Back to Now
Encyclopedia
Back to Now is the seventh and latest studio album
by American R&B female group Labelle
, released on October 21, 2008. The album is the group's first in over thirty years though they had sung on songs together on occasion.
In terms of the title, Labelle member Nona Hendrx explained to noted R&B writer Pete Lewis of 'Blues & Soul' "It basically stemmed from two of the songs on this album being songs I'd specifically written for what would have been the next Labelle album back in 1977. So the title 'Back To Now" is really signifiying that this record represents us really getting back to where we were. It's basically a continuation from where we stopped off."
The first single is "Roll Out", which features and is produced by Wyclef Jean
which had the three Labelle members Patti LaBelle
, Nona Hendryx
and Sarah Dash
singing in autotune.
The album is also notable for the modest R&B charted ballad, "Superlover". Except for "The Truth Will Set You Free" in which Hendryx sings the lead over Lenny Kravitz
's guitar and LaBelle's ad-libs in soprano
and "System", which LaBelle, Hendryx and Dash each take a prominent lead vocal, the album is led as always by LaBelle, who gives a powerful vocal in the socially conscious "Tears for the World", a Hendryx composition.
The album is also notable for their tribute to civil rights
activist Rosa Parks
with "Dear Rosa" and also includes their 1971 rendition of the Cole Porter
standard, "Miss Otis Regrets
", which was originally recorded for sessions of their Warner
debut, Labelle
, but was cut from the album's final selection of tracks.
An iTunes
edition of the album features the group's cover of Sylvester
's disco hit, "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)
".
s album chart in the issue dated November 8, 2008. It also charted on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
, debuting at number 9. Back to Now is Labelle's seventh overall, and third highest-ranked album to chart in the United States.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American R&B female group Labelle
Labelle
Labelle is an American all female singing group who were a popular vocal group of the 1960s and 1970s. The group was formed after the disbanding of two rival girl groups in the Philadelphia/Trenton areas, the Ordettes and the Del-Capris, forming as a new version of the former group, later changing...
, released on October 21, 2008. The album is the group's first in over thirty years though they had sung on songs together on occasion.
In terms of the title, Labelle member Nona Hendrx explained to noted R&B writer Pete Lewis of 'Blues & Soul' "It basically stemmed from two of the songs on this album being songs I'd specifically written for what would have been the next Labelle album back in 1977. So the title 'Back To Now" is really signifiying that this record represents us really getting back to where we were. It's basically a continuation from where we stopped off."
The first single is "Roll Out", which features and is produced by Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
which had the three Labelle members Patti LaBelle
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
, Nona Hendryx
Nona Hendryx
Nona Hendryx is an American vocalist, producer, songwriter, musician, author, and actress.Hendryx is known for her work as a solo artist as well as for being one-third of the trio Labelle, who had a hit with "Lady Marmalade." Her music has ranged from soul, funk, dance, and R&B to hard rock, art...
and Sarah Dash
Sarah Dash
Sarah Dash is a singer and actress. Her first notable appearance on the music scene was as a member of Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles...
singing in autotune.
The album is also notable for the modest R&B charted ballad, "Superlover". Except for "The Truth Will Set You Free" in which Hendryx sings the lead over Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz
Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...
's guitar and LaBelle's ad-libs in soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
and "System", which LaBelle, Hendryx and Dash each take a prominent lead vocal, the album is led as always by LaBelle, who gives a powerful vocal in the socially conscious "Tears for the World", a Hendryx composition.
The album is also notable for their tribute to civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
activist Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks
Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was an African-American civil rights activist, whom the U.S. Congress called "the first lady of civil rights", and "the mother of the freedom movement"....
with "Dear Rosa" and also includes their 1971 rendition of the Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
standard, "Miss Otis Regrets
Miss Otis Regrets
"Miss Otis Regrets" is a song by Cole Porter from 1934. It was first performed on stage by Douglas Byng in Hi Diddle Diddle, which opened October 3, 1934 at the Savoy Theatre, London...
", which was originally recorded for sessions of their Warner
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
debut, Labelle
Labelle (album)
Labelle is the debut album of American singing trio Labelle, formerly a four-girl group known as Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles. This was Labelle's first release for Warner Bros...
, but was cut from the album's final selection of tracks.
An iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
edition of the album features the group's cover of Sylvester
Sylvester
Sylvester is a name derived from the Latin adjective silvestris meaning "wooded" or "wild", which derives from the noun silva meaning "woodland". Classical Latin spells this with i. In Classical Latin y represented a separate sound distinct from i, not a native Latin sound but one used in...
's disco hit, "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)
You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)
"You Make Me Feel " is the title of a 1978 single by American disco singer Sylvester James, who performed using just his first name, Sylvester...
".
Tracklisting
- "Candlelight" (10:00)
- "Roll Out" (featuring Wyclef JeanWyclef JeanWyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
) (3:51) - "Superlover" (4:14)
- "System" (5:32)
- "The Truth Will Set You Free" (4:58)
- "Without You in My Life" (5:29)
- "Tears for the World" (4:33)
- "Dear Rosa" (6:47)
- "How Long" (4:33)
- "Miss Otis RegretsMiss Otis Regrets"Miss Otis Regrets" is a song by Cole Porter from 1934. It was first performed on stage by Douglas Byng in Hi Diddle Diddle, which opened October 3, 1934 at the Savoy Theatre, London...
" (4:39) - "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)"You Make Me Feel " is the title of a 1978 single by American disco singer Sylvester James, who performed using just his first name, Sylvester...
" (4:31) (iTunes Bonus Track)
Charts
Back to Now debuted at number 45 on BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s album chart in the issue dated November 8, 2008. It also charted on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
, debuting at number 9. Back to Now is Labelle's seventh overall, and third highest-ranked album to chart in the United States.
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
45 |
| U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
9 |