From the Inside Out explained

From the Inside Out
Type:studio
Artist:Stan Walker
Cover:Stan Walker - From the Inside Out.jpg
Label:Sony
Prev Title:Introducing Stan Walker
Prev Year:2009
Next Title:Let the Music Play
Next Year:2011

From the Inside Out is the second studio album by Australian-New Zealand recording artist Stan Walker, released on 20 August 2010 through Sony Music Australia. Walker worked with several record producers and songwriters for the album, including Audius Mtawarira, Israel Cruz, Ryan Tedder, Phil Tan and Stuart Crichton, among others. Musically, the album incorporates synthpop, rock, soul and R&B genres.

Upon its release, the album received positive reviews from music critics. From the Inside Out debuted at number one on the New Zealand Albums Chart and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ). It also debuted at number two on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart. Preceding the album's release, lead single "Unbroken" was released digitally on 12 April 2010. The song reached the top-ten of the New Zealand Singles Chart and was certified gold by the RIANZ. "Choose You" was released on 20 July 2010 as the album's second single and peaked at number three on the New Zealand Singles Chart and was certified platinum. It also appeared on the ARIA Singles Chart at number 16 and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). The third single, "Homesick", featuring rapper Kayo, was released on 29 October 2010. Walker's first headlining tour in New Zealand, to support the album, ran from mid February to early March 2011.

Background and development

On 1 July 2010, Walker announced the album's title and release date in an exclusive video message to his fans via Facebook, YouTube and his official website.[1] Later that month, Walker's record label began uploading snippets of several of the album's songs onto YouTube.[2] Ahead of the album's release, MusicFix gave fans an exclusive first listen to the album before it was officially released.[3]

In an interview with New Zealand's One News, Walker explained that the album reflects him and his personality, including his Māori roots.[4] In describing the album, he said:

I guess I just wanted this album to be a lot about me and all the different styles of music that I like – not just one sort of style or genre. I really want to be able to tell real stories through my music, rather than talking about stuff that doesn't really matter which is what a lot of people seem to end up doing these days. I don't want it to be just glossy and disposable; I want my songs to deal with real issues.[1]

Composition

From the Inside Out combines the genres of pop, rock, hip hop, soul and R&B. Lead single "Unbroken" has been described as a "chest-beating and uplifting" single, while the second single, "Choose You" has been appreciated for its "soaring pop and grand stomp". According to Cameron Adams from The Daily Telegraph, "Inside Out" "borrows Usher's electro thunderclaps and robo-R&B".[5] "All I Need" makes use of Auto-Tune and has been compared to will.i.am.[5] According to Scott Kara of The New Zealand Herald, "Homesick" is "lush, pure pop" and "One Thing" is influenced by R&B and hip hop. "The One", featuring Pixie Lott, has been called "a dramatic ballad", and "Love Graffiti" has been compared to The Beatles.[5] Most of the songs' lyrics explore the theme of love. Walker stated, "I wanted to make an album of songs, with real lyrics about how we all feel sometimes. There's a lot of manufactured songs with nasty lyrics, but I wanted to talk about real love, real situations that people could really connect to." He named "Love Graffiti" as his favourite track for that reason, valuing the positive way it portrays love.

Release and promotion

From the Inside Out was released in Australia on 20 August 2010 through Sony Music Australia, as both digital download and CD formats.[6] A New Zealand release followed on 23 August.[7] A bonus track was added to the album's digital release: a remix of "Choose You".[8] During the album's first week of release, Walker toured shopping malls in Sydney and Melbourne, performing several of the album's songs and signing CDs.[9] The album was also promoted by Walker through a live televised performance of "Choose You" on Sunrise on 25 August 2010.[10] On 26 August 2010, Walker held an instore appearance at the Sylvia Park shopping centre in Auckland, New Zealand.[11]

Tour

Concert Tour Name:New Zealand Summer Tour
Artist:Stan Walker
Location:New Zealand
Type:Concert
Album:From the Inside Out
Number Of Shows:14
This Tour:New Zealand Summer Tour
(2011)
Next Tour:World Tour of New Zealand
(2013)

Walker commenced his first headlining tour in New Zealand in mid February 2011, and ended in early March. Concerts were announced in December 2010 for Wellington, Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Hamilton, Hastings, Tauranga, Auckland, Rotorua and Christchurch.[12] Due to an overwhelming demand, the tour extended to include new shows in Dunedin, Invercargill, Timaru, Oamaru and Ōpōtiki.[13] New Zealand R&B and soul singer Erakah served as the opening act on all dates of the tour.[14] A New Zealand Tour Edition reissue of From the Inside Out was released on 28 January 2011.[15]

DateCityVenue
17 February 2011WellingtonOpera House
18 February 2011Palmerston NorthRegent on Broadway
19 February 2011New PlymouthTSB Showplace
20 February 2011HamiltonFounders Theatre
21 February 2011ŌpōtikiDeluxe Theatre
23 February 2011HastingsOpera House
24 February 2011TaurangaHoly Trinity
25 February 2011AucklandAuckland Town Hall
26 February 2011RotoruaUnison
28 February 2011ChristchurchTown Hall
1 March 2011OamaruOpera House
3 March 2011InvercargillCivic Theatre
4 March 2011DunedinTown Hall
5 March 2011TimaruTheatre Royal

Singles

"Unbroken" was released as the album's lead single on 12 April 2010. The song was written and produced by OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder.[16] It peaked at number nine on the New Zealand Singles Chart, and number 23 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart.[17] "Unbroken" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ), and by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).[18] [19] "Choose You" was released as the album's second single on 20 July 2010. The song peaked at number three in New Zealand and was certified platinum.[19] [20] It also reached number 16 in Australia and was certified platinum by the ARIA.[20] [21] "Homesick", featuring rapper Kayo, was released as the album's third and final single on 29 October 2010. The song failed to impact the charts in Australia, however it managed to reach number 21 in New Zealand and was certified gold by the RIANZ.[19] [22]

Reception

Scott Kara from The New Zealand Herald awarded the album four out of five stars and wrote that, "It's all wholesome, family-friendly stuff, and when Walker sings about love it's from the heart".[23] Drew Taylor from Warcry wrote that, "Stan's voice has never sounded better, and the combination of faith and flavour is force to be reckoned with."[24] Allmusic's Jon O'Brien rated From the Inside Out three stars out of five.

From the Inside Out debuted at number one on the New Zealand Albums Chart, and became Walker's first number one album in the country. It was eventually certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ), for selling 15,000 copies. The album remained on the chart for forty non-consecutive weeks.[25] In Australia, the album debuted at number two on the ARIA Albums Chart.[26]

Track listing

Notes

Personnel

Credits for From the Inside Out adapted from Allmusic.[27]

Charts and certification

Weekly charts

Chart (2010)Peak
position
Certification
ARIA Albums Chart2
New Zealand Albums Chart1Platinum[28]

Year-end charts

Chart (2010)Position
Australian Artist Albums Chart[29] 37
New Zealand Albums Chart[30] 18
Chart (2011)Position
New Zealand Artists Albums Chart[31] 9

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabelCatalogue
Australia20 August 2010CD, digital downloadSony Music Australia88697702822
New Zealand23 August 201088697702822
28 January 2011New Zealand Tour Edition

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Stan Walker's debut album out August 20 . TVcentral.com.au . 2 July 2010 . 15 February 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110706112839/http://www.tvcentral.com.au/2010/07/02/stan-walkers-debut-album-out-august-20/ . 6 July 2011 . dead .
  2. StanWalkerTV – Uploads . . 15 February 2011.
  3. Web site: First listen: Stan Walker's new album From the Inside out . . 2 February 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110706110520/http://music.ninemsn.com.au/blog.aspx?blogentryid=686505&showcomments=true . 6 July 2011 . dead .
  4. Web site: Stan Walker doing his own thing . . 27 August 2010 . 15 February 2011.
  5. Web site: Adams . Cameron . Stan Walker's first original of offering . . . 19 August 2010 . 2011-02-16.
  6. Web site: Stan Walker – From the Inside Out (CD) . . 15 February 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110407154952/http://www.sanity.com.au/products/2179989/From_The_Inside_Out_SIGNED_COPY . 7 April 2011 . dead .
  7. Web site: From the Inside Out – Stan Walker . Marbecks.co.nz . 15 February 2011.
  8. Web site: From the Inside Out – Stan Walker – New Zealand . . 19 August 2010.
  9. Web site: Stan Walker Spruiks New Album at Instores . Soundsofoz.com . 19 August 2010 . 15 February 2011.
  10. Web site: AUS FANS: Stan on Sunrise . 23 August 2010 . Stanwalker.com.au . https://web.archive.org/web/20110706112108/http://stanwalker.com.au/newsEvents/home.do?newsId=20030829006827 . 6 July 2011 . dead.
  11. Web site: NZ FANS: Auckland in Store Appearance! . 26 August 2010 . Stanwalker.com.au . https://web.archive.org/web/20110706112112/http://stanwalker.com.au/newsEvents/home.do?newsId=20030829006828 . 6 July 2011 . dead.
  12. Web site: Cashmere . Paul . VIDEO: Stan Walker Creates His Own Idol . Undercover.fm . 8 December 2010 . 15 February 2011.
  13. Web site: The Edge presents Stan Walker NZ Tour! . . 14 February 2011 . 15 February 2011.
  14. Web site: Erakah Live & Direct throughout NZ with Stan Walker . Illegalmusik.co.nz . 31 January 2011 . 15 February 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110724192636/http://www.illegalmusik.co.nz/2011/01/31/erakah-live-direct-throughout-nz-with-stan-walker/ . 24 July 2011 . dead .
  15. Web site: From the Inside Out . 28 January 2011 . iTunes Store. Apple Inc . 22 February 2011.
  16. Web site: McCabe . Kathy . Australian Idol Stan Walker working with the best . The Daily Telegraph . 8 December 2010 . 24 April 2010.
  17. Web site: Stan Walker – Unbroken . New Zealand Singles Chart. Hung Medien . 3 July 2010.
  18. Web site: ARIA Charts  - Accreditations  - 2010 Singles . Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) . 13 July 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120112143717/http://www.aria.com.au/pages/httpwww.aria.com.auaccreds2010.htm . 12 January 2012.
  19. Web site: Latest Gold / Platinum Singles . RadioScope New Zealand . 4 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110724195845/http://www.radioscope.net.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=77&Itemid=61 . 24 July 2011.
  20. Web site: Stan Walker – Choose You . New Zealand Singles Chart. Hung Medien . 28 July 2010.
  21. Web site: ARIA Charts  - Accreditations  - 2011 Singles . Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) . 30 October 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110515024609/http://www.aria.com.au/pages/httpwww.aria.com.aupageshttpwww.aria.com.auSINGLEaccreds2011.htm . 15 May 2011.
  22. Web site: Stan Walker – Homesick . New Zealand Singles Chart. Hung Medien . 9 November 2010.
  23. Web site: Album Review: Stan Walker From the Inside Out . Scott . Kara . . . 26 August 2010 . 27 August 2010.
  24. Web site: Taylor . Drew . Stan Walker: From the Inside Out (Review) . Salvation Army.org.au . 20 September 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110706125810/http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/warcry/default.asp?contentID=1595 . 6 July 2011.
  25. Web site: Stan Walker – From the Inside Out . New Zealand Albums Chart. Hung Medien . 15 February 2010.
  26. Web site: Stan Walker – From the Inside Out . ARIA Charts. Hung Medien . 15 February 2011.
  27. Web site: From the Inside Out > Credits . . . 2011-01-04.
  28. Web site: Latest Gold / Platinum Albums . RadioScope New Zealand . 13 July 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110724195913/http://www.radioscope.net.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=79&Itemid=61 . 24 July 2011.
  29. Web site: ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Australian Artist Albums 2010 . Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) . 7 January 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101205174646/http://aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-end-of-year-charts-top-australian-album-2010.htm . 5 December 2010.
  30. Web site: Annual Top 50 Albums Chart 2010 . Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) . 15 February 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100722162159/http://www.rianz.org.nz/rianz/chart_annual.asp . 22 July 2010.
  31. Web site: Adele dominates NZ end of year charts. Television New Zealand. 31 December 2011.