Slicker Than Your Average is the second studio album by English singer Craig David, released on 19 November 2002 by Atlantic Records. It peaked at number 4 on the UK Singles Chart and number 32 in on the US Billboard 200, while it also peaked at number 5 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart in late 2002. It was certified Gold by RIAA in the U.S. and double Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry in the UK. As of November 2013, the album has sold over 3.5 million copies worldwide.[1]
The album was released in a number of different versions. The original release contained 13 new tracks. A six track bonus remix CD was released in Asia that featured remixes of the singles "Rise and Fall" and "Hidden Agenda", as well as versions of "Fill Me In" and the B-side "Four Times a Lady" from the single, "What's Your Flava?".[2]
Background and writing
After David managed to crack the American music industry with his hit debut studio album, Born to Do It, his musical style began to alter to appeal to the worldwide market on his second studio album. In an interview with ANDPOP's Adam Gonshor, David revealed the inspiration for some of the songs on the album. He was forced to stay in a hotel room for a week following the September 11 attacks in New York City in 2001, and it was this event that inspired him to write the song "World Filled with Love". In the interview, he said, "I was thinking, I'm actually in this world that's filled with madness, with this drama that's going on. Some of the things we were talking about in music, in the big picture, are so trivial...I thought music is a form of escapism, so I used it to write a song hopefully for positive means to say, we are in a world that's filled with love."[3] David also commented that the album title could be looked at in two different ways: "On the one hand, it's coming across like I'm arrogant. On the other hand, it's saying I have a lot more composure on the album." The album was leaked onto the internet prior to its official release, but David was not too bothered as he felt that it "spreads the word".
Critical reception
The album received mostly positive reviews from contemporary music critics. BBC Music's Keysha Davis wrote that "Slicker Than Your Average provides the listener with the opportunity to get into the mind of a truly gifted young star...there are enough club friendly tracks to ensure heavy rotation in the hottest nightspots". However, in reference to his success in the United States, she also pointed out "true fans may be a tad bit disappointed by the new super-slick musical direction".[5] AllMusic's Christina Fuoco gave it a rating of three stars out of five and wrote "Slicker Than Your Average is stronger than the average sophomore effort...it proves that Craig David's abilities are innate".[4] Pat Blashill, writing for Rolling Stone magazine, called it "one of the most subtle male R&B records in a good while" and gave it a 3/5 rating.[12] Blender magazine's gave the album a rating of 4/5 and commented "David moves away from underground two-step...toward a modern, mainstream R&B record. Slicker is full of Timbaland-style production, booty-call ballads and even Spanish guitars. Sometimes being real means revealing the marshmallow within."[6]
Ken Tucker, writing for Entertainment Weekly, gave the album a B– and wrote "David has a voice that's fresh and expressive, so it doesn't bode well that on what's only his second album, he's also an artist already reduced to singing about the burdens of fame."[8] The Guardian's Alexis Petridis wrote "His second album has its flaws, but they are largely generic: when it tries to fit too snugly into the R&B template, it tails off. At its best, however, it is a curiously unique record."[9]
Track listing
Bonus tracks
Other releases
Asian Limited Edition – Bonus Remix CD
- "What's Your Flava?" (Todd's underground flava vocal remix)
- "Hidden Agenda" (Blacksmith rerub featuring Know ?uestion)
- "Hidden Agenda" (Soulshock remix)
- "Four Times a Lady"
- "Rise & Fall" (Blacksmith hiphop rub featuring Fallacy)
- "Fill me in" (Acoustic recorded in Seoul)
- DVD
- "Fill Me In" (Music Video)
- "7 Days" (Music Video)
- "Walking Away" (Music Video)
- "Rendezvous" (Music Video)
- "What's Your Flava" (Music Video)
- "Hidden Agenda" (Music Video)
- "Rise & Fall" (Music Video)
- Notes
- ^[a] signifies remix and additional production.
- "Personal" contains an interpolation of "T Shirt and Panties" by Jamie Foxx.
Singles
- "What's Your Flava?"
- "Hidden Agenda"
- "Rise & Fall" (with Sting)
- "Spanish" (with Duke One)
- "You Don't Miss Your Water ('Til the Well Runs Dry)"
- "World Filled with Love"
Charts and certifications
Charts
References
- ↑ Ingham, Tim (20 November 2013). "Craig David: the rise and fall (and rise again) of a pop star". Music Week. Archived from the original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
- ↑ "AllMusic (((Slicker Than Your Average [Bonus Disc] > Overview )))". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
- ↑ Gonshor, Adam (29 November 2002). "Craig David releases Slicker Than Your Average". ANDPOP. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
- 1 2 Fuoco, Christina. "AllMusic (((Slicker Than Your Average > Overview)))". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
- 1 2 Davis, Keysha (20 November 2002). "BBC Music Review of Craig David - Slicker Than Your Average". BBC Music. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
- 1 2 "Slicker Than Your Average review". Blender. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
- ↑ entertainment.ie review
- 1 2 "Slicker Than Your Average - Music Review". Entertainment Weekly. 22 November 2002. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
- 1 2 Petridis, Alexis (8 November 2002). "Pop CD: Craig David: Slicker Than Your Average". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 17 June 2009.
- ↑ NME.COM. "David, Craig : Slicker Than Your Average - NME.COM".
- ↑ "Robert Christgau: CG: Craig David".
- 1 2 Blashill, Pat (12 December 2002). "Craig David: Slicker Than Your Average: Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
- ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Craig David – Slicker Than Your Average". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
- ↑ "Ultratop.be – Craig David – Slicker Than Your Average" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
- ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Craig David – Slicker Than Your Average". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Craig David – Slicker Than Your Average" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
- ↑ "Lescharts.com – Craig David – Slicker Than Your Average". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
- ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Craig David – Slicker Than Your Average". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
- ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Craig David – Slicker Than Your Average". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
- ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Craig David – Slicker Than Your Average". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Craig David – Slicker Than Your Average". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
- ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
- ↑ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
- ↑ "Craig David – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Craig David. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
- ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2002 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association.
- ↑ "British album certifications – Craig David – Slicker Than Your Average". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Slicker Than Your Average in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
- ↑ "American album certifications – Craig David – Slicker Than Your Average". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
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