Thank You Camellia Explained
| Thank You Camellia |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Kris Allen |
| Cover: | Kris Allen - Thank You Camellia.png |
| Recorded: | 2011 |
| Genre: | Pop rock |
| Prev Title: | Kris Allen |
| Prev Year: | 2009 |
| Next Title: | Waiting for Christmas |
| Next Year: | 2012 |
Thank You Camellia is the third studio album and second major-label album by American singer-songwriter Kris Allen. It was released on May 18, 2012.
Background
Allen confirmed on April 4, 2012, via a WhoSay Twitter-based fan interview (and reiterated in following interviews) that the album's title is a reference to the home that he shared with friends from his home state of Arkansas while living in Los Angeles, where he recorded the majority of the songs featured on his sophomore release.[1]
Reception
Entertainment Weeklys Grady Smith gave the album a positive (B+) review. Ceding that the songs may come off "downright Amish" compared to contemporaries on the pop charts, Smith noted that "Allen delivers his lyrics with an earnest confidence (and occasional swagger) that keeps his songs from becoming treacly," concluding that the album was "a cohesive, warmhearted charmer." USA Today's Brian Mansfield also described it as "warmhearted" with "charming flourishes."[2] People gave the album 3 out of 4 stars, calling it a "smoothly and surely executed . . . winner." Yahoo Music's Lyndsey Parker observed that "[Allen's] songwriting skills have clearly grown more sophisticated," praising the range of the material from "jaunty, summer-convertible-cruising anthems" to darker tracks such as "the propulsive and sinister alt-rocker 'Monster'" and noting that "the lyrics are plain-spoken, refreshingly unflowery, and . . . cut right to the heart of the matter."[3]
Singles
The only single from the album is "The Vision of Love", which was released digitally on March 26, 2012.[4]
Live performances
Allen performed new material from his forthcoming album for the first time at a sold out show at The Mint in Los Angeles on February 9, 2012.[5]
Allen performed "The Vision of Love" and other new material from his forthcoming album at the Live in the Vineyard festival on April 13 at the Uptown Theater, in Napa, California. The show also featured Jason Mraz, Mayer Hawthorne, Mat Kearney, and more.[6]
He also performed at Mix 94.1's Pet-a-Palooza in Las Vegas on April 21, 2012. On May 19, 2012, Allen performed songs from the record on 96.9 WINK FM's Spring Fling. He also covered "She Works Hard for the Money", paying respect to the late Donna Summer.
Personnel
- Kris Allen – all vocals, acoustic piano (1, 4, 7), guitars (1, 4, 7), percussion (1), acoustic guitar (2, 8, 10), bass (7)
- Brandon Belsky – programming (1)
- Adam Messinger – instrumentation (2)
- Zac Rae – keyboards (5, 9-11)
- Francois-Paul Aiche – acoustic piano (6)
- David Baron – Rhodes electric piano (8), Hammond B3 organ (8), strings (8), "Annihilator" bass (8)
- Kevin Kadish – Korg MS-20 (8), Korg Polysix (8), Oberheim OB-8 (8), VCO synthesizer (8), acoustic piano on bridge (8), sound design (8), electric guitar (8), acoustic guitar (8), bass (8), drum programming (8), backing vocals (8)
- Boots Ottestad – acoustic piano flourishes (8), tremolo guitar (8), sine wave sub bass (8), backing vocals (8)
- Chris DeStefano – programming (12), instruments (12)
- David Givhan – guitars (1, 4)
- Aaron Steinberg – guitars (3), bass (3)
- David Levita – guitars (5, 9, 11), acoustic guitar (10), electric guitar (10)
- Jonathan Berry – guitars (6, 7), bass (6)
- Bruce Watson – electric slide guitar (10), mandolin (10)
- Curt Schnedier – bass (5, 9-11)
- Carlos de la Garza – drums (1, 7)
- Ryland Steen – drums (4)
- Aaron Sterling – drums (5, 9-11)
- Kevin Weaver – drums (8), shaker (8), tambourine (8)
- Chris Woods – viola (6), violin (6)
- Meiko – featured vocals (10)
Acoustic tracks
- Kris Allen – vocals, acoustic piano, acoustic guitar
- Curt Schnedier – bass
Production and Technical
- Rob Inadomi, Myles Lewis, Keith Naftaly and Iain Pirie – A&R
- JP Clark – vocal producer (3)
- Tim Pagnotta – engineer (1, 4, 7)
- J. Bonilla – recording (3, 6)
- Curt Schnedier – recording (5, 9-11), acoustic recordings
- Kevin Kadish – engineer (8)
- Chris DeStefano – recording (12)
- Daniele Rivera – additional and assistant engineer
- Carlos de la Garza – additional engineer (1, 7)
- Ryan Gillmor – additional engineer (1, 4, 7)
- Gavin MacKillop – additional engineer (4)
- Jorge Costa – additional engineer (6)
- Jared Woodard – studio assistant (8)
- Jon Zook – mixing (1, 3-11)
- Phil Tan – mixing (2)
- Ryan Lipman – mix assistant (1, 3-11)
- Chris Gehringer – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY)
- Erwin Gorostiza – creative director
- Maria Paula Marulanda – art direction, design
- Leann Mueller – photography
- Scott Free – stylist
- Su Han – grooming
- Josh Klemme – management
- Lane Nowland – management
Release dates
| Country | Date | Label | Formats |
|---|
| Ireland | May 18, 2012 | RCA Records | |
| United Kingdom | May 21, 2012 |
| United States | May 22, 2012 | | |
Notes and References
- News: Kris Allen answers questions via Twitter. WhoSay . April 4, 2012 . April 10, 2012.
- Web site: Kris Allen looks beyond himself on 'Thank You Camellia' . Brian Mansfield . May 18, 2012 . May 18, 2012.
- Web site: Giving Thanks For Kris Allen’s ‘Thank You Camellia’ . Lyndsey Parker . May 19, 2012 . May 19, 2012.
- News: Get "The Vision of Love" on iTunes! . RCA News .
- Web site: Kris Allen Debuts Mint-y Fresh New Songs at Rare L.A. Show . Lyndsey Parker . February 10, 2012 . . May 7, 2012.
- News: American Idol Season 8 Winner Kris Allen to Release Brand New Album Thank You Camellia May 22nd on 19 Recordings/RCA Records . RCA Music . March 29, 2012 . March 29, 2012 .
