Magic (Ben Rector album)

Last updated

Magic
BenRectorMagic2018 AlbumCover.jpg
Studio album by
Ben Rector
ReleasedJune 22, 2018 (2018-06-22)
Genre Pop rock [1]
Length44:39
Label OK Kid
Producer
[1]
Ben Rector chronology
Brand New
(2015)		Magic
(2018)		 A Ben Rector Christmas
(2020)

Magic is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Ben Rector, released on June 22, 2018 through OK Kid Recordings. Rector co-produced the album alongside Tony Hoffer, John Fields, Chad Copelin, Jeff Pardo, and Konrad Snyder. It was the longest gap between one of Rector's releases due to the success of the previous album, Brand New . After completing tours for Brand New Rector found time to reminisce on the progress of his music career, being overwhelmed by feelings of nostalgia. Themes of nostalgia and reminiscing would, as a result, be the theme of Magic.

Contents

Influences on the album include memories of old friends and the birth of his first child Jane. Rector also collaborated on individual songs with David Hodges, Gabe Dixon, Steve Stevens, Dan Wilson, and Cody Fry. To promote the album he would release music videos for the songs "Drive" and "Old Friends", hold two live tours, Magic: The Tour and The Old Friends Acoustic Tour, and be the subject of the documentary Magic: The Tour by filmmaker Luke Menard. The album was a commercial success, peaking at #1 on the Billboard Americana/Folk Albums chart and #44 on the Billboard 200, among other Billboard charts.

Background and production

Rector was too busy to focus his attention directly on his next album following Brand New in 2015; the album was amidst its circulation on radio, [2] especially the single of the same name, reaching 41 million streams on Spotify, placing top 5 on the Hot AC radio chart and appearing in over 40 films and television shows. To support the album's success Rector was performing two separate headline tours. [3] He began writing the new music after the tours, and recorded the album over a six month period. It was the longest distance between one of Rector's albums. [2] Studio sessions included Blackwatch Studios in Norman, Oklahoma, Creation Audio-Studio B in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Columbia Studio B (the "Quonset hut studio") and SeeMore Sound in Nashville, Tennessee, and Sterloid Studio and The Hobby Shop in Los Angeles, California. [1] The album was co-produced by Rector alongside John Fields and Tony Hoffer. [4]

The album discusses themes of nostalgia and reminiscing on the past, and the "magic" in reflecting on memories. [5] When planning his next album he was unsure what to write about and what themes it would cover. Having some breathing room in his schedule he found a moment to reflect on his life. He realized that he was in a "dead sprint since college"—he released three albums and one EP in his college years—and he was no longer in that phase of his life. [2] [6] Although he still considered himself young he found the feeling of nostalgia overwhelming, which inspired him to make it the theme of his album. [2] The birth of his first child Jane would also influence the themes on the album. [5]

"Extraordinary Magic" was derived from an original draft by Ben Shive, who sent him a version of the song and requested he sing it. Rector loved the song and included it on the album. The biggest change was switching the lyrics and title from "Ordinary Magic", a song about finding the beauty in the mundane, to "Extraordinary Magic", because he believed the song had the feel of an animated movie, similar to the works of Pixar. Rector credits "98 percent" of the work on the song to Shive. [7]

"Old Friends" is a reflective piece recognizing childhood friends and citing personal memories. He was inspired to write "Old Friends" from a conversation with his mother about keeping in touch with friends from high school. Towards the end of the call she said, "You know what they say, you can’t make old friends", reminding him of many childhood memories and prompting him to write the song. [4] The instrumentation of "I Will Always Be Yours" was derived from music by Huey Lewis and the News, which Rector is a fan of; it also included a guitar solo performed by guitarist Steve Stevens. [5] He co-wrote "Duo" in Nashville, Tennessee with musicians David Hodges and Gabe Dixon. Close friends with the two, he recalled the song "just came out" over the course of an afternoon. [2] "Sometimes" was co-written with musician, singer, songwriter, and visual artist Dan Wilson. [2] Composer and producer Cody Fry would provide additional string orchestration. [1]

Promotion and release

"Music videos for me have always been not my favorite thing. They are super expensive, and it's very hard to do one, I think, that people really love and it actually adds something to the song and isn't just like you looking cool in the convertible like a cool guy. [...] So for this one, part of it was just like, 'Oh, I personally just want to get together with my old band and see them and be in Oklahoma.'"

Ben Rector on the music video for "Old Friends", 2019 The Oklahoman interview [3]

Rector released three tracks, "I Will Always Be Yours", "Old Friends", and "Drive", as singles ahead of the album on May 18. [5] [8] He released a music video for "Old Friends" on June 8, 2018, as well as a music video for "Drive". The music video depicts Rector performing the song with the members of his high school band Euromart, inside the garage of his childhood home in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The music video was Rector's favorite to film; [9] although he doesn't enjoy making music videos, he did this simply out of personal interest to reunite with his old friends. [3] The full album released June 22, 2018. [10] The cover art depicts him floating in the air holding a Juno keyboard; this was difficult due to the keyboard's weight, and many photos were taken and unused since appeared close to the ground. [11] A promotional live tour, Magic: The Tour, was held starting September 19, 2018, spanning 28 shows with opening performances by The Band Camino. [12] [13] The first performance was at the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis, Tennessee. [14] Various venues sold out, especially at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, seeing Rector perform three back-to-back shows. [3] In January 2019 he released "MPLS Magic (MPLS Version)", a three-single remake of three songs on the album with Minneapolis instrumentation. [15] He would continue touring for the album from 2019 to 2020 with The Old Friends Acoustic Tour, [16] but was cancelled due to enforced lockdowns amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. [17] [18]

Rector was the subject of the documentary Magic: The Tour by filmmaker Luke Menard, depicting what the tour was like for Rector. A fan of Rector's music and aspiring to make a documentary about a tour, he reached out to Rector via Twitter with a roughly 90 second demonstration video of what the cinematography would look like. The demonstration depicted Luke's brother Adam Menard as a stand-in for Rector, wearing a shirt that read "Fake Ben". It caught the attention of Rector, calling it "genuinely incredible" and that his "name is currently at the top of the list" if videography was necessary. About five months later Menard made another video demonstration in attempt to get his attention before his fall semester started; Rector agreed, resulting in Menard pulling out of his fall semester at Purdue University one day before it began. He would later film various aspects of the tour in the summer, including backstage preparation, downtime, and interviews with the band. The short film released May 13, 2019. [19]

Commercial performance

Magic appeared on many Billboard charts. The album debuted and peaked at 44 on Billboard 200 , [20] and 7 on both Top Rock Albums and Top Rock & Alternative. [21] [22] It debuted and peaked at 10 on Top Album Sales and 7 on Top Current Album Sales. [23] [24] It debuted at number 1 on Americana/Folk Albums, [25] and number 2 on Independent Albums, [26] for 2 weeks each. [27] [28] "Drive" peaked on October 20, 2018 at 30 on Adult Pop Airplay, spending 11 weeks straight on the chart. [29] [30]

Track listing

Magic track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Extraordinary Magic"Rector, Ben Shive 2:53
2."I Will Always Be Yours"Rector, Jeff Pardo 3:46
3."Drive"Rector, Pardo3:17
4."Old Friends" 3:44
5."Duo"Rector, David Hodges, Gabe Dixon 3:22
6."Kids"Rector, Marc Scibilia 4:17
7."Green"Rector, Joseph Patton, Josh Gabbard3:43
8."Sometimes"Rector, Dan Wilson3:23
9."Wherever You Are"Rector, Pardo3:17
10."Over and Over"Rector, Pardo3:24
11."Boxes" 3:22
12."Peace" 2:36
13."Love Like This"Rector, Pardo3:35
Total length:44:39

Charts

Chart performance for Magic
Chart (2018)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [31] 44
US Folk Albums (Billboard) [32] 1
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [33] 7
US Top Album Sales (Billboard) [34] 10
US Top Current Album Sales (Billboard) [35] 7
US Independent Albums (Billboard) [36] 2

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stand by Me (Ben E. King song)</span> 1961 single by Ben E. King

"Stand by Me" is a song originally performed in 1961 by American singer-songwriter Ben E. King and written by him, along with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who together used the pseudonym Elmo Glick. According to King, the title is derived from, and was inspired by, a spiritual written by Sam Cooke and J. W. Alexander called "Stand by Me Father", recorded by the Soul Stirrers with Johnnie Taylor singing lead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bad (Michael Jackson song)</span> 1987 single by Michael Jackson

"Bad" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson. It was released by Epic Records on September 7, 1987, as the second single from his seventh studio album, Bad. The song was written and composed by Jackson, and produced by Jackson and Quincy Jones. It was influenced by a true story Jackson read about a young man who tried to escape poverty by attending private school but was killed upon returning home.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abracadabra (Steve Miller Band song)</span> 1982 single by Steve Miller Band

"Abracadabra" is a song by American rock group the Steve Miller Band, written by Steve Miller. The song was released as the first single from the 1982 album of the same name that year. In the U.S., it spent two non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the biggest hit of Steve Miller's career to date, as well their last US top 10 hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uncle Kracker</span> American musician (born 1974)

Matthew Shafer, also known by his stage name Uncle Kracker, is an American singer and musician. He was previously a turntablist for Kid Rock's backing group Twisted Brown Trucker; since 1999, he has recorded as a solo artist. His singles "Follow Me" and "Drift Away" were top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruno Mars</span> American musician (born 1985)

Peter Gene Hernandez, known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for his stage performances, retro showmanship, and for singing in a wide range of musical styles, including pop, R&B, funk, soul, reggae, disco, and rock. Mars is accompanied by his band, the Hooligans, whose members are also backup singers and dancers. In 2021, Mars and fellow singer Anderson .Paak formed the musical superduo Silk Sonic.

<i>Into the Morning</i> 2010 studio album by Ben Rector

Into the Morning is the third full-length studio album released by Ben Rector.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Rector</span> American singer-songwriter

Benjamin Evans Rector is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer based in Nashville, Tennessee. Rector is an independent artist, and releases music under his own label OK Kid Recordings. A self-taught instrumentalist, Rector began songwriting and learning guitar at age 16, and began performing locally in high school. While attending college at the University of Arkansas he would tour within an 8 hour driving radius on the weekends. An early success saw him being the youngest grand prize winner of the John Lennon Songwriting contest in 2006 with the song "Conversation" from his self-titled extended play (EP). He released his first studio album Twenty Tomorrow in 2007, followed by Songs that Duke Wrote in 2008. 2010's Into the Morning would peak at No. 11 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart. The year following saw Rector debut on the Billboard 200 with Something Like This.

<i>Something Like This</i> 2011 studio album by Ben Rector

Something Like This is the fourth studio album released by American singer-songwriter Ben Rector. It was his first album after graduating from the University of Arkansas and relocating from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Nashville, Tennessee. It peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Top Independent Albums charts and No. 41 on the Billboard 200, and charted 1st on the Singer-Songwriter chart on iTunes and 4th overall.

<i>The Walking in Between</i> 2013 studio album by Ben Rector

The Walking in Between is the fifth studio album released by American singer-songwriter Ben Rector, released in 2013. It was partly produced by Jamie Kenney and Charlie Peacock, and partially self-produced. It is the first release by Rector on his self-founded label, Aptly Named Recordings. In recent years, Rector found his high levels of success to be overwhelming. He expected the success to satisfying, though found it instead in "walking in between" moments of daily life. This would inspire the direction of The Walking in Between. The album was built around accessibility and honesty in Rector's feelings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shawn Mendes</span> Canadian singer-songwriter (born 1998)

Shawn Peter Raul Mendes is a Canadian singer-songwriter. He gained a following in 2013 when he posted song covers on the video-sharing platform Vine. The following year, he caught the attention of artist manager Andrew Gertler and Island Records A&R Ziggy Chareton, which led to him signing a deal with the record label. Mendes' self-titled debut EP was released in 2014, followed by his debut studio album Handwritten in 2015. Handwritten debuted atop the US Billboard 200, making Mendes one of five artists ever to debut at number one before the age of 18. The single "Stitches" reached number one in the UK and the top 10 in the US and Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NF (rapper)</span> American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer (born 1991)

Nathan John Feuerstein, known by his initials NF, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has released two EPs, I'm Free (2012), and a self-titled EP in 2014 with Capitol CMG. His second and first major-label studio album, Mansion, was released on March 31, 2015. His third studio album, Therapy Session, was released on April 22, 2016, and peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard 200. His albums have earned several accolades, some of which include the Gospel Music Association Dove Award for Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year in 2016 and the Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">24K Magic (song)</span> 2016 single by Bruno Mars

"24K Magic" is a song by American singer Bruno Mars from his studio album of the same name (2016). Atlantic Records released it as the album's lead single on October 7, 2016, for digital download and streaming. It was provided as an instant grat track for those who pre-ordered the album. Mars, Philip Lawrence and Christopher Brody Brown wrote the single. Calling themselves Shampoo Press & Curl the three of them handled production, with additional production by the Stereotypes. The song has been described as a funk, disco and contemporary R&B track. The A.V. Club noticed the synthesizer riff and backbeat resembled the one in "The Message" (1982) by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. The song's lyrics address extravagance, glamour, and the party lifestyle.

"Versace on the Floor" is a song by American singer Bruno Mars from his third studio album, 24K Magic (2016). Atlantic Records released the song as the only promotional single and the third official single from the album to Hot AC radio in the United States on June 12, 2017. "Versace on the Floor" was written by Mars, Philip Lawrence, Christopher Brody Brown and James Fauntleroy. Mars, Lawrence and Brown handled the track's production under the name Shampoo Press & Curl. A remix by French DJ David Guetta was released on June 27, 2017, for digital download and streaming in various countries. "Versace on the Floor" is an retro-styled R&B song reminiscent of the slow jams from the 1990s, and resembles the early works of Michael Jackson. The song's lyrics address romance, intimacy and Gianni Versace's clothing line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">That's What I Like (Bruno Mars song)</span> 2017 single by Bruno Mars

"That's What I Like" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars from his third studio album, 24K Magic (2016). The song was written by Mars, Philip Lawrence, Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Johnathan Yip, Ray Romulus, Jeremy Reeves, and Ray McCullough II. The former three produced the song under the name of Shampoo Press & Curl with the latter four, as the Stereotypes, co-producing it. Atlantic Records released the song to Hot AC radio in the United States on January 30, 2017, as the second single from the album. The song is a hip hop soul, new jack swing, R&B and funk track. The song's lyrics address extravagance, a luxurious lifestyle, and love.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morgan Wallen</span> American country singer (born 1993)

Morgan Cole Wallen is an American country pop singer. He competed in the sixth season of The Voice, originally as a member of Usher's team, but later as a member of Adam Levine's team. After being eliminated in the playoffs of that season, he signed to Panacea Records, releasing his debut EP, Stand Alone, in 2015. He has received several awards including an Academy of Country Music Award and fourteen Billboard Music Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cordae</span> American rapper (born 1997)

Cordae Amari Brooks, known mononymously as Cordae, is an Multi-Platinum, Emmy Award winning, Grammy nominated American rapper. He began his career as a member of the hip hop collective YBN.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arlo Parks</span> British singer

Anaïs Oluwatoyin Estelle Marinho, known professionally as Arlo Parks, is an English singer and songwriter. Her debut studio album, Collapsed in Sunbeams, was released in 2021 to critical acclaim and peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart. It earned her nominations for Album of the Year, Best New Artist and Best British Female Solo Artist at the 2021 Brit Awards. It won the 2021 Mercury Prize for Best Album.

"Old Friends" is a 2018 song by American singer-songwriter Ben Rector. It released as a single alongside "I Will Always Be Yours" on May 18, 2018, and is the fourth song on Rector's seventh studio album Magic, released on June 22, 2018 via OK Kid Recordings. The song is a reflective piece reminiscing on old friends and memories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Rector discography</span>

The discography of American singer, songwriter and record producer Ben Rector consists of eight studio albums, three live albums, one compilation album, three extended plays (EP), sixteen singles and seventeen music videos. He has been featured on five songs and has credits on eight others.

<i>The Joy of Music</i> (album) 2022 studio album by Ben Rector

The Joy of Music is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Ben Rector, released on March 11, 2022, through OK Kid Recordings. Rector co-produced the album with John Fields. The first draft of music was recorded in January 2020, but most of the album was scrapped and recorded throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and completed in December 2020. The pandemic cancelled his ongoing tour at the time and withheld other deadlines, leaving Rector to focus exclusively on the album's creation.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Magic - Ben Rector". AllMusic . Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kate Read, Anna (July 9, 2018). "Exclusive Q&A with Ben Rector". Nashville Lifestyles. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 McDonnell, Brandy (March 8, 2019). "Interview and video: Tulsa native Ben Rector returns to home state for sold-out OKC shows". The Oklahoman . Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Weatherby, Taylor (May 18, 2018). "Ben Rector Announces New Album 'Magic,' Unveils Nostalgic Track 'Old Friends': Premiere". Billboard . Archived from the original on September 26, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Shapiro, Rebecca; Evenson, Andrea (May 18, 2018). "Ben Rector works 'Magic' with new album, out June 22". Shore Fire Media . Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  6. ↑ Parker, Chris (April 3, 2013). "Ben Rector isn't in a hurry to release his new album". Charleston City Paper . Archived from the original on March 28, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  7. ↑ Rowland, Delia (June 3, 2021). "Ben Rector Shares Inspiration Behind "Range Rover" on 'Pitch List'". American Songwriter . Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  8. ↑ Whitmore, Laura B. "Exclusive Premiere: Listen Now to Ben Rector's Energetic New Song, 'Drive'". Parade. Archived from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Playlist: What's Ben Rector listening to?". USA Today . June 29, 2018. Archived from the original on September 18, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  10. ↑ McDonnell, Brandy (June 10, 2018). "Watch: Ben Rector returns to Oklahoma hometown and plays with his high school band in music video for 'Old Friends'". The Oklahoman . Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  11. ↑ Amar, John (November 14, 2018). "Ben Rector brings Magic to Houston". Houston Press . Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  12. ↑ Nicholson, Jessica (June 22, 2018). "Ben Rector Releases 'Magic'". MusicRow . Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  13. ↑ Madson, Ariana (October 8, 2018). "Review: Ben Rector "Extraordinary Magic" Concert". Marquette Wire. Archived from the original on January 28, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  14. ↑ Shapiro, Rebecca; Evenson, Andrea (June 11, 2018). "Ben Rector announces national headlining tour "Magic: The Tour"". Shore Fire Media . Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Ben Rector - WBGL". WBGL. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Ben Rector announces "The Old Friends Acoustic Tour" with special guest Cody Fry". KARK . November 12, 2019. Archived from the original on September 26, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Ben Rector and Ingrid Michaelson Release "It Would Be You (Acoustic)"". Secret Road Music Services. October 2, 2020. Archived from the original on September 18, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  18. ↑ Farthing, Lydia (March 22, 2022). "Ben Rector Talks Chicken Sandwiches, Overcoming His Fear Of Failure & His Newfound Joy [Interview]". MusicRow . Archived from the original on September 5, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  19. ↑ Bangert, Dave (May 29, 2019). "Purdue filmmaker cold calls singer Ben Rector on social media, makes 'Magic' documentary". Journal & Courier . Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  20. ↑ "Billboard 200 - Week of July 7, 2018". Billboard . July 7, 2018. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Top Rock Albums - Week of July 7, 2018". Billboard . July 7, 2018. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Top Rock & Alternative Albums - Week of July 7, 2018". Billboard . July 7, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Top Album Sales - Week of July 7, 2018". Billboard . July 7, 2018. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Top Album Sales - Week of July 7, 2018". Billboard . January 7, 2018. Archived from the original on September 25, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Americana/Folk Albums - Week of July 7, 2018". Billboard . July 7, 2018. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  26. ↑ "Independent Albums - Week of July 7, 2018". Billboard . July 7, 2018. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Americana/Folk Albums - Week of July 14, 2018". Billboard . July 14, 2018. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Independent Albums - Week of July 14, 2018". Billboard . July 14, 2018. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Adult Pop Airplay - Week of July 7, 2018". Billboard . July 7, 2018. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  30. ↑ "Adult Pop Airplay - Week of October 20, 2018". Billboard . October 20, 2023. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  31. ↑ "Ben Rector Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  32. ↑ "Ben Rector Chart History (Top Americana/Folk Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  33. ↑ "Ben Rector Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  34. ↑ "Ben Rector Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  35. ↑ "Ben Rector Chart History (Top Current Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  36. ↑ "Ben Rector Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 9, 2023.

Official music videos from Ben Rector's YouTube channel:

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.