Joy (Fefe Dobson album)
Encyclopedia
Joy is the second studio album
to be released by Canadian singer-songwriter Fefe Dobson
, and third studio album to be recorded. It was released on November 22, 2010 after taking almost four years to complete. It candidly follows Dobson's evolution as an artist as well as transition from the indie type of music she originally put together for Joy, to the mainstream pop hits. The album was preceded by the release of the two buzz singles
"Watch Me Move" and "I Want You", which were then followed-up by the three top 20 official singles "Ghost
", "Stuttering
" and "Can't Breathe
", all of which have at least one music video.
, which featured collaborations with such artists as Billy Steinberg
, Matthew Wilder
, Cyndi Lauper
, Courtney Love
, Joan Jett
, Nina Gordon
and Rancid
’s Tim Armstrong
. In the interim, several of her songs were covered, including "Start All Over
", a song which was recorded for Sunday Love, but never made the album, by Miley Cyrus
, "Don't Let It Go to Your Head
", the first single, by American Idol winner Jordin Sparks
, and "As a Blonde", which was covered by Selena Gomez & the Scene
. Dobson was dropped from her label, Island Records
, upon the shelving of her second studio album, Sunday Love, after the release of two singles from it. She then decided to go back to her roots and create a new album on her own terms. She said in an April 2007 interview that her new efforts were coming along nicely and should see the light of day sooner than later. However, during Dobson's songwriting and independent period, Joy had faced multiple delays due to her management, Chris Smith Management. Two years after Dobson spoke with ChartAttack.com
, she was picked back up by Island. This caused numerous more push backs since Island wanted Dobson to write new tracks for the album, and omit previous ones.
In an interview to Idolator, Fefe said: "Now, I write a lot more on guitar. I know that sounds weird, but I do. I find that I write on this record from guitar starting off. Also, I’m not this, like, tough on myself. When I was younger I used to write and go, 'Oh, that’s not good enough.' 'No. No. No. No one will like that.' 'I can't write that by myself because no one will understand.' And now, I put myself out there a little more. I take the risk of when I’m writing with somebody I’m not as afraid to say, 'Hey, what about this idea?' When I was young I was a little bit more afraid to step out and to make a mistake."
Working with producers David Lichens, Jon Levine, Howard Benson and Bob Ezrin on Joy, Dobson lives up to the portraits of her heroes she first hung during the recording of her first album—Kurt Cobain, Judy Garland, Coldplay, the Vines and Jeff Buckley. She co-wrote most of the songs on the album, usually composing on guitar, her choice of instrument.
"I play the few chords that I know," she says. "I try to write melodies off the same chords. ‘Joy’ is written with about three chords, and an extra one in the bridge."
Songs like "I Want You", which has been heard in the TV series The Vampire Diaries, as well as in promos for the film Whip It and The Sims 3: World Adventures computer game, come straight from experience.
“Shame” is a torch song underlined with jungle rhythms that is a confessional in which she does the breaking up. “When I went to demo the song, I had to go see an ex-boyfriend,” says Fefe. “I felt I betrayed him, so I wanted to clear the air. I could not sing it until I did. This reflects that relationship. As humans, we're not perfect. We sometimes hurt people and break hearts, but it’s OK to apologize.”
In "Can’t Breathe" and "Watch Me Move", Fefe is confident in showing off her raw sexuality. About the album she said: "I don't regret a thing," she says. "I keep moving forward and not looking back. I couldn't ask for anything better. I’m a girl from suburban Canada who never thought I’d be able to do what I’ve accomplished. And I’m not done yet."
for the record were released in 2008 and 2009. The first, "Watch Me Move", was released as a digital music download
on September 9, 2008. The second, "I Want You", was released digitally on July 3, 2009. These songs have been featured in film, television, and more. Dobson also re-recorded the vocals for "I Want You" in Simlish
for the PC game
The Sims 3: World Adventures
. http://pc.ign.com/articles/103/1034525p1.html On August 5, 2009, a group of music videos premiered on MTV
, The N, and LOGO
. They consisted of the individual video for "I Want You", a mashup
of "I Want You" and "Watch Me Move" entitled "I Want You 2 Watch Me Move", and a remix of "I Want You".
On August 11, 2009, Dobson performed a concert at the Mercury Lounge
in New York City
. Attendance was by invitation only and included fans and music industry tastemakers. "Fefe performed a set — which included old favorites from her self-titled debut album and upcoming sophomore effort, Joy — that was drenched with passion, soaked with edge, and slicked with pop perfection." "Her new songs were incredibly well received and displayed the incredible growth and maturity of Fefe’s music." One of the new songs heard was "I Made Out with Your Boyfriend" and a video was captured by a correspondent. In an interview at the showcase, Dobson mused "It's almost like when an animal is in a small cage, but when you let it out it's running around like crazy. That's how I feel when I'm onstage." For the remainder of the year, Dobson performed at various events while she was finishing up the album.
On August 27, 2009 Dobson gave a "sneak peek" of her song "Paranoia" also stating that it will be a single, but was later not featured on the album. It was featured in the promo for the Fox series, Fringe
.
Dobson performed on a twenty city tour across Canada in March and April 2010 on Hedley
's The Show Must Go...On The Road Tour.
and the website Allmusic, who gave it a stellar rating of 4.5/5 stars. Matthew Chisling said: "Joy may not be such a cheerful album, but it stands to be an epic comeback for a genuinely talented pop artist who was shafted by the industry that would welcome her back with open arms, and that is definitely a joyous story". On the other hand, NOW
gave Joy a poor review, saying "There’s a handful of good guitar-fuelled anthems, but they're grossly outnumbered by bland mid-tempo pop tunes that go nowhere. Maybe a mixed-race rocker chick from Scarborough is a tough thing for a major label to know how to market, but trying to turn her into a third-rate Rihanna
is not the answer".
" was released on June 21, 2010, as the album's lead single, following the release of two promotional singles. The single officially impacted mainstream radio on May 11, 2010. The song peaked at number 14 on the Canadian Hot 100
. "Stuttering
" was released as the second single on September 7, 2010. The single officially impacted mainstream radio on October 12, 2010. The song reached number 10 on the Canadian Hot 100
and number 40 on the US Pop Songs, becoming the most successful single of the album. A video was shot for "Can't Breathe" and was released on March 30, 2011 on MuchMusic
. The song debuted at number 100 on the Canadian Hot 100
chart and has peaked at number 19 in its eleventh week. Dobson has reported on her Twitter that the song has been sent to radio.
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...
to be released by Canadian singer-songwriter Fefe Dobson
Fefe Dobson
Felicia Lily "Fefe" Dobson is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Her self-titled debut album earned her two Juno Award nominations. Her second album, Sunday Love, was not released and she was terminated from her recording company...
, and third studio album to be recorded. It was released on November 22, 2010 after taking almost four years to complete. It candidly follows Dobson's evolution as an artist as well as transition from the indie type of music she originally put together for Joy, to the mainstream pop hits. The album was preceded by the release of the two buzz singles
Promotional recording
A promotional recording, or promo, is an audio or video recording distributed for free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available...
"Watch Me Move" and "I Want You", which were then followed-up by the three top 20 official singles "Ghost
Ghost (Fefe Dobson song)
"Ghost" is a song by Canadian singer–songwriter Fefe Dobson from her second studio album, Joy. It was produced by Kevin Rudolf, and co-written by Fefe Dobson, Kevin Rudolf, Kara DioGuardi and J. Kasher. The song officially impacted mainstream radio on May 11, 2010 and was released as a single on...
", "Stuttering
Stuttering (song)
"Stuttering" is a song by Canadian singer–songwriter Fefe Dobson from her second studio album, Joy. It was produced by J. R. Rotem, and co-written by Fefe Dobson, J. R. Rotem, and Claude Kelly. The song was released as a single on September 7, 2010 by 21 Music and The Island Def Jam Motown Music...
" and "Can't Breathe
Can't Breathe
"Can't Breathe" is a song by Canadian singer–songwriter Fefe Dobson from her second released studio album, Joy which features a guitar solo from Orianthi. Dobson has reported that she originally wrote the song for British singer Leona Lewis, but decided to record it for herself. It was produced by...
", all of which have at least one music video.
Background and development
By 2006, Dobson returned to the studio to work on her never-released album, Sunday LoveSunday Love
Sunday Love is the unreleased second studio album by pop-rock singer Fefe Dobson. The release date was pushed back a number of times by Island Records before its eventual cancellation. The album had earned good reviews, including the highest rating given on any of the albums reviewed in the July...
, which featured collaborations with such artists as Billy Steinberg
Billy Steinberg
William Endfield "Billy" Steinberg is an American songwriter. He has achieved most of his success as part of a song writing team, most notably with Tom Kelly. He has also co-written several hit songs with Rick Nowels.-Biography:...
, Matthew Wilder
Matthew Wilder
Matthew Wilder is an American musician, composer and record producer, best known for his 1983 Top 5 hit, "Break My Stride"....
, Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
, Courtney Love
Courtney Love
Courtney Michelle Love is an American rock musician. Love is the lead vocalist, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist for alternative rock band Hole, which she formed in 1989, and is an actress who has moved from bit parts in Alex Cox films to significant and acclaimed roles in The People vs...
, Joan Jett
Joan Jett
Joan Jett is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress.She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from March 20 to May 1, 1982, as well as for their other popular...
, Nina Gordon
Nina Gordon
Nina Rachel Shapiro Gordon is an American rock singer, and is the co-founder of the band Veruca Salt, having written the songs "Seether" and "Volcano Girls"...
and Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
’s Tim Armstrong
Tim Armstrong
Timothy Lockwood Armstrong is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known for his work with punk rock bands Rancid, Operation Ivy, Downfall, and the Transplants. He is also the owner and operator of Hellcat Records.-Personal life:Armstrong was born November 25, 1965 and was...
. In the interim, several of her songs were covered, including "Start All Over
Start All Over
"Start All Over" is a pop song performed by American recording artist Miley Cyrus. It was released as the second and final single of Cyrus' debut album Meet Miley Cyrus, the second disc of the dual album Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus...
", a song which was recorded for Sunday Love, but never made the album, by Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
, "Don't Let It Go to Your Head
Don't Let It Go to Your Head
"Don't Let It Go to Your Head" was the first single released in anticipation of what was expected to be Fefe Dobson's second album, Sunday Love. The single is available for digital download at online retailers....
", the first single, by American Idol winner Jordin Sparks
Jordin Sparks
Jordin Brianna Sparks is an American pop / R&B singer-songwriter and actress. She hails from Glendale, Arizona who rose to fame as the winner of the sixth season of American Idol. Sparks won when she was 17 years old, making her the youngest winner in Idol history...
, and "As a Blonde", which was covered by Selena Gomez & the Scene
Selena Gomez & the Scene
Selena Gomez & the Scene is an American pop band formed in Hollywood, California in 2009. Along with lead singer and founder Selena Gomez, the band consists of bassist Joey Clement, guitarist Ethan Roberts, drummist Greg Garman and keyboardist Dane Forrest. Selena Gomez & the Scene have released...
. Dobson was dropped from her label, Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
, upon the shelving of her second studio album, Sunday Love, after the release of two singles from it. She then decided to go back to her roots and create a new album on her own terms. She said in an April 2007 interview that her new efforts were coming along nicely and should see the light of day sooner than later. However, during Dobson's songwriting and independent period, Joy had faced multiple delays due to her management, Chris Smith Management. Two years after Dobson spoke with ChartAttack.com
Chart (magazine)
ChartAttack is a Canadian online music publication. Formerly a monthly print magazine called Chart, which was published from 1991 to 2009, the web version continues operation....
, she was picked back up by Island. This caused numerous more push backs since Island wanted Dobson to write new tracks for the album, and omit previous ones.
In an interview to Idolator, Fefe said: "Now, I write a lot more on guitar. I know that sounds weird, but I do. I find that I write on this record from guitar starting off. Also, I’m not this, like, tough on myself. When I was younger I used to write and go, 'Oh, that’s not good enough.' 'No. No. No. No one will like that.' 'I can't write that by myself because no one will understand.' And now, I put myself out there a little more. I take the risk of when I’m writing with somebody I’m not as afraid to say, 'Hey, what about this idea?' When I was young I was a little bit more afraid to step out and to make a mistake."
Composition and production
From the rhyme playground anthem and first single, "I Want You", the tribal percussion of "Can't Breathe", produced by rock legend Bob Ezrin (KISS, Pink Floyd’s The Wall, Lou Reed), and the sassy retort of "You Bitch", produced by Howard Benson (All-American Rejects, My Chemical Romance, Daughtry, Hawthorne Heights, Gavin DeGraw, Papa Roach), to the dance-floor thump of the tongue-in-chic "Paranoia" and the arena, flick-your-Bic torch song, "In Your Touch", Fefe has finally found the sweet spot in her mix of rock and club beats. Joy reflects that passion, both musical and personal, with Fefe’s sensuality oozing out of songs like the speeded-up punk of "Watch Me Move" ("I’m a firecracker/Better tell your mother… W-w-w-w-watch me move"), the Pretenders-like ballad "Shame" and the pure ecstasy of the title track ("I got joy in the bedroom/When it’s just you and I/I got joy when you satisfy me").Working with producers David Lichens, Jon Levine, Howard Benson and Bob Ezrin on Joy, Dobson lives up to the portraits of her heroes she first hung during the recording of her first album—Kurt Cobain, Judy Garland, Coldplay, the Vines and Jeff Buckley. She co-wrote most of the songs on the album, usually composing on guitar, her choice of instrument.
"I play the few chords that I know," she says. "I try to write melodies off the same chords. ‘Joy’ is written with about three chords, and an extra one in the bridge."
Songs like "I Want You", which has been heard in the TV series The Vampire Diaries, as well as in promos for the film Whip It and The Sims 3: World Adventures computer game, come straight from experience.
“Shame” is a torch song underlined with jungle rhythms that is a confessional in which she does the breaking up. “When I went to demo the song, I had to go see an ex-boyfriend,” says Fefe. “I felt I betrayed him, so I wanted to clear the air. I could not sing it until I did. This reflects that relationship. As humans, we're not perfect. We sometimes hurt people and break hearts, but it’s OK to apologize.”
In "Can’t Breathe" and "Watch Me Move", Fefe is confident in showing off her raw sexuality. About the album she said: "I don't regret a thing," she says. "I keep moving forward and not looking back. I couldn't ask for anything better. I’m a girl from suburban Canada who never thought I’d be able to do what I’ve accomplished. And I’m not done yet."
Promotion
Two buzz singlesPromotional recording
A promotional recording, or promo, is an audio or video recording distributed for free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available...
for the record were released in 2008 and 2009. The first, "Watch Me Move", was released as a digital music download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
on September 9, 2008. The second, "I Want You", was released digitally on July 3, 2009. These songs have been featured in film, television, and more. Dobson also re-recorded the vocals for "I Want You" in Simlish
Simlish
Simlish is a fictional language featured in EA Games' Sim series of games. It debuted in SimCopter, and has been especially prominent in The Sims, The Sims 2 and The Sims 3. The Sims development team created the unique Simlish language by experimenting with fractured Ukrainian, French, Latin,...
for the PC game
Personal computer game
A PC game, also known as a computer game, is a video game played on a personal computer, rather than on a video game console or arcade machine...
The Sims 3: World Adventures
The Sims 3: World Adventures
During an interview, producer Lyndsay Pearson said that real-world locations were a draw for their players and that users had been creating famous buildings on the exchange. The expansion pack represented an extension of that desire...
. http://pc.ign.com/articles/103/1034525p1.html On August 5, 2009, a group of music videos premiered on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, The N, and LOGO
Logo (TV channel)
Logo is an American digital cable television channel owned by Viacom's MTV Networks division. Launched in June 2005, the channel's programs are geared towards the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community...
. They consisted of the individual video for "I Want You", a mashup
Mashup (video)
A video mashup is the combination of multiple sources of video—which usually have no relation with each other—into a derivative work, often lampooning its component sources or another text. Many mashup videos are humorous movie trailer parodies, a later genre of mashups gaining much popularity...
of "I Want You" and "Watch Me Move" entitled "I Want You 2 Watch Me Move", and a remix of "I Want You".
On August 11, 2009, Dobson performed a concert at the Mercury Lounge
Mercury Lounge
The Mercury Lounge is a club/music venue, in the Lower East Side section, of New York City. The structure, at 217 East Houston Street, housed the servants to the Astor Mansion, connected to it by an underground labyrinth of tunnels...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Attendance was by invitation only and included fans and music industry tastemakers. "Fefe performed a set — which included old favorites from her self-titled debut album and upcoming sophomore effort, Joy — that was drenched with passion, soaked with edge, and slicked with pop perfection." "Her new songs were incredibly well received and displayed the incredible growth and maturity of Fefe’s music." One of the new songs heard was "I Made Out with Your Boyfriend" and a video was captured by a correspondent. In an interview at the showcase, Dobson mused "It's almost like when an animal is in a small cage, but when you let it out it's running around like crazy. That's how I feel when I'm onstage." For the remainder of the year, Dobson performed at various events while she was finishing up the album.
On August 27, 2009 Dobson gave a "sneak peek" of her song "Paranoia" also stating that it will be a single, but was later not featured on the album. It was featured in the promo for the Fox series, Fringe
Fringe (TV series)
Fringe is an American science fiction television series created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. The series follows a Federal Bureau of Investigation "Fringe Division" team based in Boston, Massachusetts under the supervision of Homeland Security...
.
Dobson performed on a twenty city tour across Canada in March and April 2010 on Hedley
Hedley (band)
Hedley is a Canadian pop rock band comprising lead singer Jacob Hoggard, Tommy Mac on bass, Dave Rosin on lead guitar and Chris Crippin on drums. The current band retains the original name of Hoggard's pre-Canadian Idol group, although the membership has changed. The band originated in Abbotsford,...
's The Show Must Go...On The Road Tour.
Critical reception
The album received critical acclaim from both SeventeenSeventeen (magazine)
Seventeen is an American magazine for teenagers. It was first published in September 1944 by Walter Annenberg's Triangle Publications. News Corporation bought Triangle in 1988, and sold Seventeen to K-III Communications in 1991. Primedia sold the magazine to Hearst in 2003. It is still in the...
and the website Allmusic, who gave it a stellar rating of 4.5/5 stars. Matthew Chisling said: "Joy may not be such a cheerful album, but it stands to be an epic comeback for a genuinely talented pop artist who was shafted by the industry that would welcome her back with open arms, and that is definitely a joyous story". On the other hand, NOW
NOW (magazine)
Now is a free weekly newspaper in Toronto, Canada. It was first printed on September 10, 1981 by Michael Hollett and Alice Klein. Now is an alternative weekly mixing arts and entertainment news with political coverage....
gave Joy a poor review, saying "There’s a handful of good guitar-fuelled anthems, but they're grossly outnumbered by bland mid-tempo pop tunes that go nowhere. Maybe a mixed-race rocker chick from Scarborough is a tough thing for a major label to know how to market, but trying to turn her into a third-rate Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
is not the answer".
Commercial performance
The album debuted and peaked at number 59 on the Canadian Top 100 Albums Chart.Singles
"GhostGhost (Fefe Dobson song)
"Ghost" is a song by Canadian singer–songwriter Fefe Dobson from her second studio album, Joy. It was produced by Kevin Rudolf, and co-written by Fefe Dobson, Kevin Rudolf, Kara DioGuardi and J. Kasher. The song officially impacted mainstream radio on May 11, 2010 and was released as a single on...
" was released on June 21, 2010, as the album's lead single, following the release of two promotional singles. The single officially impacted mainstream radio on May 11, 2010. The song peaked at number 14 on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
. "Stuttering
Stuttering (song)
"Stuttering" is a song by Canadian singer–songwriter Fefe Dobson from her second studio album, Joy. It was produced by J. R. Rotem, and co-written by Fefe Dobson, J. R. Rotem, and Claude Kelly. The song was released as a single on September 7, 2010 by 21 Music and The Island Def Jam Motown Music...
" was released as the second single on September 7, 2010. The single officially impacted mainstream radio on October 12, 2010. The song reached number 10 on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
and number 40 on the US Pop Songs, becoming the most successful single of the album. A video was shot for "Can't Breathe" and was released on March 30, 2011 on MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
. The song debuted at number 100 on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
chart and has peaked at number 19 in its eleventh week. Dobson has reported on her Twitter that the song has been sent to radio.
Track listing
(*) Additional productionCharts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
59 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| Canada Canadian Recording Industry Association Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada... |
Gold |
Release history
| Country | Date | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | November 22, 2010 | CD, digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
| United States | November 30, 2010 |