Silent Letter

Last updated

Silent Letter
Silent letter cover art.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 15, 1979
RecordedMarch–April 1979
Studio AIR, Montserrat
Genre Pop rock
Length34:50
Label Capitol
Producer George Martin
America chronology
America Live
(1977)
Silent Letter
(1979)
Alibi
(1980)
Singles from Silent Letters
  1. "Only Game in Town"
    Released: August 1979
  2. "All My Life"
    Released: October 1979
  3. "All Around"
    Released: January 1980
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]

Silent Letter is the eighth studio album by American folk rock duo America, released by Capitol Records in June 1979.

Contents

It was the first America studio album following the departure of Dan Peek. [4] It was also the first America release on Capitol Records and the last of six consecutive America albums which George Martin produced.

It was also their first studio album since their debut to have a title beginning with a letter other than "H". The title itself acknowledges the missing "H" by its wry reference to silent letters in the English language.

The album contains fast-paced disco songs, piano-based power ballads (often sung by Gerry Beckley) and mid-tempo pop rock songs.

Reception

In his AllMusic retrospective review, music critic Steven Thomas Erlewine noted the band's transition from "folky California soft rock" to adult contemporary. He wrote of the album: "The end result may be flawed, but in an enjoyable way. And compared to the records that preceded it and some of albums that followed it, Silent Letter certainly seems like a latter-day highlight for America." [1]

The album was not a commercial success, reaching only number 110 on the Billboard album chart. However, it did produce three minor hit singles. "Only Game in Town" bubbled under the Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 107. "All My Life" and "All Around" narrowly missed the Top 40 on the Adult Contemporary chart, peaking at number 48 and 45 respectively. The former was a big hit in Asia.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Only Game in Town"Lewis Anderson, Julie Didier, Casey Kelly4:12
2."All Around" Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell 3:21
3."Tall Treasures"Beckley, Bunnell3:15
4."1960"Beckley3:10
5."And Forever"Bunnell3:11
6."Foolin'"Beckley, Ricky Fataar 2:53
7."All Night"Bunnell3:19
8."No Fortune"Beckley3:18
9."All My Life"Beckley3:02
10."One Morning"Bunnell2:12
11."High in the City"Beckley, Bunnell3:02

Personnel

America

with:

Charts

Chart (1979)Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [5] 51
Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [6] 80
US Billboard 200 [7] 110

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">America (band)</span> British-American rock band

America are a British-American rock band formed in London in 1970 by English-born American Dewey Bunnell and Americans Dan Peek and Gerry Beckley. The trio met as sons of US Air Force personnel stationed in London, where they began performing live. Achieving significant popularity in the 1970s, the trio was famous for its close vocal harmonies and light acoustic folk rock sound. The band released a string of hit albums and singles, many of which found airplay on pop and soft rock stations.

<i>Homecoming</i> (America album) 1972 studio album by America

Homecoming is the second studio album by America, released on November 15, 1972, through Warner Bros. Records. Acoustic guitar-based, with a more pronounced electric guitar and keyboard section than their first album, their second effort helped continue the band's success, and includes one of their best known hits, "Ventura Highway".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Dreamin'</span> Single by the Mamas & the Papas

"California Dreamin'" is a song written by John and Michelle Phillips in 1963 and first recorded by Barry McGuire. The best-known version is by the Mamas & the Papas, who sang backup on the original version and released it as a single in December 1965. The lyrics express the narrator's longing for the warmth of Los Angeles during a cold winter in New York City. It is recorded in the key of C-sharp minor.

<i>Hi Infidelity</i> 1980 studio album by REO Speedwagon

Hi Infidelity is the ninth studio album by American rock band REO Speedwagon, released on November 21, 1980, by Epic Records. The album became a big hit in the United States, peaking at number one on the Billboard 200, spending 15 weeks at number one. It went on to become the biggest-selling album of 1981, eventually being certified 10 times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

<i>Unison</i> (Celine Dion album) 1990 studio album by Celine Dion

Unison is the ninth studio album by Canadian singer Celine Dion and her first English-language album. Released on 2 April 1990 by Columbia Records and Epic Records, it features a mix of dance songs and ballads influenced by 1980s soft rock. The album was produced by David Foster, Christopher Neil, Tom Keane and Andy Goldmark. Upon its release, Unison received generally positive reviews from music critics, who complimented Dion's voice and technique, as well as the album's content.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Peek</span> American musician (1950–2011)

Daniel Milton Peek was an American musician, singer, and songwriter, best known as the co-founder of the band America and a "pioneer" in contemporary Christian music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nothin' at All (Heart song)</span> 1986 single by Heart

"Nothin' at All" is a song by American rock band Heart from their eponymous eighth studio album (1985). It was released on April 3, 1986, as the album's fourth single. The song was written by pop and musical theatre composer Mark Mueller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">(If There Was) Any Other Way</span> 1990 single by Celine Dion

"(If There Was) Any Other Way" is a song by Canadian singer Celine Dion. It was included on her first English-language album, Unison (1990). "(If There Was) Any Other Way" was released by Columbia Records as the album's lead single in Canada on 26 March 1990. The next year, it was issued as the second single in other countries. The song was written by Paul Bliss, while production was handled by Christopher Neil.

<i>Hat Trick</i> (America album) 1973 studio album by America

Hat Trick is the third studio album by the American folk rock trio America, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1973. It peaked at number 28 on the Billboard album chart; it failed to go gold, whereas the group's first two releases had platinum sales. The album produced the single, "Muskrat Love", which reached number 67 on the Billboard singles chart and number 11 on the adult contemporary chart. That song would become a much bigger hit for Captain & Tennille three years later.

<i>Holiday</i> (America album) 1974 studio album by America

Holiday is the fourth studio album by the American folk rock band America, released on the Warner Bros. Records label in June 1974. The album was produced in London by George Martin, the first of six consecutive albums he produced with America.

<i>Hearts</i> (America album) 1975 studio album by America

Hearts is the fifth studio album by American folk rock trio America, released by Warner Bros. Records in 1975. The album was produced by George Martin, the second of six consecutive albums he produced with America.

<i>Hideaway</i> (America album) 1976 studio album by America

Hideaway is the sixth studio album by American folk rock trio America, released by Warner Bros. Records in April 1976. The album was produced by George Martin, the third of six consecutive albums he produced with America.

<i>Alibi</i> (America album) 1980 studio album by America

Alibi is the ninth studio album by American folk rock duo America, released by Capitol Records in 1980.

<i>Your Move</i> 1983 studio album by America

Your Move is the eleventh studio album by American folk rock duo America, released by Capitol Records on June 3, 1983.

<i>Perspective</i> (America album) 1984 studio album by America

Perspective is the twelfth studio album by American folk rock duo America, released by Capitol Records on September 21, 1984.

<i>View from the Ground</i> 1982 studio album by America

View from the Ground is the tenth studio album by British-American folk rock duo America, released by Capitol Records in August 1982.

<i>Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine</i> 1986 studio album by Daryl Hall

Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine is the second solo album by American singer-songwriter Daryl Hall, released in 1986. The album features his only top-ten solo single, "Dreamtime", which peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. The second single, "Foolish Pride", peaked at number 33.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Can Do Magic (song)</span> 1982 single by America

"You Can Do Magic" is a song by singer-songwriter Russ Ballard that was recorded as a 1982 single by folk rock duo America from their album View from the Ground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Eyes Blue</span> 1999 single by Eric Clapton

"Blue Eyes Blue" is a pop song written by American songwriter Diane Warren. The tune was written for the 1999 soundtrack of Runaway Bride. The British rock musician Eric Clapton recorded the song for the soundtrack and released his performance of the song as a single on July 20, 1999, for Reprise Records.

<i>Reddy</i> (album) 1979 studio album by Helen Reddy

Reddy is the eleventh studio album release by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy. Between 1971 and 1978, Reddy had ten studio albums released by Capitol Records, the label also having issued her Greatest Hits album and a concert album: Live in London, the latter issued in December 1978 - which same month Reddy filed suit claiming Capitol Records had shortchanged her $1,793,000, the suit being an apparent bid to win release from the label. However Reddy, issued in June 1979, would be released by Capitol Records, Reddy's tenure with the label extending to include her twelfth studio album: Take What You Find, issued in 1980.

References

  1. 1 2 Erlewine, Steven Thomas. "Silent Letter > Review". AllMusic . Retrieved 15 August 2011.
  2. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1996. p. 15.
  3. Cross, Charles R. (2004). "America". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp.  16. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  4. Priddy, Tom (17 June 1979). "Pop/Rock". The Greenville News. p. 24E.
  5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  6. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4536b". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  7. "America Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 February 2021.