Into the Sun (Sean Lennon album) explained

Into the Sun
Type:	studio
Artist:	Sean Lennon
Cover:	Into the Sun (Sean Lennon album) coverart.jpg
Border:	yes
Studio:	Sear Sound, New York City Magic Shop, New York City
Length:	48:50
Label:	Grand Royal
Producer:	Yuka Honda
Next Title:	Half Horse, Half Musician
Next Year:	1999

Into the Sun is the debut studio album by musician Sean Lennon. It was released by the Beastie Boys' label Grand Royal (distributed by Capitol Records, a division of EMI which had been the longtime home of Sean's father John Lennon) on May 8, 1998, in Japan^[1] and on May 19, 1998, in the United States.^[2]

Background

Into the Sun was recorded during Lennon's time performing with Timo Ellis alongside Yuka Honda, who was Lennon's girlfriend at the time and also produced and performed on the album. Lennon has said it was "inspired by my girlfriend". Into the Sun was recorded at Sear Sound in New York, with the exception of the track "Queue", which was recorded at another New York studio, The Magic Shop. The album was engineered and mixed by Tom Schick at Sear Sound and mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering Studios.

A voice on the final track, "Sean's Theme", which softly speaks "Goodnight, Sean", is sometimes mistakenly attributed to father John Lennon; however, it is, in fact, that of Walter Sear, an owner of Sear Sound. Sean has said it is in tribute to his father, whose tribute to Sean, "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)" closes with "Goodnight, Sean. See you in the morning, bright and early."

Critical reception

The Chicago Tribune wrote that "Lennon displays a fine grasp of pop conventions and delivers shimmering examples with the bossa nova-flavored title track and the breezy summer companion 'Two Fine Lovers'."^[3]

Track listing

All songs written by Sean Lennon, except where noted.

1. "Mystery Juice"– 5:26
2. "Into the Sun"– 3:22
3. "Home"– 3:05
4. "Bathtub" (Lennon, Yuka Honda)– 4:00
5. "One Night"– 2:06
6. "Spaceship" (Lennon, Timo Ellis)– 4:17
7. "Photosynthesis"– 6:46
8. "Queue" (Lennon, Honda)– 3:45
9. "Two Fine Lovers"– 3:17
10. "Part One of the Cowboy Trilogy"– 1:48
11. "Wasted"– 1:31
12. "Breeze"– 3:57
13. "Sean's Theme"– 5:52
14. "Intermission" (Japanese bonus track)– 5:36
15. "5/8" (Japanese bonus track)– 4:48

Personnel

Credits for Into the Sun adapted from liner notes.^[4]

• Sean Lennon – vocals, guitar, bass guitar, drums, keyboards, Omnichord, harmonica, percussion, Mellotron, artwork
• Miho Hatori – vocals, percussion on "Into the Sun"
• Timo Ellis – drums on "Mystery Juice", "Home" and "Spaceship", electric guitar, bass guitar, backing vocals on "Spaceship"
• John Medeski – Hammond C3 organ on "Queue"
• Dave Douglas – trumpet on "Photosynthesis" and "Sean's Theme", horn arrangement on "Sean's Theme"
• Josh Roseman – trombone on "Photosynthesis"
• Greg Ribot – flute on "Photosynthesis"
• EJ Rodriguez – percussion on "Photosynthesis"
• Brad Jones – upright bass on "Photosynthesis"
• Kenny Wollesen – drums, shaker on "Photosynthesis", marimba, timpani on "Queue"
• Little Eric Wood – Intergalactic-Tape-Machine on "Spaceship"
• Chaki – cymbal on "Bathtub", engineering (assistant)
• Walter Sear – vocals on "Sean's Theme"
• Fred Kevorkian – digital editing
• Tom Schick – engineering
• John Reigart – engineering (assistant)
• Bob Ludwig – mastering

Notes and References

1. Web site: イントゥ・ザ・サン ショーン・レノン. Oricon. July 19, 2020. Japanese.
2. 'Sun' Illuminates Lennon's Influences. Bessman. Jim. Billboard. 110. 16. April 18, 1998. July 19, 2020. 11–12.
3. News: Hedblade . Jay . Sean Lennon . Chicago Tribune . 24 May 1998 . Arts & Entertainment . 5.
4. Into the Sun. liner notes. Sean Lennon. Grand Royal. 1998. 7243 4 94551 2 2.
5. Web site: イントゥ・ザ・サン ショーン・レノンのプ. Oricon. July 19, 2020. Japanese. https://web.archive.org/web/20101130202501/http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/79048/products/music/262863/1/. November 30, 2010. dead.