Where We Land
Encyclopedia
Where We Land is the first studio album
by Australian Idol 2006 winner Damien Leith
. It was released by Sony BMG in Australia on 18 August 2007, and in Ireland on 28 September 2007. Leith produced the album for seven months and created the album entirely with acoustic
songs. He wrote or co-wrote nine of the twelve songs, collaborating with Alex Lloyd
and his music director Paul Gray
(Wa Wa Nee
) in a few songs. All of his original songs were inspired by his friends and family. Leith included two cover songs
in the album, Fleetwood Mac
's "Songbird" from the album Rumours
and the traditional Irish song "Danny Boy
". Where We Land received mostly average reviews from critics. It debuted in the Australian Albums Chart
at number-one and was certified platinum
by the Australian Recording Industry Association
. The album spawned the singles "22 Steps
", "All I Want Is You
" and "Not Just For The Weekend". Leith embarked on a national tour across Australia to promote the album in November 2007.
concluded, he convinced the producers of the show to break from protocol by giving him longer time to record the album. The protocol was that the Australian Idol winners had only one week after the competition ended to record their first album. He decided to work on his first studio album for the next few months. Leith was aware of the little success of the previous two Idol winners, Casey Donovan
and Kate DeAraugo
, so he decided to turn something more palpable than the previous winners by producing an album of original songs. He comments, "I suppose the main thing for me was trying to establish myself as a songwriter out of it because that's something that hasn't really been promoted in the past." He was determined to create as much original material as possible for the album, and create songs that truly represent who he was. He also wanted the themes in the lyrics to not only be personal, but broad enough so that listeners can relate to them.
. Knowing that he was well known by the Australian public as the new Australian Idol, he knew that it was risky to produce an acoustic based album because it was very different from the records produced by the previous Idol contestants, as many of their records predominantly featured up-beat pop
songs. He noted that the music he was making could make the album harder to sell commercially.
As a result, he and his producers spent the time to work on the songs which would appeal to a broader audience. Leith did this by holding onto several elements in his music that people had enjoyed on Australian Idol. However, he still wanted to show new elements to the album, so he held on some elements of acoustic music. Leith comments,
Damien Leith was also conscious of the lyrics we wrote. He added a few emotional ballads which contained strong lyrics, but had left out the songs he thought were too depressing.
Leith spent seven months of recording and writing and worked with Bryon Jones, James Roche and Ross Fraser. Initially, he wanted the album to he released in March, but it was pushed back to August, partly due to the prolonged success of The Winner's Journey and partly because of the large amount of songs they had to cull.
and fulfillment. "Not Just for the Weekend" was a song he wrote after the birth of his second son, Jagger. The song "Beautiful" is a love song written to his wife Eileen. Other songs in the album explored much darker themes. "Blew It All Away" is a heartfelt song about the suicide
of a friend, which happened shortly after another friend died from cancer. Another song, "Alone" was inspired from a friend who was struggling after his father's death. "Shine Like the Sun" is about a friend in Ireland who was experiencing a rough relationship.
Leith wrote or co-wrote a total of nine tracks out of the twelve in the album. Incidentally, the first single and the opening track "22 Steps
" was a song he did not write; it was written by Canadian singer-songwriter
Andy Stochansky
. Another non-original track Leith recorded was a cover of Fleetwood Mac
's "Songbird" from their album Rumours
. This song holds special meaning for Leith, as his sister sang this song during his and Eileen's wedding. Leith collaborated with Australian writers in a few songs, including Alex Lloyd
who co-wrote with Leith the songs "Beautiful" and "Blew It All Away". They also wrote four other songs which they did not include in the album because they were too alternative
. His musical director Paul Gray
of Wa Wa Nee
co-wrote the track "Alone". He left out his debut single "Night of My Life
", originally written for his win on Idol, because he could not relate to the lyrics in his everyday life, only within the context of the show. Sony BMG added a raw bonus track, the traditional Irish song "Danny Boy
" which Leith did a one-take recording of for a fan. Initially, Leith was hesitant to include it in the album because it was so raw.
Damien Leith chose to name the album Where We Land as it described all the things that happened to him in the past year individually and professionally, and also illustrated his journey to Australia in various ways.
" was released to Australian radio on 22 June 2007, with a physical release on 21 July. Another track also included in Where We Land was "I Still Miss Us", which was a bonus track with the release of "22 Steps" only available in the Australian iTunes Store
. The music video
for "22 Steps" premiered on rage
on 22 June. The second single, "All I Want Is You
", was released as a non-commercial single; its music video debuted on rage on 19 October.
Where We Land was later released in Ireland on 28 September 2007. On 17 November 2007, a limited special Christmas edition of Where We Land was released in Australia which included a second disc with five bonus tracks, including an original track "This Christmas".
at number one. The album was certified gold status
in its first week of release and sold 12,760 copies, 4,939 than the second highest selling album of the week, which was The Dutchess
by Fergie. This feat follows his previous live album The Winner's Journey
which was at number-one earlier in the year in January. He is also the first Australian Idol winner to achieve two consecutive number-one albums. The album dropped to number-two in its second week on the charts, replaced by Paul Potts
' One Chance. In its third week, Where We Land it was certified platinum status and moved down to number-four. It dropped outside the top ten in the following week on the Australian charts.
Where We Land debuted on the Irish Albums Chart
at number 43 on the week after its release in Ireland, remaining in the Top 75 for a second week, before falling off the chart the week after.
as often as possible without making himself appear a one-trick pony". Coufos, however says that the two cover songs, "Songbird" and "Danny Boy" are an "unnecessary hedging of bets". Andrew Murfett from The Age
notices the album's different arrangement from the previous Idol debuts and considers it to be better than those, but says that the album still contains too many ballad songs. Murfett remarks "Songbird" as a good choice for a cover song. Lauren Katulka from 'Oz Music Scene' compliments Leith's songwriting and composing, and says that Where We Land "is a great indication of the potential of Australia's revamped Idol franchise". Lucy Tyler from the Sydney Anglican Network says that though the album is well-produced; it is unbalanced and bland, and "its lack of variety means that it gives listeners little to think about". Tyler notes that Where We Land focuses on the melancholic aspects of life and remarks that "Leith appears to have forgotten that life can sometimes be happy, too".
Damien Leith made several appearances in the week after Where We Land was released. On 19 August 2007, Leith performed songs from the album at the Warringah Mall Center Stage in Brookvale
, and on 23 August, he performed songs at the Robina Town Centre
in Robina, Queensland
. He made a guest appearance on 26 August on Rove and performed live on 30 August on Australian Idol
. He again made a special guest appearance on Australian Idol on 7 October, singing "All I Want Is You".
Leith is currently embarking on a national Where We Land tour across Australia from 1 November to 24, 2007, touring in various venues located specifically in Sydney
, Canberra
, Brisbane
, Melbourne
, the Central Coast, Newcastle
, Wollongong and Hobart
. He is performing the tracks from the album as well as several of his classic performances from Australian Idol. It was announced on 28 September that the tour was extended to include the other major cities of Australia; Adelaide
and Perth
.
Christmas edition bonus tracks
B-Sides from singles
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 Australian Idol 2006 winner Damien Leith
Damien Leith
Damien Leo Leith is an Irish Australian singer–songwriter. He was the winner of the Network Ten music contest Australian Idol 2006Damien has also guest co-hosted 'The Morning Show' on Network Ten on 18 July 2011.He was born in Ireland and now lives in Australia with his Australian wife, Eileen...
. It was released by Sony BMG in Australia on 18 August 2007, and in Ireland on 28 September 2007. Leith produced the album for seven months and created the album entirely with acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
songs. He wrote or co-wrote nine of the twelve songs, collaborating with Alex Lloyd
Alex Lloyd
Alex Lloyd is an Australian singer-songwriter. His most popular album Watching Angels Mend, which includes the songs "Amazing" and "Green", was released in 2001 went double platinum. His third album Distant Light released in 2003 featured three songs that made the Australian top 40 singles charts...
and his music director Paul Gray
Paul Gray (songwriter)
Paul Gray is an Australian songwriter, pianist, singer and record producer. He met with early success as the lead vocalist for the 1980s funk/pop band. Wa Wa Nee....
(Wa Wa Nee
Wa Wa Nee
Wa Wa Nee was an Australian funk/pop band, active from approximately 1985 to 1989.-Career: Led by singer/songwriter Paul Gray and guitarist Steve Williams, bassist Mark Gray and drummer 'The Sween', the band signed with CBS Records in 1985. Wa Wa Nee had four singles in the Australian top 40 from...
) in a few songs. All of his original songs were inspired by his friends and family. Leith included two cover songs
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
in the album, Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
's "Songbird" from the album Rumours
Rumours
Rumours is the eleventh studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac. Largely recorded in California during 1976, it was produced by the band with Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut and was released on 4 February 1977 by Warner Bros. Records. The record peaked at the top of both the...
and the traditional Irish song "Danny Boy
Danny Boy
-Background:The words to "Danny Boy" were written by English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly in 1910. Although the lyrics were originally written for a different tune, Weatherly modified them to fit the "Londonderry Air" in 1913, after his sister-in-law in the U.S. sent him a copy. Ernestine...
". Where We Land received mostly average reviews from critics. It debuted in the Australian Albums Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
at number-one and was certified platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
. The album spawned the singles "22 Steps
22 Steps
"22 Steps" is a song covered by Australian singer-songwriter Damien Leith and was the first single from his first studio album Where We Land. The song was released on Australian radios on 22 June 2006, with a physical release on 21 July. The Australian release includes two B-Sides, "Song for...
", "All I Want Is You
All I Want Is You (Damien Leith song)
"All I Want Is You" is a song written by Damien Leith for his debut studio album Where We Land, and is the second single from the album.-Song information:...
" and "Not Just For The Weekend". Leith embarked on a national tour across Australia to promote the album in November 2007.
Background
Damien Leith stated how his debut studio album wanted to pan out: "I didn't really want to do anybody else's songs... I just wanted this album to be mine". Immediately after Australian IdolAustralian Idol
Australian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...
concluded, he convinced the producers of the show to break from protocol by giving him longer time to record the album. The protocol was that the Australian Idol winners had only one week after the competition ended to record their first album. He decided to work on his first studio album for the next few months. Leith was aware of the little success of the previous two Idol winners, Casey Donovan
Casey Donovan (singer)
-Australian Idol :Donovan transferred to the Australian Institute of Music in Sydney's Surry Hills in 2004 and it was in this year that her stepfather encouraged her to audition for the second season of Australian Idol...
and Kate DeAraugo
Kate DeAraugo
Katherine Jenna "Kate" DeAraugo, pronounced de roosh , is an Australian singer-songwriter who was the third winner of Australian Idol in 2005. After idol, DeAraugo signed to Sony BMG and released her debut single, "Maybe Tonight", in November 2005. The single debuted and peaked at Number 1 on the...
, so he decided to turn something more palpable than the previous winners by producing an album of original songs. He comments, "I suppose the main thing for me was trying to establish myself as a songwriter out of it because that's something that hasn't really been promoted in the past." He was determined to create as much original material as possible for the album, and create songs that truly represent who he was. He also wanted the themes in the lyrics to not only be personal, but broad enough so that listeners can relate to them.
Production and recording
Leith remarked that recording the album was an exciting but nerve-racking experience. He recorded his music at Sony BMG's recording studio in East Sydney. His producers already had in mind what kind of album they want to produce for Leith. He, however wanted his album to be totally acousticAcoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
. Knowing that he was well known by the Australian public as the new Australian Idol, he knew that it was risky to produce an acoustic based album because it was very different from the records produced by the previous Idol contestants, as many of their records predominantly featured up-beat pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
songs. He noted that the music he was making could make the album harder to sell commercially.
As a result, he and his producers spent the time to work on the songs which would appeal to a broader audience. Leith did this by holding onto several elements in his music that people had enjoyed on Australian Idol. However, he still wanted to show new elements to the album, so he held on some elements of acoustic music. Leith comments,
"We didn't want to be too acoustic, or too rocky. I've been conscious of the people who bought The Winner's JourneyThe Winner's Journey (Damien Leith album)The Winner's Journey is a live album and DVD based on Australian Idol 2006 winner Damien Leith's performances on the show. The full-length album features remastered versions of Leith's live performances from the show, along with the studio version of his debut single "Night of My Life" and two of...
, but also conscious about grabbing a new audience as well... I think this album's got all those kind of Winner's Journey elements – the falsetto and the emotional thing. But it's got a lot of me in it too."
Damien Leith was also conscious of the lyrics we wrote. He added a few emotional ballads which contained strong lyrics, but had left out the songs he thought were too depressing.
Leith spent seven months of recording and writing and worked with Bryon Jones, James Roche and Ross Fraser. Initially, he wanted the album to he released in March, but it was pushed back to August, partly due to the prolonged success of The Winner's Journey and partly because of the large amount of songs they had to cull.
Writing and inspiration
The songs he wrote were inspired by his family and friends. A few of the songs explored the themes of loveLove
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
and fulfillment. "Not Just for the Weekend" was a song he wrote after the birth of his second son, Jagger. The song "Beautiful" is a love song written to his wife Eileen. Other songs in the album explored much darker themes. "Blew It All Away" is a heartfelt song about the suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
of a friend, which happened shortly after another friend died from cancer. Another song, "Alone" was inspired from a friend who was struggling after his father's death. "Shine Like the Sun" is about a friend in Ireland who was experiencing a rough relationship.
Leith wrote or co-wrote a total of nine tracks out of the twelve in the album. Incidentally, the first single and the opening track "22 Steps
22 Steps
"22 Steps" is a song covered by Australian singer-songwriter Damien Leith and was the first single from his first studio album Where We Land. The song was released on Australian radios on 22 June 2006, with a physical release on 21 July. The Australian release includes two B-Sides, "Song for...
" was a song he did not write; it was written by Canadian singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Andy Stochansky
Andy Stochansky
Andy Stochansky is a songwriter living in Los Angeles who was once signed to RCA U.S. He first started out as one the most wanted drummers in the Canadian music scene. His popularity caught the attention of songstress Ani DiFranco. Living just south of the border in Buffalo, New York, she asked him...
. Another non-original track Leith recorded was a cover of Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
's "Songbird" from their album Rumours
Rumours
Rumours is the eleventh studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac. Largely recorded in California during 1976, it was produced by the band with Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut and was released on 4 February 1977 by Warner Bros. Records. The record peaked at the top of both the...
. This song holds special meaning for Leith, as his sister sang this song during his and Eileen's wedding. Leith collaborated with Australian writers in a few songs, including Alex Lloyd
Alex Lloyd
Alex Lloyd is an Australian singer-songwriter. His most popular album Watching Angels Mend, which includes the songs "Amazing" and "Green", was released in 2001 went double platinum. His third album Distant Light released in 2003 featured three songs that made the Australian top 40 singles charts...
who co-wrote with Leith the songs "Beautiful" and "Blew It All Away". They also wrote four other songs which they did not include in the album because they were too alternative
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
. His musical director Paul Gray
Paul Gray (songwriter)
Paul Gray is an Australian songwriter, pianist, singer and record producer. He met with early success as the lead vocalist for the 1980s funk/pop band. Wa Wa Nee....
of Wa Wa Nee
Wa Wa Nee
Wa Wa Nee was an Australian funk/pop band, active from approximately 1985 to 1989.-Career: Led by singer/songwriter Paul Gray and guitarist Steve Williams, bassist Mark Gray and drummer 'The Sween', the band signed with CBS Records in 1985. Wa Wa Nee had four singles in the Australian top 40 from...
co-wrote the track "Alone". He left out his debut single "Night of My Life
Night of My Life
"Night of My Life" is the title of the debut single for 2006 Australian Idol winner Damien Leith. This single was performed by the final two contestants - Leith and Jessica Mauboy - during the penultimate episode of Australian Idol 2006, and both contestants recorded and had their versions pressed...
", originally written for his win on Idol, because he could not relate to the lyrics in his everyday life, only within the context of the show. Sony BMG added a raw bonus track, the traditional Irish song "Danny Boy
Danny Boy
-Background:The words to "Danny Boy" were written by English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly in 1910. Although the lyrics were originally written for a different tune, Weatherly modified them to fit the "Londonderry Air" in 1913, after his sister-in-law in the U.S. sent him a copy. Ernestine...
" which Leith did a one-take recording of for a fan. Initially, Leith was hesitant to include it in the album because it was so raw.
Damien Leith chose to name the album Where We Land as it described all the things that happened to him in the past year individually and professionally, and also illustrated his journey to Australia in various ways.
Album and single releases
Where We Land was officially released on 18 August 2007 in Australia. Beforehand, the first single of the album, "22 Steps22 Steps
"22 Steps" is a song covered by Australian singer-songwriter Damien Leith and was the first single from his first studio album Where We Land. The song was released on Australian radios on 22 June 2006, with a physical release on 21 July. The Australian release includes two B-Sides, "Song for...
" was released to Australian radio on 22 June 2007, with a physical release on 21 July. Another track also included in Where We Land was "I Still Miss Us", which was a bonus track with the release of "22 Steps" only available in the Australian iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
. The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "22 Steps" premiered on rage
Rage (TV program)
Rage is a popular all-night Australian music video program broadcast on ABC1 on Friday nights, Saturday mornings and Saturday nights. It was first screened on the weekend of Friday, 17 April 1987. With Soul Train no longer being produced, it is the oldest music television program currently still...
on 22 June. The second single, "All I Want Is You
All I Want Is You (Damien Leith song)
"All I Want Is You" is a song written by Damien Leith for his debut studio album Where We Land, and is the second single from the album.-Song information:...
", was released as a non-commercial single; its music video debuted on rage on 19 October.
Where We Land was later released in Ireland on 28 September 2007. On 17 November 2007, a limited special Christmas edition of Where We Land was released in Australia which included a second disc with five bonus tracks, including an original track "This Christmas".
Chart performance
In the week beginning on 27 August 2007, Where We Land debuted on the ARIA Albums ChartARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
at number one. The album was certified gold status
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
in its first week of release and sold 12,760 copies, 4,939 than the second highest selling album of the week, which was The Dutchess
The Dutchess
The Dutchess is the debut and only studio album by American recording artist Fergie, who is a member of The Black Eyed Peas. The album was released on September 19, 2006. As of 2008, the album has sold more than six million copies worldwide...
by Fergie. This feat follows his previous live album The Winner's Journey
The Winner's Journey (Damien Leith album)
The Winner's Journey is a live album and DVD based on Australian Idol 2006 winner Damien Leith's performances on the show. The full-length album features remastered versions of Leith's live performances from the show, along with the studio version of his debut single "Night of My Life" and two of...
which was at number-one earlier in the year in January. He is also the first Australian Idol winner to achieve two consecutive number-one albums. The album dropped to number-two in its second week on the charts, replaced by Paul Potts
Paul Potts
Paul Robert Potts is an English pop opera tenor who won the first series of ITV's Britain's Got Talent in 2007, singing an operatic aria, "Nessun dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot". As a singer of operatic music, Potts recorded the album One Chance, which went to #1 in nine countries...
' One Chance. In its third week, Where We Land it was certified platinum status and moved down to number-four. It dropped outside the top ten in the following week on the Australian charts.
Where We Land debuted on the Irish Albums Chart
Irish Albums Chart
The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically...
at number 43 on the week after its release in Ireland, remaining in the Top 75 for a second week, before falling off the chart the week after.
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... Albums Chart |
1 |
| Irish IRMA Irish Recorded Music Association Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:... Albums Chart |
43 |
Critical reception
Responses from critics have given mostly average reviews of the album. Polly Coufos from The Sunday Times considers Damien Leith as "the most complete artist Australian Idol has yet uncovered". Coufos rated the album 3.5 stars, and comments that "Leith uses that heavenly falsettoFalsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
as often as possible without making himself appear a one-trick pony". Coufos, however says that the two cover songs, "Songbird" and "Danny Boy" are an "unnecessary hedging of bets". Andrew Murfett from The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
notices the album's different arrangement from the previous Idol debuts and considers it to be better than those, but says that the album still contains too many ballad songs. Murfett remarks "Songbird" as a good choice for a cover song. Lauren Katulka from 'Oz Music Scene' compliments Leith's songwriting and composing, and says that Where We Land "is a great indication of the potential of Australia's revamped Idol franchise". Lucy Tyler from the Sydney Anglican Network says that though the album is well-produced; it is unbalanced and bland, and "its lack of variety means that it gives listeners little to think about". Tyler notes that Where We Land focuses on the melancholic aspects of life and remarks that "Leith appears to have forgotten that life can sometimes be happy, too".
Promotion
Brookvale, New South Wales
Brookvale is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Brookvale is located 16 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Warringah Council and is part of the Northern Beaches region.-History:The first development in...
, and on 23 August, he performed songs at the Robina Town Centre
Robina Town Centre
Robina Town Centre is a large shopping centre covering in the suburb of Robina, Queensland with over 350 retail outlets covering over . - History :...
in Robina, Queensland
Robina, Queensland
Robina is a suburb on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 Census, Robina had a population of 19,182.The Robina Town Centre shopping centre and Bond University are located in Robina.- History :...
. He made a guest appearance on 26 August on Rove and performed live on 30 August on Australian Idol
Australian Idol
Australian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...
. He again made a special guest appearance on Australian Idol on 7 October, singing "All I Want Is You".
Leith is currently embarking on a national Where We Land tour across Australia from 1 November to 24, 2007, touring in various venues located specifically in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, the Central Coast, Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, Wollongong and Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
. He is performing the tracks from the album as well as several of his classic performances from Australian Idol. It was announced on 28 September that the tour was extended to include the other major cities of Australia; Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
and Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
.
Track listing
- "22 Steps22 Steps"22 Steps" is a song covered by Australian singer-songwriter Damien Leith and was the first single from his first studio album Where We Land. The song was released on Australian radios on 22 June 2006, with a physical release on 21 July. The Australian release includes two B-Sides, "Song for...
" (Andy StochanskyAndy StochanskyAndy Stochansky is a songwriter living in Los Angeles who was once signed to RCA U.S. He first started out as one the most wanted drummers in the Canadian music scene. His popularity caught the attention of songstress Ani DiFranco. Living just south of the border in Buffalo, New York, she asked him...
, Ian LeFeuvre) – 3:35 - "All I Want Is YouAll I Want Is You (Damien Leith song)"All I Want Is You" is a song written by Damien Leith for his debut studio album Where We Land, and is the second single from the album.-Song information:...
" (Damien LeithDamien LeithDamien Leo Leith is an Irish Australian singer–songwriter. He was the winner of the Network Ten music contest Australian Idol 2006Damien has also guest co-hosted 'The Morning Show' on Network Ten on 18 July 2011.He was born in Ireland and now lives in Australia with his Australian wife, Eileen...
) – 3:16 - "Beautiful" (Leith, Alex WasilievAlex LloydAlex Lloyd is an Australian singer-songwriter. His most popular album Watching Angels Mend, which includes the songs "Amazing" and "Green", was released in 2001 went double platinum. His third album Distant Light released in 2003 featured three songs that made the Australian top 40 singles charts...
) ; 3:43 - "Shine Like the Sun" (Leith) – 4:10
- "I Still Miss Us" (Leith, Bryon Jones) – 4:17
- "The Long Way Back" (Leith) – 3:30
- "Not Just for the Weekend" (Leith) – 3:48
- "SongbirdRumoursRumours is the eleventh studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac. Largely recorded in California during 1976, it was produced by the band with Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut and was released on 4 February 1977 by Warner Bros. Records. The record peaked at the top of both the...
" (cover version) (Christine McVieChristine McVieChristine McVie is an English rock singer, keyboardist, and songwriter. Her primary fame came as a member of the British/American rock band Fleetwood Mac, though she has also released three solo albums...
) – 4:17 - "Blew It All Away" (Leith, Wasiliev) – 3:21
- "Alone" (Leith, Paul GrayPaul Gray (songwriter)Paul Gray is an Australian songwriter, pianist, singer and record producer. He met with early success as the lead vocalist for the 1980s funk/pop band. Wa Wa Nee....
) – 3:51 - "Cold Cold Heart" (Leith) – 3:52
- "Danny BoyDanny Boy-Background:The words to "Danny Boy" were written by English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly in 1910. Although the lyrics were originally written for a different tune, Weatherly modified them to fit the "Londonderry Air" in 1913, after his sister-in-law in the U.S. sent him a copy. Ernestine...
" (Bonus Track) (cover version) (Frederick WeatherlyFrederick WeatherlyFrederic Edward Weatherly was an English lawyer, author, lyricist and broadcaster. He is estimated to have written the lyrics to at least 3,000 popular songs, among the best-known of which are the sentimental ballad Danny Boy set to the tune Londonderry Air, the religious "The Holy City", and the...
) – 3:31
Christmas edition bonus tracks
- "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (Buck RamBuck RamBuck Ram was an American songwriter, and popular music producer and arranger.-Biography:...
, Kim Gannon, Walter KentWalter KentWalter Kent was a Jewish American composer who wrote the music for songs including the Christmas standard "I'll Be Home for Christmas", and the wartime hit " The White Cliffs of Dover", co-written with fellow American Nat Burton. He died at the age of 82-External links:...
) – 3:13 - "The Christmas SongThe Christmas Song"The Christmas Song" is a classic Christmas song written in 1944 by musician, composer, and vocalist Mel Tormé and Bob Wells. According to Tormé, the song was written during a blistering hot summer...
" (Mel TorméMel TorméMelvin Howard Tormé , nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books...
, Robert Wells) – 3:21 - "This Christmas" (Damien Leith, Eileen Stapleton) – 3:35
- "O Holy NightO Holy Night"O Holy Night" is a well-known Christmas carol composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the French poem "Minuit, chrétiens" by Placide Cappeau , a wine merchant and poet, who had been asked by a parish priest to write a Christmas poem...
" (Adolphe AdamAdolphe AdamAdolphe Charles Adam was a French composer and music critic. A prolific composer of operas and ballets, he is best known today for his ballets Giselle and Le corsaire , his operas Le postillon de Lonjumeau , Le toréador and Si j'étais roi , and his Christmas...
) – 2:44 - "Silent Night" (Josef MohrJosef MohrJoseph Mohr, sometimes spelt Josef was an Austrian Roman Catholic priest and composer, who wrote the words to the Christmas carol "Silent Night".-Biography:...
) – 2:09
B-Sides from singles
- "Who You Are" "22 Steps22 Steps"22 Steps" is a song covered by Australian singer-songwriter Damien Leith and was the first single from his first studio album Where We Land. The song was released on Australian radios on 22 June 2006, with a physical release on 21 July. The Australian release includes two B-Sides, "Song for...
" single" - "Song For Jarvis" "22 Steps22 Steps"22 Steps" is a song covered by Australian singer-songwriter Damien Leith and was the first single from his first studio album Where We Land. The song was released on Australian radios on 22 June 2006, with a physical release on 21 July. The Australian release includes two B-Sides, "Song for...
" single - "Come To Me" "Night of My LifeNight of My Life"Night of My Life" is the title of the debut single for 2006 Australian Idol winner Damien Leith. This single was performed by the final two contestants - Leith and Jessica Mauboy - during the penultimate episode of Australian Idol 2006, and both contestants recorded and had their versions pressed...
" - "Sky" The Winner's JourneyThe Winner's Journey (Damien Leith album)The Winner's Journey is a live album and DVD based on Australian Idol 2006 winner Damien Leith's performances on the show. The full-length album features remastered versions of Leith's live performances from the show, along with the studio version of his debut single "Night of My Life" and two of...
Personnel
- Damien LeithDamien LeithDamien Leo Leith is an Irish Australian singer–songwriter. He was the winner of the Network Ten music contest Australian Idol 2006Damien has also guest co-hosted 'The Morning Show' on Network Ten on 18 July 2011.He was born in Ireland and now lives in Australia with his Australian wife, Eileen...
- vocalsHuman voiceThe human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
, 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...
, arranger - Matt Cornell - bassBass (instrument)Bass describes musical instruments that produce tones in the low-pitched range. They belong to different families of instruments and can cover a wide range of musical roles...
- Dave Leslie - guitar
- James Roche - bass, 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...
, stringsString instrumentA string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
, 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...
, programmer, producer, mixer - Irwin ThomasIrwin ThomasIrwin Thomas was formerly known as Jack Jones, and was lead singer in the 1990s Australian band Southern Sons....
- guitar - David Champion - manager
- Daniel Clinch - engineer
- James Cooper - art director, designer, photographer, illustrator
- Ross Fraser - A&RA&RArtists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
- Amy Kelly - design producer & illustrator
- Christopher Morris - photographer
- Martin Pullan - mastering engineer