Go (Mario album)

Go
Studio album by Mario
Released December 11, 2007
(see release history)
Recorded 20052007
(see Locations and studios)
Genre
Length 53:30
Label
Producer
Mario chronology

Turning Point
(2004)
Go
(2007)
D.N.A.
(2009)
Singles from Go
  1. "How Do I Breathe"
    Released: May 15, 2007
  2. "Crying Out for Me"
    Released: August 21, 2007
  3. "Do Right"
    Released: December 11, 2007
  4. "Music for Love"
    Released: April 3, 2008

Go is the third studio album by American recording artist Mario, released by J Records on December 11, 2007. It is Mario's first album to receive a parental advisory sticker in the United States, and his second to receive a parental advisory sticker in the UK.[1][2][3]

The album includes songs written and produced by Akon, Timbaland, The Neptunes, Stargate, Mr. Collipark, Polow da Don and with guests such as Juelz Santana and Rich Boy.

The first single released was "How Do I Breathe", and the music video premiered exclusively on May 23, 2007 on BET. For his second single, on Mario's official website, he asked fans to vote for the next single from the choices, "Why", "Kryptonite", or "Crying Out for Me". The second single officially released was "Crying Out for Me", with the music video premiering on September 17, 2007 on BET, again. Although not an official single, Mario did shoot a video for the song "Do Right" using clips from the MTV documentary surrounding his mother's substance abuse. It was released as a promotional single for the album. The official third (fourth in total) single was "Music for Love" which was released in April 2008.

Recording and production

Mario worked with many producers on the album, most notably Scott Storch and Pharrell with whom he recorded a song called, "Faith". None of the material recorded will make the final release of Go.[4][5]

Release and promotion

The album was originally scheduled to be released on November 28, 2006 under the title "Mario Barrett - Effortless".[6] It was to be the first album in which Mario would use his full name. The album then had several release dates in 2007 including: April 4,[7] May 8, July 31, August 21, October 9, and finally November 27 - coincidentally, exactly a year after the first date announced. The album was eventually released on December 10, 2007 in the United Kingdom and December 11, 2007 in the United States.

In an interview Mario was asked on the delays of the album, "Your second album, "Turning Point", was released back in December [2004], so who or what do you think is most responsible for the delay in-between the albums?" Mario answered, that he had "a few legal situations to work through, which set his album back 6 to 8 months", adding that, he now has "more control over his projects and albums he gets done."[4]

In 2007 Mario toured with Dijon Thomas, the tour was called Do Right Tour.[8] In 2008, Mario was scheduled as the tour's opening act for all dates of Ms. Kelly Tour with Kelly Rowland, to promote his album Go. On July 2, 2008, Courtney Galliano & Joshua Allen from the U.S. television reality program and dance competition So You Think You Can Dance, danced to "Skippin" as the part of the competition.[9]

Critical response

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
About.com [10]
Allmusic [11]
BBC Music (positive)[12]
The Boston Globe (positive)[13]
DjBooth [14]
KSTW [15]

Go received "favorable reviews" from critics. Andy Kellman of Allmusic gave the album four out of five stars, characterized the album as "the singer's strongest release yet, easily apparent after one listen, a credit that can be distributed equally between an ever-improving artist and his collaborators". He also said "Go is indeed Mario's most aggressive and assertive album, but no other song comes close to out-vulgarizing "Go" itself."[11]

Mark Edward Nero from About.com said that "Go is the first Mario album that carries a parental advisory sticker, and for very good reason. He stated too "Mario has bitten a big chunk out of Usher's vocal style, plus added some R. Kelly-style raunch to his lyrics, seemingly to shake things up and throw some dirt on his previously squeaky clean image. But Mario's occasional bawdiness here is crude, distasteful and completely unnecessary," and gave the album three out of five stars.[10]

Nathan S. from DjBooth.net writes that "it feels like How Do I Breathe dropped so long ago it must have been off his last album, but the fact that the Stargate-produced ballad still works is proof of its longevity. How Do I Breathe doesn’t break new ground for Mario, it’s probably the most immature song on the album, but I’m secure enough in my manhood to admit I’ve sung along in the car". he ends saying "That’s why it’s such a shame the lyrics are so shaky; the track opens with the declaration “You may be young but you’re ready.” I’m sorry, what? Call me crazy, but the last thing I want to think about when I’m listening to a slow jam is possible statutory rape charges. Then again, I’m sure R. Kelly loved it. Right And A Wrong Way isn’t the album’s only slip-up; No Definition, Let Me Watch and Music For Love all fall short of perfect, but if they sound lacking it’s only because Mario’s has raised the bar so high on the rest of the album". He rates the album has four Spins Solid out of five Spins Solid.[14]

Shopie Bruce of BBC Music caractrizes the album as "A good mix of romantic ballads and up-tempo floorfillers."[12]

Chart performance

The album debut at #21 on the Billboard 200 with around 78,000 copies sold.[16] As of January 15, 2009, has sold 331,540 copies in the U.S.

Singles

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s) Length
1. "Go"  Pharrell WilliamsThe Neptunes 3:47
2. "Crying Out for Me"  
4:48
3. "Skippin'"  MaddScientist 3:58
4. "Music for Love"  
  • Jerrod Stacy
  • Thomas
  • Thomas
  • Ralph B. Stacy
  • Jevon Hill[b]
3:49
5. "Kryptonite" (featuring Rich Boy)
  • Mario Barrett
  • Warren "Oak" Felder
  • Maurice Richards
  • Atozzio Towns
Oak 4:12
6. "How Do I Breathe"   3:36
7. "No Definition"  
3:49
8. "Why"  
Oak 3:42
9. "Lay in My Bed"  
3:35
10. "Right and a Wrong Way"  
  • Stee
  • T-Wayne
5:11
11. "Let Me Watch" (featuring Juelz Santana) 4:24
12. "Do Right"  
Akon 4:02
Notes

Personal and credits

  • Vocals: Mario
  • Choir, Chorus: Stacie Davis, Esther Dean, Shari M. Gary, Kim McCoy, English Norman, Dawn Toran, Sam Salter, Crystal Johnson, Larel Frederick, Nastacia "Nazz" Kendall & Alan Austin
  • Engineers: Andrew Mezzi, Princeton, Carlton Lynn, Vernon Mungo, Ralph Cacciurri, Darren Moore, Andrew Coleman, Dave Hyman, Geoffrey Rice, Kori Anders, Corey Stocker, Mikkel S. Eriksen & Tony Terrebonne
  • Instrumentation: Stee, Tor Erik Hermanson & Mikkel S. Eriksen (aka Stargate)
  • Guitar: Mike Hartnett & Tony Love
  • Keyboards: Elvis Williams
  • Keyboards, Programming: Giorgio Tuinfort

  • Executive Producer: Peter Edge, J.Erving, Mario & Rick Frazier John lopez
  • A&R: Trevor Jerideau
  • Management: J. Erving for J.E.G
  • Legal: Kenny Meiselas
  • Mastered: David Kutch
  • Creative Direction/Design: Jane Marledge
  • Photography: Patrick Holeck
  • Assistant: Lloyd Copper,Jared Robbins & Mike Miller
  • Vocal Producers: Jevon Hill, Nelly & Avery Storm
  • Mixing: Manny Marroquin, Phil Tan & Jean-Marie Horvat
  • Digital Editing: Colin Miller
  • Featuring vocals: Juelz Santana & Rich Boy

Locations and studios

Recording locations and studios included:[19]

  • Battery Studios, New York, NY
  • Dirty South Studios, Arlantic, GA
  • Doppler Studios, Atlanta, GA
  • MTS Recording
  • Patchwerk Records Studios, Atlanta, GA
  • Silent Sound Studios, Atlanta, GA;

  • Sony Music Studios, New York, NY
  • South Beach Studios, Miami, FL
  • St. Louis, MO
  • Thomas Crown Headquarters, Virginia Beach, VA
  • Transcon Studios, Orlando, FL
  • Zac Digital, Atlanta, GA.

Leftover tracks

There is an album with all the leftover's and remixes from Mario's Go Album titled Go (The Leftovers).

Remixes

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2007) Peak
position
scope="row" Japanese Albums (Oricon)[20] 43
UK Albums (OCC)[21] 109
US Billboard 200[22] 21
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[23] 4

Release history

Region Date Format
South Africa October 9, 2007 CD release, digital download
Germany[24] December 4, 2007
Australia[25] December 8, 2007
United States December 11, 2007
Japan December 11, 2007
United Kingdom December 10, 2007

References

  1. Official Site News on guests/production. Retrieved April 3, 2007
  2. Strong Language/Sexual Content
  3. Mario Turning Point UK edition With Parental Advisory
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Mario Interview on DJBooth.net". May 2007. Retrieved June 9, 2007.
  5. "Pharrell Interview" on YouTube August 2007. Retrieved September 4, 2007
  6. MTV.com "Mario Says New LP Shows 'Mysterious Side' — But Ends Mystery Behind Last Name", September 2006. Retrieved April 3, 2007
  7. MTVAsia.com "Mario Changes LP Title, Reaches Out To Disadvantaged Kids", December 2006. Retrieved January 20, 2007
  8. "Mario Gets Naked!". 2008-07-16. Retrieved 7 March 2009.
  9. "So You Think You Can Dance: Top 14 Perform".
  10. 10.0 10.1 Nero, Mark Edward. "Mario - Go". About.com.
  11. 11.0 11.1 Kellman, Andy. "Go - Mario". Allmusic.
  12. 12.0 12.1 Bruce, Sophie (2007-11-29). "BBC - Music - Review of Mario - Go". BBC Music.
  13. Capobianco, Ken (December 11, 2007). "Loverman, where can you be?". The Boston Globe.
  14. 14.0 14.1 Nathan S. "Mario - Go". DJ Booth.
  15. Fields, Aaron (2007-11-30). "The Beat: Mario "Go" Review". KSTW. Archived from the original on 2008-12-03. Retrieved 2012-10-14.
  16. Hip Hop Album Sales: Week Ending 12/16/07 | Hip Hop News - HipHopDX.com
  17. "Mario - Go! - Review". 411mania.com. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
  18. Ascap Ace Staff. "Mario - Ghetto Love". Ascap Ace. Retrieved 1-3-2009. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  19. Product Page: Go. Muze. Retrieved on 2009-12-04.
  20. 18, 2014/ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: February 18, 2014" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved February 16, 2006.
  21. 18, 2014 "January 18, 2014 Top 40 UK Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  22. "Joe Album & Song Chart History" Billboard 200 for Joe. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  23. "Joe Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums for Joe. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  24. GO Germany release Go Germany release. Accessed September 2, 2009
  25. Go Australia release Go Australia release. Accessed September 2, 2009

External links