Fall (Clay Walker album)
Fall | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 17, 2007 | |||
Recorded | 2006 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | Country | |||
Length | 43:07 | |||
Label | Asylum-Curb | |||
Producer | Jimmy Ritchey Keith Stegall | |||
Clay Walker chronology | ||||
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Singles from Fall | ||||
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Fall is the eighth studio album by American country music singer Clay Walker, released in 2007 by Asylum-Curb Records. Its first single was "'Fore She Was Mama", which reached #21 on the Hot Country Songs charts in mid-2007. Following this song was the title track, which reached #5 on the same chart and became Walker's first Top Five country hit since "The Chain of Love" in 2000. "Fall" was also covered by Kimberley Locke, whose own version was a single as well. The third and final single from this album, "She Likes It in the Morning", peaked at #43. Also included is a cover of Freddy Fender's "Before the Next Teardrop Falls", recorded here as a duet with Fender. This cover is also Walker's first duet.
Background
In 2005 after being released from
In 2003 after "A Few Questions" was released Walker said, "I would like to do a duet with someone. I don't know who it will be, but I am sure that in the future, maybe on the next album, there will be a duet. As a matter of fact, it is a goal of mine to do a duet with somebody."[6] In an interview with The Columbus Dispatch Walker revealed that while speaking with Freddy Fender about recording the duet "Before the Next Teardrop Falls", Fender said "I wanted to do it with you because I know you have MS -- and so we both probably share a lot of the same beliefs and feelings. I want you to know this is not just a song; it is a piece of my heart. I'm giving it to you."[7] Walker told the Associated Press, "That will always be his song, but there was total magic in the studio. He put his hand on my shoulder and said he had been asked to do it hundreds of time but had never done it, but that he felt that this was the right moment. It was the last song he ever recorded, so I'm proud to be part of his legacy. When asked about the long break between releases, Walker said, "Yeah, I think it was too long. There was a lot of red tape leaving one record label and going to another one. It was a process that was excruciating."[8]
In an interview with
Walker explained the album to
Promotion
On April 2, 2007 Walker performed the national anthem as well as "God Bless America" at the Houston Astros opening day game.[12] Walker stated "I love Houston, it's home and I'm proud to be an Astros fan. This is my first opening day and I am ecstatic to perform in front of my favorite fans!"[13]
Walker also appeared on Last Call with Carson Daly and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson to promote the album.[14]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "'Fore She Was Mama" | Casey Beathard, Phil O'Donnell | 3:43 |
2. | "Fall" | Sonny LeMaire, Shane Minor, Clay Mills | 3:37 |
3. | "Workin' Man" | M. Jason Greene, Clay Walker | 3:55 |
4. | "Miami and Me" | Greene, Walker | 4:02 |
5. | "She Likes It in the Morning" | Greene, Walker | 3:50 |
6. | "Mexico" | Greene, Walker | 2:41 |
7. | "You're My Witness" | Greene, Walker | 3:38 |
8. | "Average Joe" | Ed Hill, Don Poythress, David Frasier | 3:09 |
9. | "It Ain't Pretty (But It's Beautiful)" | Doug Johnson, Nicole Witt, Kim Williams | 4:00 |
10. | "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" (duet with Freddy Fender) | Ben Peters, Vivian Keith | 2:39 |
11. | "I'd Love to Be Your Last" | Rivers Rutherford, Annie Tate, Sam Tate | 3:24 |
12. | "I Hate Nights Like This" | Walker | 4:21 |
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Irish Times | [21] |
Music Review Zone | [22] |
Stylus Magazine | (favorable)[23] |
Engine 145 | [24] |
The website Music Review Zone gave the album 3-and-a-half stars writing "This is pure country charm all wrapped up in a CD. You won’t be disappointed."[22] Jeffrey B. Remz of Country Standard Time gave the album a mixed review writing "Walker certainly did not make a great album here, but he demonstrated he shouldn't be waiting so long until the next time either."[19] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic called it "his most enjoyable collection in some time."[17] Josh Love of Stylus Magazine wrote, "Fall is particularly heavy on heartfelt, optimistic love songs, which normally might send up all sorts of red flags considering how often treacle gets mistaken for romance in country. Fortunately, Walker’s sincere devotionals possess a simplicity and underplayed grace that so many of his maudlin contemporaries lack."[23]
The
Editors at Country Weekly gave the album three stars and wrote, "Fall is a retreat to safer territory, a set of solid but unexceptional songs distinguished only by being well sung. When challenged with better material, Clay rises to the occasion."[20]
Personnel
Adapted from liner notes.[1]
Musicians
- drums(track 8)
- Eric Darken - percussion(track 6)
- Stuart Duncan - fiddle (tracks 3, 7, 8, 11 & 12), mandolin (tracks 1, 10 - 12)
- Larry Franklin - fiddle (tracks 2, 5, 6)
- Paul Franklin - steel guitar (all tracks)
- Freddy Fender - duet vocals (track 10)
- Steve Gibson - acoustic guitar (all tracks)
- Rob Hajacos - fiddle (tracks 4 & 9)
- B3 organ (tracks 2, 6), keyboards(tracks 4 & 6)
- Jeff King - electric guitar (tracks 1, 2, 4 - 6 & 9)
- Brent Mason - acoustic guitar (track 10), electric guitar (tracks 3, 7, 8, 11 & 12)
- Gordon Mote - piano (tracks 1, 7, 10 -12)
- The Nashville String Machine - strings (tracks 5, 9 & 11)
- Dave Pomeroy - bass guitar (tracks 1, 11 & 12)
- Gary Prim - piano (tracks 2 - 5 & 9), keyboards (tracks 2 - 5 & 9), B3 organ (track 7)
- Hargus "Pig" Robbins - piano (track 8)
- Clay Walker - lead vocals (all tracks)
- Kris Wilkinson - string arrangements (tracks 5, 9 & 11)
- John Willis - acoustic guitar (track 8)
- Lonnie Wilson - drums (all tracks except 8)
- Glenn Worf - bass guitar (all tracks except 1, 11 & 12)
Background Vocalists
- Melodie Crittenden - tracks 4, 7, 9 &12
- John Wesley Ryles - tracks 1 - 9 & 12
Production
- Tracks 1 - 11 Produced by: Keith Stegall
- Track 12 Produced by: Jimmy Ritchey
- Recorded and Mixed by: John Kelton
- Assistant Engineer: Matt Rovey
- Mastered By: Hank Williams at MasterMix, Nashville, TN
- Production Coordinator: Jason Campbell
- A&RCoordinator: John Ozier
- Graphic Design: Lee Wright Creative
Chart performance
During the album's debut week, it sold approximately 32,000 units which was a record for Walker.[25]
Weekly charts
Chart (2007) | Peak position |
---|---|
U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 5 |
U.S. Billboard 200 | 15 |
End of year charts
Chart (2007) | Year-end 2007 |
---|---|
US Billboard Top Country Albums[26] | 60 |
Chart (2008) | Year-end 2008 |
US Billboard Top Country Albums[27] | 71 |
References
- ^ a b Fall (CD). Clay Walker. Curb Records. 2007. 78963.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Clark, Michael D. Houston Chronicle Clay Walker enjoys a `breath of fresh air' / No longer tied to a label, he lets loose new sound (20 March 2005)
- ^ "Clay Walker". Swampland. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
- ^ "News : Headlines : Clay Walker's Fall Climbs the Charts : Great American Country". Gactv.com. 2007-04-13. Archived from the original on 2013-01-23. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
- ^ "Clay Walker". NashvilleHype!. 2008-11-28. Archived from the original on 2011-08-10. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ CMT.com Staff. CMT 20 Questions With Clay Walker (Part 1 of 2) (October 7, 2003)
- ^ Joy, Kevin The Columbus Dispatch POP MUSIC & JAZZ; Illness manages to give him perspective, singer says 18 March 2010
- ^ Curry, Matt. The Associated Press Back in Action - First album in four years already has one hit Archived 2007-05-28 at the Wayback Machine (April 25, 2007)
- ^ Morris, Edward CMT Clay Walker Is Back With New Label and Album May 18, 2007
- ^ Anderson Valley Post June 9 , 2010 Archived 2012-03-20 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Staley, Darren. The Torch Clay Walker Opens Up[permanent dead link] (January 31, 2007)
- ^ Houston Astros 2007 Opening Day plans announced
- ^ "Clay Walker Hopes for Home Run". Archived from the original on 2012-03-17. Retrieved 2011-05-17.
- ^ "Clay Walker's "Last Call"". Archived from the original on 2012-03-17. Retrieved 2011-05-16.
- ^ a b "Clay Walker - Fall". Countrymusic.about.com. 2011-02-24. Archived from the original on 2007-12-01. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
- ^ a b Baret, Nathalie. Albuquerque Journal Review Clay Walker (August 3, 2007)
- ^ a b Thomas, Stephen (2007-04-17). "Fall - Clay Walker". AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
- ^ a b McCall, Michael The Associated Press Music Review: Clay Walker (17 April 2007)
- ^ a b "Clay Walker - Fall". Countrystandardtime.com. 2007-10-23. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
- ^ a b Country Weekly Fall (Jun 5, 2007)
- ^ a b The Irish Times THE TICKET; CD Reviews (May 4, 2007)
- ^ a b "Clay Walker – Fall in Album Reviews by Music Review Zone". Musicreviewzone.com. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
- ^ a b stylusmagazine.com
- ^ a b "Album Review: Clay Walker – Fall". Engine 145. 2007-05-08. Archived from the original on 2014-12-18. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
- ^ Country Standard Time Carrie Underwood, Bucky Covington sit atop Billboard country music charts
- ^ Billboard 2007 Year-end music charts - Top Country Albums Archived 2012-10-06 at the Wayback Machine 2007
- ^ Billboard 2008 Year-end music charts - Top Country Albums Archived 2012-10-06 at the Wayback Machine 2008