X (Kylie Minogue album)
Encyclopedia
X is the tenth studio album
by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue
. It is her first release since the greatest hits compilation Ultimate Kylie
(2004), and her first studio album since Body Language
(2003). X was preceded by lead single "2 Hearts
" and released worldwide in November 2007. The American release of X took place in April 2008, preceded by the single "All I See
". The final single from the album was "The One
", released in Australia on 28 July 2008.
Work on the album began following Minogue's gradual recovery from breast cancer
and subsequent radiotherapy
treatment. Her cancer, which was diagnosed in May 2005, resulted in the postponement of Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour tour midway through its run. Minogue resumed the tour in late 2006, in the midst of recording X, and was completed later in the following year.
In addition to generally positive critical reception, X was nominated for a BRIT Award
for International Album and debuted at number one in Australia, and in the top five in the United Kingdom. According to the British newspaper The Times
, the album has sold one million copies worldwide as of December 2008.
On 3 December 2008 it was announced that X had been nominated at the 51st Grammy Awards
in the category of Best Electronic/Dance Album
, making it Minogue's fifth Grammy Award nomination.
, Minogue began writing lyrics towards the end of her cancer treatment in mid-2006, having not worked on any music for the previous year. Inspired by thinking about the things Minogue wanted to do once her recovery was complete and of her doubts about returning to her career; she wrote lyrics which would later form the basis of "Cosmic" and "No More Rain". A visit to Taprobane also produced a song which Minogue penned, titled "Taprobane (Extraordinary Day)".
Due to the recovery time following her cancer, X was the first album Minogue had consciously prepared for the recording of, having previously been engaged for much of her career in an endless cycle of record, release and tour. She had worried about not having sung in some time and whether or not she could perform so soon after her cancer treatment. Minogue started work on the project in May 2006, only breaking for the resumption of the Showgirl tour at the end of the year. Once the tour was finished, she returned to the studio to complete the album, feeling that completing it was a personal goal she had set.
and Babydaddy
of Scissor Sisters
would result in "White Diamond" and "Singing in My Sleep" before Minogue settled down with her longstanding co-writers Biffco (Richard Stannard, Julian Peake and Paul Harris) in Brighton
to work on a number of tracks. This collaboration proved very productive, with "Stars", "Fall for You", "Everlasting Love" (which she later sang on tour, with the title "Ruffle My Feathers") and "I Don't Know What It Is" being recorded. During the Biffco sessions, Scottish musician Calvin Harris
worked with the team on "In My Arms
", while Stannard brought in a track he had sourced titled "The One
", which he co-produced with Russell Small and James Wiltshire of Freemasons
. Stannard also worked with Stuart Crichton on "Tell It Like It Is", Dave Morgan ("Simple Boy"), Rob Davis ("One to One"), Martin Harrington
, Ash Howes and Hannah Robinson
("Give Up to Love").
Once the sessions for the album had got underway, Parlophone
's A&R
team sent out writing and production briefs to a large number of artists, producers and songwriters, some of them well regarded, some up-and-coming and some unknown, requesting demo submissions for Minogue and her team to hear. Minogue continued to work with a growing number of artists on her new material. Harris returned to the project with "Heart Beat Rock", sessions with Scottish musician Mylo
resulted in "I'm in the Mood for Love" and "Spell of Desire" while underground London group Kish Mauve
produced two of their own songs for Minogue, "2 Hearts
" and "Lose Control". Boy George
and Amanda Ghost
submitted a track called "I'm Ready", with further submissions coming from Davis, Robinson ("So Safe"), Henrik Korpi ("Never Be Lonely"), Siobhan Fahey
, Goldfrapp
, Sneaky Sound System
, Hot Chip
and Alan Braxe
.
Minogue's material took a harder electronic approach with some of her newer collaborators. Danish producers Cutfather
and Jonas Jeberg
forwarded a demo of "Like a Drug" to Parlophone, which was rejected at first but accepted on second try. Minogue recorded the track in London, and later she recorded "All I See
" (written by EMI
songwriter Edwin "Lil' Eddie" Serrano), "Down Down" and "Rippin' Up the Disco" with them. Sessions in Stockholm
with songwriter Karen Poole
and Swedish producers Bloodshy & Avant
resulted in tracks "Speakerphone", "Cherry Bomb" and "Nu-di-ty". Minogue brought out her lyric book and attempted to work on "No More Rain" with them, but their production-heavy style did not work well with the song.
Minogue requested setting up a studio in Ibiza
with previous writing partner Karen Poole, and newcomer to the fold Greg Kurstin
, an American multi-instrumentalist musician and producer. Once there they wrote "Wow
", "King or Queen", "Deepest Blue", "Carried Away", "Do It Again" and "Magnetic Electric". Minogue gave "No More Rain" to Kurstin to complete a new production on the song. Poole also worked on a track with Soul Mechanics entitled "My Love Is Real".
A few more tracks completed rounded off the album's sessions. Minogue recorded a cover of Roxy Music
's 1975 song "Love Is the Drug
" with Harris, and completed "Cosmic" with producer Eg White
. Minogue encountered songwriter Guy Chambers
at a function, who offered her a song he had written over the previous four years and built around a sample of Serge Gainsbourg
and Brigitte Bardot
's "Bonnie and Clyde
". Cathy Dennis
joined Minogue in furthering the track, which became "Sensitized". She had also written a number of songs for Minogue's album, including one co-written with producer Mark Ronson
entitled "Boys Boys Boys". Minogue also completed a number of tracks with her longtime writing partner Steve Anderson of Brothers in Rhythm
; those tracks included "Hush Hush", "Flower" and "That's Why They Write Love Songs".
Mylo was also recruited to record several of the tracks for the album with Minogue. After recording tracks in the studio, he was told "they were being sent off to be mixed and would be on the final record". He was shocked when the final product was released without any of his tracks included. "To be honest, I think the album is a complete mess, except for the track she blatantly stole [from Kish Mauve], '2 Hearts'", he told BBC Radio 1
. "I plan to keep up my public beef with Kylie for as long as possible."
It was also reported that the Pet Shop Boys
were invited to write a handful of tracks for Minogue. After having submitted them, they were subsequently ignored and the duo would go on to record several of the songs for their own 2009 album Yes
: "We never heard anything back", explained Neil Tennant
. "I think every songwriter in London wrote songs for Kylie's last album. [...] When we were on tour, we had two male backing singers and both had submitted songs for Kylie's album as well. They never heard anything either." Chris Lowe
, the other half of the duo, added: "We won't be doing it again."
During the time between the release of X to the present a large number of songs from the album sessions leaked to the Internet, these being "Taprobane", "Come Down", "My Love Is Real", "Fall for You", "Spell of Desire", "Love Is the Drug", "Lose Control", "In the Mood for Love", "Ruffle My Feathers" and "White Diamond".
called The Kylie Show
, featuring six songs from the new album, and four of her previous hits. It aired on 10 November 2007. Minogue also joined Jo Whiley
on Radio 1 for a special show promoting the new album called Kylie and Whiley during which they recreated a scene from Neighbours
. In addition, Kylie performed several songs in various European TV shows.
On 28 November 2007, Minogue announced she would promote X with a tour, to be called KylieX2008
.
To promote the album, Minogue appeared on 14 January 2008 on the Australian morning program Sunrise
. To promote the lead single and the album in the United States, Minogue appeared on several shows. On 31 March, she gave an interview on the Today Show with Matt Lauer
. Minogue performed "All I See
" and "Can't Get You out of My Head
" live on the results show 1 April 2008 of the American program Dancing with the Stars
. She also performed on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
. She also appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
and performed "All I See" on 7 April 2008 and appeared at the Idol Gives Back
special on the seventh season of American Idol
the following day, along with some of the biggest names in music, such as Gloria Estefan
, Celine Dion
, Bono
, Annie Lennox
, Maroon 5
, Emma Bunton
, Geri Halliwell
and many more. This was Minogue's final appearance in the United States before heading back to England to prepare for the tour, which began on 6 May 2008 in Paris.
A major problem with the album's promotion was Minogue's management selecting poor choices of singles. Numerous sources, including Perez Hilton
, responded very positively to the track "Speakerphone", produced by Bloodshy & Avant. Another fan of that song is American singer Madonna
who included the track on her Celebrity playlist for iTunes
in 2008, stating that she thought that "Speakerphone" was the best song on the album. On the season 2
premiere episode of America's Best Dance Crew
, which aired on 19 June, Fanny Pak used "Speakerphone" in the Crew Choice Challenge. The song was commended for being overly modern and progressive, especially for an American audience who responded to "Can't Get You Out of My Head".
Others responded that "Wow
" or "Like a Drug" would have been a suitable first single for the album in the United States. Instead, with the mentality that the only substantial way to boost album sales in North America would be to appeal to an urban
market (similarly to Minogue's ninth studio album, Body Language
), "All I See" was released as that region's lead single and failed on the mainstream charts, despite the single version featuring American rapper Mims
.
Another problem with the album's American promotion involved Minogue's low public profile in comparison with the rest of the world. In the past, she had rarely appeared in the public eye in the region except for heavy airplay of "Can't Get You Out of My Head" and "The Locomotion
", seldom appearing on general music channels such as MTV
and VH1
and never having a tour on the continent of North America. In Europe, additional problems arose in the release of "2 Hearts
" as the song was a drastic jump from Minogue's other work (especially on X) and clearly duplicated from the Kish Mauve version. The release of the final single, "The One
" was a neglected release as it featured only a digital download single along with a promotional music video. The single version was remixed with a more club feel by the Freemasons.
Shortly after this, the media ran with the story that Minogue herself was "disappointed" with how X turned out. "Kylie Minogue has said she does not believe that her last album X met her usual high standards. The Australian popstar spoke of her disappointment with the record to The Sun
, but insisted that she was pleased with the singles "In My Arms" and "2 Hearts". "In retrospect, we could definitely have bettered it, I'll say that straight up", she admitted. "Given the time we had, it is what it is. 'Wow', 'In My Arms', 'The One' and '2 Hearts' are crackers. They go off like a frog in a sock."
single called "X Allmixedup" was released on iTunes
, containing four songs from X: "2 Hearts", "The One", "In My Arms" and "Like a Drug", with the latter being the only track from these four that did not get a release as a standalone single. The single was only released in Australia and New Zealand for the promotion of the KylieX2008 tour.
, which assigns a normalised
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
score of 65, based on 24 reviews. Chris Long from BBC Music
praised it as "an album packed with vitality and, as always with Kylie's releases, oodles of fun", noting that the "current trend for electro is one that was always going to suit Kylie and it's one that she's used right through X." James Hunter from The Village Voice
believed that "it's not the production, as copiously sexy as it is, that makes [the album] great: It's that Kylie has an ear for fantastic pop-rock
tunes restyled for 2008, and she approaches them not as merely amusing sonic glitter, but as totally vital music." Mark Sutherland wrote for Billboard
that "[t]he hip producers [...] and heavy-hitting songwriters [...] are all present and correct, but they never overshadow Minogue's perky/saucy pop/dance formula", deeming the album a "truly welcome return". In a review for The New York Times
, Kelefa Sanneh commented that "though X doesn't raise Ms. Minogue's own high standards, it does sometimes meet them", referring to "Speakerphone" as "a meta-dance song, intoxicated with itself". Sharon O'Connell of Yahoo! Music
described the album as a "savvy, shiny, slyly sophisticated set of thoroughly modern dance floor exercises, it's the record we hoped Girls Aloud
might make. There are no thrilling creative transgressions and Kylie won't win a Pulitzer
for her prose, but as pop productions go, it's a peach." The Guardian
s Alexis Petridis
, giving the album three stars out of five, complimented "No More Rain" for its "cheery dynamics pinched from Madonna
's 'Ray of Light
', and lyrics about getting a second chance", but felt that "a lot of the songs don't appear to be about anything much." He added that "X is business as usual for a Kylie Minogue album: a handful of great tracks surrounded by stuff that's so obviously filler you could inject it into cavity walls and save up to 33% on your energy bills." The Observer
critic Peter Robinson
agreed, viewing X as "merely a slightly above average collection of tracks. A typical Kylie album, in other words. It's business as usual, but it's beginning to sound like it." He would also state that "[l]istening to upbeat but flimsy tracks such as 'Wow' and 'Sensitised', it would be easy to accuse Kylie's X of being lazy but the reverse is more true: this is an album so over-thought and so painstakingly plotted that during its construction any sense of perspective seems to have been lost."
Jax Spike of About.com
rated the album four out of five stars, describing it as "a glorious fusion of glam electronica and dance [that] definitely shines as a great example of electropop fusion", while noting that "[e]ven though some of the ballads on X drag the album down at times, the album as a whole marks a great comeback for Kylie and definitely moves forward from what she did with Light Years and Fever
." Allmusic's Chris True gave X three and a half stars out of five, saying that while some of the album is "very very good" (naming the Guy Chambers-produced "Sensitized" the best track on the album), most of it "lacks—when all presented as a whole—what the last few [Minogue] collections really had: consistency." He further commented that "[i]t feels more like an artist trying to make sure she has all her bases covered." Dave Hughes from Slant Magazine
argued that "[o]ne of the most contemporary (and least pleasant) aspects of X is its scattershot production, which gives it the focus-grouped attention deficit disorder more typical of a Gwen Stefani
record than one of Minogue's laser-honed disco-princess home runs." He went on to characterise the Bloodshy & Avant-produced tracks "Speakerphone" and "Nu-di-ty" as "phenomenally annoying", but cited "Wow" as the highlight of the album, calling it "a pretty great summation of the commercially successful aspects of Minogue's career to date—a hyperactive juvenile disco track full of fun, big-budget whooshes and drops, something utterly disposable that she sells without shame." Tom Ewing from Pitchfork Media
opined that "X can seem like a revision primer for Minogue fans who've ignored the past few years of chart pop—here's a bit of Gwen Stefani-style clockwork playground pop; here's some nu-Britney Spears
cut-ups; here's some Sugababes
sultriness. Here's electro-disco
, cosmic disco, and just plain disco disco, plus nods to 1980s street dance
and 00s r&b
. [...] As you'd expect, not all of these styles suit her." Evan Sawdey from PopMatters
stated that Minogue "is on fire for the first half of X", but dismissed the second half as "a long stream of high-class filler" and "a laundry list of forgettable tunes". Michael Hubbard from musicOMH
wrote that "Xs 13 tracks do what Kylie songs always do—crank up a beat and get energetic around unchallenging lyrics about dancing, sexing and little else. Together they've made an expensive-sounding album pitched squarely at Kylie's existing audience base", but later concluded that the album is "more filler than killer".
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On the issue dated 3 December 2007, X debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart
, giving Minogue her third number-one album in her native Australia. The album remained in the top fifty for fourteen weeks, ultimately earning a platinum certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA) for sales in excess of 70,000 copies. Additionally, it was the forty-ninth best-selling album in Australia for 2007. In New Zealand, however, it became Minogue's lowest-charting studio album to date, spending a sole week at number thirty-eight on the RIANZ Albums Chart
. X debuted and peaked at number four on the UK Albums Chart
for the week of 2 December 2007. It spent twenty-eight consecutive weeks in the top 100, subsequently returning to the chart at number ninety-nine on 7 August 2008 for an additional week. The British Phonographic Industry
(BPI) certified the album platinum on 30 November 2007, having sold 462,000 copies in the United Kingdom as of January 2010. In the United States the album charted at number 139 on the Billboard 200
and at number four on the Top Electronic Albums chart on 19 April 2008, selling 6,000 units in its first week and 38,000 altogether. The album saw considerable charting success across continental Europe, reaching the top ten in Switzerland; the top twenty in Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, and Ireland; the top thirty in Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden; and the top forty in Denmark and Italy.
" was released globally as the lead single except in the US. The single was a hit, reaching number one in Australia and number four in the UK. "Wow
" was released as the second single in the UK and Australia and the third in the rest of the world. While it was a modest hit in Australia reaching number eleven, it was a big hit in the UK reaching number five and selling around 180,000 copies. "In My Arms
", the second global release and third UK and Australian release, was a solid hit across Europe, where it peaked in Romania and went top ten in the UK, Belgium, France, Germany and Switzerland. "All I See
" was released as the lead US single and second Canadian single. It reached number eighty-one on the Canadian Hot 100
but failed to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100
. It nevertheless peaked at number three on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. "The One
" was released as a single in the UK, Europe and Australia. Although it was only released as a digital download single, it reached number thirty-six on the UK chart, making it a minor success. It was also released physically as a two-track promo.
on iTunes and featured on America's Best Dance Crew
. In August 2009, Minogue held a competition for fans to create a music video for "Speakerphone". The winner was an animation made by Hungarian animator Rudolf Pap
. The video was shown at the Hollywood Bowl
on 4 October before Minogue's concert. A version of "Sensitized" featuring French singer Christophe Willem
served as a promotional single in Europe, but did not manage to chart on any major record charts.
Tour Editions
Disc 2 – Remixes
Bonus tracks on disc 1
DVD – Xtras
USB edition bonus
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 Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue
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...
. It is her first release since the greatest hits compilation Ultimate Kylie
Ultimate Kylie
Ultimate Kylie is the third compilation album by Australian singer and songwriter Kylie Minogue, which was released in November 2004 by Parlophone Records. This collection superseded Kylie's 1992 Greatest Hits compilation and the 2000 compilation Hits+. It was released with the Copy Control...
(2004), and her first studio album since Body Language
Body Language (Kylie Minogue album)
Body Language is the ninth studio album by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue, released on 20 November 2003 by Parlophone. While Body Language failed to reach the chart and sales success of its predecessor, 2001's Fever, it still managed to chart inside the top five in several countries...
(2003). X was preceded by lead single "2 Hearts
2 Hearts
"2 Hearts" is a song by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue from her tenth studio album, X . The song is a cover version of a track originally recorded by Kish Mauve, who also produced Minogue's version. "2 Hearts" was Minogue's first commercial single release since she was diagnosed with...
" and released worldwide in November 2007. The American release of X took place in April 2008, preceded by the single "All I See
All I See
"All I See" is a pop–R&B song performed by Australian singer Kylie Minogue for her tenth studio album, X . The song was written by Jonas Jeberg, Mich Hedin Hansen, Edwin "Lil' Eddie" Serrano and produced by Jeberg and Cutfather. It was released digitally as a lead single in North America on...
". The final single from the album was "The One
The One (Kylie Minogue song)
"The One" is a song by Australian record artist Kylie Minogue. It is her fifth and last single from her tenth studio album, X . "The One" was written by by Minogue, Richard Stannard, James Wiltshire, Russell Small, John Andersson, Johan Emmoth and Emma Holmgren, the song was released as the album's...
", released in Australia on 28 July 2008.
Work on the album began following Minogue's gradual recovery from breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
and subsequent radiotherapy
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy , radiation oncology, or radiotherapy , sometimes abbreviated to XRT or DXT, is the medical use of ionizing radiation, generally as part of cancer treatment to control malignant cells.Radiation therapy is commonly applied to the cancerous tumor because of its ability to control...
treatment. Her cancer, which was diagnosed in May 2005, resulted in the postponement of Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour tour midway through its run. Minogue resumed the tour in late 2006, in the midst of recording X, and was completed later in the following year.
In addition to generally positive critical reception, X was nominated for a BRIT Award
2008 BRIT Awards
The 2008 BRIT Awards was the 28th edition of the biggest annual music awards in the United Kingdom. They are run by the British Phonographic Industry and took place on 20 February 2008 at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London. The ceremony attracted 6.1 million viewers, 800,000 more than the...
for International Album and debuted at number one in Australia, and in the top five in the United Kingdom. According to the British newspaper The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, the album has sold one million copies worldwide as of December 2008.
On 3 December 2008 it was announced that X had been nominated at the 51st Grammy Awards
51st Grammy Awards
The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA on February 8, 2009. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the biggest winners of the night, jointly winning five awards including Album of the Year and Record of the Year...
in the category of Best Electronic/Dance Album
Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album
The Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronica Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality albums in the dance music and electronica genres...
, making it Minogue's fifth Grammy Award nomination.
Background and writing
While recovering in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Minogue began writing lyrics towards the end of her cancer treatment in mid-2006, having not worked on any music for the previous year. Inspired by thinking about the things Minogue wanted to do once her recovery was complete and of her doubts about returning to her career; she wrote lyrics which would later form the basis of "Cosmic" and "No More Rain". A visit to Taprobane also produced a song which Minogue penned, titled "Taprobane (Extraordinary Day)".
Due to the recovery time following her cancer, X was the first album Minogue had consciously prepared for the recording of, having previously been engaged for much of her career in an endless cycle of record, release and tour. She had worried about not having sung in some time and whether or not she could perform so soon after her cancer treatment. Minogue started work on the project in May 2006, only breaking for the resumption of the Showgirl tour at the end of the year. Once the tour was finished, she returned to the studio to complete the album, feeling that completing it was a personal goal she had set.
Recording
Initial sessions in New York with Jake ShearsJake Shears
Jake Shears is the lead male vocalist for the American music group Scissor Sisters.-Early life and education:...
and Babydaddy
Babydaddy
Scott Hoffman , known by his stage name Babydaddy, is the Ivor Novello Award-winning multi-instrumentalist, backing vocalist and lyricist for the American glam rock band, Scissor Sisters...
of Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters are an American band "spawned by the scuzzy, gay nightlife scene of New York" who took their name from a sexual position between two women also known as tribadism...
would result in "White Diamond" and "Singing in My Sleep" before Minogue settled down with her longstanding co-writers Biffco (Richard Stannard, Julian Peake and Paul Harris) in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
to work on a number of tracks. This collaboration proved very productive, with "Stars", "Fall for You", "Everlasting Love" (which she later sang on tour, with the title "Ruffle My Feathers") and "I Don't Know What It Is" being recorded. During the Biffco sessions, Scottish 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"...
worked with the team on "In My Arms
In My Arms (Kylie Minogue song)
"In My Arms" is a song by Australian pop singer-songwriter Kylie Minogue from her tenth studio album, X . The track was written by Minogue, Calvin Harris, Richard "Biff" Stannard, Paul Harris and Julian Peake. It was produced by Calvin Harris and Stannard...
", while Stannard brought in a track he had sourced titled "The One
The One (Kylie Minogue song)
"The One" is a song by Australian record artist Kylie Minogue. It is her fifth and last single from her tenth studio album, X . "The One" was written by by Minogue, Richard Stannard, James Wiltshire, Russell Small, John Andersson, Johan Emmoth and Emma Holmgren, the song was released as the album's...
", which he co-produced with Russell Small and James Wiltshire of Freemasons
Freemasons (band)
Freemasons are an English dance band from Brighton, East Sussex, England. The act consists of producers Russell Small and James Wiltshire .-2005-2007: Early Career:Their name is taken from the Brighton pub, Freemasons Tavern, Hove, which they frequently...
. Stannard also worked with Stuart Crichton on "Tell It Like It Is", Dave Morgan ("Simple Boy"), Rob Davis ("One to One"), Martin Harrington
Martin Harrington
Martin Harrington is a British songwriter and record producer based in Los Angeles. He has written and produced for many artists including Celine Dion, Kylie Minogue and Natalie Imbruglia. The international hit song "Love at First Sight" by Kylie Minogue, which he co-wrote, was nominated for both...
, Ash Howes and Hannah Robinson
Hannah Robinson
Hannah Robinson is a British songwriter. Her best known compositions include the "Some Girls", a UK #2 for British pop star Rachel Stevens and Ladyhawke's "My Delirium". She also a vocalist and in 2006 achieved a #1 on the U.S...
("Give Up to Love").
Once the sessions for the album had got underway, Parlophone
Parlophone
Parlophone is a record label that was founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch was formed in 1923 as "Parlophone" which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a leading jazz label. It was acquired in 1927 by the Columbia Graphophone Company which...
's A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
team sent out writing and production briefs to a large number of artists, producers and songwriters, some of them well regarded, some up-and-coming and some unknown, requesting demo submissions for Minogue and her team to hear. Minogue continued to work with a growing number of artists on her new material. Harris returned to the project with "Heart Beat Rock", sessions with Scottish musician Mylo
Mylo
Myles MacInnes , better known by the stage name Mylo, is a Scottish electronic musician and record producer.-Career:...
resulted in "I'm in the Mood for Love" and "Spell of Desire" while underground London group Kish Mauve
Kish Mauve
Kish Mauve is a British electropop group. The group was formed in 2005 in London, England, and consists of Mima Stilwell and Jim Eliot ....
produced two of their own songs for Minogue, "2 Hearts
2 Hearts
"2 Hearts" is a song by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue from her tenth studio album, X . The song is a cover version of a track originally recorded by Kish Mauve, who also produced Minogue's version. "2 Hearts" was Minogue's first commercial single release since she was diagnosed with...
" and "Lose Control". Boy George
Boy George
Boy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
and Amanda Ghost
Amanda Ghost
Amanda Ghost is a singer and songwriter from Enfield, North London, England. After an initial period in which she performed as a solo artist, she formed a band which performed under her name, and of which she was the lead singer...
submitted a track called "I'm Ready", with further submissions coming from Davis, Robinson ("So Safe"), Henrik Korpi ("Never Be Lonely"), Siobhan Fahey
Siobhan Fahey
Siobhan Fahey is an Irish musician and founding member of the 1980s British girl group Bananarama, and later formed the BRIT Award and Ivor Novello award winning musical outfit Shakespears Sister.-Career:Fahey was born the eldest of three daughters to Helen and...
, Goldfrapp
Goldfrapp
Goldfrapp are an English electronic music duo, formed in 1999 in London, England, that consists of Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory ....
, Sneaky Sound System
Sneaky Sound System
Sneaky Sound System are a Sydney-based Australian dance music group consisting of guitarist and producer Black Angus and vocalist Connie Mitchell.-Early Years:...
, Hot Chip
Hot Chip
Hot Chip are an English electronic indie band. They have released four studio albums—Coming on Strong, The Warning, Made in the Dark and One Life Stand.-Formation:...
and Alan Braxe
Alan Braxe
Alain Quême, also known as Alan Braxe, is a French electronic music artist. Braxe is most widely known for his collaborative work with electronic bassist Fred Falke and Kris Menace. In 2005 Alan released The Upper Cuts, a collection of his previous released material.-History:Alan Braxe began work...
.
Minogue's material took a harder electronic approach with some of her newer collaborators. Danish producers Cutfather
Cutfather
Mich Hedin Hansen better known by his stage name Cutfather is a Danish music producer and songwriter.-Career:He is perhaps best known for his remix of "Return of the Mack" by Mark Morrison , and the song "Superstar" released internationally by Jamelia in 2003.He has worked with Danish producer...
and Jonas Jeberg
Jonas Jeberg
Jonas Jeberg , is a Danish songwriter and music producer best known for co'writing/ co'producing the smash hits I hate this part for Pussycat dolls and One step at a time for Jordin Sparks...
forwarded a demo of "Like a Drug" to Parlophone, which was rejected at first but accepted on second try. Minogue recorded the track in London, and later she recorded "All I See
All I See
"All I See" is a pop–R&B song performed by Australian singer Kylie Minogue for her tenth studio album, X . The song was written by Jonas Jeberg, Mich Hedin Hansen, Edwin "Lil' Eddie" Serrano and produced by Jeberg and Cutfather. It was released digitally as a lead single in North America on...
" (written 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...
songwriter Edwin "Lil' Eddie" Serrano), "Down Down" and "Rippin' Up the Disco" with them. Sessions in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
with songwriter Karen Poole
Karen Poole
Karen Poole is an English songwriter and singer, who gained initial fame with her younger sister, Shelly Poole, as the duo / band, Alisha's Attic.-List of compositions:...
and Swedish producers Bloodshy & Avant
Bloodshy & Avant
Bloodshy and Avant are a music production and songwriting team from Sweden made up of Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg...
resulted in tracks "Speakerphone", "Cherry Bomb" and "Nu-di-ty". Minogue brought out her lyric book and attempted to work on "No More Rain" with them, but their production-heavy style did not work well with the song.
Minogue requested setting up a studio in Ibiza
Ibiza
Ibiza or Eivissa is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses. Its largest cities are Ibiza...
with previous writing partner Karen Poole, and newcomer to the fold Greg Kurstin
Greg Kurstin
Gregory Allen "Greg" Kurstin is an award-winning American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. In 2009 Kurstin received a Grammy Award nomination for Producer of the Year. That same year he won three Ivor Novello awards for his work with Lily Allen, including Songwriters of the Year for "The Fear"...
, an American multi-instrumentalist musician and producer. Once there they wrote "Wow
Wow (Kylie Minogue song)
"Wow" is a song performed by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue from her tenth studio album X . The song was written by Minogue, Greg Kurstin and Karen Poole and was produced by Kurstin. "Wow" is a dance song, incorpitate with house and electropop beats. "Wow" was chosen as the album's...
", "King or Queen", "Deepest Blue", "Carried Away", "Do It Again" and "Magnetic Electric". Minogue gave "No More Rain" to Kurstin to complete a new production on the song. Poole also worked on a track with Soul Mechanics entitled "My Love Is Real".
A few more tracks completed rounded off the album's sessions. Minogue recorded a cover of Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
's 1975 song "Love Is the Drug
Love Is the Drug
"Love Is the Drug" is a 1975 single from Roxy Music . Taken from the album Siren it omits the gravel footstep sound effects at the start...
" with Harris, and completed "Cosmic" with producer Eg White
Eg White
Francis Anthony "Eg" White is a British musician, songwriter and producer. White is primarily known for his work with successful commercial pop acts such as Adele, Duffy, Will Young and James Morrison...
. Minogue encountered songwriter Guy Chambers
Guy Chambers
Guy Chambers is an English songwriter and record producer, perhaps best known for his long partnership with Robbie Williams.- Biography :...
at a function, who offered her a song he had written over the previous four years and built around a sample of Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg, born Lucien Ginsburg was a French singer-songwriter, actor and director. Gainsbourg's extremely varied musical style and individuality make him difficult to categorize...
and Brigitte Bardot
Brigitte Bardot
Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot is a French former fashion model, actress, singer and animal rights activist. She was one of the best-known sex-symbols of the 1960s.In her early life, Bardot was an aspiring ballet dancer...
's "Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie and Clyde (Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot song)
"Bonnie and Clyde" is a French language song written by Serge Gainsbourg, and performed by Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot. It is based on an English language poem written by Bonnie Parker herself a few weeks before she and Clyde Barrow were shot, entitled "The Trail's End". The song tells the story...
". Cathy Dennis
Cathy Dennis
Cathy Dennis is a British dance-oriented pop singer-songwriter, record producer and actress...
joined Minogue in furthering the track, which became "Sensitized". She had also written a number of songs for Minogue's album, including one co-written with producer Mark Ronson
Mark Ronson
Mark Daniel Ronson is an English DJ, guitarist, music producer, artist and co-founder of Allido Records. He currently works with his band under the music alias of Mark Ronson & The Business Intl....
entitled "Boys Boys Boys". Minogue also completed a number of tracks with her longtime writing partner Steve Anderson of Brothers in Rhythm
Brothers in Rhythm
Brothers In Rhythm is a house music duo consisting of producers / remixers and DJs Steve Anderson and Dave Seaman. As a duo and individually, they have remixed and/or produced tracks by Lulu, M People, Secret Life, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, New Order, Pet Shop Boys, Kylie Minogue, Garbage,...
; those tracks included "Hush Hush", "Flower" and "That's Why They Write Love Songs".
Mylo was also recruited to record several of the tracks for the album with Minogue. After recording tracks in the studio, he was told "they were being sent off to be mixed and would be on the final record". He was shocked when the final product was released without any of his tracks included. "To be honest, I think the album is a complete mess, except for the track she blatantly stole [from Kish Mauve], '2 Hearts'", he told BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
. "I plan to keep up my public beef with Kylie for as long as possible."
It was also reported that the Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
were invited to write a handful of tracks for Minogue. After having submitted them, they were subsequently ignored and the duo would go on to record several of the songs for their own 2009 album Yes
Yes (Pet Shop Boys album)
Yes is the tenth studio album by English electronic duo Pet Shop Boys. The album was recorded throughout 2008 and is produced by Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania. Xenomania also co-wrote three of the tracks. Guitarist Johnny Marr and string arranger Owen Pallett appear as well...
: "We never heard anything back", explained Neil Tennant
Neil Tennant
Neil Francis Tennant is an English musician, singer and songwriter, who, with bandmate Chris Lowe, makes up the successful electronic dance music duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
. "I think every songwriter in London wrote songs for Kylie's last album. [...] When we were on tour, we had two male backing singers and both had submitted songs for Kylie's album as well. They never heard anything either." Chris Lowe
Chris Lowe
Chris Lowe is an English musician, who, with colleague Neil Tennant, makes up the pop duo Pet Shop Boys.-Childhood:...
, the other half of the duo, added: "We won't be doing it again."
During the time between the release of X to the present a large number of songs from the album sessions leaked to the Internet, these being "Taprobane", "Come Down", "My Love Is Real", "Fall for You", "Spell of Desire", "Love Is the Drug", "Lose Control", "In the Mood for Love", "Ruffle My Feathers" and "White Diamond".
Album title
The title of the album, X, is a reference to the fact that this is Minogue's tenth studio album, with X being the Roman numeral for the number 10. It was later stated in an interview on her official website that the original title of the album was Magnetic Electric, also the title of a bonus track, but because during the production period, fans on the forums had been referring to it as "Album X", X seemed to Minogue the obvious name for the album.Release and promotion
To promote the release of the album, Minogue performed on an exclusive show on ITV1ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
called The Kylie Show
The Kylie Show
The Kylie Show is a one-off television special from Australian artist Kylie Minogue that aired on ITV on 10 November 2007 and was recorded at The London Studios...
, featuring six songs from the new album, and four of her previous hits. It aired on 10 November 2007. Minogue also joined Jo Whiley
Jo Whiley
Johanne "Jo" Whiley is a British radio disc jockey and television presenter. She was the host of the long running weekday Jo Whiley Show on Radio 1.-Early life and education:...
on Radio 1 for a special show promoting the new album called Kylie and Whiley during which they recreated a scene from Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
. In addition, Kylie performed several songs in various European TV shows.
On 28 November 2007, Minogue announced she would promote X with a tour, to be called KylieX2008
KylieX2008
KylieX2008 was the tenth concert tour by Australian singer-songwriter Kylie Minogue, in support of her tenth studio album, X . Originally announced as just a European tour, rumors of Minogue taking the tour to Australia, Asia, and America had surfaced in the international media...
.
To promote the album, Minogue appeared on 14 January 2008 on the Australian morning program Sunrise
Sunrise (TV program)
Sunrise is an Australian breakfast television program, broadcast on the Seven Network. On weekdays the programme follows Seven Early News, and runs from 6am through to 9am.-History:...
. To promote the lead single and the album in the United States, Minogue appeared on several shows. On 31 March, she gave an interview on the Today Show with Matt Lauer
Matt Lauer
Matthew Todd "Matt" Lauer . is an American television journalist best known as the host of NBC's The Today Show since 1997. He was previously a news anchor in New York and a local talk-show host in Boston, Philadelphia, Providence and Richmond...
. Minogue performed "All I See
All I See
"All I See" is a pop–R&B song performed by Australian singer Kylie Minogue for her tenth studio album, X . The song was written by Jonas Jeberg, Mich Hedin Hansen, Edwin "Lil' Eddie" Serrano and produced by Jeberg and Cutfather. It was released digitally as a lead single in North America on...
" and "Can't Get You out of My Head
Can't Get You out of My Head
"Can't Get You Out of My Head" is a song by Australian recording artist and songwriter Kylie Minogue, which was released from her eighth studio album Fever . The song was released worldwide as the lead single from the album, which was released on 8 September, 2001. The song was written and produced...
" live on the results show 1 April 2008 of the American program Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
. She also performed on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson is a Peabody Award-winning American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish American comedian Craig Ferguson. Ferguson, the third regular host of the Late Late Show franchise, follows Late Show with David Letterman in the CBS late-night lineup...
. She also appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
and performed "All I See" on 7 April 2008 and appeared at the Idol Gives Back
Idol Gives Back
Idol Gives Back is the name of a charitable campaign that spanned two episodes of American Idol during its sixth season. A second Idol Gives Back concert and fundraiser occurred on April 9, 2008, during the seventh season of the show. Idol Gives Back was not held in 2009 due to the ongoing...
special on the seventh season of American Idol
American Idol (season 7)
The seventh season of American Idol, the annual reality show and singing competition, began on January 15, 2008 and concluded on May 21, 2008. Ryan Seacrest continued to host the show with Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson returning as judges...
the following day, along with some of the biggest names in music, such as Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
, Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
, Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
, Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox, OBE , born Ann Lennox, is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving minor success in the late 1970s with The Tourists, with fellow musician David A...
, Maroon 5
Maroon 5
Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. While they were in high school, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Adam Levine, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, bass guitarist Mickey Madden, and drummer Ryan Dusick formed a garage band called Kara's Flowers and released one album...
, Emma Bunton
Emma Bunton
Emma Lee Bunton is an English pop singer/songwriter and TV and radio presenter. She was a member of the 1990s girl group, the Spice Girls, in which she was known as Baby Spice as she was the youngest member. In 2010, she joined the judging panel on ITV's Dancing on Ice...
, Geri Halliwell
Geri Halliwell
Geraldine Estelle "Geri" Halliwell is an English pop singer-songwriter, author and actress. After coming to international prominence in the late 1990s as Ginger Spice, a member of the girl group the Spice Girls, Halliwell launched her solo career in 1998 and released her album Schizophonic...
and many more. This was Minogue's final appearance in the United States before heading back to England to prepare for the tour, which began on 6 May 2008 in Paris.
A major problem with the album's promotion was Minogue's management selecting poor choices of singles. Numerous sources, including Perez Hilton
Perez Hilton
Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. , better known as Perez Hilton , is an American blogger and television personality. His blog, Perezhilton.com , is known for posts covering gossip items about celebrities...
, responded very positively to the track "Speakerphone", produced by Bloodshy & Avant. Another fan of that song is American singer Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
who included the track on her Celebrity playlist for iTunes
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
in 2008, stating that she thought that "Speakerphone" was the best song on the album. On the season 2
America's Best Dance Crew (Season 2)
The second season of America's Best Dance Crew premiered on June 19, 2008. The live auditions special took place on June 8, 2008. It was hosted by Mario Lopez and featured Layla Kayleigh as the backstage correspondent. The judges included rapper Lil Mama, former *NSYNC singer JC Chasez, and hip-hop...
premiere episode of America's Best Dance Crew
America's Best Dance Crew
America's Best Dance Crew, often abbreviated as ABDC, is an American competitive dance reality television series that features street dance crews from the United States and around the world. It is produced by American Idol judge Randy Jackson and airs on MTV...
, which aired on 19 June, Fanny Pak used "Speakerphone" in the Crew Choice Challenge. The song was commended for being overly modern and progressive, especially for an American audience who responded to "Can't Get You Out of My Head".
Others responded that "Wow
Wow (Kylie Minogue song)
"Wow" is a song performed by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue from her tenth studio album X . The song was written by Minogue, Greg Kurstin and Karen Poole and was produced by Kurstin. "Wow" is a dance song, incorpitate with house and electropop beats. "Wow" was chosen as the album's...
" or "Like a Drug" would have been a suitable first single for the album in the United States. Instead, with the mentality that the only substantial way to boost album sales in North America would be to appeal to an urban
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
market (similarly to Minogue's ninth studio album, Body Language
Body Language (Kylie Minogue album)
Body Language is the ninth studio album by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue, released on 20 November 2003 by Parlophone. While Body Language failed to reach the chart and sales success of its predecessor, 2001's Fever, it still managed to chart inside the top five in several countries...
), "All I See" was released as that region's lead single and failed on the mainstream charts, despite the single version featuring American rapper Mims
Mims (rapper)
-Career:Mims graduated from Westbury High School and was born in Westbury Ny enrolled at Nassau Community College. He left the institution after two months of classes to pursue a career in rap music. He began spending time in Harlem with Cam'ron as an acquaintance...
.
Another problem with the album's American promotion involved Minogue's low public profile in comparison with the rest of the world. In the past, she had rarely appeared in the public eye in the region except for heavy airplay of "Can't Get You Out of My Head" and "The Locomotion
The Loco-Motion
"The Loco-Motion" is a 1962 pop song written by American songwriters Gerry Goffin and Carole King. The song is notable for appearing in the American Top 5 three times – each time in a different decade: for Little Eva in 1962 ; for Grand Funk Railroad in 1974 ; and for Kylie Minogue in 1988 "The...
", seldom appearing on general music channels such as 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....
and VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
and never having a tour on the continent of North America. In Europe, additional problems arose in the release of "2 Hearts
2 Hearts
"2 Hearts" is a song by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue from her tenth studio album, X . The song is a cover version of a track originally recorded by Kish Mauve, who also produced Minogue's version. "2 Hearts" was Minogue's first commercial single release since she was diagnosed with...
" as the song was a drastic jump from Minogue's other work (especially on X) and clearly duplicated from the Kish Mauve version. The release of the final single, "The One
The One (Kylie Minogue song)
"The One" is a song by Australian record artist Kylie Minogue. It is her fifth and last single from her tenth studio album, X . "The One" was written by by Minogue, Richard Stannard, James Wiltshire, Russell Small, John Andersson, Johan Emmoth and Emma Holmgren, the song was released as the album's...
" was a neglected release as it featured only a digital download single along with a promotional music video. The single version was remixed with a more club feel by the Freemasons.
Shortly after this, the media ran with the story that Minogue herself was "disappointed" with how X turned out. "Kylie Minogue has said she does not believe that her last album X met her usual high standards. The Australian popstar spoke of her disappointment with the record to The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
, but insisted that she was pleased with the singles "In My Arms" and "2 Hearts". "In retrospect, we could definitely have bettered it, I'll say that straight up", she admitted. "Given the time we had, it is what it is. 'Wow', 'In My Arms', 'The One' and '2 Hearts' are crackers. They go off like a frog in a sock."
"X Allmixedup"
On 15 December 2007, a mashupMashup (music)
A mashup or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another...
single called "X Allmixedup" was released on iTunes
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
, containing four songs from X: "2 Hearts", "The One", "In My Arms" and "Like a Drug", with the latter being the only track from these four that did not get a release as a standalone single. The single was only released in Australia and New Zealand for the promotion of the KylieX2008 tour.
Critical reception
X received generally 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 65, based on 24 reviews. Chris Long from 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....
praised it as "an album packed with vitality and, as always with Kylie's releases, oodles of fun", noting that the "current trend for electro is one that was always going to suit Kylie and it's one that she's used right through X." James Hunter from The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
believed that "it's not the production, as copiously sexy as it is, that makes [the album] great: It's that Kylie has an ear for fantastic 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...
tunes restyled for 2008, and she approaches them not as merely amusing sonic glitter, but as totally vital music." Mark Sutherland wrote for Billboard
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...
that "[t]he hip producers [...] and heavy-hitting songwriters [...] are all present and correct, but they never overshadow Minogue's perky/saucy pop/dance formula", deeming the album a "truly welcome return". In a review for The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Kelefa Sanneh commented that "though X doesn't raise Ms. Minogue's own high standards, it does sometimes meet them", referring to "Speakerphone" as "a meta-dance song, intoxicated with itself". Sharon O'Connell 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...
described the album as a "savvy, shiny, slyly sophisticated set of thoroughly modern dance floor exercises, it's the record we hoped Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
might make. There are no thrilling creative transgressions and Kylie won't win a Pulitzer
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for her prose, but as pop productions go, it's a peach." The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
s Alexis Petridis
Alexis Petridis
Alexis Petridis is a British journalist, head rock and pop critic for UK newspaper The Guardian, as well as a regular and contributor to the magazine GQ.Petridis began his career writing for Varsity whilst a student at the University of Cambridge...
, giving the album three stars out of five, complimented "No More Rain" for its "cheery dynamics pinched from Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
's 'Ray of Light
Ray of Light (song)
A high-speed electronic dance song, "Ray of Light" has received stylistic comparisons to rave, psychedelic and acid music. The track contains strong techno elements, as well as disco, trance and Eurodance influences, and it sees Madonna deepen her dance roots and go for a more electronic sound...
', and lyrics about getting a second chance", but felt that "a lot of the songs don't appear to be about anything much." He added that "X is business as usual for a Kylie Minogue album: a handful of great tracks surrounded by stuff that's so obviously filler you could inject it into cavity walls and save up to 33% on your energy bills." 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,...
critic Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson (journalist)
Peter Robinson is a British music journalist. He is the creator of the pop music-based blog Popjustice. Robinson first came to the attention of music fans with his self-published biography/fanzine of The KLF, Justified and Ancient History...
agreed, viewing X as "merely a slightly above average collection of tracks. A typical Kylie album, in other words. It's business as usual, but it's beginning to sound like it." He would also state that "[l]istening to upbeat but flimsy tracks such as 'Wow' and 'Sensitised', it would be easy to accuse Kylie's X of being lazy but the reverse is more true: this is an album so over-thought and so painstakingly plotted that during its construction any sense of perspective seems to have been lost."
Jax Spike of 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....
rated the album four out of five stars, describing it as "a glorious fusion of glam electronica and dance [that] definitely shines as a great example of electropop fusion", while noting that "[e]ven though some of the ballads on X drag the album down at times, the album as a whole marks a great comeback for Kylie and definitely moves forward from what she did with Light Years and Fever
Fever (Kylie Minogue album)
Fever is the eighth album by Australian singer Kylie Minogue. It was released 1 October 2001 by Parlophone Mushroom Records, and Capitol Records. Minogue began work on the album in 2001, working with famous songwriters and producers like Cathy Dennis, Rob Davis, and Tom Nichols, moving into a...
." Allmusic's Chris True gave X three and a half stars out of five, saying that while some of the album is "very very good" (naming the Guy Chambers-produced "Sensitized" the best track on the album), most of it "lacks—when all presented as a whole—what the last few [Minogue] collections really had: consistency." He further commented that "[i]t feels more like an artist trying to make sure she has all her bases covered." Dave Hughes from Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
argued that "[o]ne of the most contemporary (and least pleasant) aspects of X is its scattershot production, which gives it the focus-grouped attention deficit disorder more typical of a Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over...
record than one of Minogue's laser-honed disco-princess home runs." He went on to characterise the Bloodshy & Avant-produced tracks "Speakerphone" and "Nu-di-ty" as "phenomenally annoying", but cited "Wow" as the highlight of the album, calling it "a pretty great summation of the commercially successful aspects of Minogue's career to date—a hyperactive juvenile disco track full of fun, big-budget whooshes and drops, something utterly disposable that she sells without shame." Tom Ewing from 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...
opined that "X can seem like a revision primer for Minogue fans who've ignored the past few years of chart pop—here's a bit of Gwen Stefani-style clockwork playground pop; here's some nu-Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
cut-ups; here's some Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
sultriness. Here's electro-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...
, cosmic disco, and just plain disco disco, plus nods to 1980s street dance
Street dance
Street dance, more formally known as vernacular dance, is an umbrella term used to describe dance styles that evolved outside of dance studios in any available open space such as streets, dance parties, block parties, parks, school yards, raves, and nightclubs, etc...
and 00s r&b
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
. [...] As you'd expect, not all of these styles suit her." Evan Sawdey from PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
stated that Minogue "is on fire for the first half of X", but dismissed the second half as "a long stream of high-class filler" and "a laundry list of forgettable tunes". Michael Hubbard from 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:...
wrote that "Xs 13 tracks do what Kylie songs always do—crank up a beat and get energetic around unchallenging lyrics about dancing, sexing and little else. Together they've made an expensive-sounding album pitched squarely at Kylie's existing audience base", but later concluded that the album is "more filler than killer".
Chart performance
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
, giving Minogue her third number-one album in her native Australia. The album remained in the top fifty for fourteen weeks, ultimately earning a platinum certification from the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA) for sales in excess of 70,000 copies. Additionally, it was the forty-ninth best-selling album in Australia for 2007. In New Zealand, however, it became Minogue's lowest-charting studio album to date, spending a sole week at number thirty-eight on the RIANZ Albums Chart
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
. X debuted and peaked at number four 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...
for the week of 2 December 2007. It spent twenty-eight consecutive weeks in the top 100, subsequently returning to the chart at number ninety-nine on 7 August 2008 for an additional week. The British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
(BPI) certified the album platinum on 30 November 2007, having sold 462,000 copies in the United Kingdom as of January 2010. In the United States the album charted at number 139 on the 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...
and at number four on the Top Electronic Albums chart on 19 April 2008, selling 6,000 units in its first week and 38,000 altogether. The album saw considerable charting success across continental Europe, reaching the top ten in Switzerland; the top twenty in Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, and Ireland; the top thirty in Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden; and the top forty in Denmark and Italy.
Singles
"2 Hearts2 Hearts
"2 Hearts" is a song by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue from her tenth studio album, X . The song is a cover version of a track originally recorded by Kish Mauve, who also produced Minogue's version. "2 Hearts" was Minogue's first commercial single release since she was diagnosed with...
" was released globally as the lead single except in the US. The single was a hit, reaching number one in Australia and number four in the UK. "Wow
Wow (Kylie Minogue song)
"Wow" is a song performed by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue from her tenth studio album X . The song was written by Minogue, Greg Kurstin and Karen Poole and was produced by Kurstin. "Wow" is a dance song, incorpitate with house and electropop beats. "Wow" was chosen as the album's...
" was released as the second single in the UK and Australia and the third in the rest of the world. While it was a modest hit in Australia reaching number eleven, it was a big hit in the UK reaching number five and selling around 180,000 copies. "In My Arms
In My Arms (Kylie Minogue song)
"In My Arms" is a song by Australian pop singer-songwriter Kylie Minogue from her tenth studio album, X . The track was written by Minogue, Calvin Harris, Richard "Biff" Stannard, Paul Harris and Julian Peake. It was produced by Calvin Harris and Stannard...
", the second global release and third UK and Australian release, was a solid hit across Europe, where it peaked in Romania and went top ten in the UK, Belgium, France, Germany and Switzerland. "All I See
All I See
"All I See" is a pop–R&B song performed by Australian singer Kylie Minogue for her tenth studio album, X . The song was written by Jonas Jeberg, Mich Hedin Hansen, Edwin "Lil' Eddie" Serrano and produced by Jeberg and Cutfather. It was released digitally as a lead single in North America on...
" was released as the lead US single and second Canadian single. It reached number eighty-one 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...
but failed to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. It nevertheless peaked at number three on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. "The One
The One (Kylie Minogue song)
"The One" is a song by Australian record artist Kylie Minogue. It is her fifth and last single from her tenth studio album, X . "The One" was written by by Minogue, Richard Stannard, James Wiltshire, Russell Small, John Andersson, Johan Emmoth and Emma Holmgren, the song was released as the album's...
" was released as a single in the UK, Europe and Australia. Although it was only released as a digital download single, it reached number thirty-six on the UK chart, making it a minor success. It was also released physically as a two-track promo.
Other songs
Despite never having been released, "Speakerphone" managed to chart on the Canadian Hot 100 at number eighty-five based on high downloads from the album. It also gained small amounts of popularity in the US due to being playlisted by MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
on iTunes and featured on America's Best Dance Crew
America's Best Dance Crew
America's Best Dance Crew, often abbreviated as ABDC, is an American competitive dance reality television series that features street dance crews from the United States and around the world. It is produced by American Idol judge Randy Jackson and airs on MTV...
. In August 2009, Minogue held a competition for fans to create a music video for "Speakerphone". The winner was an animation made by Hungarian animator Rudolf Pap
Rudolf Pap
Rudolf Pap is a Hungarian-born award-winning animator and model.He was born in Budapest, Hungary, in 1991 and he is most famous about his exceptional skills in 2D animation. He was discovered in 2009 when he won an international competition held by Australian singer Kylie Minogue.-Discovery and...
. The video was shown at the Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...
on 4 October before Minogue's concert. A version of "Sensitized" featuring French singer Christophe Willem
Christophe Willem
Christophe Willem , born on 3 August 1983 in Enghien-les-Bains, Val-d'Oise, is a French singer and the winner of the fourth edition of Nouvelle Star in 2006.-Early life:...
served as a promotional single in Europe, but did not manage to chart on any major record charts.
Track listing
Special edition bonus DVD- Xposed – Interview with Kylie
- Photo gallery
- White Diamond film trailer
- "2 Hearts" music video
- Access to online bonus track "Rippin' Up the Disco"
Tour Editions
- Australia
Disc 2 – Remixes
- "2 Hearts" (Harris & MastersonPaul MastersonRecording as Amen! UK he had a hi-NRG hit with "Passion", released by Deconstruction Records in 1995, and as Paul Masterson presents Sushi, had another hit with "The Earthshaker" in 2002...
Extended Mix) – 4:25 - "2 Hearts" (Alan BraxeAlan BraxeAlain Quême, also known as Alan Braxe, is a French electronic music artist. Braxe is most widely known for his collaborative work with electronic bassist Fred Falke and Kris Menace. In 2005 Alan released The Upper Cuts, a collection of his previous released material.-History:Alan Braxe began work...
Remix) – 4:52 - "The One" (Freemasons Vocal Club Mix) – 9:13
- "Wow" (David GuettaDavid GuettaPierre David Guetta , known professionally as David Guetta , is a French house music producer and DJ. Originally a DJ at nightclubs during the 1980s and 1990s, he co-founded Gum Productions and released his first album, Just a Little More Love, in 2002. Later, he released Guetta Blaster and Pop Life...
Remix) – 6:23 - "Wow" (CSS Remix) – 3:14
- "In My Arms" (Chris LakeChris LakeChris Lake is a Scottish House music DJ/producer who lives in West London. Lake first became recognized for his bootleg remixes of The Prodigy's "Climbatize", Leftfield's "Phat Planet", and Eurythmics "Sweet Dreams". which he did under the alias "Cristophe D'Abuc". His 2006 track with vocals from...
Vocal Mix) – 6:36 - "In My Arms" (Steve Pitron & Max Sanna Remix) – 6:41
- "In My Arms" (Sébastien LégerSébastien LégerSébastien Léger is a French house DJ and producer. Currently ranked 138 on The DJ List, his singles "Hit Girl", "Hypnotized" and "Aqualight" have become hit dance singles played in clubs across Europe.-Style and history:...
Remix) – 7:02 - "In My Arms" (Spitzer Remix) – 3:30
- "All I See" (Remix featuring Mims) – 3:50
- Asia
Bonus tracks on disc 1
- "All I See" (featuring Mims) – 3:51
- "Magnetic Electric" – 3:16
- "The One" (Freemasons Vocal Club Mix) – 9:16
- "Can't Get You Out of My HeadCan't Get You out of My Head"Can't Get You Out of My Head" is a song by Australian recording artist and songwriter Kylie Minogue, which was released from her eighth studio album Fever . The song was released worldwide as the lead single from the album, which was released on 8 September, 2001. The song was written and produced...
" (Greg Kurstin Remix) – 4:03
DVD – Xtras
- "2 Hearts" (Music Video)
- Making of "2 Hearts"
- "Wow" (Music Video)
- Making of "Wow"
- "In My Arms" (Music Video)
- Behind the scenes of "In My Arms"
- "Wow" (Live at BRIT Awards 20082008 BRIT AwardsThe 2008 BRIT Awards was the 28th edition of the biggest annual music awards in the United Kingdom. They are run by the British Phonographic Industry and took place on 20 February 2008 at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London. The ceremony attracted 6.1 million viewers, 800,000 more than the...
)
USB edition bonus
- "2 Hearts" music video
- White Diamond film trailer
- Album artwork
- Web links
- Access to online bonus track "Rippin' Up the Disco"
Personnel
- Kylie Minogue – lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Engelina Andrina – vocal arrangement, backing vocals (track 2)
- David BascombeDavid BascombeDavid Bascombe is an English music producer and mix engineer. He has worked with many bands and musicians, such as Tears for Fears, Depeche Mode and Suede.-Selected engineering, production, mixing and remixing:*Tears for Fears - Songs From the Big Chair...
– 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...
(track 1) - Bloodshy & AvantBloodshy & AvantBloodshy and Avant are a music production and songwriting team from Sweden made up of Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg...
– producersRecord 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...
, 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...
, 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...
, additional 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...
s, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(tracks 4, 12) - Guy ChambersGuy ChambersGuy Chambers is an English songwriter and record producer, perhaps best known for his long partnership with Robbie Williams.- Biography :...
– producer, keyboards (track 5) - CutfatherCutfatherMich Hedin Hansen better known by his stage name Cutfather is a Danish music producer and songwriter.-Career:He is perhaps best known for his remix of "Return of the Mack" by Mark Morrison , and the song "Superstar" released internationally by Jamelia in 2003.He has worked with Danish producer...
– producer, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, mixing (tracks 2, 9) - Seton DauntSeton DauntSeton Daunt is a guitar player and songwriter, best known as lead guitarist for the British rock band Fiction Plane.-Early years:Daunt was born in Hastings in East Sussex, England. He grew up with a musical grandmother, who was a pianist. At fourteen, his mother gave him his first acoustic guitar,...
– guitar (track 10) - Cathy DennisCathy DennisCathy Dennis is a British dance-oriented pop singer-songwriter, record producer and actress...
– producer, backing vocals (track 5) - Jim Eliot – 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 ....
, percussion, guitar, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, Moog synthesizerMoog synthesizerMoog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
, ARP stringsARP String EnsembleThe ARP String Ensemble, also known as the Solina String Ensemble, is a fully polyphonic multi-orchestral ARP Instruments, Inc. synthesizer with a 49-key keyboard, produced by Solina from 1974 to 1981. The sounds it incorporates are violin, viola, trumpet, horn, cello and contrabass. The keyboard...
, Rhodes pianoRhodes pianoThe Rhodes piano is an electro-mechanical piano, invented by Harold Rhodes during the fifties and later manufactured in a number of models, first in collaboration with Fender and after 1965 by CBS....
, hand clapsClappingA clap is the sound made by striking together two flat surfaces, as in the body parts of humans or animals. Humans clap with the palms of their hands, often in a constant drone to express appreciation or approval , but also in rhythm to match sounds in music and dance...
, thereminThereminThe theremin , originally known as the aetherphone/etherophone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox is an early electronic musical instrument controlled without discernible physical contact from the player. It is named after its Russian inventor, Professor Léon Theremin, who patented the device...
(track 1) - Richard Flack – programming, additional backing vocals, 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...
, mixing (track 5) - Niklas Flyckt – mixing (tracks 4, 12)
- FreemasonsFreemasons (band)Freemasons are an English dance band from Brighton, East Sussex, England. The act consists of producers Russell Small and James Wiltshire .-2005-2007: Early Career:Their name is taken from the Brighton pub, Freemasons Tavern, Hove, which they frequently...
– producers (track 7) - Dan Grech-Marguerat – engineer (track 1)
- 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"...
– producer (tracks 3, 6); mixing (track 6) - Paul Harris – producer, keyboards (track 10)
- Ash Howes – engineer (track 3); mixing (tracks 3, 7, 10); additional programming (track 10)
- Ben Jackson – assistant engineer (track 3)
- Jonas JebergJonas JebergJonas Jeberg , is a Danish songwriter and music producer best known for co'writing/ co'producing the smash hits I hate this part for Pussycat dolls and One step at a time for Jordin Sparks...
– producer, keyboards, programming, vocal arrangement, engineer (tracks 2, 9); mixing (track 2) - Henrik Jonback – guitar (tracks 4, 12); bass (track 4)
- Ian KirkhamIan KirkhamIan Kirkham is a world-renowned saxophonist, who has been the saxophone player for Simply Red since 1986. He started learning piano at five, and saxophone at eleven.-References:...
– alto saxophoneAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
, electronic wind instrumentEWIEWI is the name of AKAI's wind controller, an electronic musical instrument invented by Nyle Steiner. The early models consisted of two parts: a wind controller and a synthesizer. The current model, EWI4000S, combines the two parts into one, placing the synthesizer in the lower section of the...
(track 7) - Kish MauveKish MauveKish Mauve is a British electropop group. The group was formed in 2005 in London, England, and consists of Mima Stilwell and Jim Eliot ....
– producers, engineers (track 1)
- Greg KurstinGreg KurstinGregory Allen "Greg" Kurstin is an award-winning American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. In 2009 Kurstin received a Grammy Award nomination for Producer of the Year. That same year he won three Ivor Novello awards for his work with Lily Allen, including Songwriters of the Year for "The Fear"...
– producer, 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...
, engineer, mixing (tracks 8, 11) - Cesar Gimeno Lavin – engineer (track 1)
- Ken McKay – 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...
- Moray McLaren – bass (track 1)
- Eddie Miller – additional engineer (track 11)
- Mads Nilsson – mixing (tracks 2, 9)
- Julian Peake – producer, keyboards, bass (track 10)
- Geoff Pesche – 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...
(all tracks) - Karen PooleKaren PooleKaren Poole is an English songwriter and singer, who gained initial fame with her younger sister, Shelly Poole, as the duo / band, Alisha's Attic.-List of compositions:...
– backing vocals (tracks 6, 8, 11, 12); vocal co-producer (tracks 8, 11) - Adam PowersAdam PowersAdam Powers is a Danish-American songwriter and music producer. He was born in Maryland, USA to a Danish mother and an American father, but grew up in Denmark. Powers has written songs for pop and dance artists such as Kylie Minogue, Infernal, Tohoshinki, Medina, DJ Aligator and Barcode Brothers...
– vocal arrangement (track 2) - Matt Prime – additional producer, additional mix (track 13)
- Jonas QuantJonas QuantJonas Quant is a producer and songwriter from Gothenburg, Sweden. One of the Swedish label Dot's leading artists, Quant released a few neo-electro EPs for the quirky label in the late 1990s, in addition to several compilation contributions as well as remixes. His first album was released in 2000...
– additional programming (track 12) - Tony Salter – engineer (tracks 3, 6)
- Edwin "Lil' Eddie" Serrano – vocal arrangement, backing vocals (track 9)
- Russell Small – percussion (track 7)
- Paul Stanborough – electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, additional programming, additional engineer (track 5) - Richard "Biff" Stannard – producer (tracks 3, 7, 10), keyboards, bass (track 10)
- Mima Stilwell – backing vocals (track 1)
- Eg WhiteEg WhiteFrancis Anthony "Eg" White is a British musician, songwriter and producer. White is primarily known for his work with successful commercial pop acts such as Adele, Duffy, Will Young and James Morrison...
– producer, instrumentation (track 13) - Amanda WilsonAmanda WilsonAmanda Wilson , is a British singer in the UK house music act, Freemasons. As part of the act she has scored two major UK hit singles, one of which went on to success in several European charts, and the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart....
– additional vocals (track 7) - James Wiltshire – keyboards (track 7)
Weekly charts
| Chart (2007–08) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
1 |
| Austrian Albums Chart | 16 |
| 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) |
26 |
| 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) |
23 |
| Czech Albums Chart | 16 |
| Danish Albums Chart IFPI Denmark IFPI Denmark is the Danish branch of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and is the official charts provider and recording sales certification body for Denmark.-Gold and platinum awards:... |
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... |
29 |
| 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... |
5 |
| 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... |
19 |
| 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... |
15 |
| Hungarian Albums Chart Mahasz Mahasz is the Hungarian music industry association, founded in 1992. Mahasz hands out the Hungarian Music Awards and maintains the music charts for Hungary.... |
20 |
| 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... |
14 |
| Italian Albums Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
36 |
| Japanese Albums Chart Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... |
40 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
38 |
| Spanish Albums Chart | 28 |
| Swedish Albums Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
28 |
| 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... |
9 |
| 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... |
4 |
| US 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... |
139 |
| US Top Electronic Albums | 4 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| Australia Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
Platinum |
| 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 |
| France 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... |
Gold |
| Hungary Mahasz Mahasz is the Hungarian music industry association, founded in 1992. Mahasz hands out the Hungarian Music Awards and maintains the music charts for Hungary.... |
Gold |
| United Kingdom British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Platinum |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2007) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart | 49 |
| Chart (2008) | Position |
| Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia) | 78 |
| European Top 100 Albums | 64 |
| French Albums Chart | 158 |
Release history
| Country | Date | Label | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 21 November 2007 | EMI Music Japan | CD, CD+DVD, digital download |
| Australia | 23 November 2007 | Mushroom Mushroom Records Mushroom Records is an Australian recoJrd company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in Melbourne in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. From 2005 to 2009, it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros... |
|
| France | 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... |
||
| Germany | |||
| Ireland | Parlophone Parlophone Parlophone is a record label that was founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch was formed in 1923 as "Parlophone" which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a leading jazz label. It was acquired in 1927 by the Columbia Graphophone Company which... |
CD, digital download | |
| Italy | EMI | CD, CD+DVD, digital download | |
| New Zealand | Warner Music Warner Music Group Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies... |
CD, digital download | |
| Taiwan | EMI | CD, CD+DVD | |
| United Kingdom | 26 November 2007 | Parlophone | CD, CD+DVD, digital download |
| Canada | 27 November 2007 | EMI | CD |
| Portugal | CD, CD+DVD, digital download | ||
| Spain | |||
| Sweden | 28 November 2007 | ||
| Argentina | 3 December 2007 | CD | |
| Mexico | 14 December 2007 | ||
| 21 December 2007 | CD+DVD | ||
| Brazil | 20 February 2008 | CD | |
| United States | 1 April 2008 | Capitol Capitol Records Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine... , Astralwerks Astralwerks Astralwerks is a New York-based record label that releases primarily electronic music. It is owned by Virgin Records/EMI and distributed by Caroline Distribution in the United States.... |
CD, digital download |
| Mexico | 26 August 2008 | EMI | CD |
| Australia | 1 December 2008 | Warner Music | Tour Edition |
External links
- X 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,...