Superior (album)

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Superior
Studio album by Tim Christensen
Released 24 November 2008
Recorded 2007/2008
Grapehouse studio (Copenhagen)
Genre Rock
Length 46:57
Label Mermaid, PIAS
Producer Tim Christensen
Rune Nissen-Petersen
Nick Foss (executive)
Tim Christensen chronology

Live at Abbey Road Studios 2004
(2004)		 Superior
(2008)		 Tim Christensen and The Damn Crystals
(2011)

Superior is the third studio album by Danish singer-songwriter Tim Christensen, released on 24 November 2008[1] on CD, limited edition Digipak CD/DVD which includes a 30-minute making-of, and a double vinyl box set which also includes the CD and DVD, as well as an outsize poster.[2]

Overview

Superior was the first album to be released on Mermaid Records after Sony Music Entertainment Denmark became the label's main shareholder.[3] To date, it is the only studio album in Christensen's musical career without a separate Japanese bonus release.

The title song "Superior" has Christensen opening up about himself. According to the press release, "The song Superior pins Christensen down on a more personal level: what kind of thoughts are running through his mind? What concerns him? In the revealing lyrics, the popular songwriter stands naked. He’s brutally honest and vulnerable. (...) The song is all about refusing to let yourself be controlled by what people expect of you, but rather trusting your own gut feeling and believing that you’re good enough the way you are. Be it in your career or in love."[2] It also refers to having to deal with the expectations people had of him since his previous album: "[D]uring work on Superior, he’s felt the huge success of Honeyburst as a burden pressing down on his shoulders."[2]

"Wonder of Wonders" is the first song Christensen has written on piano.[4] "India" was written in his sleep; he woke up, recorded a basic version, and was back to sleep in under 20 minutes.[4] The riff of "Follow My Lead" is played on a baritone guitar, which according to Christensen is "probably the most unsexy guitar there is, but it sounds great." [4] "Song for Shelly" was written for his former girlfriend, Michelle Djarling.[5]

A song named "Sooner or Later" did not make it onto the album, but was included on the Japanese edition, to be released on 26 September 2012.[6] On 9 November 2011, Christensen recorded this song as part of his "low key late night sessions".[7]

Reception

It received mixed reviews, but to keep the audience from thinking it largely got bad reviews, Mermaid Records decided to cite all reviews, good and bad.[8] This was even taken further by using some of these phrases on T-shirts,[9] such as ugens flødebolle ("this week's cream puff). It was voted the Melodic.net best album of 2008. It took until 7 December 2009[10] before it was released in the Netherlands on PIAS Recordings.[11]

Four songs off the album were released as a single: "Superior" (2008),[12] "Hard To Make You Mine" (2009), "India" (2009),[13] and "Tell Me What You Really Want" (2009).[14] The latter video was made by Paul "Yellow1" Wilson, who also did the cover art for this album.

Track listing

All music composed by Tim Christensen.
Superior
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "One of These Days"  Tim Christensen, Mike Viola 0:49
2. "Hard to Make You Mine"  Christensen 3:42
3. "Superior"  Christensen, Viola[15] 3:46
4. "Wonder of Wonders"  Christensen, Winther-John 4:04
5. "Two Is a Crowd"  Christensen, Winther-John 3:22
6. "India"  Christensen 4:35
7. "As I Let You In"  Christensen 3:45
8. "Tell Me What You Really Want"  Christensen 3:59
9. "Love Rears Its Ugly Head"  Christensen 4:07
10. "Song for Shelly"  Christensen 4:37
11. "Follow My Lead"  Christensen 6:15
12. "Maggie My Dear"  Christensen 4:01
Total length:
 46:57


Limited edition bonus DVD
The Making of Superior DVD[*]
No. Title Length
1. "The Making of Superior[I]" (documentary) 29:08

^* The disc itself is named PERFEKTIONIST_DVD, referring to the lyrics "I'm a bit of a perfectionist" in the title track of Superior.

^I Credits: Theis Molin (director, producer), Christoffer Dreyer (editor, producer), Lars Bonde (director of photography), © 2008 tmfilm.dk.

Personnel

Additional musicians
  • Olaf Olsen – drums (on tracks 3, 5, 6, 8, 11, and 12)
  • Laust Sonne – drums (on track 9)
  • Christoffer Møller – string arrangement
  • Prague Philharmonic Orchestra – strings
  • Jan Chalupecky – conductor
Production

Notes

  1. ↑ Discogs (2010). "Tim Christensen - Superior at Discogs". Retrieved on 12 October 2010.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Press release: Superior - new CD, November 2008". Retrieved on 28 April 2011.
  3. ↑ Sony Music Entertainment (Denmark) A/S. (2011). "Mermaid Records". Retrieved on 26 April 2011. (Danish)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Tuxen, Henrik (22 November 2008). "Tim Christensen – Superior sang for sang" (Tim Christensen - Superior song by song). GAFFA. (Danish)
  5. ↑ Tuxen, Henrik (27 November 2008). "Tim Christensen – Jeg tror på mit talent" (Tim Christensen – I believe in my talent). GAFFA. (Danish)
  6. ↑ HMV (2012). Superior dvd ltd. Retrieved on 26 August 2012.
  7. ↑ Christensen, Tim (9 November 2011). Late night session : Sooner Or Later (Superior-outtake/bonus track). Facebook.
  8. ↑ Svidt, Ole Rosenstand (9 January 2009). "Tim Christensen citerer dårlige anmeldelser" (Tim Christensen cites bad reviews). GAFFA. (Danish)
  9. ↑ Svidt, Ole Rosenstand (4 June 2009). "Tim Christensen på lang sommerturné" (Tim Christensen on long summer tour). GAFFA. (Danish)
  10. ↑ NRC Rocks met Eric Corton (30 November 2009). Tim Christensen. (Dutch)
  11. ↑ Hjortskov, Anders (3 December 2009). "Tim Christensen indtager Holland" (Tim Christensen overtakes Holland). GAFFA. (Danish)
  12. ↑ Vimeo (24 December 2009). "Tim Christensen - Superior".
  13. ↑ Vimeo (24 December 2009). "Tim Christensen - India".
  14. ↑ Vimeo (24 December 2009). "Tim Christensen - Tell Me What You Really Want".
  15. ↑ Viola, Mike (3 February 2009). "Mike Viola News". Retrieved on 11 November 2010.
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