Return to Paradise (Sam Sparro album)

Last updated

Return to Paradise
Return to Paradise (Sam Sparro album).jpg
Studio album by
Sam Sparro
Released1 June 2012 (2012-06-01)
Recorded2009–2011
Genre
Length47:03
Label EMI
Producer
Sam Sparro chronology
Sam Sparro
(2008)		Return to Paradise
(2012)		Boombox Eternal
(2020)
Singles from Return to Paradise
  1. "Happiness"
    Released: 17 February 2012
  2. "I Wish I Never Met You"
    Released: 1 June 2012
  3. "Yellow Orange Rays"
    Released: 9 November 2012

Return to Paradise is Australian singer-songwriter and producer Sam Sparro's second album. It was released on 1 June 2012. The album entered the Australian Albums Chart, peaking at number 41. In Belgium the album peaked at number 35 on the Belgian (Flanders) Albums Chart, and number 80 in the Netherlands on the Dutch Albums Chart. The album had less success in the United Kingdom, however, failing to chart in the top 200 or to produce any charting singles.

Contents

Background

This album has a different sound compared to his previous album. Whereas Sam Sparro was primarily a dance-pop and electropop album, Return to Paradise is influenced by disco, especially '90s house. Sparro again worked with producer and long-time friend Jesse Rogg, who helped to produce almost every track on Sparro's debut album Sam Sparro . Sparro's father, Chris Falson, is cited as having played guitar on the track "Closer". Sparro also worked with Charlie Wilcox on the songs "Happiness" and "We Could Fly", who he had previous worked with on "Still Hungry", the hidden track from his debut album. Sparro's old friend Felix Bloxsom, who he went to school with in Sydney, is featured on drums on multiple tracks from the album, and produced the Plastic Plates Remix of "Shades of Grey", which was later included on Re-Return to Paradise. Sparro worked on a few songs with Jono Sloan. John Fields is responsible for mixing almost all tracks from Return to Paradise. Lester Mendez, who has previously worked with Sparro on the tracks "Shady" and "Broken English" written for Adam Lambert's second album Trespassing , helped write the album's title track "Return to Paradise". Isabella Summers of Florence + the Machine worked on "Shades of Gray". Bethany Cosentino of Best Coast sang backing vocals for and co-wrote "Yellow Orange Rays". The Swedish pop singer-songwriter, Erik Hassle, is one of the writers of the second single, "I Wish I Never Met You". Greg Kurstin and Stuart Zender are also featured writers, producers, and instrumentalists on the album.

Singles

  1. "The Shallow End" was the first song from Return to Paradise to be released, as of 31 January 2012, in a music video assembled of footage shot by Sparro over the past year. [1] The song was never given an official single release, but was released as a promotional single. The song peaked at number 5, number 6, and number 31 on various Belgian charts. [2]
  2. "Happiness" was released as the lead single from the album on 17 February 2012. The song peaked at number 1 in Belgium, number 3 in Poland, number 16 in Italy, and number 70 in the Netherlands. Its remix EP includes remixes by The Magician Remix and Kim Anh, both of which appear on Re-Return to Paradise.
  3. "I Wish I Never Met You" was released as the second single from the album on 1 June 2012. Its remix EP featured remixes by Stereogamous and Azari & III, both of which appear on the re-release of the album. [3]
  4. "Yellow Orange Rays" was released on 9 November 2012 as the third official single from the album. Released only in Belgium, the song peaked at number 74 and number 2 on two local charts. [4] The single's B-side, the Bodyspasm Remix, appears on Re-Return to Paradise. [5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [6]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
The Line of Best Fit 3/10 [8]
MusicOMH Star full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]

In a review for AllMusic, critic reviewer Matt Collar described the release as a "groove-oriented R&B, immaculately produced with a disco and house music purist's ear for period details." He went on to say, "Sparro imbues each of these songs with an intensity, passion, and palpable love that shines through even when he's singing about heartbreak and negativity." [6] At The Independent , music journalist Simon Price was critical of Return to Paradise noting "the Australian electro-soul auteur's second album is a patchy affair which too often fails to transcend its blatant P-funk influences." [10]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Paradise People" Sam Sparro, Jono SloanJesse Rogg, Jono Sloan, Sam Sparro4:00
2."Happiness"Sparro, Charlie Wilcocks, Jesse RoggRogg, Sparro*3:05
3."Let the Love In"SparroSparro, Rogg3:45
4."Yellow Orange Rays"Sparro, Tim Anderson, Bethany Cosentino Tim Anderson3:24
5."Hearts Like Us"SparroSparro, Rogg4:09
6."I Wish I Never Met You"Sparro, Rogg, Erik Hassle Rogg4:17
7."Shades of Grey"Sparro, Rogg, Isabella Summers Rogg, Sparro*4:09
8."We Could Fly"Sparro, Wilcocks, Stuart Zender Sparro, Rogg6:20
9."Closer"Sparro, SloanSparro, Rogg4:11
10."The Shallow End"Sparro, Greg Kurstin, RoggGreg Kurstin, Rogg5:18
11."Return to Paradise"Sparro, Lester Mendez Lester Mendez4:25
Total length:47:03
Japanese bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
12."I Wish I Never Met You" (Alison Wonderland Remix)Sparro, Rogg, Erik Hassle Rogg (remix and additional production by Alison Wonderland)4:32
Total length:51:35
Australian bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Are You Alright?"Sparro, David, Blake3:57
Total length:50:59
Deluxe edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Are You Alright?"Sparro, Michael Brian David, Tyler Andelin Blake [11] 4:01
13."Quarter Life Crisis" Sam Falson, Julian Brody, Jesse Rogg [12] 2:50
Total length:53:49
US iTunes edition [13]
No.TitleRemix and additional production byLength
14."Happiness" (The Magician Remix)Stephen Fasano3:38
15."I Wish I Never Met You" (Azari & III Remix) Dinamo Azari, Alixander III 5:47
16."Let the Love In" (Tiger & Woods Remix)Larry Tiger, David Woods [14] 9:38
17."I Wish I Never Met You" (Stereogamous Remix)John Taranto, Paul McDermott [15] 5:56
18."Shades of Grey" (Plastic Plates Remix) Felix Bloxsom [16] 4:56
19."Hearts Like Us" (Mike Simonetti Remix)Mike Simonetti5:44
20."Happiness" (Kim Anh & Small Pyramids Remix)Kim Anh, Zach Hunsaker [17] 6:28
Total length:95:56
Australian iTunes Re-Return to Paradise edition [18]
No.TitleRemix and additional production byLength
12."Happiness" (The Magician Remix)Fasano3:38
13."I Wish I Never Met You" (Azari & III Remix)Azari, III5:47
14."Let the Love In" (Tiger & Woods Remix)Tiger, Woods9:38
15."I Wish I Never Met You" (Stereogamous Remix)Taranto, McDermott5:56
16."Shades of Grey" (Plastic Plates Remix)Bloxsom4:56
17."Hearts Like Us" (Mike Simonetti Remix)Simonetti5:44
18."Happiness" (Kim Anh & Small Pyramids Remix)Anh, Hunsaker6:28
Total length:89:10
UK iTunes Re-Return to Paradise edition [19]
No.TitleRemix and additional production byLength
12."Happiness" (The Magician Remix)Fasano3:38
13."I Wish I Never Met You" (Azari & III Remix)Azari, III5:47
14."Let the Love In" (Tiger & Woods Remix)Tiger, Woods9:38
15."Yellow Orange Rays" (Bodyspasm Remix)Bodyspasm3:56
16."I Wish I Never Met You" (Stereogamous Remix)Taranto, McDermott5:56
17."Shades of Grey" (Plastic Plates Remix)Bloxsom4:56
18."Hearts Like Us" (Mike Simonetti Remix)Simonetti5:45
19."Happiness" (Beni Remix)Anh, Hunsaker5:17
Total length:93:06

Note

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Return to Paradise.

Notes

Charts

Chart (2012)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [20] 41
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [21] 35
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [22] 79
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [23] 80

Release history

RegionDateLabelFormatEdition
Australia1 June 2012 [24] EMI Records CD, digital downloadStandard
United Kingdom15 June 2012Digital download
18 June 2012 [25] CD
Japan20 June 2012
Australia15 November 2012 [13] Digital downloadDeluxe, (Re-Return to Paradise)
United Kingdom3 December 2012
United States4 December 2012

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References

  1. ↑ ""The Shallow End" on youtube". youtube.com. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  2. ↑ ""The Shallow End" on ultrtop". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  3. ↑ ""I Wish I Never Met You" on iTunes". iTunes/Apple, Inc. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  4. ↑ "Sam Sparro – "Yellow Orange Rays" on ultrtop". ULTRATOP & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  5. ↑ ""Yellow Orange Rays" on iTunes". iTunes/Apple, Inc. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  6. 1 2 Collar, Matt. "AllMusic Review". AllMusic . Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  7. ↑ Nicholson, Rebecca (15 June 2012). "The Guardian Review". The Guardian . Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  8. ↑ Kirkpatrick, Fiona (11 June 2012). "Line of Best Fit Review". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  9. ↑ Baber, Andy (11 June 2012). "MusicOMH Review". MusicOMH . Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  10. ↑ Price, Simon (10 June 2012). "The Independent Review". The Independent . Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  11. ↑ "Quarter Life Crisis on BMI". BMI. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  12. ↑ "Quarter Life Crisis on BMI". BMI. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  13. 1 2 "iTunes deluxe bonus tracks". iTunes.com. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  14. ↑ "Tiger & Woods on soundcloud". soundcloud. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  15. ↑ "stereogamous (group) on dicogs". dicogs. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  16. ↑ "Shades of Grey (Plastic Plates Remix) on samsparro's blog". samsparro.com. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  17. ↑ "read description for Small Pyramids" name". soundcloud. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  18. ↑ "iTunes deluxe bonus tracks". iTunes.com. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  19. ↑ "iTunes deluxe bonus tracks". iTunes.co.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  20. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Sam Sparro – Return to Paradise". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  21. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Sam Sparro – Return to Paradise" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  22. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Sam Sparro – Return to Paradise" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  23. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Sam Sparro – Return to Paradise" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  24. ↑ iTunes – Music – Return to Paradise by Sam Sparro
  25. ↑ "Return to Paradise". 18 June 2012 – via Amazon.
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