X (The Driver Era album) explained

X
Type:	studio
Artist:	The Driver Era
Cover:	File:The Driver Era - X.png
Released:	June 28, 2019
Genre:	Alternative rock
Length:	35:43
Label:	TOO Records BMG
Producer:	Rocky Lynch
Year:	2019
Next Title:	Girlfriend
Next Year:	2021

X is the debut studio album from American music duo the Driver Era, released on June 28, 2019, by BMG and TOO Records.

The album was preceded by the release of five singles: "Preacher Man", "Afterglow", "Low", "Feel You Now" and "Welcome to the End of Your Life".

To promote the album, the band embarked a concert tour, The Driver Era Live!, which started on March 13, 2019 and ended on August 11, 2019 across the United States, and consisted of a total of 22 shows.

To further promote the album, as well as the band's discography the band will embark on another tour, X Girlfriend Tour,^[1] which is set to start on September 14, 2024, and end on October 27, 2024,^[2] across Europe, and consiste of a total of 25 shows.^[3]

Background

Brothers Rocky and Ross Lynch had previously been making music together for some time alongside their other siblings, as part of the now defunct pop rock band R5. On March 1, 2018, R5's Instagram and Twitter accounts were changed to the Driver Era, with all previous posts removed. The same day, the band released previews of their first single "Preacher Man", which was later released on March 16, 2018.^[4]

On August 24, 2018, the Driver Era released their next single, "Afterglow", first made available on their YouTube channel before eventually being put onto Spotify.^[5] Their third single, "Low", was released on October 26, 2018.

On March 10, 2019, the Driver Era released a video titled "Haven't Left the Garage", which included snippets of several upcoming tracks from the album that they would perform on tour. The fourth single from the album, "Feel You Now", was released on March 29, 2019 after being previously teased, with a music video released three weeks later on April 17, 2019.^[6] The final single from the album, "Welcome to the End of Your Life", was released on April 26, 2019, with a music video released shortly after. On June 13, 2019, the Driver Era released a music video for the track "Low", as well as announcing the title of their debut studio album, X.^[7] The album was released on June 28, 2019.

An extended play featuring remixes of various tracks from the album, titled Some Remixes of X, was released on January 10, 2020.

Critical reception

X received generally positive reviews from music critics. Kelly McCafferty Dorogy, writing for Atwood Magazine, described the album as "a graduation from their early years in the mega pop group R5", finding the group's blending of soul, funk, pop, and rock genres as providing depth to each track.^[8] Honor Cockroft of The London Centrist compared the album to an "at-home concert", praising Rocky's production and Ross's vocal talent.^[9]

Track listing

All tracks are produced by Ross Lynch and Rocky Lynch, except where noted.

Notes

• signifies an additional producer
• "Giveuwhatuwant" is stylized in all lowercase.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the AllMusic.

The Driver Era

• Ross Lynch – composition, vocals, guitar, background vocals
• Rocky Lynch – composition, engineering, production, vocals, guitar

Technical

• Andrew Haas – engineering, production
• Bridgette Bryant – background vocals
• Chris Gehringer – engineering
• Damien Lewis – engineering
• Ed Drewett – composition
• Ellington Ratliff – composition
• Erik Madrid – engineering
• Gamal Lewis – composition
• Gavin Lurssen – engineering
• Ian Franzino – engineering, production
• Jacob Kasher – composition
• John Hanes – engineering
• John Ryan – composition
• Julian Bunetta – composition, engineering, production, programming, background vocals
• Maxayn Lewis – background vocals
• Morgan Reid – composition, engineering, production
• Phil Tan – engineering
• Serban Ghenea – engineering

Release history

Region! scope="col"

Date	Format(s)	Label
Various	June 28, 2019			^[10]

Region! scope="col"

Date	Format(s)	Label
Various	January 10, 2020			^[11]

Notes and References

1. Web site: THE DRIVER ERA announce ‘X Girlfriend’ Tour . Total Entertainment . Forrest . Jo . May 17, 2024 . July 18, 2024 .
2. Web site: The Driver Era Confirm Autumn UK And European Leg Of X Girlfriend Tour . Stereo Board . Stickler . Jon . May 13, 2024 . July 18, 2024 .
3. Web site: The Driver Era Have Announced UK and European ‘X Girlfriend Tour’ Dates . . Wescott . Andrew . May 13, 2024 . July 18, 2024 .
4. Web site: Hiser . Lisa . Shine On Media The Driver Era Previews First Single "Preacher Man" – Listen! . June 10, 2022. en-US.
5. Web site: rockyourlyrics . July 3, 2018 . The Driver Era Debuts New Summer Track "Afterglow" . June 10, 2022 . Rock Your Lyrics . en-US.
6. Web site: Heffernan . Will . March 30, 2019 . The Driver Era Releases New Song "Feel You Now" . October 6, 2022 . ECHO . en-US.
7. Web site: Perez . Ruben Jr. . June 6, 2019 . The Driver Era Release "Low" Music Video, Announce Debut Album 'X' . June 10, 2022 . Entertainment Rocks . en-US.
8. Web site: McCafferty Dorogy . Kelly . June 27, 2019 . Review: The Driver Era Enter a New Age with Debut Album, 'X' . October 6, 2022 . Atwood Magazine . en-US.
9. Web site: Review: The Driver Era's X – The London Centrist . June 10, 2022 . en-GB.
10. X release formats:
    • Web site: X by THE DRIVER ERA on Apple Music . July 20, 2024 . Apple Music (US) .
    • Web site: X by THE DRIVER ERA on Spotify . July 20, 2024 . Spotify (US) .
11. Some Remixes of X - EP release formats:
    • Web site: Some Remixes of X - EP by THE DRIVER ERA on Apple Music . July 20, 2024 . Apple Music (US) .
    • Web site: Some Remixes of X - EP by THE DRIVER ERA on Spotify . July 20, 2024 . Spotify (US) .