My Criminal Record

Last updated

My Criminal Record
Jimmy Barnes - My Criminal Record.png
Studio album by
Jimmy Barnes
Released31 May 2019 [1]
Label Bloodlines
Jimmy Barnes chronology
Working Class Boy
(2018)		My Criminal Record
(2019)		 Modus Operandi
(2019)
Singles from My Criminal Record
  1. "My Criminal Record"
    Released: 25 January 2019 [2]
  2. "Shutting Down Our Town"
    Released: 26 April 2019
  3. "I Won't Let You Down"
    Released: 6 September 2019 [3]

My Criminal Record is the 18th studio album by Australian musician Jimmy Barnes. The album was released on 31 May 2019. [4] The album is Barnes' first solo album of primarily original material since 2010's Rage and Ruin . [5] It became Barnes's 12th number-one album on the Australian albums chart, making him the artist with the most chart-topping albums in Australian chart history, having previously tied at 11 number ones with Madonna and U2. [6]

Contents

At the ARIA Music Awards of 2019, the album was nominated for ARIA Award for Best Rock Album. [7]

Background and release

In 2015, Barnes began writing with longtime collaborator Don Walker for Cold Chisel's follow-up to The Perfect Crime released in 2015. In 2016 Barnes released the autobiography Working Class Boy and the sequel Working Class Man in 2017 which led to a documentary film titled Working Class Boy chronicling his life; thus renewing an interest in Barnes' life and career. Barnes told the Newcastle Herald writing and speaking about his life had also energised his songwriting some 40 years into his career. "It's certainly opened up a whole new avenue for songwriting in terms of different emotions, different ways of looking back at my life. Writing those books - as much as they connected with other people - for me, there was a lot of stuff that was blocking me that I tried to not deal with as I grew up. Dealing with them in the book has loosened me up and freed me up so I can write about other things and move on." [5]

Barnes scheduled two in-store album signing days to support the release; one in Melbourne on 1 June and one in Adelaide on 2 June. [8]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The AU ReviewStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
The HeraldStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [10]

Bernard Zuel from The Guardian said "The singer continues to lay himself bare in a new album which touches on the same raw, frank themes as his memoirs." calling "My Criminal Record, a collection of blues-based rock that carries with it a solid thump at all times". [9] Josh Leason from The Newcastle Herald called the album "a passionate return for Australia's working class hero." [10] Jeff Jenkins from JB Hi-Fi said "This album... shows that what Barnesy does best is sing. His vocal is a booming beast, an instrument that remains, amazingly, in great shape, still able to switch effortlessly from screaming to soulful" calling the album "one of the best records of his remarkable career." [11]

Singles

The title track was released on 25 January 2019 as the album's lead single. The Guardian said, "Listening to the familiar downtempo blues bar piano, and the dark chord progression, it's not surprising to see Cold Chisel impresario Don Walker's name alongside Barnes' on the songwriting credits, and this sits alongside their finest collaborations." [12]

On 26 April 2019, "Shutting Down Our Town" was released as the album's second single.

On 6 September 2019, "I Won't Let You Down" was released as the album's third single. [3] [13]

Track listing

  1. "My Criminal Record" (Jimmy Barnes, Don Walker)
  2. "Shutting Down Our Town" (Troy Cassar-Daley)
  3. "I'm in a Bad Mood" (Barnes, Walker)
  4. "Stolen Car (The Road's on Fire, Pt. 1)" (Barnes, Walker)
  5. "My Demon (God Help Me)" (Barnes, Cassar-Daley, Ben Rodgers)
  6. "Working Class Hero" (John Lennon)
  7. "Belvedere and Cigarettes" (Harley Webster, Jade MacRae, Rodgers)
  8. "I Won't Let You Down" (Chris Cheney)
  9. "Stargazer" (Barnes, Walker)
  10. "Money and Class" (Barnes, Walker, Rodgers)
  11. "Stolen Car (The Road's on Fire, Pt. 2)" (Barnes, Walker)
  12. "If Time Is on My Side" (Mark Lizotte)
  13. "Tougher Than the Rest" (Bruce Springsteen)

Deluxe edition bonus tracks:

  2. "Reckless Beauty"
  3. "Waitin' on a Plane"
  4. "Tougher Than the Rest" (Alternate Mix)
  5. "I'm in a Bad Mood" (Bob Clearmountain Mix)

Charts

See also

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabelCatalogue
Australia31 May 2019 CD [1] BloodlinesBLOOD50
Vinyl [17] BLOODLP50

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cold Chisel</span> Australian rock band

Cold Chisel are an Australian pub rock band, which formed in Adelaide in 1973 by mainstay members Ian Moss on guitar and vocals, Steve Prestwich on drums and Don Walker on piano and keyboards. They were soon joined by Jimmy Barnes on lead vocals and, in 1975, Phil Small became their bass guitarist. The group disbanded in late 1983 but subsequently reformed several times. Musicologist Ian McFarlane wrote that they became "one of Australia's best-loved groups" as well as "one of the best live bands", fusing "a combination of rockabilly, hard rock and rough-house soul'n'blues that was defiantly Australian in outlook."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Barnes</span> Scottish-Australian singer

James Dixon "Jimmy" Barnes is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer. His career, both as a solo performer and as the lead vocalist with the rock band Cold Chisel, has made him one of the most popular and best-selling Australian music artists of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khe Sanh (song)</span> 1978 single by Cold Chisel

"Khe Sanh" is the debut single by Australian rock band Cold Chisel, released in May 1978 as a 45 rpm single, and named after the district capital of Hướng Hóa District, Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam. Written by pianist Don Walker, "Khe Sanh" concerns an Australian Vietnam veteran dealing with his return to civilian life. According to Toby Creswell's liner notes for the band's 1991 compilation album Chisel, the song is also a story of restless youth.

<i>The Last Wave of Summer</i> 1998 studio album by Cold Chisel

The Last Wave of Summer is the sixth studio album by Australian pub rock band, Cold Chisel. It was released in October 1998 and reached number-one on The Australian ARIA Charts. It was the band's first studio album in 14 years.

<i>East</i> (Cold Chisel album) 1980 studio album by Cold Chisel

East is the third studio album by Australian pub rock band Cold Chisel, released in June 1980. The album peaked at No. 2 and spent 63 weeks on the national chart. It was the biggest-selling Australian album release of the year. It was the only Cold Chisel album to chart in America, reaching 171 on the Billboard 200. It also reached number 32 on the New Zealand charts.

<i>Swingshift</i> 1981 live album by Cold Chisel

Swingshift is a live album released by Australian band Cold Chisel in 1981. It was their first album to reach No. 1 on the Australian chart, debuting there in its first week. It peaked at number 9 in New Zealand. A press release said the title referred to, "the midnight to dawn shift that the staff in asylums dread: the hours when the crazies go crazy."

<i>Twentieth Century</i> (Cold Chisel album) 1984 studio album by Cold Chisel

Twentieth Century is the fifth and final studio album by Australian band Cold Chisel until the group reformed in 1998. The album was written and recorded over various sessions during the period of the band's break-up and during breaks in their final tour. It was released in early 1984 and peaked at No. 1 on the Australian albums chart, their third consecutive album to do so. It charted for a total of 46 weeks.

<i>Soul Deep</i> (Jimmy Barnes album) 1991 studio album by Jimmy Barnes

Soul Deep is the fifth studio album by Australian rock singer Jimmy Barnes. It was his sixth consecutive Australian No. 1 album. The album is a collection of soul covers and featured duets with John Farnham and Diesel. A special edition was later released in a black fold-out cover with embossed gold lettering and included five bonus live tracks and a set of collector cards.

<i>Flesh and Wood</i> 1993 studio album by Jimmy Barnes

Flesh and Wood is the seventh album by Australian rock singer Jimmy Barnes, which was issued in December 1993. It was recorded by Barnes and Don Gehman co-producing and used only acoustic instruments. On eight of its fifteen tracks, Barnes duets with various artists: Diesel, Archie Roach, Joe Cocker, Ross Wilson, Tommy Emmanuel, Don Walker, Deborah Conway, and the Badloves. It reached No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Walker (musician)</span> Australian musician and songwriter (born 1951)

Donald Hugh Walker is an Australian musician and songwriter who wrote many of the hits for Australian pub rock band Cold Chisel. Walker is considered to be one of Australia's best songwriters. In 2012 he was inducted into the Australian Songwriter's Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Barnes discography</span>

This is a discography of the Scottish-born Australian rock singer Jimmy Barnes. As of 2019, Barnes has been certified with 48 platinum awards for his solo work and a further 20 platinum awards for his work with Cold Chisel.

<i>No Plans</i> 2012 studio album by Cold Chisel

No Plans is the seventh studio album by Australian rock band Cold Chisel. It was released on 6 April 2012 and was the band's first studio album in 14 years. It features the final recorded performances by drummer Steve Prestwich, who died of a brain tumour in January 2011. The album peaked at number 2 on the Australian charts.

<i>30:30 Hindsight</i> 2014 greatest hits album by Jimmy Barnes

30:30 Hindsight is the fifteenth studio album by Jimmy Barnes. The album celebrates 30 years since his chart-topping debut solo album, Bodyswerve in September 1984. It was released in August 2014 and debuted at number 1 in Australia, giving Barnes his tenth solo number 1 album.

"Lost" was a 2015 single from Australian rock band Cold Chisel. The single was released weeks before the album, The Perfect Crime, that it featured on. A mid-tempo ballad, it reached number 92 in the Australian charts.

<i>The Perfect Crime</i> (Cold Chisel album) 2015 studio album by Cold Chisel

The Perfect Crime is the eighth studio album by Australian rock band Cold Chisel. It was released on 2 October 2015. It was the first album not to feature a contribution from drummer Steve Prestwich, who died of a brain tumour in January 2011. The album peaked at number 2 on the Australian charts and number 7 in New Zealand.

<i>Soul Searchin</i> (Jimmy Barnes album) 2016 studio album by Jimmy Barnes

Soul Searchin' is the 16th studio album by Australian singer-songwriter, Jimmy Barnes. The album is Barnes' fourth album of soul and R&B classics following Soul Deep (1991), Soul Deeper... Songs from the Deep South (2000), and The Rhythm and the Blues (2009). The album was announced on 8 May 2016, alongside a one-hour documentary that aired on the Nine Network in June and a national tour that commenced in August. The album was released on 3 June 2016.

<i>Blood Moon</i> (Cold Chisel album) 2019 studio album by Cold Chisel

Blood Moon is the ninth studio album by Australian rock band Cold Chisel. It was released on 6 December 2019, and is supported by the lead single "Getting the Band Back Together". It is the band's first studio album since 2015's The Perfect Crime. The band will tour in support of the album from 31 December 2019 until February 2020. The album debuted atop the ARIA Albums Chart, becoming the band's fifth album to reach the summit and first since The Last Wave of Summer in 1998.

<i>Modus Operandi</i> (Jimmy Barnes album) 2019 live album by Jimmy Barnes

Modus Operandi is a live album by Australian musician Jimmy Barnes. The album was recorded at the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney on 5 October 2019, during the Shutting Down Your Town tour, in promotion of Barnes' 17th studio and ARIA number-one album, My Criminal Record. Modus Operandi features 7 songs from My Criminal Record alongside Barnes' live concert staples. The album was recorded with Jimmy Barnes' core touring band of Danny Spencer, Ben Rodgers, Clayton Doley and Jackie Barnes plus Michael Hegerty, Lachlan Doley, and family/band members Jane, Mahalia, EJ, and Elly-May Barnes.

<i>Flesh and Blood</i> (Jimmy Barnes album) 2021 studio album by Jimmy Barnes

Flesh and Blood is the nineteenth studio album by Scottish Australian musician Jimmy Barnes, released on 2 July 2021 through Bloodlines. The album was announced on 25 March and features production from Barnes' long-time collaborator Kevin Shirley. Barnes wrote most of the record while in the peak of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in 2020.

<i>Blue Christmas</i> (Jimmy Barnes album) 2022 studio album by Jimmy Barnes

Blue Christmas is the twentieth studio and first Christmas album by Scottish Australian musician Jimmy Barnes, released on 25 November 2022 through Bloodlines. Speaking on his motivations to release a Christmas album, in a press statement, Barnes said, "One of the greatest surprises I ever got from our children was when they all snuck away into the garage and secretly recorded themselves singing carols for me. On Christmas morning, when I awoke, they proudly gave me the recording and sat eagerly waiting for me to listen to it. That year I received lots of great gifts from various family members, but that recording had me weeping like a baby. It was the most beautiful gift I ever got. This album is my gift back to the kids, the grandkids and everyone out there who just wants to sit and sing with their family on Christmas. These songs take me back and they remind me why I'm here right now. I hope they do the same for you."

References

  1. 1 2 "My Criminal Record (CD)". JB Hi-Fi . Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  2. ↑ "Jimmy Barnes debuts title track to My Criminal Record". Noise11. 25 January 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Singles to Radio w/c 6 September 2019 ISSUE 1253". The Music Network. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  4. ↑ "Jimmy Barnes to release 17th solo studio album My Criminal Record". noise11. 11 January 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Jimmy Barnes on plans for solo and Cold Chisel albums in 2019". The Herald. 13 December 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  6. ↑ "My Criminal Record gives Jimmy Barnes record-breaking 12th #1 album". ARIA. 8 June 2019. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  7. ↑ "ARIA Awards: 2019 ARIA Awards Nominated Artists Revealed". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). 10 October 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  8. ↑ "Jimmy Barnes Sets Signing Dates for My Criminal Record". Noise11. 17 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  9. 1 2 Zuel, Bernard (30 May 2019). "Jimmy Barnes: My Criminal Record review – tough and vulnerable Barnesy at his best". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  10. 1 2 Leeson, Josh (29 May 2019). "REVIEW: Jimmy Barnes - My Criminal Record - 3.5 stars". The Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  11. ↑ "Jimmy Barnes, 'My Criminal Record' review". Stack Magazine. 29 May 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  12. ↑ Nathan Jolly (5 February 2019). "Jimmy Barnes, Regurgitator, Thelma Plum: 20 best Australian tracks for February". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  13. ↑ "I Won't Let you Down (radio edit)". Spotify. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  14. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Jimmy Barnes – My Criminal Record". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  15. ↑ "Charts.nz – Jimmy Barnes – My Criminal Record". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  16. ↑ "ARIA End of Year Albums Chart 2019". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  17. ↑ "My Criminal Record (Vinyl)". JB Hi-Fi. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
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.