Unbroke

Last updated
Unbroke
Unbroke Sara Evans.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 7, 2024 (2024-06-07)
StudioSound Emporium
Genre Country [1]
Length41:59
Label
  • Melody Place
  • Born to Fly
Producer
Sara Evans chronology
Copy That
(2020)
Unbroke
(2024)
Singles from Unbroke
  1. "Pride"
    Released: March 21, 2024

Unbroke is a studio album by American country artist Sara Evans. It was released on June 7, 2024 by Melody Place Records and Evans's own Born to Fly record label. The 11-track album chronicles her separation from husband Jay Barker and their reunification. The songs on the album were mostly written by Evans and were co-produced by Jeff Trott. Included is the album's lead single "Pride", which made the Canadian country songs chart in 2024.

Contents

Background

During the 2000s, Sara Evans found commercial success recording both country ballads and uptempo love songs. Five of her singles topped the country charts, including "Suds in the Bucket" (2004), "A Real Fine Place to Start" (2005) and "A Little Bit Stronger" (2011). [2] [3] In 2015, she left her long time label RCA Records and founded her own recording company. Since then, Evans has released two more studio albums. [2] In 2023, it was announced that Evans signed a new contract with Melody Place Records and that her next album would be released through the label. [4] During this time, Evans's husband Jay Barker was arrested after an incident involving the couple and their daughter. [5] Evans then filed for divorce but ultimately reunited with Barker after the couple underwent therapy. [3] During this period, she began writing "really sad songs" for her project. [6] Ultimately, Evans chose to record an album that centered on the couple's separation and reunification. [3]

Recording and content

Unbroke was recorded at Sound Emporium, a studio located in Nashville, Tennessee. The project was co-produced by Evans and Jeff Trott. [7] Known for his production work with Sheryl Crow and Stevie Nicks, Jeff Trott was sought out by Evans. The two met at Trott's home where they unpacked her personal challenges and writing material. [6] Evans ultimately believed that Trott "really understood" her "vision for the project" and decided he would serve has her co-producer. [8]

Unbroke consists of 11 tracks, ten of which were co-written by Evans. [1] [9] The album's tracks were described by Billboard as having "traditional country lyricism" that resembled that of George Jones or Tammy Wynette. [3] Evans described the album's concept as going "from break down to breakthrough". [8] The songs discuss that challenging feelings Evans had and ends with her reconciliation with Barker. The opening track "Pride" was written following Barker was arrested and her feelings surrounding it. [3] The second track "21 Days" is an uptempo song that was inspired by a conversation Evans had with her therapist about separating from Barker. "A relationship can be a habit, or you can take 21 days and start a good habit like running every day," she told Woman's World . [6] The third track "Mask" described the emotional abuse Evans faced with Barker. [3]

The fourth track "Cleaning Out Your Closet" was described by Evans as being about the damage alcoholism can have on others. [6] In the ninth track "Better Than This", Evans explores the lighter times of her marriage to Barker. [3] On the title track, Evans explains that the song has "a double meaning" because it is about the "generational trauma" people bring into relationships but also about how her relationship with Barker has ended "in a good place". [8] The final track "Gypsy Ways" describes being away from a partner. [6]

Release, promotion and singles

Unbroke was preceded by the release of the album's lead single "Pride". The song was released on March 21, 2024 by Melody Place Records. [10] It made Canada's country songs chart, rising to the number 60 position. [11] The same day of the song's release also saw release of a podcast called Diving in Deep with Sara Evans. [3] A music video for "Pride" was then released around the same period. [12] Unbroke was then released on June 7, 2024 by Melody Place Records, in conjunction with Evans's Born to Fly imprint. It was distributed as both a compact disc and a vinyl LP. [7] It was also released to digital platforms, which includes Apple Music. [9]

Track listing

Unbroke (CD, LP and digital versions) [7] [9]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Pride"3:40
2."21 Days"
3:46
3."Mask"
3:29
4."Cleaning Out Your Closet"
  • Evans
  • Alex Kline
  • Allison Veltz Cruz
3:34
5."Heartless"
4:09
6."Downfall"
  • Evans
  • McConnell
  • Trott
4:03
7."I Wanna Be Wrong"4:04
8."Sorry Now"
3:29
9."Better Than This"
3:56
10."Unbroke"4:59
11."Gypsy Ways"
  • Evans
  • Fuller
  • Trott
2:45
Total length:41:59

Personnel

All credits are adapted from the liner notes of Unbroke. [7]

Musical personnel

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
North AmericaJune 7, 2024
  • Compact disc
  • vinyl LP
  • music download
  • streaming
  • Born to Fly Records
  • Melody Place Records
[7] [9]
Brazil
  • Music download
  • streaming
[13]
France [14]
Mexico [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sara Evans</span> American country singer and songwriter

Sara Lynn Evans is an American country music singer and songwriter. She is also credited as a record producer, actress, and author. She had five songs reach the number one spot on the Billboard country songs chart and has sold over six million albums. Nine additional singles have reached the top ten of the Billboard country chart, including "I Could Not Ask for More", "I Keep Looking", and "Cheatin'". Among her top 20 charting singles are "Saints & Angels", "Backseat of a Greyhound Bus", and "As If". She has won accolades from the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. She has also been nominated for several more accolades from both associations, including Female Vocalist of the Year and Single of the Year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deborah Cox</span> Canadian musician and actress (born 1974)

Deborah Cox is a Canadian singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Born and raised in Toronto, she began performing on television commercials at age 12, and entered various talent shows in her teenage years before becoming a professional backing vocalist for Celine Dion. In 1994, Cox relocated to the United States and was signed to Arista Records by Clive Davis, releasing her self-titled debut album the following year. Her second studio album, One Wish (1998), was certified platinum in the United States. It was marked by the commercial success of the pop crossover single "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here", which would become her most successful entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number two and remaining there for eight consecutive weeks. Cox signed with J Records for her third studio album The Morning After (2002), which saw moderate commercial success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie O'Neal</span> Musical artist

Jamie O'Neal is an Australian country music singer and songwriter.

<i>Born to Fly</i> 2000 studio album by Sara Evans

Born to Fly is the third studio album by American country music artist Sara Evans. It was released in October 2000 via RCA Records Nashville. The album produced four singles with its title track, "I Could Not Ask for More", "Saints & Angels", and "I Keep Looking", all of which reached within the Top 20 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The title track reached number one, "I Could Not Ask for More" and "I Keep Looking" both broke the Top 5 at numbers 2 and 5 respectively, and "Saints & Angels" peaked at number 16. Born to Fly has been Evans' highest-selling album to date, having been certified 2× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for U.S. sales of two million copies. The album was also one of the most successful of the year. Evans was nominated for five CMA Awards: Album of the Year; song, single, and music video ; and Female Vocalist of the Year. She won her first CMA award for music video of the year. The international version of the album includes a bonus track, "You", which was later released in North America as a bonus track on her 2005 album Real Fine Place. Born to Fly was a defining album for Evans. Her earlier albums had more of a neotraditional country sound, while all of her later albums had a more crossover-friendly country pop sound, similar to Martina McBride and Faith Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Place That Far (song)</span> 1998 song performed by Sara Evans

"No Place That Far" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Sara Evans. It was released in September 1998 as the second single and title track from her album of the same name. It was her first Top 40 single on the Hot Country Songs chart, as well as her first number one hit. An acoustic version of "No Place That Far" without backing vocals was included on Evans' compilation album Feels Like Home. Evans wrote this song with Tom Shapiro and Tony Martin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sara Evans discography</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pride (Sara Evans song)</span> 2024 single by Sara Evans

"Pride" is a song by American country music singer Sara Evans. It was released on March 21, 2024, as the lead single to her eleventh studio album, Unbroke. Evans co-wrote the track with Madi Diaz and Sean McConnell, and co-produced it with Jeff Trott.

References

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  2. 1 2 Bush, John. "Sara Evans Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nicholson, Jessica (March 21, 2024). "Sara Evans Discusses Reuniting with Husband Jay Barker, Writing an Album About Their Troubled Relationship: 'The Story Is Mine to Tell'". Billboard . Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  4. Hollabaugh, Lorie (June 29, 2023). "Sara Evans Signs With Melody Place Records". MusicRow . Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  5. DeSantis, Rachel (March 22, 2024). "Why Sara Evans Is Asking for 'Benefit of the Doubt' After Reconciling with Husband: 'People Are Going to Be Mad' (Exclusive)". People . Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Evans Price, Deborah (June 7, 2024). "Country Star Sara Evans Shares Emotional Journey on New Album 'Unbroke' (EXCLUSIVE)". Woman's World . Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Evans, Sara (June 7, 2024). "Unbroke (Liner Notes)". Born to Fly Records/Melody Place Records. 198391453663 (LP); MPSE-01 (CD).
  8. 1 2 3 Schreffler, Laura (June 12, 2024). "Country Star Sara Evans Breaks Down Her Latest Album, "UnBroke"". Haute Living . Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Unbroke - Album by Sara Evans". Apple Music . Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  10. ""Pride"". Spotify . Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  11. "Sara Evans Chart History: Canada Country". Billboard. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  12. DeSantis, Rachel (March 27, 2024). "Sara Evans Recruits Daughter Audrey for Powerful New 'Pride' Music Video — Watch Now! (Exclusive)". People . Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  13. "Unbroke - Album by Sara Evans [Brazil]". Apple Music . Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  14. "Unbroke - Album by Sara Evans [France]". Apple Music . Retrieved 22 June 2024.
  15. "Unbroke - Album by Sara Evans [Mexico]". Apple Music . Retrieved 22 June 2024.