Breath from Another
| Untitled | |
|---|---|
Breath from Another is debut studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Esthero. The album was released on April 28, 1998 and now generally considered a trip hop classic despite poor sales.
Background
Esthero and Doc met in January 1996 at the EMI in Toronto. The pair's demos sparked interest from Warner Music Group, EMI and BMG in Canada. Esthero's managers, Zack Werner and Beau Randall, signed them directly to Sony Music Entertainment in U.S. The duo suddenly wrote "Superheroes", "Indigo Boy" and "That Girl". In August 1996 they wrote another 4 tracks, include the single "Heaven Sent".[1]
In late January, 1998, prior to album's release 15,000 copies of promo EP "Short of Breath", featuring tracks "Breath from Another", "Heaven Sent", "Country Livin' (The World I Know)" and "That Girl" were sent to Sony Music staff worldwide.[2]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [3] |
Breath from Another received positive reviews from music critics. Tom Demalon of Allmusic stated that album "too scrumptious sounding to be ignored", however called it unfocused. He praised tracks "That Girl" and "Country Livin' (The World I Know)" as album's best offerings.[4] Chris Molanphy of CMJ New Music Monthly noted that album sounds "slick for starters; clamorous but never abrasive, yearning but not very dark" and "organic".[5]
Commercial performance
Despite completely failed to chart in any country, album sold 118,000 copies in the US and over 250,000 copies worldwide as of 2005. In Esthero's native country Canada, album sold over 50,000 and received Gold sertification.[6]
Singles
"Breath from Another" was released as a 12" vinyl promo-single. It samples dialog from the film Deliverance. No music video was made for the song.
"Heaven Sent" was released as album first official single. It was released as a double A-side CD single with "Breath from Another". Music video was shot and received MTV airplay. The single failed to chart.
"That Girl" initially was planned as album's second official single, however it's release was scrapped despite music video was shot and aired. It was released as second album's promo-single instead.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Breath from Another" | Esthero, Doc McKinney | Esthero, Doc | 4:47 |
| 2. | "Heaven Sent" | Esthero, Doc | Doc | 4:30 |
| 3. | "Anywayz" | Esthero, Doc | Esthero, Doc | 3:54 |
| 4. | "That Girl" | Esthero, Doc | Esthero, Doc | 4:41 |
| 5. | "Country Livin' (The World I Know)" | Esthero, Doc | Esthero, Doc | 4:20 |
| 6. | "Flipher Overture" | Doc | Doc | 0:42 |
| 7. | "Half a World Away" | Esthero, Doc | Esthero, Doc | 4:18 |
| 8. | "Lounge" | Esthero, Doc | Esthero, Doc | 4:58 |
| 9. | "Superheroes" | Esthero, Doc | Esthero, Doc | 3:58 |
| 10. | "Indigo Boy" | Esthero, Doc | Esthero, Doc | 4:19 |
| 11. | "Swallow Me" (with 5 minutes silence following) | Esthero, Doc | Esthero, Doc | 6:06 |
| 12. | "Anywayz, pt. 2" (hidden track) | Esthero, Doc | Esthero, Doc | 4:40 |
| 13. | "Wish You Away" (Japanese bonus track) |
Personnel
- Esthero - producer, string arrangements, vocals
- Martin "Doc" McKinney - engineer, horn arrangements, producer, programming, string arrangements
- A'ba-Cus - drum programming, engineer, programming
- Evan Cranley - trombone
- Zoren Gold - design, photography
- Dave Gouveia - percussion
- Jeff Griffin - mixing assistant
- Gene Grimaldi - mastering
- Rami Jaffee - optigan
- Tyson Kuteyi - engineer, scratching
- Oscar MacDonald - keyboards
- Mary Maurer - art direction, design
- Tristin Norwell - mixing engineer
- Ray Parker - conductor, string arrangements
- Dave Pensado - mixing
- Jason Ray - drums, toms
- Warren Riker - Mixing
- Eddy Schreyer - mastering
- Tom Szczesniak - conductor, string arrangements
- David E. Williams - keyboards
- Malik Worthy - bass
Links
References
- ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/breath-from-another-r348193
- ^ http://books.google.ru/books?id=yQ4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA13&dq=esthero+breath+from+another&hl=ru&sa=X&ei=n4z0Tt-4NsObOpHJiJsB&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=esthero%20breath%20from%20another&f=false
- ^ >http://www.allmusic.com/album/breath-from-another-r348193
- ^ >http://www.allmusic.com/album/breath-from-another-r348193
- ^ http://books.google.ru/books?id=RCoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA41&dq=esthero+breath+from+another+review&hl=ru&sa=X&ei=tZ70Tv_NNcWeOorv9fYH&ved=0CD4Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=esthero%20breath%20from%20another%20review&f=false
- ^ http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-retail-stores-not/4658131-1.html