| Outrun the Sky | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 28, 2004 | |||
| Length | 45:06 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
| |||
| Lalah Hathaway chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Outrun the Sky | ||||
| ||||
Outrun the Sky is the third studio album by American singer Lalah Hathaway. It was released on September 28, 2004, via then Universal-distributed Mesa/Blue Moon Recordings. Her first album in a decade, it peaked at number 34 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
In 2003, Hathaway signed with Universal-distributed Mesa/Blue Moon Records. [1] In 2004, she released a cover version of Luther Vandross's song "Forever, for Always, for Love" which later appeared on the all-star tribute album Forever, for Always, for Luther (2004) and peaked at number one on Billboard's Adult R&B Songs chart. [1] For her fourth album, Hathaway consulted producers Rex Rideout, Mike City, and David Delhomme as well as Vivian Sessoms and Chris Parks to work with her. [2]
Hathaway took an active hand in the production of Outrun the Sky, [3] writing or co-writing nine songs on the album and producing or co-producing six of them. [3] The album's closing track was originally written in 1993 after Hathaway had moved to Los Angeles. She cited it "the most personal song on the album." [4] The track, "Better And Better" began as a track intended for Eric Benét's album of the same name (2005). His finished track is the same as the one used on this album. Benét's lead and backgrounds were simply removed, and Hathaway's were added. [4]
Originally recorded for the all-star tribute album Forever, for Always, for Luther (2004), Outrun the Sky was preceded by Hathaway's rendition of the same titled Luther Vandross song. Also serving as the album lead single, it became her first number one hit on Billboard's Adult R&B Songs chart. [5] Follow-up "Better and Better," produced by Mike City, reached number 21 on the same chart. [5] A third single, "How Many Times," also produced by City, failed to chart. [1]
Following the release of the album's first two singles, Hathaway went on the Daughters of Soul tour, put together by Sandra St. Victor of The Family Stand, co-headlining by St. Victor, Nona Hendryx, Chaka Khan's daughter Indira, Nina Simone's daughter Simone, and Joyce Kennedy of Mother's Finest. [6] On its initial run in 2004, it played four dates at three European jazz festivals, including the Nice Jazz Festival in France, the Pori Jazz Festival in Finland and the Jazzaldia Festival in San Sebastián, Spain. [4]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [7] |
| Orlando Sentinel | [8] |
Outrun the Sky earned generally positive reviews from music critics. [9] AllMusic editor David Jeffries responded that "it's her warm voice, smooth delivery, and allegiance to fad-free R&B that keeps the faithful patiently waiting. Delivering on all counts, Outrun the Sky is a fan's dream and the singer's best showcase since her debut." [7] He called the album a "showcase" on which Hathaway not only does "cover a wider spectrum of tones and moods but she also producers and writes most of the highlights of the album." [7] Jim Abbott of the Orlando Sentinel wrote "Outrun the Sky is worth the wait for fans of old-school singing without the self-indulgent histrionics that American Idol contestants confuse with emotion. Although these 13 songs lack the distinctive punch needed to rival Alicia Keys — the gold standard for modern R&B; — the album is filled with subtle charm." [8]
Mark Anthony Neal from PopMatters found that Outrun the Sky was in the spirit of Hathaway's previous album The Song Lives On but "finds its place. There are obvious attempts to garner some support from urban radio [...] but Hathaway'’s strength throughout her career has been the ballad. No longer feeling the need to compete with some of her R&B peers, Hathaway makes the transition here to song stylist — think Nancy Wilson — adding a level of depth by writing many of the project's songs." [10] SoulTracks critic Chris Rizik noted that "while her 1999 disc with Joe Sample, The Song Lives On, was a career album that couldn't be replicated, with Outrun the Sky Lalah Hathaway has created a classy and welcome addition to her discography that should be gobbled up by her patient, devoted fans." [11]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "How Many Times" |
| Mike City | 3:40 |
| 2. | "Back Then" |
|
| 4:50 |
| 3. | "Your Favorite Song" | Flowers | City | 4:07 |
| 4. | "Forever, for Always, for Love" | Luther Vandross |
| 5:52 |
| 5. | "Better and Better" | Flowers | City | 4:04 |
| 6. | "Outrun the Sky" | Hathaway | Hathaway | 3:06 |
| 7. | "If U Ever" |
|
| 3:48 |
| 8. | "In the End" |
|
| 4:15 |
| 9. | "Admit It" |
|
| 5:34 |
| 10. | "Stronger" |
|
| 5:47 |
| 11. | "We Were 2" |
|
| 8:10 |
| 12. | "More" |
|
| 5:11 |
| 13. | "Boston" | Hathaway | Hathaway | 5:37 |
| Total length: | 45:06 | |||
Notes
Technical
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [12] | 34 |
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | September 28, 2004 |
| [1] |
Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. was an American soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer. Throughout his career, he achieved eleven consecutive RIAA-certified platinum albums and sold over 40 million records worldwide. Known as the "Velvet Voice", Vandross has been recognized as one of the 200 greatest singers of all time (2023) by Rolling Stone, as well as one of the greatest R&B artists by Billboard. In addition, NPR named him one of the 50 Great Voices. He was the recipient of eight Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year in 2004 for a track recorded not long before his death, "Dance with My Father". In 2021, he was posthumously inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.
Ruben Studdard is an American singer and actor. He rose to fame as the winner of the second season of American Idol and received a Grammy Award nomination in 2003 for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for his recording of "Superstar". In the years following Idol, Studdard has released seven studio albums, including his platinum-selling debut, Soulful, and the top-selling gospel follow-up, I Need an Angel. He is most well known for his recording career, which has produced hits including "Flying Without Wings", "Sorry 2004", and "Change Me", but he has also segued into television and stage work. Most notably, he starred as Fats Waller in a national tour revival of Ain't Misbehavin', which spawned a Grammy-nominated soundtrack.
Bell Biv DeVoe, also known as BBD, is an American music group from Boston, Massachusetts, formed from members of New Edition, consisting of Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe.
Eulaulah Donyll "Lalah" Hathaway is an American singer. In 1990 Hathaway released her first album titled Lalah Hathaway. After releasing another album, titled A Moment (1994), it debuted at number 34 on the Top R&B albums chart. In 1999 she collaborated with Joe Sample on the album The Song Lives On. After a five-year hiatus, she returned with her fourth album, Outrun the Sky (2004). The single "Forever, For Always, For Love" peaked at number 1 on the Hot Adult R&B Airplay.
"Never Too Much" is the debut song written, composed, produced, and performed by Luther Vandross. The R&B song was released in 1981, as the lead single from Vandross's debut album of the same name. The title track hit number one on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, reached number four on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, and peaked at number 33 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"Dance with My Father" is a song by Luther Vandross and the title track to his thirteenth studio album. It was released in May 2003 as the album's lead single. With Richard Marx, Vandross wrote the song based on his personal experience. The lyrics recall childhood memories with Vandross' father, who used to dance with him and his mother.
Forever, for Always, for Love is the second studio album by American R&B singer and songwriter Luther Vandross, released on September 21, 1982, by Epic Records. It became Vandross' second album to chart in the top 20 on the Billboard 200 and was his second album to top the R&B Albums chart where it spent three weeks.
The Song Lives On is a collaborative studio album by former Jazz Crusaders member Joe Sample and R&B singer Lalah Hathaway. It was released by GRP Records on April 20, 1999 in the United States.
The Essential Luther Vandross is a greatest hits album by American singer Luther Vandross, released on March 5, 2002 in the UK and June 10, 2003 in the US, by Sony Music and Legacy Recordings as part of The Essential Series. The two-disc compilation features thirty-five tracks from Vandross's recording catalog. The collection contains R&B and pop hit songs spanning from Vandross earlier albums to the later—Dance with My Father, a Grammy win for Best R&B Album.
Forever, for Always, for Luther, released on July 27, 2004, by GRP Records, is a smooth jazz various artists tribute album, with ten popular songs written by Luther Vandross. The album featured vocal arrangements by Luther, and was produced by Rex Rideout and Bud Harner.
Kirk Whalum is an American R&B and smooth jazz saxophonist and songwriter. He toured with Whitney Houston for more than seven years and soloed on her single "I Will Always Love You", the best-selling single by a female artist in music history. He was also featured on many Luther Vandross albums, most often playing on the singer's covers of older pop and R&B standards such as "Anyone Who Had a Heart", "I ", and "Love Won't Let Me Wait".
The Ultimate Luther Vandross is a greatest hits album by American R&B/soul singer Luther Vandross, released in 2001. The compilation was re-released in 2006 with a different track listing, along with two previously unreleased songs. The unreleased cut "Got You Home" which appears on the 2006 edition of the compilation, earned Vandross a posthumous nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 49th Grammy Awards in 2007.
"The Closer I Get to You" is a romantic ballad performed by singer-songwriter Roberta Flack and soul musician Donny Hathaway. The song was written by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas, two former members of Miles Davis's band, who were members of Flack's band at the time. Produced by Atlantic Records, the song was released on Flack's 1977 album Blue Lights in the Basement, and as a single in 1978. It became a major crossover hit, becoming Flack's biggest commercial hit after her success with her 1973 solo single, "Killing Me Softly with His Song". Originally set as a solo single, Flack's manager, David Franklin, suggested a duet with Hathaway, which resulted in the finished work.
Self Portrait is the fourth studio album by American singer Lalah Hathaway. It was released by Stax Records on June 3, 2008 in the United States. Chiefly produced by Rex Rideout, it marked her debut with the label and became Hathaway's highest-charting album by then, reaching number six on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, her first top ten entry on that chart.
Hurricane is the third studio album by American R&B recording artist Eric Benét. It was released on June 21, 2005, on Friday Records, with distributing by Reprise Records. It is the follow-up to his second album A Day in the Life (1999) and follows the shelving of his Better and Better project for Warner Bros. Records. Recorded at various recording studios, the album was written and produced by Benét with several other producers, including Walter Afanasieff, Michael Carney, Hod David, David Foster, George Nash, Jr., and Demonté Posey.
"So Amazing" is a 1983 song by Dionne Warwick. It was written by Luther Vandross and Marcus Miller and produced by the former for her studio album How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye (1983). Three years later, Vandross himself covered the song for his fifth studio album Give Me the Reason (1986). Released as a single, it entered the top 40 on the UK Singles Chart and earned a Soul Train Music Award nomination in 1988.
"Where It All Begins" is the fifth studio album by American singer Lalah Hathaway. It was released on Stax Records and Concord Music Group on October 18, 2011.
Lalah Hathaway Live is the first live album by American singer Lalah Hathaway. It was released on October 30, 2015 through her own label, Hathaway Entertainment, and eOne. The album won Best R&B Album at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2017. She also earned a Grammmy for Best Traditional R&B Performance for her cover of "Angel" by Anita Baker.
This is the discography for American jazz singer Lalah Hathaway.
Honestly is the sixth studio album by American singer Lalah Hathaway. It was released on October 20, 2017 through her own label, Hathaway Entertainment. The album, produced entirely by Tiffany Gouche and Hathaway, earned two Grammy Award nominations in 2019, with "Y O Y" being nominated for Best R&B Performance and Honestly receiving a Best R&B Album nomination. A deluxe edition of the album was released digitally on June 27, 2018.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)