Different Kind of FREE
Encyclopedia
Different Kind Of FREE is the third studio album from Christian
girl group ZOEgirl
. It was released on September 16, 2003 through Sparrow Records
and was produced by Lynn Nichols, Robert "Aurel M" Marvin, Damon Riley and Tedd T
. "You Get Me", "Beautiful Name" and "Feel Alright" were released as radio singles. "Different Kind Of FREE'" marks their departure from the bubblegum pop
music of their two previous albums, in favor of a pop rock
sound.
was released on September 24, 2002. This remix album's Trip Rock Mix of "I Believe" foreshadowed the girl group's transition from bubblegum pop
music to pop rock
music.
During the autumn of 2002, Chrissy Conway-Katina started working on a draft for the lead single "You Get Me
" with her future husband James Katina. Its chorus remained the same in the finished version of the song.
On February 2, 2003, an animated banner appeared on ZOEgirl's official website, encouraging visitors to "listen to the [Trip Rock] remix" of ZOEgirl's hit single "I Believe". Those who participated in this activity were instructed to listen to the original, pop version of "I Believe". Afterwards, they listened to the Trip Rock remix of "I Believe". Finally, they would comment on the remix, indicating whether or not they enjoyed it.
The album's official release date was announced on May 22, 2003 via the group's official website. "You Get Me" was released to radio stations on June 22, 2003. On July 15, 2003, ZOEgirl announced the album's title: "Different Kind Of FREE". The lead single "You Get Me" was released to retail stores on July 24, 2003.
at #149. It reached #9 on Billboard's Christian Albums chart, and #4 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers
Chart.
critics. Jesus Freak Hideout
stated in their review: "ZOEgirl strips away the electronic sugar and spice to offer up the smoothest transition from pop to pop/rock since Rebecca St. James
made the same move in the mid-nineties." CCM Magazine
said that "Different Kind Of FREE offers plenty of good advice on ways to be different and, in this case, godly kinds of girls."
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
girl group ZOEgirl
ZOEgirl
ZOEgirl was a Christian pop rock band. It was formed of singers Chrissy Conway-Katina, Alisa Childers and Kristin Swinford-Schweain. In 2002, ZOEgirl received a GMA Dove Award for New Artist of the Year. Before disbanding, the band released three more studio albums, as well as a remix album and a...
. It was released on September 16, 2003 through Sparrow Records
Sparrow Records
-Background:Sparrow Records was founded in 1976 by Billy Ray Hearn, then A&R director at Myrrh Records. Purchased by EMI in 1992, it is now part of the EMI Christian Music Group, and has been named by Billboard Magazine as "America's Best Christian Music Record Label"...
and was produced by Lynn Nichols, Robert "Aurel M" Marvin, Damon Riley and Tedd T
Tedd T
Tedd T., born Tedd Andrew Tjornhom , is a Grammy Award–winning music producer, songwriter, arranger, programmer, and engineer. He also launched the independent record label Teleprompt Records in 2003 as a joint venture with Word / Warner Music Group. His interest in the music industry began in his...
. "You Get Me", "Beautiful Name" and "Feel Alright" were released as radio singles. "Different Kind Of FREE'" marks their departure from the bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop is a genre of pop music with an upbeat sound contrived and marketed to appeal to pre-teens and teenagers, produced in an assembly-line process, driven by producers, often using unknown singers.Bubblegum's classic period ran from 1967 to 1972...
music of their two previous albums, in favor of a pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
sound.
Background
ZOEgirl's Mix of LifeMix of Life
Mix of Life is the remix album. This is the fourth album released by ZOEgirl, featuring songs from the Life single and album, as well as their self-titled album.-Track listing:#Dismissed...
was released on September 24, 2002. This remix album's Trip Rock Mix of "I Believe" foreshadowed the girl group's transition from bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop is a genre of pop music with an upbeat sound contrived and marketed to appeal to pre-teens and teenagers, produced in an assembly-line process, driven by producers, often using unknown singers.Bubblegum's classic period ran from 1967 to 1972...
music to pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
music.
During the autumn of 2002, Chrissy Conway-Katina started working on a draft for the lead single "You Get Me
You Get Me
"You Get Me" is the first single from ZOEgirl's third studio album, Different Kind Of FREE. It was written by Chrissy Conway-Katina and her then-lover, now-husband James Katina....
" with her future husband James Katina. Its chorus remained the same in the finished version of the song.
On February 2, 2003, an animated banner appeared on ZOEgirl's official website, encouraging visitors to "listen to the [Trip Rock] remix" of ZOEgirl's hit single "I Believe". Those who participated in this activity were instructed to listen to the original, pop version of "I Believe". Afterwards, they listened to the Trip Rock remix of "I Believe". Finally, they would comment on the remix, indicating whether or not they enjoyed it.
The album's official release date was announced on May 22, 2003 via the group's official website. "You Get Me" was released to radio stations on June 22, 2003. On July 15, 2003, ZOEgirl announced the album's title: "Different Kind Of FREE". The lead single "You Get Me" was released to retail stores on July 24, 2003.
Release
Different Kind Of FREE peaked on the Billboard 200Billboard 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...
at #149. It reached #9 on Billboard's Christian Albums chart, and #4 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
Chart.
Reception
Despite the girl group's musical transition, the album received generally favourable reviews among Christian musicChristian music
Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world....
critics. Jesus Freak Hideout
Jesus Freak Hideout
Jesus Freak Hideout is a Christian music website. The website specializes in reviewing, previewing, and selling Christian albums. The website is known for its album reviews, independent music, artist interviews, concert dates and ministry through devotionals and prayer...
stated in their review: "ZOEgirl strips away the electronic sugar and spice to offer up the smoothest transition from pop to pop/rock since Rebecca St. James
Rebecca St. James
Rebecca St. James , is a Christian pop rock singer, songwriter, musician, author, and actor. She began performing in Australia in the late 1980s and released her first full-length studio album in 1991. In 1993 she was signed to the record label ForeFront Records and released her major label debut a...
made the same move in the mid-nineties." CCM Magazine
CCM Magazine
CCM Magazine was a monthly magazine published by Salem Publishing, a division of Salem Communications. It was first published in July 1978, and it has always been a Christian music magazine. On January 16, 2008, Salem announced that the April 2008 issue would be the final printed issue of the...
said that "Different Kind Of FREE offers plenty of good advice on ways to be different and, in this case, godly kinds of girls."