Silent Letter (album)
| Silent Letter | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by America | ||||
| Released | June 15, 1979 | |||
| Recorded | March - April 1979, AIR Studios, Montserrat | |||
| Genre | Pop, rock, disco | |||
| Length | 34:50 | |||
| Label | Capitol 85917 | |||
| Producer | George Martin | |||
| America chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Silent Letters | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
Silent Letter is the eighth original studio album by American folk rock duo America, released by Capitol Records in June 1979.
This was the first America studio album following the departure of Dan Peek, the first America release on Capitol Records, and the last to feature George Martin as producer.
It was also their first studio album since their debut to have a title beginning with a letter other than "H". The title itself acknowledges the missing "H" by its wry reference to silent letters in the English language.
The album contains fast-paced disco songs, piano power-ballads, often sung by Gerry Beckley, and steady speed pop-rock songs.
The album was not a commercial success, reaching only number 110 on the Billboard album chart. It did produce three minor hit singles. "Only Game in Town" reached 107 on the Billboard singles chart; "All My Life" (number 48 on the Adult Contemporary chart) was a big hit in Asia; and "All Around" hit number 45 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
Reception
In his Allmusic retrospective review, music critic Steven Thomas Erlewine noted the band's transition from "folky California soft rock" to adult contemporary. He wrote of the album: "The end result may be flawed, but in an enjoyable way. And compared to the records that preceded it and some of albums that followed it, Silent Letter certainly seems like a latter-day highlight for America."[1]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Only Game in Town" | Lewis Anderson, Julie Didier, Casey Kelly | 4:12 |
| 2. | "All Around" | Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell | 3:21 |
| 3. | "Tall Treasures" | Beckley, Bunnell | 3:15 |
| 4. | "1960" | Beckley | 3:10 |
| 5. | "And Forever" | Bunnell | 3:11 |
| 6. | "Foolin'" | Beckley, Ricky Fataar | 2:53 |
| 7. | "All Night" | Bunnell | 3:19 |
| 8. | "No Fortune" | Beckley | 3:18 |
| 9. | "All My Life" | Beckley | 3:02 |
| 10. | "One Morning" | Bunnell | 2:12 |
| 11. | "High in the City" | Beckley, Bunnell | 3:02 |
Personnel
- Gerry Beckley – vocals, guitars, keyboards
- Dewey Bunnell – vocals, guitars
- Mike Woods – lead guitar
- Tom Walsh – percussion
- Willie Leacox – drums
- David Dickey – bass
- Jim Calire – keyboards, sax solo
Chart positions
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | US | 110[2] |
| AUS | 51 | |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | "Only Game in Town" | US[3] | 107 |
| "All My Life" | US AC | 48 | |
| 1980 | "All Around" | US AC | 45 |
References
- 1 2 Erlewine, Steven Thomas. "Silent Letter > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
- ↑ America – America > Charts & Awards > Billboard Album at AllMusic. Retrieved 3 April 2008.
- ↑ "America : Allmusic : Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Retrieved April 2, 2015.