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Satisfied (DecembeRadio album)

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Satisfied is the fourth studio album by American Christian rock band DecembeRadio; it was released in August 2008 on Slanted Records. Like their previous album, DecembeRadio (2006), it was recorded at Southern Tracks Recording in Atlanta, Georgia, and produced by Scotty Wilbanks. The songs were written with a view towards ensuring they would translate well in a concert setting. The band also made a conscious decision to write more uplifting lyrics than those on their previous album. Recording sessions began in September 2007 and were not completed until the second quarter of 2008, as the sessions were twice interrupted for concert tours.

The album debuted at its peak positions of number 116 on the Billboard 200 and number three on the Billboard Top Christian Albums charts, with first week sales nearly doubling those of the band's previous album. DecembeRadio promoted Satisfied by making television and radio appearances ahead of its release, filming two promotional videos and headlining a concert tour of the United States. Satisfied received generally positive reviews; most critics approved of the band's continuation of the Southern rock sound evident on DecembeRadio. While critics disagreed on whether Satisfied measured up to DecembeRadio, a frequent complaint was the album's lack of lyrical depth.

Writing and production

DecembeRadio felt pressure to meet growing expectations following the accolades received for their previous album, DecembeRadio (2006), which won a Dove Award and was nominated for a Grammy Award. "We had some great stuff go on with the first record, but I think the biggest thing over the past two years has been trying to make sure Satisfied is not a sophomore slump" said lead guitarist Brian Bunn.[1] While the self-titled album was written and recorded with little thought to how the songs would translate in concert, the experience of opening for Third Day helped DecembeRadio learn what works best live. This knowledge informed Satisfied to the extent that it was the band's goal to "make sure every single song on the album worked well in a live concert setting", according to Bunn.[2]

Writing for Satisfied began soon after the release of DecembeRadio and occurred in spurts, as the band found more success in letting ideas come to them spontaneously rather than in meeting for dedicated writing sessions. The chorus melody of "Be Alright", for example, popped into bassist and lead singer Josh Reedy's head while showering, and he "almost wanted to get out and holler at [rhythm guitarist] Eric [Miker] like, 'Man, I got this cool hook!'" so as not to forget it.[3] On another occasion, Reedy came up with a riff on GarageBand while traveling between gigs and forced the band to pull over their van and listen to it.[4] Two songs from Satisfied were included in the band's live shows by October 2007: "Satisfy Me" and "Find You Waiting".[5] The former was the first song written for the album,[2] while the latter was first released on the Expanded Edition of DecembeRadio in November 2007.

For Satisfied, DecembeRadio made a conscious decision to write lyrics that were more uplifting than those featured on their previous album. Said Bunn, "Our first record had a lot of darker songs such as 'Razor' and 'Greed'. Even though we liked some of that, we truly realized we're a bunch of happy guys! We like to have fun onstage and in our lives, so we didn't want this album to be as dark as the last one."[2] To that end, the band wrote and included on Satisfied songs like "Better Man", which Reedy says imparts that "if we learn from our mistakes and follow Jesus Christ it will make us a better man",[6] and the "vertical worship song" "For Your Glory".[3] The band was inspired to write "Find You Waiting" following the death of a friend of producer Scotty Wilbanks. At the funeral, the man's widow stood over the casket praising God with arms raised amidst her sorrow. "It struck a chord in our hearts to write a song about how, no matter what current problem we might be facing, God's love and mercy is always waiting there for us", said Reedy.[7]

"Gasoline"
Guitar feedback in "Gasoline" precedes an abrupt shift to a "Beatlesque" section including a children's choir, string section and piccolo trumpet.[3]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Recording of Satisfied began in September 2007 at Southern Tracks Recording in Atlanta, Georgia.[8] As with DecembeRadio's previous album, Scotty Wilbanks was hired as the producer. Said Reedy of Wilbanks, "We just have a kindredship as musicians and as players.... There's a lot of excitement and passion that comes from his end.... [A] big thing for us is having a really good time. If we're not having a good time making a record, it's gonna show and you're gonna hear it."[9] To capture the excitement of their live shows, DecembeRadio recorded basic tracks live in the studio. Reedy said recording live is particularly useful for capturing energetic performances from drummer Boone Daughdrill. "It's definitely very critical for him to be on top of his game and feeling like it's a unit, because you play off of each other. It's a real push and pull thing that happens in rock and roll music that you really can't sometimes capture by just doing it track by track by track", said Reedy.[9] Miker said the band recorded a handful of songs that were "out of the box of where CCM music is",[3] and Reedy noted that other tracks "stretched what we're doing ... with production."[3] "Gasoline", for example, includes a "Beatlesque" section with a children's choir, string section and piccolo trumpet, while "Falling for You" begins and ends with some guitar "shred licks" that started as a joke in the writing process.[3]

DecembeRadio finished recording backing tracks before headlining the Drifter Tour in October and November,[10] which also featured Nevertheless, Superhero and Bread of Stone.[11] Recording of vocal tracks continued in early 2008, but the sessions were again interrupted for a major tour, this time in support of Third Day in March and April. Soon after the tour ended, DecembeRadio finished recording the album.[12]

Promotion and release

Satisfied was released on August 26, 2008, and subsequently debuted at its peak positions of number 116 on the Billboard 200 and number three on the Billboard Top Christian Albums charts;[13][14] first week sales nearly doubled those of DecembeRadio.[15] The album cover was the product of a spontaneous suggestion from the band's manager on the day of a photoshoot. Another photo had been slated for the album cover, but the band found a swamp and decided to act on their manager's idea. "We went down there, took off our shoes, rolled up our jeans a little bit and walked right into the water—and stood there for 45 minutes while we got our picture taken. It's a good thing we did it because when we got the pictures back, those were by far our favorite!" said Bunn.[2]

DecembeRadio promoted Satisfied by making television and radio appearances in Atlanta ahead of their concert at the local Hard Rock Cafe on August 20.[16][17][18] Six days later, the Jefferson Center in Roanoke, Virginia, hosted the band's album release party, which sold out the 938-seat venue.[19] After returning to the studio in September to record the Comfort & Joy Christmas EP,[20] DecembeRadio filmed promotional videos for "Gasoline" and "Look for Me" in October.[21][22] The band then headlined a month-long U.S. tour in support of Satisfied with Ruth, Sevenglory and speaker Billy Wayne.[23][24]

Critical reception

"For Your Glory"
The "string-enhanced ballad"[25] "For You Glory" was compared to MercyMe by both Russ Breimeier of Christianity Today and Scott Fryberger of Jesus Freak Hideout.[26][27]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Satisfied was generally regarded by critics as a continuation of the musical style from their previous album.[28][29][30] Many reviewers praised DecembeRadio's "southern flavored rock",[27] "punchy rhythm section" and "great guitar work",[31] as well as the "ferocious howls of front man Josh Reedy".[25] Gospel Music Channel's Beau Black, however, found that DecembeRadio's roots are "getting tougher to spot" as they try to be "all things to all people".[32] Critics varied more widely on whether Satisfied's tracks measure up to those of DecembeRadio. Russ Breimeier of Christianity Today felt the songs "fail to leave as lasting an impression as those on the debut".[26] Conversely, Andy Argyrakis, writing for Christian Music Central, detected more "blissfully controlled chaos" on Satisfied than on DecembeRadio,[25] and Billboard's Deborah Evans Price called the album "even stronger" than the last and the band's playing "even tighter".[33] A more moderate view was offered by Allmusic's Jared Johnson, who noted that while Satisfied contains "few, if any, inconsistencies or weak spots", it "falls short" due to "the lack of a strong single".[28]

A frequent complaint among critics was the album's lack of lyrical depth.[27][29] Black wrote that "Satisfy Me" "delivers a message listeners have likely heard a time or six before",[32] and Scott Fryberger of Jesus Freak Hideout opined that DecembeRadio struggle to "be blatant about [their] faith without sounding cheesy".[30] Breimeier described the lyrics as walking "a fine line between open expressions of faith and CCM clichés" and granted that while "Find You Waiting" "relies heavily on platitudes, it's still powerfully affecting and relatable testimony".[26] Argyrakis, though, remarked that the band "has plenty to say" and their "stacked sounds are never at the expense of a meaningful gospel message".[25]

Track listing

All songs written by Brian Bunn, Boone Daughdrill, Eric Miker, Josh Reedy and Scotty Wilbanks, except where noted.

  1. "Better Man" – 3:23
  2. "Satisfy Me" – 3:22
  3. "Believer" – 3:40
  4. "For Your Glory" (Bunn, Daughdrill, Miker, Reedy, Wilbanks, Brian White) – 3:56
  5. "Gasoline" – 2:51
  6. "Falling for You" – 2:39
  7. "Look for Me" (Bunn, Daughdrill, Miker, Reedy, Wilbanks, White) – 4:01
  8. "Love Can" (Bunn, Daughdrill, Miker, Reedy, Wilbanks, Russ Lee) – 4:14
  9. "Peace of Mind" – 3:32
  10. "Be Alright" – 3:16
  11. "Powerful Thing" (Bunn, Daughdrill, Miker, Reedy, Wilbanks, White) – 3:24
  12. "Find You Waiting" – 4:07
    • 1:31 of silence brings the track length to 5:38
  13. (hidden track) – 4:48

Personnel

  • Josh Reedy – lead vocals, bass
  • Brian Bunn – lead guitar, vocals
  • Eric Miker – guitar, vocals
  • Boone Daughdrill – drums

Additional personnel

  • Scotty Wilbanks – B3 organ, Clavinet, Wurlitzer, horn arrangements, string arrangements on "Gasoline" and "Look for Me", "other junk"
  • David Davidson – string arrangements on "Gasoline", "Look for Me" and "For Your Glory"
  • Love Sponge Strings – strings
  • The Soul Sisters – vocals
    • Keesha Dement, Carole Ford, Cheryl Rogers, Tann Smith
  • Kids Choir – vocals on "Gasoline"
    • Dustin Bearden, Anna Reeves, Abby Hoenstine, Rebecca Bearden, Sarah Shiver, Will Coleburn
  • Sam Skelton – saxophone
  • Mike Barry – trumpet
  • Eric Alexander – trombone
  • Truett Pumphrey – cowbell on "Satisfy Me"

Production

  • Scotty Wilbanks – producer, engineering
  • Tom Tapley – engineering
  • Swaff – additional engineering, digital editing
  • Darren Tablan and Stephen Kaiser – assistant engineers
  • Shane D. Wilson – mixing
  • Sarah Deane – mix coordinator
  • Hank Williams – mastering
  • Billy Williams – drum tech
  • Joel "Angus" Huggins – tone chaperone
  • The Reverend Snorty Haggard – special guest
  • Jordan Butcher – layout
  • Joshua Sage Newman – photography
  • Abby Sasser – stylist
  • Tina Davis – hair and makeup

Chart positions

Album

Year Chart Peak
position
2008 U.S. Billboard 200[13] 116
2008 U.S. Billboard Top Christian & Gospel Albums[34] 4
2008 U.S. Billboard Top Christian Albums[14] 3

Singles

Year Single Chart Peak
position
2008 "Find You Waiting" U.S. Billboard Hot Christian Songs[35] 5
2008 "Find You Waiting" U.S. Billboard Hot Christian Adult Contemporary[36] 10
2008 "For Your Glory" U.S. Billboard Hot Christian Adult Contemporary[37] 27
2009 "Believer" U.S. Billboard Hot Christian Songs[38] 30

Notes

  1. ^ Greer, Andrew (2008). "DecembeRadio: Satisfying Sophomoric Rock". CCM Magazine. Retrieved December 20, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. ^ a b c d Angel (September 9, 2008). "DecembeRadio On Being Satisfied". New Release Tuesday. Retrieved December 20, 2008.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Author.Artist Podcast – DecembeRadio" (MP3). LifeWay Christian Stores. Retrieved December 20, 2008.
  4. ^ "DecembeRadio – Eric Miker Interview" (audio). CCM Magazine. November 20, 2006. Retrieved December 20, 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ "Cleft In The Rock Radio – Hotline – DecembeRadio / Eric Miker" (audio). Cleft In The Rock Radio. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
  6. ^ Carpenter, Chris (August 25, 2008). "DecembeRadio: Never Satisfied". Christian Broadcasting Network. Retrieved December 20, 2008.
  7. ^ Reedy, Josh. "Story Behind the Song: DecembeRadio's "Find You Waiting"". ChristianMusicPlanet.com. Retrieved December 20, 2008.
  8. ^ DecembeRadio (September 10, 2007). "DecembeRadio MySpace Blog". MySpace. Retrieved August 20, 2008.
  9. ^ a b DiBiase, John (April 21, 2008). "DecembeRadio Find Satisfaction". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved December 20, 2008. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ "Hotline - DecembeRadio / Eric Miker". Cleft in the Rock Radio. Retrieved August 20, 2008.
  11. ^ DecembeRadio (October 8, 2007). "DecembeRadio MySpace Blog". MySpace. Retrieved August 20, 2008.
  12. ^ DecembeRadio (May 2, 2008). "DecembeRadio MySpace Blog". MySpace. Retrieved May 25, 2008.
  13. ^ a b "The Billboard 200 - Satisfied". Billboard. September 13, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  14. ^ a b "Top Christian Albums - Satisfied". Billboard. September 13, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  15. ^ "Rock Band's Promotions Leave Multiple Markets Satisfied" (Press release). Slanted Records. September 8, 2008. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
  16. ^ "Road Warrior: DecembeRadio at Hard Rock". WAGA. August 19, 2008. Retrieved August 20, 2008.
  17. ^ "DECEMBERADIO with Monk & Kelly". WVFJ-FM. August 20, 2008. Retrieved August 20, 2008.
  18. ^ "Gary Martin Hays and Associates present DecembeRadio". Hard Rock Cafe. Retrieved August 20, 2008.
  19. ^ Greenhalgh, Andrew (August 28, 2008). "Soul-Audio – Features – DecembeRadio". Soul-Audio. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
  20. ^ Reedy, Josh (September 26, 2008). "DecembeRadio MySpace Blog". MySpace. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
  21. ^ "Cleft In The Rock Radio – Hotline – DecembeRadio – Brian Bunn" (audio). Cleft In The Rock Radio. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
  22. ^ Miker, Eric (October 16, 2008). "SayNow: DecembeRadio" (audio). SayNow. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
  23. ^ DecembeRadio (October 30, 2008). "DecembeRadio MySpace Blog". MySpace. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
  24. ^ Reedy, Josh (November 10, 2008). "DecembeRadio MySpace Blog". MySpace. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
  25. ^ a b c d Argyrakis, Andy. "The Live Vibe Comes to Life". Christian Music Central. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
  26. ^ a b c Breimeier, Russ. "DecembeRadio – Satisfied (Slanted Records)". Christianity Today. Retrieved December 23, 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  27. ^ a b c Fryberger, Scott (August 19, 2008). "DecembeRadio, "Satisfied" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved December 23, 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  28. ^ a b Johnson, Jared. "Satisfied Review". Allmusic. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
  29. ^ a b Nothstine, Barry. "Reviews of the Phantom Tollbooth – Satisfied". The Phantom Tollbooth. Retrieved December 23, 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  30. ^ a b DiBiase, John. "Second Staff Opinion". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved December 23, 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  31. ^ Rimmer, Mike. "DecembeRadio – Satisfied". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved December 23, 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  32. ^ a b Black, Beau. "Satisfied – DecembeRadio". Gospel Music Channel. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
  33. ^ Price, Deborah Evans (September 6, 2008). "News – Satisfied". Billboard. Retrieved December 23, 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  34. ^ "Top Christian & Gospel Albums - Satisfied". Billboard. September 13, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  35. ^ "Hot Christian Songs - Find You Waiting". Billboard. April 5, 2008. Retrieved May 11, 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  36. ^ "Hot Christian Adult Contemporary - Find You Waiting". Billboard. June 14, 2008. Retrieved August 14, 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  37. ^ "Hot Christian Adult Contemporary - For Your Glory". Billboard. December 6, 2008. Retrieved December 16, 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  38. ^ "Hot Christian Songs - Believer". Billboard. January 24, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
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