| Laws of Illusion | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by Sarah McLachlan | ||||
| Released | June 15, 2010 | |||
| Recorded | 2008–2010 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 49:14 | |||
| Label | Nettwerk (Canada), Arista | |||
| Producer | Pierre Marchand | |||
| Sarah McLachlan chronology | ||||
|
||||
| Singles from Laws of Illusion | ||||
|
||||
Laws of Illusion is the seventh studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. It was released by Arista Records on June 15, 2010. Recording for the album took place in Montreal and Vancouver and production was handled by Pierre Marchand, with whom McLachlan has frequently collaborated in the past.[2]
According to McLachlan, her original idea for the album's title was Loss and Illusion, but she chose the final title when she proposed the original title to Marchand and he misunderstood her, hearing Laws of Illusion instead.[3]
Contents |
Customers who pre-ordered the album through sarahmclachlan.com were given "exclusive pre-access" to tickets to the 2010 Lilith Fair along with an instant download of McLachlan's song "One Dream", which she wrote for the Vancouver Winter Olympics.[2]
"Loving You Is Easy" was released on April 23, 2010.[4] McLachlan's official website announced the track listing on May 14, 2010.[5] "Loving You Is Easy" debuted at number 28 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Songs on the week of May 29, 2010 and has risen to number 14 as of July 17, 2010.[6] The song also debuted at number 38 on the Billboard Adult Top 40 on the week of June 26, 2010.[7] "Loving You Is Easy" debuted at number 86 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 on the week of June 12, 2010 [8] It has so far peaked at number 59.
The album debuted at #2 on the Canadian album charts, selling 22,000 copies in its first week of release.[9] The album debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200, selling 94,000 copies in its first week of release and selling an additional 38,000 copies in its second week.[10][11] The album has been less successful in the UK, debuting at #76.[12] In Australia, the album debuted at #12, making it her highest charting album there.[13] The album sold over 280,000 copies in USA and over 35,000 copies in Canada.
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | |
| Rolling Stone | |
| SputnikMusic | |
| Slant | |
| Entertainment Weekly | [14] |
| Los Angeles Times | [15] |
| Boston Globe | [16] |
| New York Times | [17] |
"Laws of Illusion" received generally favorable reviews upon its release, with a Metacritic score of 65 out of 100.
Allmusic noted that the album "furthers the fantasy by taking its cues from dated Clinton-era folk-pop. It’s an album that aims to soothe rather than startle, replete with wistful, lovelorn lyrics and McLachlan’s signature arrangements -- a mix of new age atmospherics and singer/songwriter ambience -- courtesy of longtime record producer Pierre Marchand." [18]
Rolling Stone gave the album a negative review, stating that "Sarah McLachlan's first disc since splitting from her husband, Ashwin Sood, feels scattered: The carefree single 'Loving You Is Easy' feels out of place. The rest alternates between vulnerability and bitterness, using the same sighs and moans with which she used to convey ecstasy." [19]
SputnikMusic gave the album 4 stars and praised McLachlan's musical return to the style she explored in her earlier albums, such as Surfacing, Touch and Solace.[20]
Slant gave the album rather negative review noting that "Laws of Illusion sounds both effortless and effort-less."[21]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Awakenings" | Sarah McLachlan | 4:08 |
| 2. | "Illusions of Bliss" (·) | McLachlan, Pierre Marchand | 3:53 |
| 3. | "Loving You Is Easy" (·) | McLachlan | 3:03 |
| 4. | "Changes" | McLachlan, Marchand | 3:44 |
| 5. | "Forgiveness" (·) | McLachlan, Marchand | 3:49 |
| 6. | "Rivers of Love" (·) | McLachlan, Marchand | 3:54 |
| 7. | "Love Come" (·) | McLachlan | 3:33 |
| 8. | "Out of Tune" | McLachlan, Marchand | 3:51 |
| 9. | "Heartbreak" | McLachlan, Marchand | 4:07 |
| 10. | "Don't Give Up on Us" | McLachlan, Marchand | 3:37 |
| 11. | "U Want Me 2" | McLachlan, Marchand | 4:07 |
| 12. | "Bring on the Wonder" | Susan Enan | 3:24 |
| 13. | "Love Come" (Piano Version) | McLachlan | 4:04 |
"·" Tracks that feature piano versions/video on Deluxe Edition
Credits for Laws of Illusion adapted from Allmusic.[22]
| Date | Type | Label | Catalog # |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 15, 2010 | CD (Barnes & Noble Exclusive) | Arista | 72629 |
| CD | RCA | 55367 | |
| CD/DVD (U.S. Deluxe Edition) | 71991 | ||
| LP | 73963 | ||
| LP | 8869755367 | ||
| CD (Canadian Edition) | Nettwerk | 0670030895 | |
| CD/DVD (Canadian Deluxe Edition) | 30903 | ||
| June 21, 2010 | CD (U.K.) | Arista | 88697553672 |
| CD/DVD (U.K.) | 88697719912 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||