Life in a Beautiful Light
Life in a Beautiful Light is the third album by Scottish singer-songwriter Amy Macdonald, released on 11 June 2012.[1] The lead single is "Slow It Down" and was released on 20 April 2012. Macdonald's official website confirmed the album for release on 13 April 2012. The track listing was confirmed on Universal Music's store on the same day.[2]
Life in a Beautiful Light | ||||
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Studio album by Amy Macdonald | ||||
Released | 11 June 2012 | |||
Studio | Mayfield Studios (United Kingdom) State of the Ark (Surrey, England) | |||
Genre | Pop rock, soft rock | |||
Label | Melodramatic, Mercury, Vertigo | |||
Producer | Pete Wilkinson | |||
Amy Macdonald chronology | ||||
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Amy Macdonald studio album chronology | ||||
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Singles from Life in a Beautiful Light | ||||
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Deluxe version cover | ||||
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Background
Macdonald began to write Life in a Beautiful Light after having a "lovely year off" following touring in support of A Curious Thing. Macdonald had no time to write songs on her second album as she was touring with This Is the Life. However, Macdonald said she felt that the creation of Life in a Beautiful Light was a more natural process.[3] Two songs from Life in a Beautiful Light were begun before Macdonald's break. "In the End" was written with Macdonald questioning herself whether being a musician was a worthwhile occupation.[3]
Macdonald wrote "Human Spirit" inspired by the Chilean miners' rescue.[3] The song "Left That Body Long Ago" described her grandmother's decline into Alzheimer's disease whilst "Across the Nile" is a response to the conflict of the Arab Spring.[4]
Reception
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 60/100[5] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Daily Express | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Hot Press | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
musicOMH | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Sputnikmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Scotsman | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Tech | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The album up to now has gathered mixed reviews, earning a collective score of 5.1 out of 10 at AnyDecentMusic?.[13] The Upcoming described the album as a "strong return from Macdonald, interweaving her distinctive voice with splashing cymbals and burbling electronica, but still intermittently flirting with folky affectations".[14] The album received 60/100 on Metacritic, a review aggregator website, signifying "mixed or average reviews".[5]
Chart performance
On 14 June 2012 Life in a Beautiful Light entered the Irish Albums Chart at number 5, making it her highest charting album in Ireland. On 17 June 2012 the album entered the UK Albums Chart at number 2, making it the second highest charting album that week, only beaten by Gary Barlow's album Sing. Only 1,000 copies separated the top three albums.[15] The album fared better in Scotland, where it debuted at number one.
Singles
- "Slow It Down" was released as the lead single from the album on 20 April 2012. The song was a modest hit in Europe, charting at forty-five in the United Kingdom, fifty-six in Austria, fifty in Switzerland and forty in Germany.
- "Pride" was released as the second single from the album on 13 August 2012.
- "4th of July" was released as the third single from the album on 22 October 2012.
Track listings
All songs written by Amy Macdonald
Standard edition
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "4th of July" | 3:48 |
2. | "Pride" | 3:22 |
3. | "Slow It Down" | 3:52 |
4. | "The Furthest Star" | 3:29 |
5. | "The Game" | 4:24 |
6. | "Across the Nile" | 3:19 |
7. | "The Days of Being Young and Free" | 4:09 |
8. | "Left That Body Long Ago" | 4:49 |
9. | "Life in a Beautiful Light" | 4:35 |
10. | "Human Spirit" | 2:06 |
11. | "The Green and the Blue" | 3:53 |
12. | "In the End / Two Worlds" (hidden track) | 8:05 |
Deluxe edition
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "4th of July" | 3:48 |
2. | "Pride" | 3:22 |
3. | "Slow It Down" | 3:52 |
4. | "The Furthest Star" | 3:29 |
5. | "The Game" | 4:24 |
6. | "Across the Nile" | 3:19 |
7. | "The Days of Being Young and Free" | 4:09 |
8. | "Left That Body Long Ago" | 4:49 |
9. | "Life in a Beautiful Light" | 4:35 |
10. | "Human Spirit" | 2:06 |
11. | "The Green and the Blue" | 3:53 |
12. | "In the End" | 3:52 |
13. | "Slow It Down" (acoustic version) | 3:46 |
14. | "The Furthest Star" (acoustic version) | 3:07 |
15. | "The Green and the Blue" (acoustic version) | 2:50 |
16. | "Across the Nile" (acoustic version; iTunes exclusive) | 3:10 |
17. | "4th of July" (acoustic version) | 3:03 |
18. | "Slow It Down" (singalong instrumental version) | 3:56 |
19. | "4th of July" (singalong instrumental version) | 3:48 |
20. | "Pride" (singalong instrumental version) | 3:24 |
21. | "Two Worlds" (hidden track) | 3:52 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
21. | "Pride" (acoustic version) | 3:18 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
21. | "Born to Run" (acoustic version) | 3:32 |
22. | "Life in a Beautiful Light" (acoustic version) | 3:16 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
13. | "Slow It Down" (Spotify version; acoustic live) | 3:35 |
14. | "Pride" (Spotify version; acoustic live) | 3:24 |
Super deluxe box set
A super deluxe box set was also released that contains:[2]
- Standard edition of the album
- Bonus CD: A selection of acoustic versions, and singalong instrumentals
- DVD-5 acoustic versions live
- 2 litho artwork numbered prints
- Sheet music for "Slow It Down"
"Amy Macdonald guitar pic"
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Germany (BVMI)[37] | Platinum | 200,000^ |
Poland (ZPAV)[38] | Gold | 10,000* |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[39] | Platinum | 30,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[40] | Gold | 100,000^ |
*sales figures based on certification alone |
References
- "Life in a Beautiful Light". 13 April 2012. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- "Life in a Beautiful Light Track listing". 13 April 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
- Biography — Amy Macdonald Archived 21 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- Sincair, David (9 June 2012). "Amy Macdonald: Songs in the key of life – from Glasgow". The Independent. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
- Life in a Beautiful Light Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More - Metacritic
- Christopher Monger, James. "Life in a Beautiful Light - Amy Macdonald". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
- Gaga, Simon (8 June 2012). "CD Review - Amy Macdonald, Life In A Beautiful Light". Daily Express. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
- O. Hare, Colm (29 May 2012). "Life In A Beautiful Light". Hot Press. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
- John Murphy. "Amy Macdonald - Life In A Beautiful Light". MusicOMH. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
- Davey Boy (12 June 2012). "Amy Macdonald Life In A Beautiful Light". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
- Fiona Shepherd (11 June 2012). "Album review: Amy MacDonald: Life in a Beautiful Light". The Scotsman. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
- Dere, Kathryn (11 July 2012). "ALBUM REVIEW: Sunny summer soundtrack". The Tech. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
- "Amy MacDonald - Life in a Beautiful Light". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
- Album review: Amy Macdonald — Life In A Beautiful Light | The Upcoming
- Gary Barlow pips Amy MacDonald and Usher to Number 1 in albums chart race. Official Charts Company
- "Saturn - Musik-Download". Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- Life In A Beautiful Light by Amy Macdonald on Spotify
- "Austria Top-40 - Amy Macdonald - Life in a Beautiful Light (album)". Austriancharts.at (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
- "Charts Vlaandere - Amy Macdonald - Life in a Beautiful Light (album)". Ultratop (Flanders) (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
- "Charts Belgique Francophone - Amy Macdonald - Life in a Beautiful Light (album)". Ultratop (Wallonia) (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
- "Top Stranih - Tjedan 32. 2012". HDU-Topplista.com (in Croatian). Retrieved 20 August 2012.
- "Amy Macdonald - Life In A Beautiful Light". danishcharts.dk. Hung Medien.
- "Dutch Charts - Amy Macdonald - Life in a Beautiful Light (album)". Dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
- "Amy Macdonald - Life In A Beautiful Light". lescharts.com/. Hung Medien.
- "Album - Amy Macdonald, Life In A Beautiful Light". Charts.de (in German). Retrieved 22 June 2012.
- "GFK Chart-Track - Top 75 Artist Album, Week Ending 14 June 2012". Chart Track. GfK. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
- "VG-Lista - Amy Macdonald - Life in a Beautiful Light (album)". Norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien.
- "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart - sales for the period 11.06.2012 - 17.06.2012". OLiS. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
- "Scottish Albums Top 40 - 23rd June 2012". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
- "Swedish Charts - Amy Macdonald - Life In A Beautiful Light". spanishcharts.com/ Hung Medien.
- "Swedish Charts - Amy Macdonald - Life in a Beautiful Light (album)". swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien.
- "Swiss Charts - Amy Macdonald - Life in a Beautiful Light (album(". Hitparade.ch (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
- "Suisse Romande Charts - Amy Macdonald - Life in a Beautiful Light (album)". lescharts.ch. (in French). Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- "Archive Chart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
- ultratop.be - ULTRATOP BELGIAN CHARTS
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 January 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Amy Macdonald; 'Life in a Beautiful Light')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- "Polish album certifications – Amy Macdonald – Life in a Beautiful Light" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
- "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Amy Macdonald; 'Life in a Beautiful Light')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- "British album certifications – Amy MacDonald – Life in a Beautiful Light". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 13 August 2012. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Life in a Beautiful Light in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.