Bridge over Troubled Dreams
Bridge over Troubled Dreams | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 14 May 2021 | |||
Length | 43:06 | |||
Label | Sony Music | |||
Producer |
| |||
Delta Goodrem chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Bridge over Troubled Dreams | ||||
|
Bridge over Troubled Dreams is the seventh studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem. It was released on 14 May 2021 and serves as Goodrem's first album of all-new material since 2016's Wings of the Wild.[2][3] The album will be promoted with a series of concert dates throughout Australia and New Zealand on the Bridge over Troubled Dreams Tour, originally planned for April and May 2021[4] but postponed until September and October 2021.[5] The album was released alongside an autobiographical book. [6]
The album was preceded by the singles "Keep Climbing", "Paralyzed", "Solid Gold" , "Billionaire" and "All of My Friends".[7][2]
The album debuted at number one in Australia, becoming Goodrem's fifth number-one album and in doing so, Goodrem now draws equal second with Kasey Chambers for most number ones on the ARIA Albums Chart by a local female solo artist, with Kylie Minogue with seven, having the most.[8]
Background
Planning for Bridge over Troubled Dreams can be seen to have originally dated back to 2018 with the release of "Think About You". The song indicated a change in sound and direction for Goodrem. However, Goodrem has since explained that she later opted for a return to the piano-based ballad pop of her debut album, Innocent Eyes, stating that she had "not tried to chase a sound and this album and body of work is me being my authentic self musically. In creating this album, I wanted to hear all the songs with live musicians. Every song I started at the piano. Every instrument is recorded live and there is a cohesive sound that has been captured".
In December 2019, Goodrem announced she was "living in a music bubble", working on her then-sixth studio album,[9] and officially marked the beginning of the new era with the release of "Keep Climbing", serving as the lead single for her seventh album. The song was globally premiered as part of Goodrem's seventh instalment of The Bunkerdown Sessions which she had carried out weekly within lockdown.[10] A motivational piano ballad, Goodrem explained that her intention behind the song was to remind people to not be afraid to find the strength when they feel stuck between where they are and where they want to go”.
On 17 July 2020, Goodrem released the album's second official single, "Paralyzed".[11] Lyrically, Goodrem explained the song to be a "narrative of when your whole world stops and has to be reset";[12] and described the album upon the release of "Paralyzed" to be "a nod to [my old stuff] sonically speaking in terms of what I was listening to, and getting re-inspired by", further adding "I needed to kind of go back to what I used to do. I had to give myself the freedom to be a little eccentric again. With some of the other songs on the new record, I definitely allowed myself to change tempos; to not have a structure. And at the same time, to have hopefully enough catchiness for somebody to still grab hold of it. There's definitely still both sides of the coin."[13]
In an interview with Grazia, Goodrem referred to the album as her "first 'woman' record", further explaining "my next album has really been about being transparent and finding that part of me that wants to be my authentic self at all times. The album is incredibly personal, raw and honest. I have opened up and shared stories that I have not shared before and people have really resonated to the transparency and vulnerability. I just want to make good music for people to have as soundtracks to their own lives."[14] Planned for release in 2020 as her sixth studio album, Goodrem then released Christmas album Only Santa Knows in November of that year with no prior announcement.
Four months after the release of Only Santa Knows, Goodrem revealed that Bridge over Troubled Dreams would be released on 14 May 2021.[2] The six-month gap between the release of the two albums marks the shortest time between albums of Goodrem's career.
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Retro Pop Magazine | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
auspOp | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
In a positive review of the album, Retro Pop Magazine described the album as Goodrem's "most accomplished effort yet",[16] and "a collection of tracks that look inward and share her most personal stories with the world"; highlighting "Everyone's Famous" as "an exploration of the nature of fame and the challenges it presents" and the "musings on the impact of success on close relationships" of "All of My Friends".
David from auspOp said "It's rare for an artist to let you in so deeply on each song and is a testament to how transparent she's being this album. It's all Delta and it's stunning".[17]
Stack noted that Bridge over Troubled Dreams "successfully veer[s] from pop to ballads, gospel and even a country-tinged detour",[18] and that the album's themes include "fame, fear and failing to live up to expectations".
Commercial performance
Bridge over Troubled Dreams debuted on the Australian ARIA Album Chart at number-one; her fifth to do so and the eighth by an Australian artist in 2021.[8] In the UK, the album debuted at twenty-five on the UK Album Downloads Chart, rising to twenty-two in its second week.
Track listing
All tracks are produced by Delta Goodrem, Mark Rankin, and Matthew Copley, except "The Power", produced by Goodrem and Copley.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Keep Climbing" |
| 3:38 |
2. | "Everyone's Famous" |
| 4:09 |
3. | "Solid Gold" |
| 4:08 |
4. | "Dear Elton" |
| 4:21 |
5. | "Billionaire" |
| 4:14 |
6. | "Paralyzed" |
| 4:18 |
7. | "All of My Friends" |
| 3:13 |
8. | "Kill Them with Kindness" |
| 3:25 |
9. | "Crash" |
| 3:11 |
10. | "The Power" |
| 3:47 |
11. | "Play" |
| 4:42 |
Total length: | 43:06 |
Personnel
Musicians
- Delta Goodrem – lead vocals, piano (all tracks); background vocals (3, 4, 6, 11)
- Ian Burdge – cello (1, 2, 4, 5, 7–11)
- The Trilogy Group – choir vocals (1, 3, 5, 8–10)
- Tony Jones – choir vocals (1, 3, 5, 8–10)
- Aaron Sterling – drums (1–4, 6, 8)
- Matthew Copley – guitar (1–6, 8–11), background vocals (3, 4, 6, 11); bass guitar, percussion (11)
- Sally Herbert – strings (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 10), violin (1, 2, 4, 7, 10)
- Sean Hurley – bass guitar (2–6)
- Sister 2 Sister School of Singing – choir vocals (2–4)
- Marla Altschuler – background vocals (3, 4, 6)
- Matt Chamberlain – drums (5, 9)
- Rachel Robson – viola (5, 6, 8, 9, 11)
- Calina de la Mare – violin (5, 6, 8, 9, 11)
- Julia Singleton – violin (5, 6, 8, 9, 11)
- Richard George – violin (5, 6, 8, 9, 11)
- Tom Pigott Smith – violin (5, 6, 8, 9, 11)
- Luke Davison – drums (10)
Technical
- Leon Zervos – mastering engineer
- Mark Rankin – mixing engineer (1–9, 11)
- Miles Walker – mixing engineer (10)
- Tom Garnett – recording engineer (6, 8–11)
- Wesley Seidman – assistant engineer (1–7)
Charts
Chart (2021) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[19] | 1 |
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[20] | 22 |
References
- ^ "Delta Goodrem Releases New Song "All of My Friends" (The track is the fifth single off of the album)". PM studio. 23 April 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
- ^ a b c "Why Delta Goodrem didn't start drinking alcohol until age 27". Northern Territory News. 18 March 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
Delta Goodrem's new single Billionaire starts with a shock revelation during an "interesting" chapter in her life
- ^ "Delta Goodrem Teases Sixth Album". NewsBreak. 13 May 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- ^ "Delta Goodrem Announces 2021 'Bridge Over Troubled Dreams' Tour". Rolling Stone. 13 July 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- ^ Savage, Desiree (15 March 2021). "Delta Goodrem's Wollongong tour dates rescheduled". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^ https://celebrity.nine.com.au/music/delta-goodrem-interview-bridge-over-troubled-dreams-reinventing-experience-digital-music/404fbdc1-a56a-4e9c-8a42-9a7492a9b2a1
- ^ "Bridge Over Troubled Dreams by Delta Goodrem". Apple Music. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- ^ a b "Delta Goodrem lands fifth ARIA #1 album with Bridge Over Troubled Dreams". The Music Network. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
- ^ "Delta Goodrem confirms exciting news". www.newidea.com.au. 6 December 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
- ^ "Delta Goodrem Releases Brand New Music 'Keep Climbing'". Sony Music. 15 May 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- ^ "Delta Goodrem Teases 6th Album With 'Paralyzed'". Idolator. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- ^ "Delta Goodrem shares new single 'Paralyzed'". NME. 18 July 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
- ^ "Delta Goodrem On Having 'The Freedom To Be A Little Eccentric Again'". Junkee. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
- ^ "Exclusive: Delta Goodrem Pushes Rewind On Her Career Hits". Grazia. 19 July 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
- ^ "Bridge Over Troubled Dreams by Delta Goodrem". albumoftheyear. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Delta Goodrem – Bridge Over Troubled Dreams". Retro Pop Magazine. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ a b "David Checks Out Bridge over Troubled Dreams by Delta". auspOp. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
- ^ "Delta Goodrem, 'Bridge Over Troubled Dreams' review". stack.com.au. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
- ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 May 2021.