Liberté (The Doobie Brothers album) explained

Liberté
Artist:the Doobie Brothers
Type:studio
Cover:The Doobie Brothers - Liberté.png
Genre:Pop rock[1]
Length:42:44
Label:Island
Producer:John Shanks
Prev Title:Southbound
Prev Year:2014

Liberté is the fifteenth studio album by American rock band the Doobie Brothers, released on Island Records.[1] [2] First released exclusively on streaming services on October 1, 2021, the album saw a CD release four weeks later on October 29 and an LP release in June 2022.[3] It is their first studio album since 2014's Southbound, and their first of new material since 2010's World Gone Crazy. The band toured following the release of the album.[4]

Background

Vocalist and keyboardist Michael McDonald does not appear on the album, despite being a member of the band during its recording and release.[5] Instead, the album features the lineup of vocalist and guitarist Tom Johnston, vocalist and guitarist Patrick Simmons, and guitarist John McFee. All tracks on the album were co-written by John Shanks, who also produced the album.[6] The album was promoted with the August release of a self-titled, four track EP featuring the tracks "Oh Mexico", "Cannonball", "Don't Ya Mess with Me", and "Better Days", and with a lyric video for the track "Shine Your Light", posted to the band's official YouTube channel on the day of the album's release.[7]

Reception

Upon its release, Liberté failed to chart on the Billboard 200, one of only three of their albums to have that distinction, along with their 1971 self-titled debut, and 2000's Sibling Rivalry. However, it did manage to chart at number 47 on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart. "Easy", the first and only single released from the album, reached number 16 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.[8]

The album received moderately positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine awarded it three stars, noting that while the band "take[s] pains to make the album sound contemporary" with a "glossy" production style and electronic elements, "the record works because the Doobies remain dedicated to the rocking boogie they've been playing for 50 years."[9]

Personnel

Additional musicians

Production

Note

Charts

Chart performance for Liberté! Chart (2021)! Peak
position

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Doobie Brothers - Liberte Album Reviews, Songs & More. www.allmusic.com.
  2. Shaffer . Claire . 2021-08-06 . Doobie Brothers Announce New Album 'Liberté,' Rescheduled Tour Dates . 2022-09-21 . Rolling Stone . en-US.
  3. Web site: Out Now: Stream The Doobie Brothers' New Album 'Liberté,' Featuring 12 New Songs (Pre-Order on CD) . 2022-09-21 . 2021-10-01 . Rock Cellar Magazine.
  4. News: Waring . Taylor . 4 October 2021 . Review: The Doobie Brothers keep Spokane Arena rockin' in marathon 50th anniversary concert . The Spokesman-Review . 2022-09-21.
  5. Web site: Erlewine . Stephen Thomas. The Doobie Brothers - Liberté Album Review . 2022-09-21 . Allmusic.
  6. Web site: McIntyre . Pierce . The Return of The Doobie Brothers . 2022-09-21 . Medium. October 29, 2021 .
  7. Web site: Friedlander . Matt . 2021-10-01 . 2022-09-21 . Brothers of Liberté: The Doobie Brothers' new studio album arrives today . 1430wcmy .
  8. The Doobie Brothers – Chart History . Billboard . September 24, 2022.
  9. Web site: Erlewine . Stephen Thomas . Stephen Thomas Erlewine . The Doobie Brothers – Liberté Album Review . 2022-09-24 . AllMusic.