Testify (Caleb Johnson album)
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]
| Testify | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by Caleb Johnson | |
| Released | August 12, 2014 |
| Recorded | May-June 2014 |
| Genre | Rock |
| Length | 40:16 |
| Label | |
| Producer | Howard Benson |
| Singles from Testify | |
| |
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 Me" 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
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| All Music |    |
| Knoxville News Sentinel | |
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]
Commercial 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.[7] The album has sold 24,000 copies in the United States as of April 2016.[8] Including album equivalent units, a total of 30,695 units has been sold as of March 2018.[9]
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.[10]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(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 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Dream On" | Steven Tyler | 4:40 |
| Total length: | 40:26 | ||
Personnel
Adapted from AllMusic.[12]
Performers
- All vocals – Caleb Johnson
- Background vocals – Justin Hawkins, Johnny Litten, Lenny Skolnik
- Choir/chorus – Monet Bagneris, Auvrell Christophe, Calvin Dupree, Tommy Leonard
Design
- Photography – Brian Bowen-Smith
- Art direction – Stephanie Hsu, Sean Mosher-Smith
- Design – Sean Mosher-Smith
Musicians
- Baritone saxophone – Cochemea Gastelum
- Bass – Jon Button, Chris Chaney
- Drums – Randy Cooke, Josh Freese, Joe Rickard
- Guitars – Josh Freese, Phil X
- Hammond B3 – Howard Benson
- Horns – The Dap Kings Horns
- Keyboards – Howard Benson, Johnny Litten, Lenny Skolnik
- Tenor saxophone – Neal Sugarman
- Trumpet – Dave Guy
Production
- A&R – Monica Benson, John Ehmann, Marta Navas, Katherine Neil, Marisa Torbet, Jeanne Venton
- Digital editing – Paul DeCarlie
- Drum technician – Jon Nicholson
- Engineer – Wayne Gordon, Mike Plotnikoff
- Assistant engineer – Sean Anders, Anthony Martinez, Muktar Muktar
- Overdub engineer – Hatsukazu "Hatch" Inagaki
- Vocal engineer – Hatsukazu "Hatch" Inagaki
- Management – Ginger Ramsey, Brianne Widaman
- Marketing – Jennifer Bowling
- Mastering – Brian Gardner
- Mixing – Chris Lord
- Mixing assistant – Keith Armstrong, Ismael Barreto, Nik Karpen
- Producer – Howard Benson, Les Scurry
- Programming – Jonny Litten, Lenny Skolnik
- Publicity – Meghan Prophet, Christine Wolff
- String arrangement – Lenny Skolnik
- Voices – Howard Benson
Release history
| Country | Date | Label | Formats | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | August 11, 2014 | Universal Music Group | ||
| Canada | August 12, 2014 | |||
| United States | 002132002 | |||
| Japan | August 13, 2014 | Universal Music Group |
References
- "iTunes - Music - Caleb Johnson by Caleb Johnson". iTunes. Apple Inc.
- Schneider, Marc (May 22, 2014). "'Idol' Winner Caleb Johnson to Release Debut Album In August". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
- Liberman, Mark. "Caleb Johnson's debut album has a new title, 'Testify'". USA Today. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
- Mansfield, Brian. "Caleb Johnson". USA Today. Retrieved August 15, 2014.
- "All Music review". All Music. Retrieved August 15, 2014.
- Campbell, Chuck (August 12, 2014). "'Tuned In' review: 'Idol' winner Caleb Johnson doesn't triumph with 'Testify'". Retrieved August 27, 2014.
- Grein, Paul (August 20, 2014). "Chart Watch: A New Low For 'American Idol'". Yahoo! Music.
- Max Willens (April 7, 2016). "'These Were The Biggest Flops 'American Idol' Has Ever Produced". International Business Times.
- Jurgensen, John (March 14, 2018). "How Do 'American Idol' Winners Fare in the Music Industry?". The Wall Street Journal.
- http://www.digitaljournal.com/a-and-e/music/american-idol-winner-caleb-johnson-flops-with-new-album-testify/article/399751#ixzz3BiLrP76s
- http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/testify-mr0004210115
- http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/testify-mr0004210115/credits