Road Between
Road Between is the debut studio album by American actress and singer Lucy Hale. The album was released on June 3, 2014 by Hollywood Records and DMG Nashville.[1]
Road Between | |
---|---|
Studio album by | |
Released | June 3, 2014 |
Recorded | 2012–2013 |
Genre | Country pop |
Label | |
Producer | |
Singles from Road Between | |
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Background
On June 12, 2012, Hale announced she had signed a record deal with Hollywood Records (co-partnership with DMG Nashville).[2] The album is a country album, when was recorded through late 2012 and mid 2013,[3] during Hale's schedule filming her television series Pretty Little Liars. On March 31, 2014, Road Between was unveiled due to a fan contest to reveal the album's cover art.[4] A web series titled The Road Between with Lucy Hale, which consisted of four episodes, released from July 25 to August 6, 2014, on the CMT website. It follows the journey of Hale, visiting her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee and on set with the filming of the music video for the song "Lie a Little Better".[5]
Singles
The lead single "You Sound Good to Me" was released on January 7, 2014. A music video was directed by Philip Andelman, is about Hale going on a road trip with her friends and arriving at a late-night bonfire.[6]
The second and final single, "Lie a Little Better" was released on July 21, 2014. Hale explained the song is about her love crush with actor Drew Van Acker.[7] It debuted at No. 60 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart for the week ending on July 30, 2014.
Promotional Singles
"Goodbye Gone" was released as the first promotional single on April 8, 2014. "Road Between" was released as the second promotional single on April 22, 2014. "Kiss Me" was released as the third promotional single on May 6, 2014. "Nervous Girls" was released as the fourth and final promotional single on May 27, 2014.
Cancelled tour
In December 2014, Hale was originally set to embark on The Road Between Tour in spring 2015, to promote the album.[8] However, she later announced the tour was cancelled shortly before it was slated to begin citing vocal issues as the reason.[9]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [10] |
Country Weekly | C+[11] |
Billboard | 83/100[12] |
Roughstock | [13] |
Road Between was met with mostly positive reception from music critics. At AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine rated the album three-and-a-half stars out of five, remarking how the music on the release "is irrepressibly charming commercial pop" that "is better when it's lighter", and the music sounds like "pristine pop, thanks in large part to Hale's crisp, chipper delivery."[10] Mike Ayers of Billboard rated the album an 83 out of 100, indicating how the release "is filled with powerful, catchy choruses and moments that display Hale's voice in many different ways."[12] At Roughstock, Matt Bjorke rated the album three-and-a-half stars out of five, writing how the music on the release is not going to be everyone's cup-of-tea, yet it evidences her potential in country music because according to him that is "where she's always wanted to be."[13] Bob Paxman of Country Weekly graded the album a C+, noting how some songs don't work out well for her voice and "Like most contemporary records, the production sounds overly busy and much too polished, stripping away all semblance of real emotion."[11] Yet, Paxman says "for the target audience, namely young females, Lucy and her material should resonate and find its target", but eventually "she may be able to reach a broader base, because the potential is definitely there."[11]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "You Sound Good to Me" | Mike Daly | 3:12 | |
2. | "From the Backseat" | Daly | 3:08 | |
3. | "Nervous Girls" |
| Daly | 4:04 |
4. | "Red Dress" (duet with Joe Nichols) |
| Mark Bright | 4:39 |
5. | "Goodbye Gone" |
| Bright | 2:57 |
6. | "Kiss Me" |
| Bright | 3:13 |
7. | "Road Between" |
| Daly | 3:33 |
8. | "Lie a Little Better" |
| Bright | 3:43 |
9. | "That's What I Call Crazy" |
| Bright | 3:26 |
10. | "Love Tonight" |
| Bright | 3:15 |
11. | "Just Another Song" |
| Bright | 4:25 |
Total length: | 39:35 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
12. | "My Little Black Wedding Dress" |
| Daly | 3:25 |
13. | "Feels Like Home" |
| Bright | 4:05 |
14. | "Loved" |
| Bright | 3:42 |
15. | "Kiss Me" (Live Acoustic) |
| Daly | 3:13 |
16. | "Road Between" (Live Acoustic) |
| Daly | 3:39 |
Total length: | 57:39 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
17. | "Runaway Circus" |
| Bright | 3:09 |
18. | "Those Three Words" |
| Bright | 3:09 |
Total length: | 63:57 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
12. | "Come On" |
| Bright | 3:16 |
Total length: | 42:51 |
Personnel
- Tom Bukovac – electric guitar
- Eric Darken – percussion
- Shannon Forrest – drums
- Paul Franklin – steel guitar
- Aubrey Haynie – fiddle
- Mike Johnson – steel guitar
- Charlie Judge – keyboards
- Chris McHugh – drums
- Jerry McPherson – electric guitar, slide guitar
- Jimmy Nichols – keyboards
- F. Reid Shippen – percussion
- Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass
- Ilya Toshinsky – acoustic guitar, ukulele, mandolin
- Jonathan Yudkin – fiddle, mandolin, cello
- Backing vocals
- Robert Bailey
- Sarah Buxton
- Perry Coleman
- Mike Daly
- Fancy Hagood
- Vicki Hampton
- Wes Hightower
- Kim Keyes
- Gene Miller
- Rachel Reinert
- Lucie Silvas
- Jenifer Wrinkle
Chart performance
The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 14 and No. 4 on the Top Country Albums chart with 18,000 copies sold in the US during its first week.[17] The album has sold 44,000 copies in the US as of August, 2014.[18]
Chart (2014) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[19] | 57 |
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[20] | 13 |
US Billboard 200[21] | 14 |
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[22] | 4 |
References
- "Road Between (Deluxe) on iTunes".
- Bentley, Jean (June 12, 2012). "'Pretty Little Liars' star Lucy Hale lands record deal with Hollywood Records". Zap2it. Archived from the original on June 15, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
- "Hollywood Records Signs "Pretty Little Liars" Star Lucy Hale". PR Newswire. June 12, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
- "Lucy Hale Reveals 'Road Between' Album Cover + Track List". PopCrush. July 26, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
- "Lucy Hale Launches 'The Road Between' Web Series". Taste of Country. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
- "Lucy Hale Debuts "You Sound Good to Me" Music Video". Web Paint. January 8, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
- Guinane, Georgie (March 28, 2018). "Lucy Hale Reveals Which PLL Co-Star Inspired "Lie a Little Better" Track". Clevver. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
- "Lucy Hale Announces Road Between Tour". Taste of Country. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
- "Lucy Hale Cancels Road Between Tour Dates Due to Illness". Taste of Country. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
- Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (June 3, 2014). "Road Between - Lucy Hale | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
- Paxman, Bob (June 23, 2014). "Road Between by Lucy Hale". Country Weekly. American Media, Inc. p. 67. ISSN 1074-3235. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
- Ayers, Mike (June 2, 2014). "Lucy Hale Takes The Appealing 'Road Between': Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
- Bjorke, Matt (May 2, 2014). "Album Review: Lucy Hale - Road Between". Roughstock. Cheri Media Group. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
- "iTunes - Music - Road Between (Deluxe Edition) by Lucy Hale". Itunes.apple.com. 1989-06-14. Retrieved 2014-06-03.
- Lucy Hale - Road Between (Deluxe Edition) - Only at Target (2013-03-27). "Lucy Hale - Road Between (Deluxe Edition) - Only..." Target. Retrieved 2014-06-03.
- on. "Preview Lucy Hale's new album "Road Between" in-stores 6/3 | ENTUAREA TV". Tv.entuarea.com. Archived from the original on 2014-05-31. Retrieved 2014-06-03.
- Bjorke, Matt (June 11, 2014). "Country Music's Top 10 Albums: The Week Of June 11, 2014". Roughstock. Archived from the original on June 14, 2014.
- Bjorke, Matt (August 13, 2014). "Country Album Sales Report – August 13, 2014". Roughstock. Archived from the original on August 14, 2014.
- Ryan, Gavin. "The Amity Affliction Top ARIA Album Chart". Noise 11. Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
- "Lucy Hale Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard.
- "Lucy Hale Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
- "Lucy Hale Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard.