Testify (Caleb Johnson album)

Testify
Studio album by Caleb Johnson
Released August 12, 2014
Recorded 2014
Genre Rock
Length 40:16
Label Interscope, 19
Producer Howard Benson
Singles from Testify
  1. "As Long as You Love Me"
    Released: May, 2014
  2. "Only One"
    Released: July 28, 2014

Testify is the debut album by American Idol season thirteen winner, Caleb Johnson.[1] Its first single was released in July 2014 and the album was released on August 12, 2014, by Interscope Records and is produced by Howard Benson.[2]

Background

The album was first announced soon after Johnson won American Idol. Then it was assumed that the album would be self-titled but on June 23, it was revealed that the album would be titled, Testify. Johnson co-wrote six of the ten tracks and worked with musicians such as, Blair Daly, James Michael of Sixx:AM, Sam Hollander, Aloe Blacc, Justin Tranter of Semi Precious Weapons, and Dave Bassett. The album's first single will be released in July 2014 and his Idol coronation song, "As Long as You Love" will serve as a bonus track.[3]

Johnson recorded the album in three weeks in between the Idol finale and tour. He says, "The week after the show ended, I flew all over the place and did a press run," "Immediately after that, I flew back to L.A. and started working on the record. I wrote 12 or 13 songs. Out of those, we picked eight to put on the record." About the songwriting progress, "We really just bounced off each other and pulled these songs out. Most of these songs we wrote in half a day, because we were going so quickly", says Johnson. [4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
All Music [5]
Knoxville News Sentinel [6]

The Knoxville News Sentinel's Chuck Campbell says that Johnson "has a likeable personality and a strong voice. But he's an underdeveloped performer on his undercooked new Testify, blandly molded to appeal to an overbroad audience, much like American Idol itself." [6]

Track listing

[7]

Testify   — Standard edition
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Sailing Away"  Jonny Litten, Lenny Skolnik, Sidnie Tipton 3:21
2. "Save Me"  Caleb Johnson, Joleen Belle, Tom Leonard, Skolnik 3:39
3. "Let Me In"  Johnson, Blair Daly, James Michael 3:02
4. "Only One"  Johnson, Josh Alexander, Sam Hollander 4:09
5. "Fighting Gravity"  Johnson, Skolnik, Brian Howes 3:58
6. "Devil's Daughter"  Johnson, Daly, Steve Diamond 3:34
7. "Another Life"  Eric D. Wortham II, Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III, Freddy Wexler 3:16
8. "Change"  Johnson, Mitch Allan, Nate Cyphert 3:52
9. "Testify"  Johnson, Daly, Dave Bassett 3:47
10. "As Long as You Love Me"  Justin Hawkins 3:08
Total length:
 35:46

Chart performance

The album debuted on Billboard 200 at No. 24 with 11,000 copies sold in its debut week, giving him the distinction of having the lowest first week sales and inaugural chart position of any American Idol winner.[8] Johnson also has the distinction of being the first American Idol winner to have their Idol coronation song, "As Long as You Love Me," fail to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.[9]

Personnel

[10] Performance credits

Visual and imagery

Production and Instruments

  • Sean Anders — Assistant engineer
  • Keith Armstrong — Mixing assistant
  • Ismael Barreto — Assistant engineer
  • Howard Benson — Hammond B3, keyboards, producer, voices
  • Monica Benson — A&R
  • Jennifer Bowling — Marketing
  • Jon Button — Bass
  • Chris Chaney — Bass
  • Randy Cooke — Drums
  • The Dap Kings Horns — Horn
  • Paul DeCarlie — Digital editing
  • John Ehmann — A&R
  • Josh Freese — Drums, guitar
  • Brian Gardner —Mastering
  • Cochemea Gastelum — Baritone sax
  • Wayne Gordon — Engineer
  • Dave Guy — Trumpet
  • Hatsukazu "Hatch" Inagaki — Overdub engineer, vocal engineer
  • Stephanie Hsu — Art Direction
  • Nik Karpen —Mixing assistant

  • Jonny Litten — Keyboards, programming
  • Chris Lord-Alge —Mixing
  • Anthony Martinez — Assistant Engineer
  • Muktar Muktar — Assistant Engineer
  • Marta Navas — A&R
  • Katherine Neil — A&R
  • Jon Nicholson — Drum technician
  • Mike Plotnikoff — Engineer
  • Meghan Prophet — Publicity
  • Ginger Ramsey — Management
  • Joe Rickard — Drums
  • Les Scurry — Production
  • Lenny Skolnik — Keyboards, programming, string arrangements
  • Neal Sugarman — Tenor sax
  • Marisa Torbert — A&R
  • Jeanne Venton — A&R
  • Brianne Widaman — Management
  • Christine Wolff — Publicity
  • Phil X — Guitar

Release dates

Country Date Label Formats Catalog
Germany August 11, 2014 Universal Music Group CD, digital download
Canada August 12, 2014
United States Interscope Records, 19 002132002
Japan August 13, 2014 Universal Music Group

References

  1. ↑ "iTunes - Music - Caleb Johnson by Caleb Johnson". iTunes. Apple Inc. Check date values in: |archivedate= (help)
  2. ↑ Schneider, Marc (May 22, 2014). "'Idol' Winner Caleb Johnson to Release Debut Album In August". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  3. ↑ Liberman, Mark. "Caleb Johnson's debut album has a new title, 'Testify'". USA Today. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
  4. ↑ Mansfield, Brian. "Caleb Johnson". USA Today. Retrieved August 15, 2014.
  5. ↑ "All Music review". All Music. Retrieved August 15, 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Campbell, Chuck (August 12, 2014). "‘Tuned In' review: ‘Idol' winner Caleb Johnson doesn't triumph with ‘Testify'". Retrieved August 27, 2914. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  7. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/testify-mr0004210115
  8. ↑ Paul Grein (August 20, 2014). "Chart Watch: A New Low For 'American Idol'". Yahoo! Music.
  9. ↑ http://www.digitaljournal.com/a-and-e/music/american-idol-winner-caleb-johnson-flops-with-new-album-testify/article/399751#ixzz3BiLrP76s
  10. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/testify-mr0004210115/credits