Silent Letter (album)
Encyclopedia
Silent Letter is the eighth original studio album
by American
folk rock
duo America
, released by Capitol Records
in June, 1979, (see 1979 in music
).
The album did not do well in the US, only reaching number 110 on the Billboard album chart. It produced three minor hit singles: "Only Game In Town" reached 107 on the Billboard singles chart; and "All My Life" which hit number 48 on the Adult Contemporary chart and was a big hit in Asia; and "All Around" 45 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
, the first America release on the Capitol Records
label, and the last to feature George Martin
as producer. It was also the first album since their debut which had a title beginning with a letter other than H. "Silent Letter" may refer to a "dropped H", as features in some English regional accents.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
duo America
America (band)
America is an English-American folk rock band that originally included members Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell and Dan Peek. The three members were barely out of their teens when they became a musical sensation during 1972, scoring #1 hits and winning a Grammy for best new musical artist...
, released by Capitol Records
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...
in June, 1979, (see 1979 in music
1979 in music
See also:Record labels established in 1979* 1979 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1979.-January–February:*January 1...
).
The album did not do well in the US, only reaching number 110 on the Billboard album chart. It produced three minor hit singles: "Only Game In Town" reached 107 on the Billboard singles chart; and "All My Life" which hit number 48 on the Adult Contemporary chart and was a big hit in Asia; and "All Around" 45 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
History
This was the first America studio album following the departure of Dan PeekDan Peek
Daniel Milton 'Dan' Peek was a musician best known as a member of the rock band America from 1970 to 1977, together with Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell...
, the first America release on the Capitol Records
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...
label, and the last to feature George Martin
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
as producer. It was also the first album since their debut which had a title beginning with a letter other than H. "Silent Letter" may refer to a "dropped H", as features in some English regional accents.
Reception
In his Allmusic review music critic Steven Thomas Erlewine noted the effect on the album of the departure of Dan Peek. He wrote of the album; "The end result may be flawed, but in an enjoyable way. And compared to the records that preceded it and some of albums that followed it, Silent Letter certainly seems like a latter-day highlight for America."Track listing
- "Only Game In Town" (Casey Kelly, Julie Didier, Lewis Anderson)
- "All Around" (Beckley, Bunnell)
- "Tall Treasures" (Beckley, Bunnell)
- "1960" (Beckley)
- "And Forever" (Bunnell)
- "Foolin'" (Beckley, Fataar)
- "All Night" (Bunnell)
- "No Fortune" (Beckley)
- "All My Life" (Beckley)
- "One Morning" (Bunnell)
- "High In The City" (Beckley, Bunnell)
Personnel
- Gerry BeckleyGerry BeckleyGerald Linford "Gerry" Beckley is a founding member of the band America.Beckley was born to an American father, and an English mother. He began playing the piano at the age of three and the guitar a few years later. By 1962, Beckley was playing guitar in The Vanguards, an instrumental surf music...
– vocals, guitars, keyboards - Dewey Bunnell – vocals, guitars
- Mike Woods – lead guitar
- Tom Walsh – percussion
- Willie Leacox – drums
- David Dickey – bass
- Jim Calire – keyboards, sax solo