Overpowered
Encyclopedia
Overpowered is the second solo studio album
by Irish recording artist Róisín Murphy
, released in Ireland on 12 October 2007 and in the United Kingdom and rest of Europe on 15 October 2007. The album was to be released in the United States in late 2008 or early 2009, but was cancelled by EMI
due to financial difficulties on their part. Receiving widespread critical acclaim, the album was more commercially successful than its predecessor, debuting at number twenty on the UK Albums Chart
.
's greatest hits album, Catalogue, Murphy announced that she was recording a new album to be released in 2007. After signing to EMI
in May 2006, Murphy set out to produce a pop
album with a heavy disco
influence. With a bigger budget behind her than with her last record company, the independent Echo Records
, Murphy recorded around thirty songs for the album with various producers and writers in Miami, London
and Barcelona
, commenting that each of the producers aided the pop influence of the album, as they all wanted to write "the single".
The success of Overpowered was in limbo, since EMI was having severe financial difficulties. In December 2006, EMI stopped shipping to independent record stores, focusing more on high-end retailers such as Borders
.
, Givenchy
and Viktor & Rolf
in the artwork.
The design inside the booklet for Overpowered features a cryptic assemblage
(resembling a flowchart
but lacking directional indications found in such) made up of boxes containing statements and quotes, as well as apparent excerpts from the written treatment for the promotional video of "Let Me Know" and assorted photographs. Among the known quoatations: "Writing about music is like dancing about architecture" (Laurie Anderson
) and "I got signed to EMI because I reminded them of Robbie Williams
" (Murphy). According to Murphy, the photography for the album and single sleeves cost £125,000.
, which assigns a normalised
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
score of 82, based on 12 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim". The Observer
s Garry Mulholland praised the album as "a sumptuous 11-track, all-killer-no-filler
, electro-disco gem" that "sees Murphy striving to get rid of her Big Hit Albatross." He also added, "Inspired by the Eighties proto-house of D Train
, Mantronix
and Gwen Guthrie
, but often sounding a dead-ringer for Yazoo
, early Eurythmics
and rave
-era dance-pop
sters Electribe 101
, Overpowereds bubbling, sensual, and soulful glitterball gems effortlessly tap into the perennial glory of feeling lost and lonely at the disco at the end of the world." In a review for Allmusic, Heather Phares called it "[a]ptly enough for such a pop-focused album" and wrote that "nearly every song on Overpowered sounds like a potential smash hit. Even if this album is a bid for the big time, it's done with such flair that it just underscores what a confident and unique artist Murphy really is." Ben Urdang of musicOMH
cited Overpowered as Murphy's "most coherent album yet" and noted that her "songwriting appears to be stronger than ever with a consistent style and sound emerging throughout." Stephen Trouss of Pitchfork Media
commented that "[i]n a year of low-stakes disappointment for European pop, Overpowered is a triumph." Sonja D'Cruze, writing for BBC Music
, stated, "From start to finish Roisin fronts an inventive, unpredictable record. Overpowered spits glitter with every song and could go a long way to bringing back a disco chic revival."
Jax Spike from About.com
described the album as "pretty overpowering itself, containing solid electropop music with plenty of funky flavor and some really wild beats, with her smooth voice exuding confidence despite any moments of breathiness." The Sunday Times
critic Mark Edwards remarked that "[t]he music on Overpowered plays down her quirky (all right, difficult) side in favour of a melange of disco
/house
styles from 1975 to 1989. It lacks the glam wit of Goldfrapp
or the cheekiness of Kylie
, but it's brisk and efficient." The NME
referred to Overpowered as "a thoroughly modern pop album that will best appeal to ageing clubbers." Cpt H.M. 'Howling Mad' Murdock from Drowned in Sound
felt that "[n]ot once does Overpowered really drag its feet, but it never truly impacts with the might one could possibly expect from an artist with such a fine pedigree. It's a solid pop album, one wonderfully in tune with today's stylistic shifts and trends." Emily Mackay of Yahoo! Music
said that on Overpowered, Murphy "melded the two sides of her history much more seamlessly; four-to-the-floor pop belters mix with touches of electronic and lyrical darkness to make one of the pop albums of the year." Stylus Magazine
's Dan MacRae believed that "Overpowered knows how to squeech and squelch in the proper places, while touches of cowbell, beatboxery
, and the occasional Prince
styled riff all get sprinkled in accordingly." Lauren Murphy of entertainment.ie
was not impressed, stating that "this is an album that sticks rigidly to a tried-and-tested formula, rarely colouring outside the lines or deviating from the disco/house vibe", but found that "there are some fantastically uplifting dance-pop tunes here, all launched forth with the effortless vigour that Murphy does so well."
", released as its lead single on 9 July 2007. Murphy's official website announced on 6 July 2007 that the single was not chart eligible but instead was used as an introduction for her start at EMI. The second single from the album was the song "Let Me Know
", released a week before the album. It reached number twenty-eight on the UK Singles Chart
. Several months later, "You Know Me Better
" was released as the album's third single on 31 March 2008, peaking at number forty-seven in the UK. Murphy announced in an interview that "Movie Star
" would be released as the album's fourth single. It was released digitally in the United States on 13 October 2008. However, a planned worldwide double A-side release of the single along with Murphy's cover of Bryan Ferry
's 1985 song "Slave to Love
" was cancelled. "Slave to Love" has become a underground hit in clubs and raves worldwide since its leak onto the Internet, spawning several unauthorised remixes and extended versions.
. On 27 October 2007, Murphy sustained an eye injury
during a concert in a Moscow
club and had to cancel several subsequent shows. In total, Murphy performed ninety-four shows in twenty-nine countries.
During an interview with Popjustice
, Scottish electronic musician Calvin Harris
called Murphy "a bit mental" for not including the songs "Off and On" and "Don't Let It Go to Your Head Boy" on Overpowered. Furthermore, he accused her of "cost[ing] me all sorts of money" during recording. Murphy and Harris have since resolved their differences and the song "Off and On" was recorded by English pop singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor
for her 2011 album Make a Scene.
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 Irish recording artist Róisín Murphy
Róisín Murphy
Róisín Marie Murphy is an Irish singer-songwriter and record producer, known for her electronic style.Murphy first came to note as part of the electronic music duo Moloko. Her partner in the band was then-boyfriend Mark Brydon. After the two ended their romantic relationship, Murphy released her...
, released in Ireland on 12 October 2007 and in the United Kingdom and rest of Europe on 15 October 2007. The album was to be released in the United States in late 2008 or early 2009, but was cancelled by EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
due to financial difficulties on their part. Receiving widespread critical acclaim, the album was more commercially successful than its predecessor, debuting at number twenty on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
.
Background
In 2006, whilst promoting her band MolokoMoloko
Moloko were an Anglo-Irish electronic/pop duo consisting of Róisín Murphy from Wicklow, Ireland and Mark Brydon, from Sunderland, England.- Origin of band name :...
's greatest hits album, Catalogue, Murphy announced that she was recording a new album to be released in 2007. After signing to EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
in May 2006, Murphy set out to produce a pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
album with a heavy disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
influence. With a bigger budget behind her than with her last record company, the independent Echo Records
Echo Records
The Echo Label was a record label started by Chrysalis Group in 1994, and linked with Pony Canyon in Japan. The Chrysalis Group were the original owners of Chrysalis Records, which they sold to EMI....
, Murphy recorded around thirty songs for the album with various producers and writers in Miami, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, commenting that each of the producers aided the pop influence of the album, as they all wanted to write "the single".
The success of Overpowered was in limbo, since EMI was having severe financial difficulties. In December 2006, EMI stopped shipping to independent record stores, focusing more on high-end retailers such as Borders
Borders Group
Borders Group, Inc. was an international book and music retailer based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company employed approximately 19,500 throughout the U.S., primarily in its Borders and Waldenbooks stores....
.
Art direction
The artwork for Overpowered and its accompanying single releases was conceptualised by Scott King (who also directed the promotional videos for "Overpowered" and "Let Me Know"), and the cover images were photographed by Jonathan de Villiers. The artwork places Murphy wearing extraordinary outfits in everyday surroundings, presenting her as a "street diva" and a constant performer. Murphy wears outfits by Gareth PughGareth Pugh
Gareth Pugh is an English fashion designer. He currently lives and works in Paris.-Career:At 14, Pugh began working as a costume designer for the English National Youth Theatre. He started his fashion education at City of Sunderland College and finished his degree in Fashion Design at Central...
, Givenchy
Givenchy
Givenchy is a French brand of clothing, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics with Parfums Givenchy.The house of Givenchy was founded in 1952 by designer Hubert de Givenchy and is a member of Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture et du Pret-a-Porter...
and Viktor & Rolf
Viktor & Rolf
Viktor & Rolf is an Amsterdam-based fashion house. The company was founded in 1993 by designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren .- History :...
in the artwork.
The design inside the booklet for Overpowered features a cryptic assemblage
Assemblage (art)
Assemblage is an artistic process. In the visual arts, it consists of making three-dimensional or two-dimensional artistic compositions by putting together found objects...
(resembling a flowchart
Flowchart
A flowchart is a type of diagram that represents an algorithm or process, showing the steps as boxes of various kinds, and their order by connecting these with arrows. This diagrammatic representation can give a step-by-step solution to a given problem. Process operations are represented in these...
but lacking directional indications found in such) made up of boxes containing statements and quotes, as well as apparent excerpts from the written treatment for the promotional video of "Let Me Know" and assorted photographs. Among the known quoatations: "Writing about music is like dancing about architecture" (Laurie Anderson
Laurie Anderson
Laura Phillips "Laurie" Anderson is an American experimental performance artist, composer and musician who plays violin and keyboards and sings in a variety of experimental music and art rock styles. Initially trained as a sculptor, Anderson did her first performance-art piece in the late 1960s...
) and "I got signed to EMI because I reminded them of Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
" (Murphy). According to Murphy, the photography for the album and single sleeves cost £125,000.
Critical reception
Overpowered received mostly positive reviews from music critics. At MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which assigns a normalised
Standard score
In statistics, a standard score indicates how many standard deviations an observation or datum is above or below the mean. It is a dimensionless quantity derived by subtracting the population mean from an individual raw score and then dividing the difference by the population standard deviation...
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
Weighted mean
The weighted mean is similar to an arithmetic mean , where instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others...
score of 82, based on 12 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim". The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
s Garry Mulholland praised the album as "a sumptuous 11-track, all-killer-no-filler
Filler (media)
In media, filler is material that is combined with material of greater relevance or quality to "fill out" a certain volume.-Early television:...
, electro-disco gem" that "sees Murphy striving to get rid of her Big Hit Albatross." He also added, "Inspired by the Eighties proto-house of D Train
D. Train
D. Train was an American R&B duo, who scored several significant hits on both the Billboard Dance and R&B charts during the first half of the 1980s.-Overview:...
, Mantronix
Mantronix
Mantronix was an influential 1980s hip hop and electro funk music group founded by DJ Kurtis Mantronik , and rapper MC Tee...
and Gwen Guthrie
Gwen Guthrie
Gwen Guthrie was an American singer-songwriter, who also sang backing vocals for Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, and Madonna, among others, and who wrote songs made famous by Ben E. King, and Roberta Flack....
, but often sounding a dead-ringer for Yazoo
Yazoo (band)
Yazoo are a British synthpop duo from Basildon, Essex. They had a number of Top 10 hits in the UK charts in the early 1980s...
, early Eurythmics
Eurythmics
Eurythmics were a British pop rock duo, formed in 1980, currently disbanded, but known to reunite from time to time. Consisting of members Annie Lennox and David A...
and rave
Rave music
Rave music may either refer the late 1980s genre or any genre of electronic dance music that may be played at an electronic dance party such as a rave. Very rarely, the term is used to refer to less electronic related genres glam, powerpop, psychedelic rock and dub music parties...
-era dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
sters Electribe 101
Electribe 101
Electribe 101 was a British-based electronic music group in the late 1980s and early 1990s, managed by Tom Watkins of Bros, Pet Shop Boys, and 2wo Third3 fame.-Career:...
, Overpowereds bubbling, sensual, and soulful glitterball gems effortlessly tap into the perennial glory of feeling lost and lonely at the disco at the end of the world." In a review for Allmusic, Heather Phares called it "[a]ptly enough for such a pop-focused album" and wrote that "nearly every song on Overpowered sounds like a potential smash hit. Even if this album is a bid for the big time, it's done with such flair that it just underscores what a confident and unique artist Murphy really is." Ben Urdang of musicOMH
MusicOMH
musicOMH is a United Kingdom-based website which publishes independent reviews, featues and interviews from across all musical genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B.-History:...
cited Overpowered as Murphy's "most coherent album yet" and noted that her "songwriting appears to be stronger than ever with a consistent style and sound emerging throughout." Stephen Trouss of Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
commented that "[i]n a year of low-stakes disappointment for European pop, Overpowered is a triumph." Sonja D'Cruze, writing for BBC Music
BBC Music
BBC Music is a team working in the department of Audio and Music Interactive at the BBC. Responsible for the BBC Music website - the portal site to music content across the BBC website....
, stated, "From start to finish Roisin fronts an inventive, unpredictable record. Overpowered spits glitter with every song and could go a long way to bringing back a disco chic revival."
Jax Spike from About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
described the album as "pretty overpowering itself, containing solid electropop music with plenty of funky flavor and some really wild beats, with her smooth voice exuding confidence despite any moments of breathiness." The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
critic Mark Edwards remarked that "[t]he music on Overpowered plays down her quirky (all right, difficult) side in favour of a melange of disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
/house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
styles from 1975 to 1989. It lacks the glam wit of Goldfrapp
Goldfrapp
Goldfrapp are an English electronic music duo, formed in 1999 in London, England, that consists of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory ....
or the cheekiness of Kylie
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
, but it's brisk and efficient." The NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
referred to Overpowered as "a thoroughly modern pop album that will best appeal to ageing clubbers." Cpt H.M. 'Howling Mad' Murdock from Drowned in Sound
Drowned in Sound
DrownedinSound.com or DiS is a UK based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway . The site is an editorially independent music website.-History:...
felt that "[n]ot once does Overpowered really drag its feet, but it never truly impacts with the might one could possibly expect from an artist with such a fine pedigree. It's a solid pop album, one wonderfully in tune with today's stylistic shifts and trends." Emily Mackay of Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music, owned by Yahoo!, is the provider of a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming...
said that on Overpowered, Murphy "melded the two sides of her history much more seamlessly; four-to-the-floor pop belters mix with touches of electronic and lyrical darkness to make one of the pop albums of the year." Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine was an online music and film magazine launched in 2002. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, a number of different podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog....
's Dan MacRae believed that "Overpowered knows how to squeech and squelch in the proper places, while touches of cowbell, beatboxery
Beatboxing
Beatboxing is a form of vocal percussion primarily involving the art of producing drum beats, rhythm, and musical sounds using one's mouth, lips, tongue, and voice. It may also involve singing, vocal imitation of turntablism, and the simulation of horns, strings, and other musical instruments...
, and the occasional Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
styled riff all get sprinkled in accordingly." Lauren Murphy of entertainment.ie
Entertainment.ie
entertainment.ie is a Dublin-based Irish website which provides extensive cinema, TV, live music, theatre, comedy, exhibition and festival listings for free, as well as celebrity gossip, music and movie news, movie and DVD reviews, CD reviews and up-to-date lottery results.The site was developed in...
was not impressed, stating that "this is an album that sticks rigidly to a tried-and-tested formula, rarely colouring outside the lines or deviating from the disco/house vibe", but found that "there are some fantastically uplifting dance-pop tunes here, all launched forth with the effortless vigour that Murphy does so well."
Singles and promotion
The album was preceded by the title track "OverpoweredOverpowered (song)
"Overpowered" is a song by Irish recording artist Róisín Murphy from her second solo studio album, Overpowered. Released as the album's lead single on 9 July 2007, the song was written by Murphy, Paul "Seiji" Dolby and Mike Patto and produced by Murphy herself and Seiji...
", released as its lead single on 9 July 2007. Murphy's official website announced on 6 July 2007 that the single was not chart eligible but instead was used as an introduction for her start at EMI. The second single from the album was the song "Let Me Know
Let Me Know
"Let Me Know" is a song by Irish recording artist Róisín Murphy from her second solo studio album, Overpowered. Written and produced by Murphy and Andy Cato of Groove Armada, the song was released as the album's second single on 8 October 2007. "Let Me Know" reached number twenty-eight in the...
", released a week before the album. It reached number twenty-eight on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. Several months later, "You Know Me Better
You Know Me Better
"You Know Me Better" is a song by Irish recording artist Róisín Murphy from her second solo studio album, Overpowered. Co-written with and produced by Groove Armada's Andy Cato, the track was released as the album's third single on 31 March 2008....
" was released as the album's third single on 31 March 2008, peaking at number forty-seven in the UK. Murphy announced in an interview that "Movie Star
Movie Star (song)
"Movie Star" is a song by Irish recording artist Róisín Murphy from her second solo studio album, Overpowered. Written by Murphy, Paul "Seiji" Dolby and Mike Patto, and produced by Parrot & Dean, the song was released digitally in the United States as the album's fourth and final...
" would be released as the album's fourth single. It was released digitally in the United States on 13 October 2008. However, a planned worldwide double A-side release of the single along with Murphy's cover of Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry, CBE is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to public prominence in the early 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with the band Roxy Music, who enjoyed a highly successful career with three number one albums and ten singles entering the top ten charts in...
's 1985 song "Slave to Love
Slave to Love
"Slave to Love" is the first single released from Roxy Music singer Bryan Ferry's 1985 release, Boys and Girls, and is one of his most popular solo hits. The single was released on 28 April 1985 and spent 9 weeks in the UK charts in 1985, peaking at number 10...
" was cancelled. "Slave to Love" has become a underground hit in clubs and raves worldwide since its leak onto the Internet, spawning several unauthorised remixes and extended versions.
Tour
In support of the album, Murphy embarked on an extensive tour across Europe. During the tour, Murphy also performed in Australia and a one-night show in New York CityNew 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...
. On 27 October 2007, Murphy sustained an eye injury
Eye injury
Physical or chemical injuries of the eye can be a serious threat to vision if not treated appropriately and in a timely fashion. The most obvious presentation of ocular injuries is redness and pain of the affected eyes. This is not, however, universally true, as tiny metallic projectiles may cause...
during a concert in a Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
club and had to cancel several subsequent shows. In total, Murphy performed ninety-four shows in twenty-nine countries.
Track listing
B-sides and online exclusives
- "Foolish" (Róisín Murphy, Paul Dolby) – 3:28
- "Sweet Nothings" (Murphy, Lajuana Pigram, Jimmy DouglassJimmy DouglassJimmy Douglass is an American four-time Grammy winning recording engineer and record producer, whose prolific career has spanned more than four decades.-Career:...
, Ivan Corraliza) – 3:44 - "Sunshine" (Murphy, Richard Barrett, Dean Honer, Cathy DennisCathy DennisCathy Dennis is a British dance-oriented pop singer-songwriter, record producer and actress...
) – 3:08 - "Unlovable" (Murphy, Dolby, Mark de Clive-Lowe) – 3:56
- "Keep It Loose" (Murphy, Dolby, Mike Patto, Robin Mullarkey, Toni Economides) – 3:26
- "Modern Timing" (Murphy, Corraliza) – 4:28
- "Slave to LoveSlave to Love"Slave to Love" is the first single released from Roxy Music singer Bryan Ferry's 1985 release, Boys and Girls, and is one of his most popular solo hits. The single was released on 28 April 1985 and spent 9 weeks in the UK charts in 1985, peaking at number 10...
" (Bryan FerryBryan FerryBryan Ferry, CBE is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to public prominence in the early 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with the band Roxy Music, who enjoyed a highly successful career with three number one albums and ten singles entering the top ten charts in...
) – 3:41
Unreleased songs
These songs were written and/or recorded by Murphy for Overpowered, but remain unreleased.- "Don't Let It Go to Your Head Boy" (Murphy, Cathy DennisCathy DennisCathy Dennis is a British dance-oriented pop singer-songwriter, record producer and actress...
, Calvin HarrisCalvin HarrisCalvin Harris is a Scottish singer-songwriter, record producer and DJ. His gold-selling debut album, I Created Disco, was released in 2007 and contained the top ten singles "Acceptable in the 80s" and "The Girls"...
) - "Earn It" (Murphy, Mike Ward, Richard Barrett, Dean Honer)
- "Off and On" (Murphy, Dennis, Harris)
During an interview with Popjustice
Popjustice
Popjustice is a music website founded in 2000 and is the work of UK freelance music journalist Peter Robinson, who has worked for NME, The Guardian, Attitude and many others....
, Scottish electronic musician Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris is a Scottish singer-songwriter, record producer and DJ. His gold-selling debut album, I Created Disco, was released in 2007 and contained the top ten singles "Acceptable in the 80s" and "The Girls"...
called Murphy "a bit mental" for not including the songs "Off and On" and "Don't Let It Go to Your Head Boy" on Overpowered. Furthermore, he accused her of "cost[ing] me all sorts of money" during recording. Murphy and Harris have since resolved their differences and the song "Off and On" was recorded by English pop singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Sophie Michelle Ellis-Bextor is an English singer, songwriter, model and occasional DJ. She first came to prominence in the late 1990s, as the lead singer of the indie rock band Theaudience. After the group disbanded, Ellis-Bextor went solo, achieving widespread success in the early 2000s...
for her 2011 album Make a Scene.
Personnel
- Róisín Murphy – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Matt Cappy – trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
(track 3) - Dan CareyDan Carey (music)Daniel De Mussenden Carey is a London-based producer, writer, mixer and remixer whose credits include work with CSS, M.I.A., Hot Chip, Athlete, Emilíana Torrini, Sia , Alice Gold, Kylie, Franz Ferdinand, Santigold, The Kills, Róisín Murphy, Mr Hudson, Lily Allen, Brazilian Girls, The Long Blondes,...
– producer, engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
(track 11); mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
(tracks 4, 11) - Andy CatoAndy CatoAndy Cato is one half of the electronic dance band, Groove Armada, the other half being Tom Findlay. He is also involved with Rachel Foster in Weekend Players, another electronic dance group.-Early life:...
– producer, engineer, instrumentationInstrumentation (music)In music, instrumentation refers to the particular combination of musical instruments employed in a composition, and to the properties of those instruments individually...
(tracks 2, 4, 12) - Mark de Clive-LoweMark De Clive-LoweMark de Clive-Lowe is a musician and producer originally from New Zealand, and now based in West London. He has been one of the key musicians in the Broken Beat and Nu Jazz movements, blending jazz, ethnic music and urban grooves into a 21st Century sound...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(track 7) - Carl Cox – tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
(track 3) - Tom Coyne – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
(track 9) - Jimmy DouglassJimmy DouglassJimmy Douglass is an American four-time Grammy winning recording engineer and record producer, whose prolific career has spanned more than four decades.-Career:...
– producer (tracks 3, 6, 10); mixing (tracks 7, 8, 12) - Tom ElmhirstTom ElmhirstTom Elmhirst is a British specialist music producer and mix engineer. He began his career at SARM studios in the early 90s at a time when digital audio was already becoming mainstream. Elmhirst’s experiences at SARM and with Trevor Horn have clearly influenced his current working methods...
– mixing (tracks 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13) - Ill Factor – producer (tracks 3, 6, 10); additional producer (tracks 2, 4); instrumentation (tracks 3, 10); brassBrass instrumentA brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
arrangements (track 3) - Larry Gold – string arrangementsString sectionThe string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
(tracks 3, 6, 10) - Dean Honer – producer, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
(tracks 5, 9); additional engineer (track 5) - Scott King – art directionArt directorThe art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
, designGraphic designGraphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience... - Eric KupperEric KupperEric Kupper is an American keyboardist, arranger, songwriter, remix artist, DJ and record producer of French descent. Playing in bands in his formative years, he got his real start in the mid-1980s working as a keyboardist, guitarist, and songwriter for such producer/remixers as David Morales,...
– mixing (track 2) - Cheri London – backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(track 10) - Joshua Maiden – stringsStrings (music)A string is the vibrating element that produces sound in string instruments, such as the guitar, harp, piano, and members of the violin family. Strings are lengths of a flexible material kept under tension so that they may vibrate freely, but controllably. Strings may be "plain"...
engineer (tracks 3, 6); engineer (track 10)
- Robin Mullarkey – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(track 11) - Stephan Murphy – bass (track 3)
- Dave OkumuThe Invisible (band)The Invisible are an indie rock/post-rock band based in and originating from London, and fronted by the singer and guitarist Dave Okumu, a long-time member of the London jazz scene. The band formed as Dave Okumu's solo project but quickly developed into a full fledged band with friends Tom Herbert ...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(tracks 1, 7, 8) - Ross OrtonRoss OrtonRoss Orton is a musician/songwriter/producer based in Sheffield, England.He is known for his work as drummer in Add N to and as part of electro trio Fat Truckers, and since that band's split in 2004 has formed the Cavemen songwriting/production duo with Pulp's Steve Mackey...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(track 5) - Jason Ozveran – guitar (track 11)
- Parrot – producer, synthesizer, programming (tracks 5, 9)
- Mike Patto – keyboards (track 1); guitar (tracks 5, 8)
- Davide de Rose – drums (track 11)
- Kevin RudolfKevin RudolfKevin Rudolf is an American singer-songwriter and record producer signed to Cash Money Records. Rudolf is mostly known for singing and producing rock/pop music...
– guitar (track 4) - SeijiBugz in the AtticBugz in the Attic is a collective of DJs and producers based in West London, who are prominent in broken beat. The collective includes Orin Walters , Paul Dolby , Kaidi Tatham, Daz-I-Kue, Alex Phountzi , Cliff Scott, Mark Force, Matt Lord, and Mikey Stirton. The group also has a label, BitaSweet...
– producer, drums, keyboards (tracks 1, 7, 8); keyboards (tracks 1, 7); engineer (tracks 5, 7, 8) - Alexis Smith – studio assistant (track 4); assistant engineer (track 11)
- Philly Smith – backing vocals (track 9)
- Eddie StevensEddie StevensEddie Stevens is a British keyboardist, composer and arranger, best known for co-writing, arranging and touring with the UK groups Freakpower ; Moloko ; and Zero 7....
– keyboards (track 11) - Stephen TirpakStephen TirpakStephen Tirpak is a musician, composer, arranger and performer from the Philadelphia area. He is an accomplished pianist and trumpeter who has written, produced and recorded for a number of contemporary musicians including Erykah Badu, P. Diddy, The Roots, LL Cool J, Will Smith, Kanye West,...
– tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
, brass arrangement (track 3) - Jonathan de Villiers – photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
- Mike Ward – additional producer (track 9)
- Richard XRichard XRichard Philips, best known by his stage name Richard X, is a British songwriter and music producer. Gaining attention as a pioneer of the bootleg craze, Richard X has earned success as a producer and remixer. He has helmed hit singles for artists including Annie, Kelis, Liberty X, Rachel Stevens...
– producer, keyboards (track 13)
Weekly charts
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Albums Chart | 35 |
| Belgian Albums Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Flanders) |
4 |
| Belgian Albums Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Wallonia) |
34 |
| Dutch Albums Chart MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
13 |
| European Top 100 Albums European Top 100 Albums The European Top 100 Albums chart is the European adaptation of the Billboard 200 albums chart. It was created in March 1984.The European Top 100 Albums, commonly referred to as Eurochart Top 100 Albums shows the sales of an act in 19 European countries based on IFPI data.The European Top 100... |
30 |
| Finnish Albums Chart | 28 |
| French Albums Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
154 |
| German Albums Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
57 |
| Irish Albums Chart Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
51 |
| Swiss Albums Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
32 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
20 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| Belgium Belgian Entertainment Association The Belgian Entertainment Association is the organization that represents the interests of the music, video and video game industries in Belgium... |
Gold |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders) | 48 |
External links
- Overpowered at MetacriticMetacriticMetacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...