Duncan Sheik is the Gold-certified, self-titled debut album by American singer/songwriter/producer Duncan Sheik

Duncan Sheik

Duncan Scott Sheik is an American singer-songwriter and composer. Sheik initially found success as a singer, most notably for his 1996 debut single "Barely Breathing". He later expanded his work to include compositions for motion pictures and the Broadway stage, leading him to involvement in the...

. It was released in 1996 through Atlantic Records

Atlantic Records

Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...

 and featured the Grammy-nominated hit single "Barely Breathing

Barely Breathing

"Barely Breathing" is the first single from singer-songwriter Duncan Sheik's self-titled debut album. Originally intended as a "throwaway" track written to complete the album, the song catapulted Sheik to fame as his breakout hit, entering the top 20 of the U.S. Billboard charts, peaking at #16,...

." The song was a major radio hit, staying on the Billboard Hot 100

Billboard (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...

singles chart in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 for a record breaking 55 (consecutive) weeks.

Track listing

• All songs written by Duncan Sheik, except where noted.

1. "She Runs Away
   She Runs Away
   "She Runs Away" is the second of three singles released by pop artist Duncan Sheik from his 1996 debut album Duncan Sheik. The song was the first Duncan Sheik single of 1997, as a follow-up single to the hit single "Barely Breathing"....
   
   " – 3:43
2. "In the Absence of Sun" – 5:05
3. "Barely Breathing
   Barely Breathing
   "Barely Breathing" is the first single from singer-songwriter Duncan Sheik's self-titled debut album. Originally intended as a "throwaway" track written to complete the album, the song catapulted Sheik to fame as his breakout hit, entering the top 20 of the U.S. Billboard charts, peaking at #16,...
   
   " – 4:15
4. "Reasons for Living
   Reasons for Living
   "Reasons for Living" is a song written and performed by Duncan Sheik. It was the third and final single from his 1996 Atlantic Records debut. While the album version of the song did not fare well at radio, the club remixes helped the single reach number three on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play...
   
   " – 4:31
5. "Days Go By" – 4:48
6. "Serena" – 4:43 (Fran Banish, Sheik)
7. "Out of Order" – 4:30
8. "November" – 4:56
9. "Home" – 4:48
10. "The End of Outside" – 4:45
11. "Little Hands" – 6:04 (Banish, Sheik)

"Barely Breathing", "She Runs Away", and "Reasons For Living" were the three singles released from this album. Sheik has stated that he recorded around thirty songs with producer Rupert Hine

Rupert Hine

Rupert Neville Hine is an English musician, songwriter and prolific record producer, having produced albums for artists including Kevin Ayers, Tina Turner, Howard Jones, Saga, The Fixx, Bob Geldof, Thompson Twins, Stevie Nicks, Chris de Burgh, Suzanne Vega, Rush, Underworld, Duncan Sheik, and ...

 for this album while working out a deal with Atlantic (who took over his previous contract from Immortal Records), which leaves around 18 tracks unheard from these sessions, as the only outtake from the album that saw release was "View From The Other Side", which saw light as a b-side in 1997

Personnel

• Duncan Sheik: Vocals (Lead & Backing), Acoustic, Electric & 12-String Guitars, Ebow, Keyboards, Piano, Organ, Sampling, Drums, Percussion, Drum Programming
• Fran Banish: Lead & Slide Guitar
  Slide guitar
  Slide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles...
  
  s
• Howard Jones: Piano
• Rupert Hine: Keyboards, Percussion
• Milo DeCruz, Pino Palladino: Bass
• Jean-Michel Biger: Drums, Percussion
• Strings by The London Session Orchestra; led by Gavyn Wright; directed by Minnie Matt & Gavyn Wright. Arranged & Conducted by Simon Hale