Josh Gracin "We Weren't Crazy" era

[un4gitible]

New cd out April 1st

You can listen to it here:

www.clearchannelmusic.com/cc-common/mfeatures/joshgracinSP/

It's a limited release only (the label is shipping 80k copies only)

Hopefully he'll prove them wrong and sell a boatload, forcing them to ship more. It's a good cd - I'm really liking it.

Also, if you pre-order off AMAZON, you can email forward a copy of your receipt to [e-mail] and you'll get the copy autographed by Josh himself. Hey, it's free, so if you're getting it, why not right haha

[kcchica]

KEEP SPREADING THE GOOD WORD un4gitible!!!!
Can't wait, only a few days til my copy comes!!!!!!

[un4gitible]

A couple of reviews.

People - it was a 'quick cut' 2 1/2 out of 4 stars

Before Carrie Underwood, Gracin proved that American Idol could pave the way to Nashville gold. Solid if unspectacular, his second album features country-pop akin to label-mates Rascal Flatts.

Billboard.com

Before Carrie Underwood and other "American Idol" alumni came to Nashville, season-two finalist Josh Gracin helped prove reality show stars could find a home in country music. But after scoring three top five singles, including 2005 No. 1 "Nothin' to Lose," Gracin struggled to reconnect at radio, and his second album has been long in coming. Now on the strength of a coming-of-age title cut, fans will be happy to know this solid follow-up is at hand. "Favorite State of Mind" stands out for its sheer energy, while "Livin' It Up," which includes the much-used line "I can sleep when I die," has an '80s rock feel. And the simply written "Unbelievable (Ann Marie)," which Gracin penned for his wife, might be this decade's "Amazed.



" -Ken Tucker

http://www. billboard. com/bbcom/content_display/reviews/albums/e3i6265e046f0a7094b557b5080afb57adc

[un4gitible]

AND just one more. From allmusic.

www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:azfpxz8jldte

Despite the success of contemporary vocalist Josh Gracin's self-titled debut album -- the set landed three Top Five singles (including "Nothin' to Lose," which hit the top spot) and went gold -- the former American Idol contestant (and fourth-place finisher in the second season) faces a bigger test on his sophomore effort for a number of reasons. First of all, this is a very fickle marketplace. Gracin began to record a follow-up album to be released in 2006, tentatively called I Keep Coming Back, but pulled the plug, citing a need to record all new material. Four years is a long time out of the limelight in popular music in the 21st century. Luckily for him, country audiences tend to be more loyal than rock & roll audiences, and are not as obsessed with next big things. Musically, Gracin knew what he was doing, apparently. Once more he teams with producer Marty Williams and engineer Bart Morris on some cuts and Brett James and Luke Wooten on others; there are also a few holdovers from the studio band on his debut -- namely bassist Mike Brignardello, backing vocalist Russell Terrell, and the ubiquitous steel guitarist Dan Dugmore. A nice addition here is veteran studio ace Matt Rollings on keyboards. Gracin is one of those big-voiced singers who gets to his upper tenor register somewhat effortlessly, and he makes the most of it on power ballads and big guitar storming anthems that have enough punch and enough story in them to carry the listener along for the ride. His voice drips with sincerity in everything he delivers, which is a real plus. The title cut, which was written by Gracin, is a standout. The enormously compressed guitars climb and wail, and Dugmore's steel has distortion careening over a multi-voiced chorus with a ringing 12-string and big drums. It's the album's first single, and it's a worthy one. Blair Daly's "I Don't Want to Live" follows the same basic formula, and it too works seamlessly with a nice lonesome fiddle touch at the tail end of the each line that trails into the beginning of the next. The breeziness of "Telluride," by Brett James and Troy Verges, with its neo-psychedelic guitar touches and shuffling pace, has one of those fairy-tale "poor but rich with love" storylines, and is another sure bet as a single and/or a video. Ultimately, this is formulaic contemporary country, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing; its fans are always hungry for more stories, more guitars, more catchy hooks and big choruses. Gracin does it better than most; if anyone has a chance of making lightning strike twice -- despite the long wait -- it's him.
Rating: 3.5/5 (debut got 3/5)

[shandrim]

I hope his album does well. It's shameful the way AI has acted as though Josh never existed and has ignored his success in country music while hyping people like Bucky and Pickler.

[George]

I hope he does well.

Josh seems to have gotten hotter too.

[areyoureadytojump]

Out today in the USA!!

Circuit City has it on sale.

[areyoureadytojump]

4/19 chart

33 NEW GRACIN*JOSH WE WEREN'T CRAZY 18,120 23 999 18,146

[Minimalism]

^ The sales number is decent, I think, with this being a limited release and all. Anyway, this is a solid effort from Josh. I wish this will have more success.

[kcchica]

Mar 31, 2008 10:19:58 GMT -5 shandrim said:

I hope his album does well. It's shameful the way AI has acted as though Josh never existed and has ignored his success in country music while hyping people like Bucky and Pickler.

So true! Josh was the first to do the country thing. It reminds me of Bo Bice also, he was the first one to be a rocker on the show too, and they don't give him any love either.

[reception]

"We Weren't Crazy," by Josh Gracin; Lyric Street

By Howard Cohen
McClatchy-Tribune News Service

"American Idol" Season 2 finalist Josh Gracin can sing. But that doesn't mean he has anything to say.

Gracin hits the required notes but, like too many contestants on these programs, not enough emphasis is put on honest expression or conveying anything of interest or originality.

"We Weren't Crazy," Gracin's delayed second CD, is competent mainstream country. As such, it's everything that is wrong with mainstream country. The melodies are mush and forgettable, the lyrics are trite, the hooks are dull. Like label mates Rascal Flatts, this is music made by committee to safely navigate the airwaves and offend the fewest people possible without revealing any distinct personality.

[areyoureadytojump]

5/3 chart

146 GRACIN*JOSH WE WEREN'T CRAZY 4,694 7,452 -37% 30,292