chen – violin
- El DeBarge – background vocals, executive producer, keyboards, piano, producer, vocoder
- Brian Dembow – viola
- Thomas Diener – viola
- Bruce Dukov – violin
- Steve Erdody – celli
- Faith Evans – vocals
- Nina Evtuhov – violin
- Matt Funes – viola
- Julie Gigante – violin
- Henry Gronnier – violin
- Trevor Handy – celli
- Thomas Harte Jr. – bass
- Gerardo Hilera – violin
- Hot Sauce – guitar
- Tiffany Hu – violin
- Iz – drums, percussion
- Suzie Katayama – conductor, string arrangements
- Carole Kleister-Castillo – viola
- Paul Klintworth – horn
- Armen Ksajikian – celli
- Razdan Kuyumjian – violin
- Tim Landauer – celli
- Songa Lee – violin
- Natalie Leggett – violin
- Warren Leuning – horn
- Gayle Levant – harp
- Phillip Levy – violin
- Jeanie Lim – viola
- Mario Deleon – violin
- Leo Mellace – guitar
- Joe Meyer – horn
- Vicki Miskolczy – viola
- Helen Nightengale – violin
- Robin Olson – violin
- Aaron Oltman – viola
- Sid Paige – violin
- Alyssa Park – violin
- Sara Parkins – violin
- Jason Perry – keyboards
- Robert Peterson – violin
- Katia Popov – violin
- Bill Reichenbach – horn
- Steve Richards – celli
- Ryan Roberts – bass
- Shannon Rubicam – background vocals
- Tereza Stanislav – violin
- Rudolph Stein – celli
- Tammy Hatwan – violin
- Sarah Thornblade – violin
- Tim Loo – celli
- Cecilia Tsan – celli
- Josefina Vergara – violin
- John Wittenberg – violin
- Yelena Yegoryan – violin
- Ken Yerke – violin
Production
- Michael Angelo – engineer, producer
- The Avila Brothers – producer
- Mike City – arranger, engineer, producer
- Corey Shoemaker – engineer
- Christian Davis – engineer, producer
- Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds – producer
- Ron Fair – A&R, additional production, bass, conductor, drum programming, executive producer, guitar, harmonica, orchestral arrangements, piano, producer
- Pete Farmer – A&R, executive producer
- Todd Gallopo – art direction, design
- Clark Germain – engineer
- John Goux – arranger, engineer, guitar, producer, programming
- Alicia Graham – A&R
- Jeff Halbert – engineer
- Tal Herzberg – engineer, Pro-Tools
- Jean-Marie Horvat – mixing
- Buffy Hubelbank – A&R
- Bernard Jacobs – stylist
- Jimmy Jam – keyboards, percussion, producer, strings, vocal engineer
- John Norten – engineer
- Tiffany Johnson – product manager
- Christian Lantry – photography
- Terry Lewis – producer, vocal engineer
- Matt Marrin – mixing
- George Merrill – background vocals, engineer
- Dwight Mikkelsen – music preparation
- Mischke – background vocals, engineer, vocal producer
- Gabe Moffatt – engineer
- Peter Mokran – mixing
- Jen Montgomery – design
- Tal Oz – assistant, engineer
- Zach Redding – assistant, mixing assistant
- Sam Salter – vocal producer
- Les Scurry – production manager
- Wesley Seidman – assistant
- Allen Sides – engineer, string engineer
- Mike Snodgress – marketing coordinator
- Jeremy Stevenson – engineer
- Eric Weaver – assistant, mixing assistant
- Tremaine Williams – engineer
- Victor "V Dubb" Wilson – producer
- Ianthe Zevos – creative art
Charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
57 |
| US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
13 |
External links
- Second Chance at MetacriticMetacriticMetacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...