One-X
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For the HTC mobile phone, see HTC One X
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One-X is the second album from Canadian rock band, Three Days Grace. This is their first album as a quartet, unlike their debut album which featured only three members. The album was released on June 13, 2006. They worked with producer Howard Benson for the album, a decision which proved to be a great move for the band, as the album was both a critical and financial success. It is their first and only album under Sony BMG, the successor to Sony Music Entertainment's original roots & Bertelsmann Music Group. The Sony BMG joint venture was dropped in 2008, which led to Bertelsmann's Sony BMG stake going back to Sony.
Pre-release and writing
Before One-X was released, the band previewed some numbers from the upcoming album on several occasions. They played four of the new songs, including "Animal I Have Become" and "Never Too Late", at the H.O.P.E. Volleyball SummerFest in Ottawa, July 2005. "Animal I Have Become" was released as a single and received substantial airplay before it was released with One-X.
Previews for four of the tracks on One-X were able to be found on Three Days Grace's Online Trading Cards. Tracks that could be previewed were "It's All Over", "Pain", "Never Too Late" and "Over and Over".
Adam Gontier wrote many of these songs during rehabilitation after being addicted to OxyContin (oxyxodone), a pain killer. "Usually we all sit as a group, hanging out, working together, but here I was just alone, writing about how I felt." as Adam Gontier said in his docu-drama about his experience, Behind The Pain.
Album art
The cover depicts a string of connected paper dolls with checkmarks on all except one of the figures, in which this represents the album's title. On the inside, the CD tray shows all red fish, except one black fish. This same image is also on the "Animal I Have Become" single cover. The lyrics are included in the album booklet.
Sales
The album debuted at No. 2 on the Canadian Albums Chart. The album also entered the Billboard 200 albums chart at No. 5 with first week sales of more than 78,000 copies. It has gone to sell over 1,790,000 copies in the US alone, making it their highest-selling album to date.[citation needed]
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    [1] |
| Sputnikmusic | [2] |
| Ultimate Guitar |   [3] |
One-X was met with mostly positive reviews. The Toronto Star complimented the album with a review title of "One CD worth buying..." and focused on its lyrics, saying, "The lyrics really speak out to you, especially if you're going through a tough time in your life."[4] Allmusic reviewer Corey Apar praised the music, saying it "remains catchy despite its lyrical darkness".[5] Ultimate Guitar gave a largely positive review of the album, and also praised Gontier's vocals, saying, "Gontier's strong vocal performance could explain why the band has garnered the success they've had. When you hear an infectious vocal, you might have a powerful urge to sing along."
Accolades
In 2007, One-X earned the band an award for Rock Artist of the Year by Billboard magazine. They won a Media Base award for most played rock song on radio in Canada for their single "Animal I Have Become". One-X has been certified double platinum in Canada, and platinum in the US.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "It's All Over" | 4:09 |
| 2. | "Pain" | 3:23 |
| 3. | "Animal I Have Become" | 3:51 |
| 4. | "Never Too Late" | 3:29 |
| 5. | "On My Own" | 3:06 |
| 6. | "Riot" | 3:28 |
| 7. | "Get Out Alive" | 4:22 |
| 8. | "Let It Die" | 3:09 |
| 9. | "Over and Over" | 3:12 |
| 10. | "Time of Dying" | 3:08 |
| 11. | "Gone Forever" | 3:41 |
| 12. | "One-X" | 4:46 |
| Total length: | 43:44 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Running Away" | 4:01 |
| Total length: | 47:45 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Wicked Game" (Chris Isaak cover) | 4:06 |
| 14. | "Animal I Have Become" (music video) | 3:50 |
| 15. | "Pain" (music video) | 3:37 |
| 16. | "Never Too Late" (music video) | 3:30 |
| Total length: | 58:33 | |
Notes
- The songs, "Animal I Have Become", and "Riot", were both featured in the video game, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007
Personnel
- Adam Gontier – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Barry Stock – lead guitar
- Brad Walst – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Neil Sanderson – drums, backing vocals
Production
- Chris Lord-Alge - Mixing
- Ted Jensen - Mastering
Chart positions
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 5 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Rock Albums | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Alternative Albums | 15 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums | 5 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Digital Albums | 5 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Catalog Albums | 15 |
| Canadian Albums Chart | 2 |
References
- ^ Apar, Corey. One-X at AllMusic. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
- ^ "Three Days Grace - One-X (album review)". Sputnikmusic.com. February 22, 2007. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
- ^ "One-X Review | Three Days Grace". Ultimate-Guitar.Com. June 14, 2006. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ Lin, Adena (May 31, 2007). "One CD worth buying..." Toronto Star. Retrieved 2009-08-13.
- ^ Apar, Corey. "One-X > Three Days Grace". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-08-13.