Padded Room (album)
Padded Room | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | February 24, 2009 | |||
Recorded | 2007–08; Bennett Studios (Englewood, New Jersey) Glenwood Place Studios (Burbank, California) Sundance Studios (Jersey City, New Jersey) | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 55:49 | |||
Label | Amalgam Digital
E1 Music | |||
Producer |
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Joe Budden chronology | ||||
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Singles from Padded Room | ||||
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Padded Room is the fourth
Padded Room debuted at #42 on the US
Background
At the time, while he was still signed to
In January 2008, in an interview with Billboard.com, the New York/New Jersey rapper said that the album would be "in the same vein as Mood Muzik, just a little more structure and the mood will probably be a little lighter."[5] Once Padded Room was released, Joe Budden hoped there wouldn't be another long wait before his third studio album. "I'm in the studio every single day, vibing and coming up with ideas," he said. "There's always music around to put out, so you'll hear more from me sooner than later, I hope."[5]
Due to complications with the physical product, it was pushed back from October 28, 2008 to February 24, 2009. Joe Budden and Amalgam Digital decided to release Halfway House, a digital-only album featuring fourteen brand new songs, on October 28 as a prequel to the album.[1][6] Halfway House is the first digital-only hip hop release employing both traditional marketing methods (commercial radio, video, advertising campaigns, etc.) and new media viral marketing initiatives.[1] Joe Budden apologized to his fans, saying, "Though I'm not happy about it being pushed so far back, I do understand the method behind the madness. We've got an album that I'm extremely proud of and a lead single that Amalgam Digital and I are both very happy with, but for those of you who are just as anxious as I am, I apologize."[1]
Recording and production
Padded Room was recorded from 2007 and 2008 at Bennett Studios in
In January 2008, Joe Budden told Billboard.com that Padded Room is completed. "It basically will be in the same vein as 'Mood Muzik,' just a little more structure and the mood will probably be a little lighter. I'm definitely pleased with the direction that it's going." He added that the album "sounds like Joe Budden. I can't really say it sounds like the times, because the times right now I'm not too fond of. I'm not too big on how that sound is going. But Joe Budden fans will get what they're accustomed to, and there's music on there for the casual listener as opposed to 'Mood Muzik,' which is not for the casual fan."[5]
Amalgam partnered with
Singles
The lead single, "The Future" featuring The Game, was released on December 30, 2008.[9] On February 16, 2009, "In My Sleep," was leaked onto the Internet as a promotional single.[10][11] Its music video, directed by Rik Cordero, was released on March 14, 2009.[12] Joe Budden filmed a music video for the song "Exxxes," for which the behind the scenes footage was released on March 9, 2009.[13] On April 14, 2009, the music video was released.[14]
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
About.com | [16] |
DJBooth | [17] |
Okayplayer | 84/100[18] |
HipHopDX | [19] |
IGN | 8.2/10[20] |
The New York Times | favorable[21] |
PopMatters | [22] |
Prefix Magazine | 7/10[23] |
RapReviews | 7.5/10[24] |
XXL | 4/5 (XL)[25] |
Padded Room opened up to generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 70, based on 5 reviews.[15] Jesal 'Jay Soul' Padania of RapReviews gave the album a 7.5 out of ten, saying "Therefore, whoever had the final say-so on the beat selection is the main culprit for the failings on the album - if it was Joe Budden himself, then more shame him, because he also turns in a superb lyrical performance that rap fans will appreciate as one of the most interesting efforts in recent hip hop history."[24] Evan Rytlewski of Prefix Magazine gave the album a seven out of ten, saying "On his 2003 debut, he was arrogant and scattered, too often losing his train of thought and reaching for throwaway puns. The Joe Budden on Padded Room, however, is focused and hungry, spinning dense, psychological yarns that build for dozens and dozens of bars. Budden scratched and clawed for his second chance, and he hasn't squandered it."[23]
IGN reviewer, Alfred H. Leonard, III, gave the album an 8.2 out of ten, stating "Joe's talent is undeniable as he effortlessly paints vivid pictures of his life and allows his audience to see a real person rather than a faux rap persona." Jason Reynolds of Okayplayer gave the album 84 out of a 100, saying "Like most of Joe Budden's work, Padded Room, is sad. But it's good. Which makes me happy. Maybe that's Joe Budden's appeal. Maybe he shows us our humanness, our misery, and the resilience it takes to grow. Or that insanity might be normal, and that we all are in need of a padded room. Either way, this Padded Room is worth a visit."[18] DJBooth reviewer, Nathan S., gave the album four "spins" out of five, saying "In the end, if Budden belongs in a padded room it's because he's self-destructively focused on making music that matters, and if that's crazy, I don't want to be sane."[17] Damien Scoot of XXL gave the album an "XL", saying "Lyrically, Joe crafts a masterpiece, opening the door to the mind of a disturbed yet misunderstood soul. Sadly, the album's beat selections, at times, don't match. There are no throwaways to speak of, but tracks like the '80s-rock-inspired 'Don't Make Me' and the retro pop 'My Life' just aren't as innovative as the lyrics atop them. Whatever the case, Padded Room proves that, when it comes to heartfelt hip-hop, it's good to be crazy."[25]
Track listing
No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Now I Lay" | Blastah Beatz | 3:23 |
2. | "The Future" (featuring Versatile , Dilemma | 5:01 | |
Total length: | 55:49 |
No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
14. | "Family Reunion (Remix)" (featuring Fabolous, Ransom and Hitchcock) | Cousin Cole | 5:50 |
15. | "All of Me (Reprise)" (featuring Emanny) | The Klasix | 8:27 |
Total length: | 64:29 |
Chart positions
Chart | Provider | Peak position |
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US Billboard 200[26] | Billboard | 42 |
US Top Digital Albums[27]
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12 | |
US Top Independent Albums[28]
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2 | |
US Top Rap Albums[29]
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6 | |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[30] | 21 |
Personnel
Credits for Padded Room adapted from
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Additional personnel
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References
- ^ a b c d "Joe Budden\'s The Padded Room album pushed back to February". Hiphopgame.com. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
- ^ a b "Joe Budden - Padded Room (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 15 Nov 2013.
- ^ Muhammad, Latifah (6 Feb 2013). "Joe Budden's No Love Lost Expected To Sell 25-30K In Its 1st Week - Hip-Hop Wired". HipHopWired.com. Retrieved 16 Nov 2013.
- ^ a b Wright, Danielle (17 Dec 2013). "For the last 9 years, Joe Budden has struggled with his low album sales | News". FansShare.com. Retrieved 27 Dec 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f Graff, Gary (25 Jan 2008). "Budden Bounces Back With 'Padded Room'". Billboard.com. Retrieved 4 Mar 2012.
- ^ "'Padded Room' Pushed Back « ILLROOTS". Illroots.com. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
- ^ Joe Budden In Studio Finishing Padded Room, AmalgamDigital Ustream.TV
- ^ "Amalgam Digital partners with UStream to broadcast Joe Budden studio session live, Thursday, August 21, 2008 | MVRemix Urban". Mvremix.com. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
- Amazon.com. Retrieved 15 Nov 2013.
- ^ "MissInfo.tv » Joe Budden "In My Sleep" (promo)". MissInfo.tv. 16 Feb 2009. Retrieved 15 Nov 2013.
- ^ "Joe Budden - In My Sleep | New Hip Hop Music & All The New Rap Songs 2009 | HipHop DX". HipHopDX.com. 16 Feb 2009. Retrieved 15 Nov 2013.
- ^ Shake (14 Mar 2009). "Joe Budden - In My Sleep (Video) » 2dopeboyz". 2dopeboyz.com. Retrieved 15 Nov 2013.
- ^ D., Nigel (9 March 2009). "Behind The Scenes Of Joe Budden's EXXXES Video Shoot". RealTalkNY.uproxx.com. Retrieved 15 Nov 2013.
- ^ Confusion (14 April 2009). "Video! Joe Budden - 'Exxxes' | Pigeons & Planes". PigeonsAndPlanes.com. Retrieved 15 Nov 2013.
- ^ CNET Networks, Inc.Retrieved 15 Nov 2013.
- ^ About.com. Retrieved 25 Feb 2009.
- ^ a b S., Nathan. "Joe Budden - Padded Room - Stream & Read Album Review". DJBooth.net. Archived from the original on 20 September 2012. Retrieved 25 Feb 2009.
- ^ a b Reynolds, Jason (Apr 2009). "Joe Budden « Okayplayer". Okayplayer.com. Retrieved 14 Nov 2009.
- ^ a b Vasquez, Andres (23 Feb 2009). "Joe Budden - Padded Room | Read Hip Hop Reviews, Rap Reviews & Hip Hop Album Reviews | HipHop DX". HipHopDX.com. Retrieved 25 Feb 2009.
- ^ Leonard, III, Alfred H. (24 Feb 2009). "Joe Budden - Padded Room Review - IGN". IGN.com. Archived from the original on 28 February 2009. Retrieved 25 Feb 2009.
- ^ a b Caramanica, Jon (22 Feb 2009). "Critics' Choice - New CD's by K'naan, Jake Owen, Bebo Valdés and Chuco Valdés, and Joe Budden - Review - NYTimes.com". NYTimes.com. Retrieved 15 Nov 2013.
- ^ a b Martin, Andrew (8 Mar 2009). "Joe Budden Padded Room | PopMatters". PopMatters.com. Retrieved 22 Jan 2010.
- ^ a b Rytlewski, Evan (23 Feb 2009). "Album Review: Joe Budden - Padded Room | Prefix". PrefixMag.com. Retrieved 15 Nov 2013.
- ^ a b Padania, Jesal 'Jay Soul' (24 Feb 2009). "Joe Budden :: Padded Room :: Amalgam Digital". RapReviews.com. Retrieved 25 Feb 2009.
- ^ a b Scott, Damien (22 Oct 2008). "Joe Budden Padded Room - XXL". XXL.com. Retrieved 18 Nov 2009.
- ^ "Joe Budden - Chart history | Billboard 200". Billboard.com. Retrieved 15 Nov 2013.
- ^ "Joe Budden - Chart history | Digital Albums". Billboard.com. Retrieved 15 Nov 2013.
- ^ "Joe Budden - Chart history | Independent Albums". Billboard.com. Retrieved 15 Nov 2013.
- ^ "Joe Budden - Chart history | Rap Albums". Billboard.com. Retrieved 15 Nov 2013.
- ^ "Joe Budden - Chart history | R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard.com. Retrieved 15 Nov 2013.
- ^ "Padded Room - Joe Budden | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 15 Nov 2013.
- ^ Padded Room (Media notes). Joe Budden. Amalgam Digital. 2009.
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