Back to Us explained
| Back to Us |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Rascal Flatts |
| Cover: | Rascal Flatts - Back to Us (album cover).jpg |
| Genre: | Country |
| Length: | (Standard edition)[1]
45:11 (Deluxe edition)[2] |
| Label: | Big Machine |
| Prev Title: | The Greatest Gift of All |
| Prev Year: | 2016 |
| Next Title: | How They Remember You |
| Next Year: | 2020 |
Back to Us is the tenth and final studio album by American country music trio Rascal Flatts. It was released on May 19, 2017 through Big Machine Records. The group produced the album themselves, save one track on the deluxe edition, which was produced by Busbee.[3] "Yours If You Want It" was released in January 2017 as the album's lead single, followed by the title track "Back to Us" in August of the same year. The album serves as a follow-up to 2014's Rewind. Back to Us earned the group their twelfth top-10 album on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. A deluxe edition of the album also includes the songs "Hands Talk," "Thieves," and "Roller Rink."
This is the group's first album not to be produced by Dann Huff since 2004's Feels Like Today.
Content
Country singer Lauren Alaina features on the track "Are You Happy Now", which was co-written by all three members of Rascal Flatts.[4] "I Know You Won't" was previously recorded by Carrie Underwood on her 2007 album, Carnival Ride.[5]
Singles
The record's lead single, "Yours If You Want It", was released on January 9, 2017. One of the song's writers, Andrew Dorff, died shortly before its release.[6] Another single "Back to Us" was released on August 21, 2017.[7]
Commercial performance
Back to Us debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200 chart dated June 10, 2017 with 30,000 album equivalent units (of which 25,000 were traditional album sales). The album also entered the Top Country Albums chart the same week at number 2, earning the group their twelfth top-10 album.[8] The album has sold 68,600 copies in the US as of December 2017.[9] The album did reach No. 1 on the Australian country album charts upon release.
Critical reception
The album received positive reviews. Lauren Laffer of Sounds Like Nashville spoke positively of the album, saying, "The 10 tracks within the project feature Gary LeVox’s distinctive warm and emotive vocals while Jay DeMarcus' production skills only amplify Joe Don Rooney's guitar chops. Rascal Flatts continue to prove their staying power with Back to Us."[10] A Sputnikmusic user wrote that "Rascal Flatts returns to their roots by returning to their career hallmarks of sterling vocal harmonies, high production value and genre-transcending composition."[11]
Track listing
- Notes
- All songs produced by Rascal Flatts except "Hands Talk", produced by busbee.
Personnel
Adapted from AllMusic[12]
- Rascal Flatts
- Jay DeMarcus – acoustic piano, keyboards, synthesizers, Moog bass, programming, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, banjo, bass guitar, horn arrangements, backing vocals
- Gary LeVox – lead vocals
- Joe Don Rooney – electric guitar, backing vocals
- Additional Musicians
- Casey Brown – programming
- Dave Cohen – keyboards
- David Dorn – keyboards
- Rob McNelley – electric guitar
- Danny Rader – acoustic guitar, bouzouki, mandolin
- Travis Toy – steel guitar
- Dorian Crozier – drums
- Evan Hutchings – drums
- Jim Riley – drums
- Jimmy Bowland – baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone
- Chris McDonald – trombone, horn arrangements
- Jeff Bailey – trumpet
- Steve Patrick – trumpet
- Carole Rabinowitz – cello
- Betsy Lamb – viola
- Kristin Wilkinson – viola, string arrangements
- David Angell – violin
- Zeneba Bowers – violin
- David Davidson – violin
- Conni Ellisor – violin
- Lauren Alaina – lead and harmony vocals on "Are You Happy Now"
Production
- Rascal Flatts – producers
- busbee – producer on "Hands Talk"
- Allison Jones – A&R
- Derek Bason – engineer, mixing, digital editing
- Sean Neff – engineer, digital editing
- Justin Niebank – mixing
- Nick Lane – assistant engineer
- Bryce Roberts – assistant engineer
- Chris Small – assistant engineer, mix assistant
- David Huff – digital editing
- Adam Ayan – mastering
- Mike "Frog" Griffith – production coordinator
- Laurel Kittleson – production coordinator
- Janet Soled – production coordinator
- Sandi Spika Borchetta – art direction, design
- Becky Reiser – art direction, design
- David McClister – photography
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Release history
Notes and References
- Web site: Back to Us; Rascal Flatts. April 16, 2017. May 19, 2017. iTunes Store (CA).
- Web site: Back to Us (Deluxe); Rascal Flatts. April 16, 2017. May 19, 2017. iTunes Store (CA).
- News: Horton. Carrie. Everything We Know About Rascal Flatts' New Album, 'Back to Us'. April 6, 2017. The Boot . Townsquare Media. March 29, 2017.
- News: Konicki. Lisa. Rascal Flatts Announce Track List for New Album, "Back To Us" . April 6, 2017. Nash Country Weekly. American Media. March 29, 2017.
- News: Betts. Stephen L.. Rascal Flatts' New Album 'Back to Us' to Include Lauren Alaina Duet. April 6, 2017. Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. March 29, 2017.
- News: McKenna. Brittney. Hear Rascal Flatts' Surging New Song 'Yours If You Want It'. April 6, 2017. Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. January 6, 2017.
- Web site: Hear Rascal Flatts' New Single, 'Back to Us'. The Boot. en-US. 2017-08-30.
- Web site: Billboard Country Update. Billboard. May 31, 2017. May 31, 2017.
- News: Top 10 Country Albums Chart: December 27, 2017 . Matt . Bjorke . December 27, 2017 . Roughstock . January 14, 2018 .
- Web site: Album Review: Rascal Flatts' Back to Us. Sounds Like Nashville. May 17, 2017. May 31, 2023.
- Web site: Album Review: Rascal Flatts - Back to Us. May 19, 2017. May 31, 2023.
- Web site: Credits. AllMusic. October 15, 2020.
- Web site: ARIA COUNTRY ALBUMS CHART (WEEK COMMENCING 29 MAY, 2017). ARIA Charts. ARIA. May 31, 2017. May 28, 2017.
- Web site: NZ Heatseekers Albums Chart. Recorded Music NZ. May 29, 2017. May 26, 2017.
- Web site: Top Country Albums – Year-End 2017. Billboard. July 17, 2020.
- Web site: Rascal Flatts - Back To Us - Amazon.com Music. April 6, 2017.
