Slow Fade Explained

Slow Fade
Type:single
Artist:Casting Crowns
Album:The Altar and the Door
Released:2008[1]
Studio:Zoo Studio in Franklin, Tennessee, My Refuge Studio in McDonough, Georgia, and The Sound Kitchen in Franklin, Tennessee.
Genre:Christian rock
Label:Beach Street, Reunion
Producer:Mark A. Miller
Prev Title:Every Man
Prev Year:2008
Next Title:Until the Whole World Hears
Next Year:2009

"Slow Fade" is a song by Christian rock band Casting Crowns. Written by Mark Hall, it was released as the third single from Casting Crowns' 2007 studio album The Altar and the Door. Written after the public falls from grace of several church leaders, "Slow Fade" is a cautionary tale against making the wrong choices. It was positively received by music critics, who praised the song's lyrical theme.

"Slow Fade" had moderate success on Christian chart formats, peaking at number five on the Billboard Christian Songs chart, number seven on the Billboard Hot Christian AC chart, and number 19 on the Radio & Records Christian CHR chart. The song's music video, which was produced and directed by the Erwin Brothers, depicts a family slowly deteriorating due to the compromising decisions they have made. It won the award for Short Form Music Video of the Year at the 40th GMA Dove Awards.

Background and composition

"Slow Fade" was written in the "light of the well publicised falls from grace of several high profile church leaders".[2] According to lead vocalist Mark Hall: "Nobody falls, it's just a slow fade. It's a series of minor compromises until you're in a place you never thought you'd be, doing things you never thought you'd do and rationalising all of it". He continued by saying that: "As believers, as men, if we're not guarding our relationship with God, we're going down. There's too much going against us. If we're not careful, we're going to crash and burn".

"Slow Fade" is a song with a length of four minutes and 38 seconds. According to the sheet music published by Musicnotes.com, "Slow Fade" is set in common time in the key of D major (though it was recorded in D flat major), with a tempo of 80 beats per minute. Mark Hall's vocal range in the song spans from the low note of A2 to the high note of G4.[3] A ballad, "Slow Fade" is "a cautionary tale urging believers to make the right choices".

Reception

"Slow Fade" met with mostly positive reception from music critics. Jared Johnson of Allmusic noted it had a "mature rock theme" and "showcased more grunge guitar than could be heard on all of Lifesong".[4] In reviews for Billboard and CCM Magazine, Deborah Evans Price praised the song as "compelling"[5] and an example of Mark Hall's ability to write "stirring anthems" and "achingly vulnerable, introspective songs".[6] Andree Farias of Christianity Today praised the lyrics as "full of great ideas about spiritual apostasy" but said the arrangement "leaves the impression that [Mark] Hall and company are bored or tired".[7]

Chart performance

"Slow Fade" debuted at number 28 on the Billboard Christian Songs chart for the chart week of August 23, 2008.[8] It advanced to number 19 in its fifth chart week[9] and to number 15 in its sixth.[10] In its 11th chart week "Slow Fade" entered the top 10, moving to number nine.[11] It advanced to its peak position of number five in its 18th chart week, the week of December 20, 2008. In total, "Slow Fade" spent 29 weeks on the Christian Songs chart.[12] It also peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot Christian AC chart, which it spent 30 weeks on, and number 19 on the Radio & Records Christian CHR chart.

"Slow Fade" ranked at number 33 on the 2008 year-end Hot Christian AC chart. It ranked at number 35 on the 2009 year-end Hot Christian AC chart and number 50 on the 2009 year-end Christian Songs chart. On the 2000s decade-end Hot Christian AC chart, "Slow Fade" ranked at number 95.

Promotion

Produced and directed by the Erwin Brothers, the music video for "Slow Fade" was shot in Birmingham, Alabama.[13] The video depicts a deteriorating family slowly fading because of the compromising decisions they have made. It premiered on Yahoo! Music on May 21, 2008, receiving placement of the website's front page. It was included on Casting Crowns' live album The Altar and the Door Live[14] and won the award for Short Form Music Video of the Year at the 40th GMA Dove Awards.[15]

Slow Fade was featured on the soundtrack for the 2008 movie, Fireproof.

Casting Crowns performed a "haunting" rendition of "Slow Fade" at a concert on March 22, 2008 at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.[16] At a concert on February 3, 2010 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri, Casting Crowns performed it as the third song on their set list.[17] At a concert on February 28, 2010 in Hershey, Pennsylvania, they performed the song as part of their set list.[18]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the album liner notes.[19] Casting Crowns

Additional performers

Production'

Charts

Chart (2008)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Billboard Christian Songs[20] 5
Chart (2009)Peak
position
Billboard Hot Christian AC[21] 7
Radio & Records Christian CHR[22] 19
Chart (2008)! scope="col"
Position
Billboard Hot Christian AC[23] 33
Chart (2009)Position
Billboard Hot Christian AC[24] 35
Billboard Hot Christian Songs[25] 50
Chart (2000s)! scope="col"
Position
Billboard Hot Christian AC[26] 95

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Towns, Crowns, and Widgets. May 29, 2008. Fireproof Blog. June 21, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304131324/http://fireproofthemovie.blogspot.com/2008/05/towns-crowns-and-widgets.html. March 4, 2016. live. mdy-all.
  2. Web site: Casting Crowns: Exploring compromise in 'The Altar And The Door'. Cummings. Tony. October 9, 2007. Cross Rhythms. June 17, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20130622080326/http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/Casting_Crowns_Exploring_compromise_in_The_Altar_And_The_Door/29263/p1/. June 22, 2013. live. mdy-all.
  3. Casting Crowns – Slow Fade Digital Sheet Music. Digital Download. Musicnotes.com. EMI Christian Music Group.
  4. Web site: The Altar and the Door - Casting Crowns. Johnson. Jared. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. June 17, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121102173038/http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-altar-and-the-door-mw0000578153. November 2, 2012. live. mdy-all.
  5. Price. Deborah Evans. September 1, 2007. The Billboard Reviews. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 119. 35. 55. June 17, 2012.
  6. Price. Deborah Evans. August 2007. In Review. CCM Magazine. Salem Publishing. 39–40. June 17, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120505084602/http://ht.salemweb.net/ccm/ccmmagazine/pdf/200708.pdf. May 5, 2012. dead. mdy-all.
  7. Web site: The Altar and the Door, Christian Music Reviews. Farias. Andree. Christianity Today. Salem Web Network. June 17, 2012.
  8. Christian Songs (August 23, 2008). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. June 20, 2012.
  9. Christian Songs (September 20, 2008). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. June 20, 2012.
  10. Christian Songs (September 27, 2008). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. June 20, 2012.
  11. Christian Songs (November 1, 2008). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. June 20, 2012.
  12. Singles Charts Archive Search. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. July 20, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20110511004513/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/singles-chart-search. May 11, 2011. live. mdy-all. Note: User must manually input the correct search information to obtain the sourced information. Type in Casting Crowns in the Artist category and Slow Fade in the Single Title category. Select the desired chart and click on 'All weeks' in the Date category. Then, press 'Submit'
  13. Web site: Yahoo! Music To World Premiere New Casting Crowns Music Video "Slow Fade". May 15, 2008. Jesus Freak Hideout. June 20, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120906094325/http://jesusfreakhideout.com/news/2008/05/15.YAHOO!%20MUSIC%20TO%20WORLD%20PREMIERE%20CASTING%20CROWNS%20VIDEO.asp. September 6, 2012. live. mdy-all.
  14. Web site: Casting Crowns, 'The Altar and the Door Live' Review. Mabee. Justin. June 24, 2008. Jesus Freak Hideout. June 20, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120516160623/http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/TheAltarandTheDoorLive.asp. May 16, 2012. live. mdy-all.
  15. Web site: Chapman shares deep emotions at 40th Dove awards. Wynn. Ron. April 23, 2009. The City Paper. SouthComm Inc.. June 20, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20090427101902/http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/chapman-shares-deep-emotions-40th-dove-awards. April 27, 2009. live. mdy-all.
  16. Web site: Concert review: Casting Crowns serious about faith, not themselves. Pinkham. Paul. March 24, 2008. The Florida Times-Union. Morris Communications. June 20, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20160322003716/http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/032408/met_260968396.shtml. March 22, 2016. live. mdy-all.
  17. Web site: Review: Casting Crowns. Brownlee. Bill. February 5, 2010. Back to Rockville. Kansas City Star. June 20, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120414071516/http://backtorockville.typepad.com/back_to_rockville/2010/02/review-casting-crowns.html. April 14, 2012. live. mdy-all.
  18. Web site: A Night With Kutless & Casting Crowns. Davis. Kevin. March 30, 2010. New Release Tuesday. June 20, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20100405060800/http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/article.php?article_id=339. April 5, 2010. live. mdy-all.
  19. The Altar and the Door. Casting Crowns. 2007. 4, 7. Beach Street/Reunion.
  20. Christian Songs (December 20, 2008). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. June 19, 2012.
  21. Hot Christian AC (January 31, 2009). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. June 19, 2012.
  22. Web site: Christian CHR National Airplay. Jessen. Wade. Radio & Records. June 19, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20090214175418/http://radioandrecords.com/formats/charts/christ_chr_chart.asp. February 14, 2009.
  23. Hot Christian AC Year-end (2008). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 4 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20110825003535/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/2008/hot-christian-adult-contemporary. 25 August 2011. live. dmy-all.
  24. Hot Christian AC Year-end (2009). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 4 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20110821185455/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/2009/hot-christian-adult-contemporary. 21 August 2011. live. dmy-all.
  25. Hot Christian Songs Year-end (2009). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 4 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20110821185220/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/2009/hot-christian-songs. 21 August 2011. live. dmy-all.
  26. Hot Christian AC Decade-end (2000s). Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 13 October 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110817164733/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/decadeendcharts/2009/christian-ac-songs. 17 August 2011. live. dmy-all.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Slow Fade".

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