Between Friends (album)

Between Friends
Studio album by Tamia
Released May 12, 2006
Recorded 2005–2006
Genre
Length 61:18
Label
  • Gallo
  • Plus 1
Producer
Tamia chronology
More
(2004)More2004		 Between Friends
(2006)		 Beautiful Surprise
(2012)Beautiful Surprise2012

Between Friends is the fourth studio album by Canadian singer Tamia, first released by Gallo Records in South Africa on May 12, 2006 (see 2006 in music). The album was released on November 14, 2006 in the United States and on November 20, 2006 in the United Kingdom (In HMV stores) on Image Entertainment. Between Friends was entirely produced by Shep Crawford, besides three tracks by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins. It peaked at number 66 on the US Billboard Hot 200 selling 18,000 copies in its first week. To date it has sold about 370,000 copies in the US, 120,000 in South Africa and more than 800,000 worldwide. A Gift Between Friends is a 2-disc album comprising a re-release of Between Friends and featuring some new Christmas songs by Tamia. It was released on October 27, 2007.

Background

In 2004, Elektra Records released Tamia's third studio album, More. Her highest-charting release yet, it debuted at number seventeen on the US Billboard 200 and at number four on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, selling 58,000 copies in its first week. In addition, it spawned the R&B top forty single "Officially Missing You".[1] The same year, following its sale by Time Warner, Elektra merged with Atlantic Records, another Warner Music Group label, to form the Atlantic Records Group.[2] At about the same time, Tamia's recording deal was up for renewal; though she was in a position to re-sign with the label, she chose to leave the company following her transition.[3] In order to gain more creative control over future projects, she decided to found her own record label, Plus One Music Group.[4]

Unlike previous projects Tamia only worked with two producers on Between Friends, including longtime contributor Shep Crawford and Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins.[5][6][7]

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
About.com[8]
Allmusic[9]

As Tamia was able to arrange deals with international distributors at different times, Between Friends was first released by Gallo Records in South Africa on May 12, 2006 – several months before its arrival in the United States, Tamia's main selling market.[10] Elsewhere, the album was released in November and December 2006 on Image Entertainment, featuring four additional tracks, including "Have to Go Through It", a duet with Eric Benet, and the single "Me".[10]

Between Friends received generally mixed to positive reviews from music critics. Allmusic wrote that "with production help from Shep Crawford and Rodney Jerkins, Between Friends offers up a range of tracks, including bouncy club numbers, sensual love songs, and mainstream pop and R&B. But while the music sounds great, it is Tamia's instrument that takes center stage throughout," adding that the album "is packed to the gills with displays of the artist's spectacular, elastic vocal talent."[9][8] In his review for About.com writer Mark Edward Nero remarked that on Between Friends, "Tamia fails to do enough to distinguish herself from the legions of other pretty-faced/moderately talented singers out there". He felt that her "clear, strong voice" lacked "strong emotive abilities, a wide vocal range, distinctive singing style and much of a personality".[8]

Track listing

International edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."The Way I Love You"
  • Anesha Birchett
  • Antea Birchett
  • Rodney Jerkins
  • Keli Nicole Price
  • Delisha Thomas
  • Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins
4:02
2."Happy"
  • Shep Crawford
  • Kenya Ivey
  • Crawford
5:11
3."Almost"
  • Crawford
  • Crawford
3:41
4."Too Grown"
  • Jerkins
3:55
5."Me"
  • Crawford
  • Crawford
4:23
6."Can't Get Enough"
  • Daniels
  • Jerkins
  • Jerkins
3:49
7."Day Dreaming"
  • Crawford
3:21
8."Sittin' on the Job"
  • Tamia Hill
  • Crawford
  • Crawford
2:33
9."Last First Kiss"
  • Shalonda Crawford
  • Shep Crawford
  • Crawford
  • Phillip "P3" Scott
4:41
10."Why Can't It Be"
  • Hill
  • Crawford
  • Crawford
3:04
11."When a Woman"
  • Crawford
  • Crawford
4:18
12."Become Us"
  • Hill
  • Crawford
  • Crawford
4:44
13."Have to Go Through It" (featuring Eric Benét)
  • Crawford
  • Crawford
3:49
14."Please Protect My Heart"
  • Hill
  • Crawford
  • Nora Payne
  • Crawford
3:20
15."Love and I"
  • Crawford
  • Crawford
 

Personnel

Performance credits

  • Tamia Hill – lead vocals, background vocals
  • Anesha Birchett – background vocals
  • Shalonda Crawford – background vocals
  • Kenya Ivey – background vocals
  • Lisa Ivey – background vocals
  • Agape Jerry – guitar
  • Nora Payne – background vocals
  • Bryan Russell – bass guitar
  • Robert Torres – guitar
  • Jonathan Webb – bass guitar

Technical and production
  • Rodney Jerkins – audio production, composer
  • Mike Sroka – engineer
  • Gabriel Varde – tracking

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2006) Peak
position
scope="row" US Billboard 200[11] 66
scope="row" US Independent Albums (Billboard)[12] 2
scope="row" US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[13] 9

Release history

List of release dates, showing country, and record label
Region Date Label
South Africa May 12, 2006 Gallo Records
United States November 14, 2006 Plus 1 Music Group
United Kingdom November 20, 2006 Plus 1 Music Group
Japan November 22, 2006 Plus 1 Music Group
Canada December 5, 2006 Plus 1 Music Group
United States
(re-issue)		 October 27, 2007 Plus 1 Music Group

References

  1. ↑ Mitchell, Gail (2014-08-22). "Tamia Signs With Def Jam Ahead of New Album". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2015-05-11.
  2. ↑ "Atlantic Records Group". Warner Music Group. 2014-08-22. Retrieved 2015-05-11.
  3. ↑ "YBF Interview: Tamia". TheYBF.com. 2007-06-23. Retrieved 2015-07-06.
  4. ↑ Rashad, Rashad (2012-08-31). "That Grape Juice Interviews Tamia". ThatGrapeJuice.net. Townsquare Music. Retrieved 2015-05-11.
  5. ↑ "Tamia: Independence". Singersroom. 2006-11-10. Retrieved 2015-07-04.
  6. ↑ Ndlovu, Makho (2012-08-28). "Exclusive: Makho Interviews Tamia". Just Curious SA. Retrieved 2015-07-04.
  7. ↑ Ndlovu, Makho (2007-07-09). "Between Friends Interview With Tamia". Langfield Entertainment (Newsletter). Retrieved 2015-07-04.
  8. 1 2 3 Nero, Mark Edward. "Tamia - 'Between Friends'". About.com. Retrieved 2015-06-13.
  9. 1 2 Between Friends - Tamia at AllMusic. Retrieved 21 July, 2012.
  10. 1 2 Perry, Clayton (2008-05-21). "Interview: Tamia, Singer and Songwriter". BlogCritics.com. Retrieved 2015-06-13.
  11. ↑ "Tamia – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Tamia. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Tamia – Chart history" Billboard Independent Albums for Tamia. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Tamia – Chart history" Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums for Tamia. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
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