Director (Avant album)

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Director
Studio album by
Avant
ReleasedApril 25, 2006
Length57:32
LabelGeffen
Producer
Avant chronology
Private Room

(2003) 		Director
(2006) 		Avant
(2008)
Singles from Director
  1. "You Know What"
    Released: 2006
  2. "4 Minutes"
    Released: 2006
  3. "Lie About Us"
    Released: 2006

Director is the fourth studio album by American

The Underdogs
.

The album received a mixed reception from critics, many of whom praised Avant's vocal performances and the album's cohesive sound but found the material too generic. Upon its release, Director debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 with career-high opening sales of 123,000 copies. It also debuted at number one on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, becoming Avant's first album to do so. Three singles were released in support of the album, including lead single "You Know What" and follow-up "4 Minutes" which became a top ten hit on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Promotion

Director was preceded by the released of its lead single "

The Underdogs and Antonio Dixon, it peaked at number 52 on the US Billboard Hot 100,[4] and reached number nine on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming his first top ten hit since 2003's "Read Your Mind."[5]

"

UK Singles Chart and peaked at number nine on the UK R&B Singles chart.[7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
About.com
[8]
AllMusic[9]
PopMatters6/10[10]
Vibe[11]

AllMusic editor Andy Kellman rated the album three and a half stars out of five. He found that "although a number of collaborators and guests are rolled in to add some edge, the material isn't much more flashy than it is on Avant's past albums. More importantly, Avant's new and somewhat surprising help looks a little desperate on paper but is hardly that on record. Those who loved Avant in the past for his slick, romantic, slow-to-midtempo songs (with the occasional dash of raunch) will find plenty to enjoy here."[9]

Quentin B. Huff from PopMatters found that while some songs on Director "do tend to sound alike," the "diversity on this album is as much a product of technology as eclectic workmanship. These days, artists lay vocals and mix their songs on their tour buses. As always, the challenge is to stem the learning curve that accompanies new tools. Here, what holds the project together is the vision behind it, integrating the patchwork into a seamless final product. For that, Avant's effort stands alone, without comparison."[10]

About.com critic Mark Edward Nero wrote that with Director Avant "gives his fans more of the smooth, seductive, romantic songs they've come to expect from him. Rarely do albums that use a variety of producers have a cohesive feel to them, but there's one thing that keeps Director from sounding like a mish-mash of tracks that were lumped together: Avant's strong voice." He concluded: "Although he's re-telling some old stories, Avant's sophisticated, modern-day approach to the topics is worth listening to."[8] Gail Mitchell from Billboard felt that despite "choice nuggets" such as "first time collaborations with A-listers Rodney Jerkins and Jermaine Dupri" and "Avant's soothing tenor, the album doesn't break much ground."[12]

Chart performance

Director debuted and peaked at number four on the US

Nielsen SoundScan.[15]

Track listing

Director track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."So Many Ways"
  • Christopher "Tricky" Stewart
  • Julio Miranda
  • Huff
  • Stewart
  • Avant[A]
3:51
13."Mr. Dream"
Jerkins3:53
14."Now You Got Someone"
  • Avant
  • Thomas
  • Mason
The Underdogs4:06
15."GPSA (Ghetto Public Service Announcement)" (featuring Jermaine Dupri)
  • Avant
  • Dupri
  • Seal
3:18
International bonus track[16]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
16."Maker"
  • Avant
  • Huff
Stone3:32
iTunes bonus track[17]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
16."You Know What (Remix)" (featuring David Banner)
3:54

Notes

Sample credits

  • "This Is Your Night" contains interpolations from the composition "Where Did We Go Wrong", written by Sam Dees and Jeffrey Osborne.

Charts

References

  1. ^ a b "UB ReVisit: Avant Talks R&B, Superstitions & Director". urbanbridgez.com. May 10, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  2. ^ "You Know What" (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart) Billboard, March 4, 2006.
  3. ^ Jet - Jun 12, 2006 - Page 18 Vol. 109, No. 23 " Fans have really embraced his hit single 4 Minutes, which describes a man's desperate attempt to mend a broken relationship. "Most of the time when we are arguing, we talk about things that has nothing to do with the argument, therefore we're wasting time" ... "And that's what pulled it all together in the song. I had to talk about something that had nothing to do with the record so people could see exactly how much of a fool I really am."
  4. ^ "4 Minutes" (Billboard Hot 100 chart), Billboard, June 24, 2006.
  5. ^ "4 Minutes" (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart), Billboard, July 8, 2006.
  6. ^ a b c Kilkelly, Daniel (July 25, 2006). "Pussycat Doll sings about Joss Stone". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on March 8, 2019. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  7. ^ "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40 (05-11-2006 — 11-11-2006)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  8. ^
    About.com. Archived from the original
    on December 31, 2006. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  9. ^ a b AllMusic review
  10. ^ a b Huff, Quentin B. (May 19, 2006). "Avant: Director". PopMatters. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  11. ^ "Vibe". google.com. December 2005.
  12. ^ Mitchell, Gail (April 22, 2006). "Reviews: Album > Avant: Director". Billboard. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Avant Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
  14. ^ a b Charley, Rogulewski (May 3, 2006). "Godsmack Beat Taking Back Sunday". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  15. Billboard.com
    . Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  16. ^ "Director – International edition". iTunes.Apple (GB). Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  17. ^ "Director – iTunes edition". iTunes.Apple (US). Retrieved 2017-05-30.
  18. ^ "Avant Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
  19. ^ "Billboard 200: Year End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  20. ^ "R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Year End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
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