The Futurist (Robert Downey Jr. album) explained

The Futurist
Type:studio
Artist:Robert Downey Jr.
Cover:TheFuturist-Downey.png
Released:November 23, 2004
Recorded:2004
Elias Arts
Santa Monica, CA
The Village Recorder
Los Angeles, CA
Genre:
Length:42:47
Label:Sony Classical
Producer:Jonathan Elias, Mark Hudson

The Futurist is the debut studio album by American actor Robert Downey Jr., produced by Jonathan Elias and Mark Hudson, and released on November 23, 2004 through Sony Classical. The album debuted at number 121 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 16,000 copies in its first week.[1] [2]

The album received mixed reviews. Downey stated in 2006 that he probably will not do another album, as he felt that the energy he put into doing the album was not compensated. He explained that he did not want to spend whatever time he had at home in the studio, but rather with his family. "Broken" plays during the end credits to Downey's 2005 film Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

Recording and composition

The Futurist consists of eight pop ballads written by Downey, as well as two cover songs: "Smile", a Charlie Chaplin composition; and "Your Move", the first half of the song "I've Seen All Good People" by Yes.[3] The song "Hannah" is an allusion to Downey's 2000 film Wonder Boys.[4]

The album was produced by Jonathan Elias and Mark Hudson, with Downey playing on the piano on some of the tracks.

Critical reception

AllMusic's Matt Collar rated the album 3.5/5, and called Downey's lyrics "obtuse". However, he praised his interpretations of other musicians' work, such as "Your Move" by Yes and Charlie Chaplin's "Smile", and called the album "unpredictably moving as the best of Downey's film work."

Elysa Gardner of USA Today wrote that the vibe on Downey's album "can seem pretentious or simply dull after a while, but there is a moody musicality to tracks such as 'Man Like Me' and 'Details'."

Personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic.[5]

In other media

In the 2016 Marvel Studios film, , Clint Barton mockingly refers to Tony Stark (played by Downey) as "The Futurist".

Chart performance

"Man Like Me"

Notes and References

  1. Web site: U2's Atomic Bomb Explodes Onto Albums Chart, Taking #1 Spot . https://web.archive.org/web/20121022144657/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1494336/u2s-latest-takes-1-spot-on-albums-chart.jhtml . dead . October 22, 2012 . D'Angelo . Joe . . December 1, 2004 . February 9, 2014.
  2. Web site: U2's 'Bomb' lights fire at top of charts.(soundtracks) . Daily Variety . December 2, 2004.
  3. Web site: Robert Downey Jr.: The Album . De Vries . Hillary . . November 21, 2004 . February 9, 2014.
  4. Web site: Robert Downey Jr.: One Future at a Time . Bottomley . C. . . January 1, 2005 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080510233707/http://www.vh1.com/artists/interview/1495730/011105/downey_jr_robert.jhtml . May 10, 2008 .
  5. Web site: The Futurist – Robert Downey Jr. Credits . . February 9, 2014.