A Little More Personal (Raw)

A Little More Personal (Raw)
Studio album by Lindsay Lohan
Released	December 5, 2005
Recorded	2005; Lohan's trailer at Herbie: Fully Loaded locations
Genre	Pop rock
Length	43:15
Label	Casablanca
Producer	Kara DioGuardi Ben Moody Butch Walker Greg Wells
Lindsay Lohan chronology
Speak (2004) A Little More Personal (Raw) (2005)
Singles from A Little More Personal (Raw)
"Confessions of a Broken Heart (Daughter to Father)" Released: October 18, 2005

A Little More Personal (Raw) is the second studio album by American singer and actress Lindsay Lohan, released on December 5, 2005 by Casablanca Records. Initially titled There's Only One Angel In Heaven, the album, produced by Kara DioGuardi, Greg Wells, Ben Moody and Butch Walker, features darker material than Lohan's previous album, Speak (2004). Recording sessions took place in several locations, including at Lohan's trailer during the shoot of Herbie: Fully Loaded, where she recorded the first and only single of the album, "Confessions of a Broken Heart (Daughter to Father)".

A Little More Personal (Raw) received mixed reviews from music critics, who praised Lohan's ambition, despite considering it a weak album. The album charted mildly compared to Speak, debuting (and also peaking) at number twenty on United States' Billboard 200 with first week sales of 82,000 copies,^[1] and also peaking at the same position on the Digital Albums chart. However, A Little More Personal (Raw) was certified Gold in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over 500,000 copies.^[2] It was also certified Gold in Taiwan.^[3] Lohan promoted the album with a few television appearances, including at MTV's Total Request Live, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and the 2005 American Music Awards. To date, A Little More Personal (Raw) has sold over 2 million copies worldwide.

Background and recording

During the shoot of the music video for "First" (2005), Lohan revealed in an interview with MTV that she was preparing her sophomore studio album.^[4] "When you get into the studio, everything just comes out," she said. "All your creative juices are there. I don't [want to] leave. I'll still be in there until all hours, and it's nice to be able to do that." Lohan began writing lyrics for the album in June 2005, after the last single from her previous album had been released. "I've been writing a lot, almost every night," she said. "There's been a lot going on [in my life lately], and I think people can find that escape in hobbies that they do. I don't do yoga or anything, but some people use that. Everyone has their own thing, and I use writing."^[4] Initially titled There's Only One Angel In Heaven,^[5] the pop rock album features a darker theme when compared to Lohan's previous album, Speak (2004).^[6][7]

"Confessions of a Broken Heart (Daughter to Father)", the lead single and first track of the album, was mainly written by Lohan as a letter to her father, Michael Lohan, who was incarcerated in June 2005 after surviving a car crash for which he was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.^[8] Additional writing and song production was done by Greg Wells and Kara DioGuardi,^[9] who revealed, "If you solo the vocals you'll hear race cars, because we brought the studio to [Lindsay's] trailer on Herbie: Fully Loaded. I'm not kidding! She had no time to do the record, so she would be on her lunch break, and I'd be like, 'Throw that thing down your throat and get over here, 'cause we got to finish these vocals!' So I sat for 14 hours on the set and would grab her for, like, 10 minutes at a time. The poor girl. That's the reality of young Hollywood. When they're hot, they're worked to death. It was 18/20-hour days. ... And I swear: 'Vroom! Vroom!' You can hear it in the back."^[10] "My Innocence" is also about the singer's father.^[11] Lohan also covered "I Want You to Want Me" by Cheap Trick and "Edge of Seventeen" by Stevie Nicks for the album.^[9]

Reception

Critical response

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	50/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[12]
Entertainment Weekly	B−[13]
Los Angeles Times	[14]
The New York Times	(average)[15]
PopMatters	[16]
Rolling Stone	[11]
Slant Magazine	[17]

A Little More Personal (Raw) received mixed reviews from critics. The album holds a score of 50 out of 100 based on 9 critical reviews, according to the music review aggregator Metacritic.^[18] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave the album three stars out of five, saying, "Lindsay Lohan clearly spells out her ambition in the title to her second album, A Little More Personal (Raw) -- she's going to shed the glitzy trappings of her debut, Speak, and dig down deep in her heart, letting feelings flood onto the page". Erlewine also stated that the album "is far from being totally successful, it is an intriguing mash-up of heart and commerce. And it does suggest one thing that Speak never did: Lindsay Lohan may have an artistic vision as a recording artist, which is indeed a huge step forward".^[12] Entertainment Weekly 's Leah Greenblatt said, "like so many pop records today, Personal has more than its share of filler, and like all teenagers, Lohan contradicts herself. [...] Perhaps Personal 's vulnerability is calculated, and its rawness a misnomer, or maybe she's really opening up. We'll probably never know. Lindsay may no longer be on the edge of 17, but being 19, troubled, and ridiculously famous can cut pretty deep, so props to her for letting us see her bleed — just a little".^[13]

Brian Hiatt of Rolling Stone said Lohan "makes a fatal mistake on her second album: She tries to, like, express herself",^[11] while a Los Angeles Times critic also gave the album a negative review, claiming that, "for most of the album, [Lohan] sounds like any other self-absorbed teen, yearning to be Alanis, Gwen and even Stevie Nicks."^[14] Whitney Strub of PopMatters stated, "what can one expect from an album that promises to get more personal but includes lyrics declaring, “no one knows how I feel inside/And I’m keeping it that way” (from “Fastlane”)?", and commenting that "with A Little More Personal, Lindsay Lohan reminds us that, despite such blossoms, pop still has the potential to climb the charts while combining blandness, banality and vapidity".^[16] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine considered A Little More Personal (Raw) "more consistent than its predecessor, and it's not a bad listen by any means, but for all the so-called weighty subject matter, there's not much meat on these bones".^[17]

Commercial performance

A Little More Personal (Raw) debuted at number twenty on the Billboard 200 on the week of December 24, 2005 with first week sales of 82,000 copies,^[1] and stayed on the chart for seven weeks. The album debuted in the same week at the same position on the Billboard Digital Albums chart, dropping off the chart on the following week.^[19] A Little More Personal (Raw) was certified Gold in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over 500,000 copies.^[20][21] It was also certified Gold in Taiwan.^[3] The album sold 2 million copies worldwide, as of today.

Promotion

Following the album's release, it was reported that A Little More Personal (Raw) was certified Gold in Taiwan, and that Lohan was going on tour with the album in the country.^[3] "I just found this out today - my album went gold there. It was a great feeling because it was very unexpected", the singer revealed. "I would love to (tour Taiwan). I haven't toured at all at this point, but I would really love to do that. It's a great feeling to know that people in other places and other countries are aware of my music and what I do".^[3] The tour, however, didn't happen for unknown reasons. Lohan promoted the album in a few television appearances, including at MTV's Total Request Live on the day of the album's release,^[22] and at The Ellen DeGeneres Show on December 14, 2005.^[23] The singer performed "Confessions of a Broken Heart" and her cover of "Edge of Seventeen" in the 2005 American Music Awards.^[24]

Singles

"Confessions of a Broken Heart (Daughter to Father)" was previewed before the album's release at AOL Music's First Listen on September 30, 2005,.^[25] It was made available for purchase as a digital download and was sent to U.S. radio in October 2005.^[26] A music video for the song, directed by Lohan herself, references her father Michael's drunkenness and alleged domestic abuse,^[27] and was released on October 25, 2005.^[28] As a response to the music video, Michael Lohan wrote a letter to the New York Daily News, saying, "while I always considered and expressed how truly blessed Lindsay, as well as my other children are, I never realized how blessed I am to have a daughter as amazing as Lindsay. Hold onto my shirt honey, soon enough you'll be able to hold on to me!"^[25] "Confessions of a Broken Heart (Daughter to Father)" achieved moderate success, reaching number seven in Australia on the week of its debut on chart. The song spent thirteen weeks on the chart, peaking at number forty-five on the last.^[29] In Austria, the song reached number seventy-four on the week of March 24, 2006, dropping the chart in the following.^[29] In the United States, the song peaked at number fourteen on Hot Digital Songs on the week of December 3, 2005, while reaching number fifty-seven on Billboard Hot 100 on the week of December 24, 2005.^[30] The song was Lohan's first and only entry on the official Hot 100.

"I Live for the Day" was planned as the second single, and a promotional CD was issued to radio stations in 2005;^[31] however, the plans were scrapped.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Confessions of a Broken Heart (Daughter to Father)"	Lindsay Lohan Kara DioGuardi Greg Wells	Wells DioGuardi	3:41
2.	"Black Hole"	DioGuardi Louise Goffin Wells	Wells DioGuardi Sturgis	4:02
3.	"I Live for the Day"	Desmond Child Andreas Carlsson Ethan Mentzer Ben Romans	Wells DioGuardi	3:10
4.	"I Want You to Want Me"	Richard Nielson	DioGuardi Butch Walker	3:09
5.	"My Innocence"	Lohan DioGuardi Wells	Wells DioGuardi	4:19
6.	"A Little More Personal"	Lohan DioGuardi Walker	Walker DioGuardi	2:59
7.	"If It's Alright"	Lohan DioGuardi Walker	DioGuardi Walker	4:07
8.	"If You Were Me"	Lohan DioGuardi Wells	Wells DioGuardi	2:55
9.	"Fastlane"	Lohan Ben Moody Mitch Allan DioGuardi	Moody	3:23
10.	"Edge of Seventeen"	Stevie Nicks	Moody	4:22
11.	"Who Loves You"	DioGuardi Wells	Wells DioGuardi	3:50
12.	"A Beautiful Life (La Bella Vita)"	Lohan Michelle Lewis Charlton Pettus DioGuardi	Wells DioGuardi	3:28

Credits and personnel

Credits taken from the album's liner notes.^[9]

Performance credits

Lindsay Lohan: primary artist, vocals, concept. Louise Goffin: piano Butch Walker: bass, guitar, keyboards Kara DioGuardi: background vocals Michael Herring: guitar Ashley Arrison: background vocals

A. Brien: bass Darren Dodd: drums Mark Colbert: drums Tim Myers: bass Marty O'Brien: bass Tim Myers: bass

Technical credits

Al Smith: contributor David Campbell: string arrangements Daniel Chase: programming Michael Lattonzi: vocal engineer Butch Walker: arranger, producer Greg Wells: arranger, producer Kara DioGuardi: arranger, producer, executive producer Steve McMillan: engineer, vocal engineer Sandy Brummels: art direction Stephen Finfer: production liaison Joe Zook: engineer

Jeb Brien: contributor Vlado Meller: mastering Dan Certa: engineer Chris Steffen: engineer Lindsay Lohan: executive producer Ben Moody: arranger, programming, producer Dina Lohan: management Christian Frederick Sr. Martin: contributor Joanne Oriti: contributor Claire Aude: engineer

Charts and certifications

Charts Chart (2005) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[32] 88 US Billboard 200[19] 20 US Billboard Digital Albums[19] 20

Certifications Region Certification Certified units/Sales United States (RIAA)[33] Gold 500,000^^ ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. "Eminem Scores Fourth No.1 Album In A Row". Billboard. 14 December 2005. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
2. "American album certifications – Lindsay Lohan". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
3. Entertainment News Staff (December 10, 2005). "Lindsay Lohan Ready for A Taiwan Tour". Softpedia. Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
4. "Lindsay Lohan Reveals The Secret Of Her 'First' Video". MTV. Viacom International. June 16, 2005. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
5. "Lindsay Lohan - There's Only One Angel In Heaven Japan - CD ALBUM (338769)". Eil. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
6. "A Little More Personal (Raw) by Lindsay Lohan". iTunes Store. Apple, Inc. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
7. D., Spence (December 6, 2005). "Lindsay Lohan - A Little More Personal (RAW)". IGN. News Corporation. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
8. "For The Record: Quick News On R. Kelly, Lindsay Lohan, Kanye West, Carrie Underwood, LL Cool J, 'Idol' & More". MTV. Viacom International. March 13, 2007. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
9. A Little More Personal (Raw) (liner notes). Lindsay Lohan. Casablanca Music, LLC, a division of Universal Music Group. 2005. 602498871935.
10. Cantiello, Jim (June 27, 2011). "Kara DioGuardi Opens Up About Lindsay Lohan, 'No Boundaries'". MTV. Viacom International. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
11. "A Little More Personal (Raw) by Lindsay Lohan". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. November 28, 2005. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
12. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (December 6, 2005). "A Little More Personal (Raw) - Album Review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
13. Greenblatt, Leah (December 9, 2005). "Music Review - A Little More Personal (Raw)". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
14. Lewis, Randy (December 6, 2005). "Reflections that don't cut deeply". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
15. Sanneh, Kelefa (December 5, 2005). "New CD's (Lindsay Lohan: A Little More Personal (Raw))". The New York Times. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
16. Strub, Whitney (December 21, 2005). "Lindsay Lohan: A Little More Personal (Raw)". PopMatters. Sarah Zupko. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
17. Cinquemani, Sal (November 28, 2005). "Lindsay Lohan: A Little More Personal (Raw)". Slant Magazine. Keith Uhlich. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
18. "A Little More Personal (Raw) - Lindsay Lohan – Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
19. "Lindsay Lohan Album & Song Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. December 24, 2005. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
20. "American album certifications – Lindsay Lohan". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
21. "Lindsay Lohan Gets 'Bossy' On New Track". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. May 8, 2008. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
22. "Episode dated 6 December 2005". Total Request Live. December 6, 2005. ABC Entertainment. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
23. "Episode dated 14 December 2005". The Ellen DeGeneres Show. December 14, 2005. ABC Entertainment. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
24. "For The Record: Quick News On Shar Jackson, Slipknot, Jay-Z, Hilary Duff, Green Day, Neil Diamond & More". MTV. MTV Networks. November 2, 2005. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
25. Lamb, Bill. "The Story Behind "Confessions Of a Broken Heart (Daughter To Father)"". About.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
26. "Confessions of a Broken Heart (Daughter to Father) - Single by Lindsay Lohan". iTunes Store. Apple Inc. January 15, 2006. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
27. Vineyard, Jennifer (October 17, 2005). "Lindsay Lohan Cracks The Mirror". MTV. Viacom International. Archived from the original on 2008-12-02. Retrieved 2008-08-28.
28. "Confessions of a Broken Heart (Daughter to Father) - Music Video by Lindsay Lohan". iTunes Store. Apple Inc. October 25, 2005. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
29. "Lindsay Lohan - Confessions of a Broken Heart (Daughter to Father) - Peaks Around the World". Hung Medien. January 29, 2006. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
30. "Lindsay Lohan - Confessions of a Broken Heart (Daughter to Father) - Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on 29 July 2011. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
31. "I Live for the Day". Discogs. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
32. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 13 February 2006" (PDF) (832). Pandora Archive. February 20, 2006. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
33. "American album certifications – Lindsay Lohan – A Little More Personal (Raw)". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH

External links

• Lindsay Lohan's official music website
• Lindsay Lohan at Casablanca Records