Road Songs for Lovers

Last updated

Road Songs for Lovers
Road Songs for Lovers.jpg
Studio album by
Chris Rea
Released29 September 2017
Recorded2017
Studio Metropolis Studios
Genre
Length58:20
Label Jazzee Blue & BMG
Producer Chris Rea
Chris Rea chronology
The Journey 1978-2009
(2011)		Road Songs for Lovers
(2017)		 One Fine Day
(2019)
Music video
"Last Train (Lyric Video)" on YouTube
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
All About Jazz Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
laut.de Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Louder Sound Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Polityka Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Record Collector Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
The Spill MagazineStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]

Road Songs for Lovers is the twenty-fourth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released on 29 September 2017 by Jazzee Blue and BMG labels. [7]

Contents

Background

Rea stated there was no initial intention to make a new album, but after a bad medical condition in 2016 he started to write new songs which eventually led to a band regroup, and first album release in six years. [8] A semi-concept album, [9] the songs were inspired by traveling on the road to London, seeing couples in cars and questioning the "people's love stories inside cars". [10] According to Rea, most of the songs are about a boy-girl relationship in the car. He has stated that his favorite song is "Last Train", the lyrics of which are not about the typical meaning of the last train which goes home, but taking the last train in a desperate situation without knowing anything about its direction. [8]

Release

The album was released on a double gatefold vinyl LP, and CD edition featuring 12-page booklet. Prior to the album release the song "The Road Ahead" was released on 29 July 2017 as a single for digital download and streaming. [11]

Tour

The album release was followed by a European tour with 37 dates which started in October until December, 2017. [12] During the tour he had to have daily three hours long therapy for nerves in his right hand. [13] On 9 December, Rea collapsed during a performance at the New Theatre Oxford, the 35th concert of the tour. [14] He was taken to hospital, with his condition stabilised, [15] and the last two concerts canceled. [16]

Reception

Doug Collette, in a review for All About Jazz , gave the album 4/5 stars, concluding that "the sonics of this album, as applied to the tantalizing guitar solo of 'Last Train' and throughout the album, are a reassuring blend of succor and salve for body, mind and soul". [1] Aaron Badgley for The Spill Magazine also gave it 4/5 rating, praising the album for its blend of blues and rock, stating that "young artists would do well to study this one, it really could be a blueprint for how a good rock album should sound". [6]

Andrew W. Griffin rated it 4.5/5, considered "Last Train" to be "delivered in gothic, world-weary style that brings to mind Bob Dylan or Tom Waits or Nick Cave" and praised the engineers, Alex Robinson and Tim Young, mastering. [17] Hugh Fielder writing for Louder Sound commented, "As the title suggests, Rea is on familiar ground once again, but his fans won’t be complaining. After all, the scenery on any road trip is an endless vista of observations and speculations, and Rea’s lyrics can evoke both with consummate ease, drawing you closer as the album progresses. The musical class on this record is, of course, a given." [3]

Hugh Fielder from TeamRock gave it 3.5/5 stars and stated that "fans won't be complaining. After all, the scenery on any road trip is an endless vista of observations and speculations, and Rea's lyrics can evoke both with consummate ease, drawing you closer as the album progresses". [18] Giuliano Benassi for laut.de gave a score of 3/5 and concluded it gives "easy listening for intense concert evenings" and that Rea "still does not lack musical ideas". [19]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Chris Rea

No.TitleLength
1."Happy on the Road"3:46
2."Nothing Left Behind"5:29
3."Road Songs for Lovers"4:13
4."Money"5:57
5."Two Lost Souls"4:46
6."Rock My Soul"4:07
7."Moving On"5:10
8."The Road Ahead"4:16
9."Last Train"6:33
10."Angel of Love"4:29
11."Breaking Point"5:54
12."Beautiful"3:40
Total length:58:20

Personnel

Production

Charts

Chart performance for Road Songs for Lovers
Chart (2017)Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [21] 22
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [22] 34
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [23] 30
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [24] 52
French Albums (SNEP) [25] 188
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [26] 19
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [27] 18
UK Albums (OCC) [28] 11

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Rea</span> English singer and guitarist (born 1951)

Christopher Anton Rea is an English rock and blues singer-songwriter and guitarist from Middlesbrough. Known for his distinctive voice and his slide guitar playing, Rea has recorded twenty five studio albums, two of which topped the UK Albums Chart, The Road to Hell in 1989 and its successor, Auberge, in 1991. He had already become "a major European star by the time he finally cracked the UK Top 10" with the single "The Road to Hell ".

<i>Water Sign</i> (Chris Rea album) 1983 studio album by Chris Rea

Water Sign is the fifth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1983. The album reached No. 64 on the UK Albums Chart. "I Can Hear Your Heartbeat" was released as a single, initially peaking on the UK Singles Chart at No. 60, while a re-recorded version for Rea's 1988 compilation album, New Light Through Old Windows, reached No. 74. The album contained three singles which includes several non-album B-sides. Water Sign reached No. 36 in New Zealand. It sold well in Ireland, prompting Rea to mount an extensive tour there, which marked the beginning of an upswing in the musician's fortunes.

<i>Shamrock Diaries</i> 1985 studio album by Chris Rea

Shamrock Diaries is the seventh studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1985. This album represents the beginning of a creative and commercial zenith for Rea. Shamrock Diaries was a huge seller in Europe, reaching the top 20 in several countries including Ireland, West Germany, Czechoslovakia, Sweden and the United Kingdom, and spent forty two weeks in the Dutch charts, peaking at No. 3. The album was also successful in Australia, where it charted in the top 50. "Stainsby Girls" became Rea's first Top 30 single since 1978's "Fool If You Think It's Over". In 1988, Magnet Records was taken over by Warner Bros Records, who re-released Shamrock Diaries with a significantly remixed version of "Josephine". The original version was used in the 2019 deluxe re-issue of the album.

<i>The Road to Hell</i> 1989 studio album by Chris Rea

The Road to Hell is the tenth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1989. Coming on the back of several strongly performing releases, it is Rea's most successful studio album, and topped the UK Albums Chart for three weeks. Hailed as a "modern masterpiece", it was certified 6× Platinum by BPI in 2004. The album demonstrates a thematic cohesion previously absent from Rea's work, with the majority of the tracks containing strong elements of social commentary, addressing alienation, violence and redemption. The second part of the two-part title track, "The Road to Hell ", is one of Rea's most famous songs, and was his first UK Top 10 single. Geffen Records released the album in the US, adding the 1988 re-recording of "Let's Dance" and different cover artwork.

<i>New Light Through Old Windows</i> 1988 compilation album by Chris Rea

New Light Through Old Windows is the first compilation album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1988. The album consists primarily of re-recordings of songs from Rea's earlier albums, as well as the new track "Working on It", which peaked at No. 73 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and was Rea's only No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. "On the Beach" peaked at No. 9 on the US Adult Contemporary singles chart, and No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart. The album reached number five on the UK Albums Chart, charted for over a year, and was certified 3× Platinum by BPI until 1992. It charted in the Top 10 in New Zealand, Australia and West Germany.

<i>The Road to Hell: Part 2</i> 1999 studio album by Chris Rea

The Road to Hell: Part 2 is the fifteenth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1999, ten years after The Road to Hell. The single released for the album was "New Times Square". There was also a Japanese edition with the songs "Be My Friend" and "Driving Home for Christmas" included as tracks. It reached number 54 on the UK Albums Chart, and was certified Silver by BPI.

<i>King of the Beach</i> (Chris Rea album) 2000 studio album by Chris Rea

King of the Beach is the sixteenth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 2000. The singles released for the album were "All Summer Long" and "Who Do You Love". The album reached number 26 in the UK. There was also a Japanese version with "Mississippi" and "There’s Only You" included as tracks.

<i>Espresso Logic</i> 1993 studio album by Chris Rea

Espresso Logic is the thirteenth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1993. The US edition of the album has a significantly different track listing, featuring two songs from Rea's previous album, God's Great Banana Skin, which was not released in the US, along with "If You Were Me", a track recorded with Elton John for his 1993 Duets release. The cover art of the US edition is the same as the UK single "Espresso Logic". The song "Julia" was dedicated to his daughter Julia Christina, who was four years old at the time.

<i>Gods Great Banana Skin</i> 1992 studio album by Chris Rea

God's Great Banana Skin is the twelfth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 1992. The album was not released in the United States, though some tracks later appeared on the US release of Rea's following album Espresso Logic. The single "Nothing To Fear" reached number 16 in the UK Singles Chart, and its music video was filmed in Morocco. The album reached number 4 in the UK Albums Chart in 1992.

<i>Dancing Down the Stony Road</i> 2002 studio album by Chris Rea

Dancing Down the Stony Road is the seventeenth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 2002 on his own record label, Jazzee Blue. The album was also released in Europe by Edel under the shorter title Stony Road with different cover art and only one CD, while the original UK is double CD edition with additional tracks. The album is notable for its change of Rea's previous rock music style to Delta blues and gospel blues. It reached the #14 position in UK album charts, and was certified Gold by BPI. A version of Dancing Down The Stony Road was used in the BBC television programme Speed.

<i>The Blue Jukebox</i> 2004 studio album by Chris Rea

The Blue Jukebox is the twentieth studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 2004 by his independent record label Jazzee Blue. The cover artwork is inspired by Edward Hopper's Nighthawks painting. Compared to the Dancing Down the Stony Road (2002) has a smoother and jazzier take on the blues.

<i>The Very Best of Chris Rea</i> 2001 greatest hits album by Chris Rea

The Very Best of Chris Rea is the third compilation album by the British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 2001. The last track, "Saudade", was originally written and recorded in 1994 as a tribute to the Formula 1 racing driver Ayrton Senna who died in a crash at Imola on 1 May that year. In Portuguese, the word saudade roughly means the feeling, emotions and euphoria of a certain moment in time. This album reached number 69 on the UK Albums Chart, and was certified Gold by the BPI in 2004.

<i>The Roaring Silence</i> 1976 studio album by Manfred Manns Earth Band

The Roaring Silence is the seventh studio album by English rock band Manfred Mann's Earth Band. It was released on 27 August 1976, by Bronze Records in the UK and by Warner Bros. Records in the US. Like other Earth Band albums, this includes material by other composers. "Blinded by the Light", which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, is a cover version of a song by Bruce Springsteen; "Questions" is based on the main theme of Franz Schubert's Impromptu in G flat Major (1827); "Starbird" takes its theme from Igor Stravinsky's ballet The Firebird (1910); and "The Road to Babylon" is based on the canon "By the Waters of Babylon" by Philip Hayes. Lyrics and melody of the intro of "The Road to Babylon" is taken from the song "Babylon" from Don McLean's second album American Pie, released in 1971.

<i>The Return of the Fabulous Hofner Bluenotes</i> 2008 studio album by Chris Rea

The Return of the Fabulous Hofner Bluenotes is the twenty-second studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 2008 by his own record label, Jazzee Blue. It comprises three CDs and double 10" vinyl records in an 80-page hardback book. It is the second album of his project, the Hofner Blue Notes (2003).

<i>F.A.M.E.</i> (Chris Brown album) 2011 studio album by Chris Brown

F.A.M.E. is the fourth studio album by American singer Chris Brown. It was first released on March 18, 2011, recorded by Jive Records. The album serves as the follow-up to his third album Graffiti (2009). The album also marks his last album with Jive Records.

<i>Still So Far to Go: The Best of Chris Rea</i> 2009 greatest hits album by Chris Rea

Still So Far to Go: The Best of Chris Rea is a compilation album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released by Rhino Records in 2009. The album reached number 8 on the UK Albums Chart, making it Rea's first entry in the top 10 in ten years since The Blue Cafe (1998), and was certified Gold by BPI in 2013.

<i>Santo Spirito Blues</i> 2011 studio album by Chris Rea

Santo Spirito Blues is the twenty-third studio album by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in 2011 by his independent record label Jazzee Blue and Rhino Entertainment.

<i>The Ultimate Collection</i> (Black Sabbath album) 2016 compilation album by Black Sabbath

The Ultimate Collection is a compilation album by the English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, first released on 28 October 2016. Remastered by engineer Andy Pearce and curated by the members of the band, the album was released during the band's final concert tour, The End Tour.

<i>Live at Carnegie Hall: An Acoustic Evening</i> 2017 live album by Joe Bonamassa

Live at Carnegie Hall: An Acoustic Evening is the fifteenth live album and video by American blues-rock musician Joe Bonamassa. Produced by Kevin Shirley, it was released on June 23, 2017 by J&R Adventures. The album documents Bonamassa's two performances at the Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall in New York City on January 21 and 22, 2016. It is the guitarist and vocalist's second all-acoustic live collection, following 2013's An Acoustic Evening at the Vienna Opera House.

<i>The Zealot Gene</i> 2022 studio album by Jethro Tull

The Zealot Gene is the 22nd studio album by the British rock band Jethro Tull, released on 28 January 2022 by Inside Out Music. Nearly five years in production, it is their first studio album since The Jethro Tull Christmas Album (2003), and their first of all original material since J-Tull Dot Com (1999), marking the longest gap between the band's studio albums.

References

  1. 1 2 Doug Collette (30 September 2017). "Chris Rea: Road Songs For Lovers Review". All About Jazz . Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  2. ↑ Benassi, liano. "Zurück zum Easy Listening vergangener Tage". laut.de (in German). Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  3. 1 2 Fielder, Hugh (6 September 2017). "Chris Rea - Road Songs For Lovers album review". Louder Sound . Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  4. ↑ Mann, Wojciech (30 October 2017). "Recenzja płyty: Chris Rea, "Road Songs for Lovers"" [Album review: Chris Rea, "Road Songs for Lovers"]. Polityka (in Polish). Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  5. ↑ Staunton, Terry. "Road Songs For Lovers - Record Collector Magazine". Record Collector . Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  6. 1 2 Badgley, Aaron (29 September 2017). "SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CHRIS REA - ROAD SONGS FOR LOVERS". The Spill Magazine. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  7. ↑ "Road Songs for Lovers". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  8. 1 2 Chris Rea (16 August 2017). Chris Rea-Road Songs For Lovers (Interview). YouTube. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  9. ↑ Yates, Henry (3 October 2017). "How Chris Rea became rock's ultimate survivor". Classic Rock . Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  10. ↑ Dave Robson (30 August 2017). "Chris Rea on having a stroke, touring, his new album - and racing an old police car". Gazette Live. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  11. ↑ "Chris Rea announces September 29th release of new BMG album 'Road Songs For Lovers'!". FrontView Magazine. 19 August 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  12. ↑ Dave Robson (24 April 2017). "Chris Rea reveals tour dates as he goes back on the road again". Gazette Live. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  13. ↑ Graeme Thomson (18 November 2017). "Chris Rea: 'I hate hotels rooms. They remind me of hospitals and I've had enough of them'". The Herald . Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  14. ↑ Lin Jenkins (9 December 2017). "Chris Rea 'stable' after on-stage collapse at Oxford theatre". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  15. ↑ Nicola Harley (10 December 2017). "Chris Rea, Driving Home For Christmas star, 'stable' after 'falling into a clump' on stage". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  16. ↑ Laura Harding (11 December 2017). "Chris Rea cancels another show after collapsing on stage". The Independent. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  17. ↑ Andrew W. Griffin (7 December 2017). "Chris Rea returns with sublime "Road Songs For Lovers"". Red Dirt Report. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  18. ↑ Hugh Fielder (6 September 2017). "Chris Rea - Road Songs For Lovers album review". TeamRock. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  19. ↑ Giuliano Benassi (29 September 2017). "Zurück zum Easy Listening vergangener Tage". laut.de (in German). LAUT AG. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  20. ↑ "Chris Rea - Road Songs for Lovers". Discogs. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  21. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Chris Rea – Road Songs for Lovers" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  22. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Chris Rea – Road Songs for Lovers" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  23. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Chris Rea – Road Songs for Lovers" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  24. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Chris Rea – Road Songs for Lovers" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  25. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Chris Rea – Road Songs for Lovers". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  26. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Chris Rea – Road Songs for Lovers" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  27. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Chris Rea – Road Songs for Lovers". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  28. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
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.