The Face of Love
Encyclopedia
The Face of Love is the third studio album from Christian rock
band Sanctus Real
. It was released on April 4, 2006 and peaked at number 158 on the Billboard 200
. The singles "I'm Not Alright
" and "Don't Give Up
" both reached number 1 on Christian contemporary hit radio
. The album was written and recorded following a period of personal struggles for the band members, and carries themes of honesty and brokenness.
The Face of Love was generally well-received by music critics, who praised its lyrical maturity and vocal performance of lead singer Matt Hammit. The album itself was GMA Dove Award-nominated for Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year, and the song "I'm Not Alright" also received a Dove Award nomination.
. Within two months his father and lead vocalist Matt Hammit's grandmother died, and the band's bassist left the group. Hammit said in an interview, "It basically left [us] feeling pretty confused about what was next for Sanctus Real, what kind of record we were going to make and how it was even going to happen." The album's final track, "Benjamin", was written to Graalman's infant son in relation to the father's death.
The band had difficulty in attempting to prepare and record an album following the circumstances at that time. Producer Christopher Stevens encouraged them to write honest songs about the pain that they had experienced, and was credited by the band members as "walking with them through their dark night of the soul experience".
The first recording session occurred in April 2005 in the garage of Stevens' Nashville, Tennessee
home, which was used as a temporary studio. "It was so hot in that garage the first session", guitarist Chris Rohman recalled in an interview. "We go in there and we don't have the songs, we don't know what we're doing, we're stressed, he's stressed, and it's like 90 degrees [Fahrenheit] in the studio. Nobody wanted to be there." Stevens began playing over the chords to "I'm Not Alright
", initially titled as "I'll Be Fine", and at that point the band decided to rework the song's lyrical theme. "We're not going to lie. We're not going to try to sit here and try to sugarcoat what's happening right now or say something because it sounds good. I'm not alright", Matt Hammit said. The previous material they had written was lyrically "shifted to the stuff we were going through at [that] point". "I'm Not Alright", which became the album's lead single
, was rewritten and represented the themes of brokenness and confession on The Face of Love. Mark Graalman noted: "It's been an unbelievably hard year for the band. But we've learned to rely on God’s grace, and we've learned to be honest and transparent. Being honest and transparent means not faking it; it has to be OK to say, 'No, I'm not alright'."
The Face of Love was recorded and mixed
at the fabmusic and Smoakstack studios in Tennessee
.
album, taking influence from the power pop
of their debut Say It Loud and the more distinctive rock sound of Fight the Tide
. Allmusic's review noted, "If you swirled together Switchfoot's The Beautiful Letdown
, Jars of Clay's Good Monsters
and U2's How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
, the concoction would sound much like this."
and Capitol Music Group
. It debuted at number 168 on the Billboard 200
, and number 2 on Billboard
magazine's Top Heatseekers
chart. It also reached number 10 on Billboards Top Christian Albums chart, and in December 2006, the album re-entered the Billboard 200 and placed at number 158.
Three radio single
s were released from the album: "I'm Not Alright
", "The Face of Love", and "Don't Give Up
". On April 23, 2006, the band launched The Face of Love Tour in promotion of the album; it travelled through the southeast and midwest of the United States
, featuring Needtobreathe
and This Beautiful Republic
as guest artists.
main editor John DiBiase called it "probably the band's best [song] to date", while Christianity Today
said that it was a "beautiful illustration". The album was noted to somewhat "lack distinction" by Christianity Today, however; the magazine's review noted, "Based on the songwriting, this is Sanctus Real's most mature effort to date ... Though it all sounds great, there's ultimately something a little lacking ... [W]hile there is indeed growth here, it doesn't necessarily make The Face of Love a step forward in excellence compared to the band's two previous efforts."
The Face of Love was nominated for the Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year honor at the 2007 GMA Dove Awards. The album's lead single
"I'm Not Alright
" also received a Dove Award nomination, in the category Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year.
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
band Sanctus Real
Sanctus Real
Sanctus Real is an American Christian rock band formed in Toledo, Ohio, in 1996. The group is composed of Matt Hammitt , Chris Rohman , Dan Gartley , Pete Prevost , and Mark Graalman...
. It was released on April 4, 2006 and peaked at number 158 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...
. The singles "I'm Not Alright
I'm Not Alright
"I'm Not Alright" is a song by Christian rock band Sanctus Real from their album The Face of Love. It was a number 1 hit on Christian radio in 2006. In 2007, the song was nominated at the GMA Dove Awards for Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year...
" and "Don't Give Up
Don't Give Up (Sanctus Real song)
"Don't Give Up" is a song by Christian rock band Sanctus Real from their 2006 album The Face of Love. The song was released as a radio single in early 2007, and reached number 1 on R&Rs Christian CHR chart in the beginning of May 2007. It is the band's fifth number 1 hit, and the second...
" both reached number 1 on Christian contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
. The album was written and recorded following a period of personal struggles for the band members, and carries themes of honesty and brokenness.
The Face of Love was generally well-received by music critics, who praised its lyrical maturity and vocal performance of lead singer Matt Hammit. The album itself was GMA Dove Award-nominated for Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year, and the song "I'm Not Alright" also received a Dove Award nomination.
Background
Before recording their third major studio album, the members of Sanctus Real faced several personal struggles including family deaths. In early February 2005, drummer Mark Graalman and his wife had a child, and on the same day, Graalman received news of his father's failing health due to cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. Within two months his father and lead vocalist Matt Hammit's grandmother died, and the band's bassist left the group. Hammit said in an interview, "It basically left [us] feeling pretty confused about what was next for Sanctus Real, what kind of record we were going to make and how it was even going to happen." The album's final track, "Benjamin", was written to Graalman's infant son in relation to the father's death.
The band had difficulty in attempting to prepare and record an album following the circumstances at that time. Producer Christopher Stevens encouraged them to write honest songs about the pain that they had experienced, and was credited by the band members as "walking with them through their dark night of the soul experience".
The first recording session occurred in April 2005 in the garage of Stevens' Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
home, which was used as a temporary studio. "It was so hot in that garage the first session", guitarist Chris Rohman recalled in an interview. "We go in there and we don't have the songs, we don't know what we're doing, we're stressed, he's stressed, and it's like 90 degrees [Fahrenheit] in the studio. Nobody wanted to be there." Stevens began playing over the chords to "I'm Not Alright
I'm Not Alright
"I'm Not Alright" is a song by Christian rock band Sanctus Real from their album The Face of Love. It was a number 1 hit on Christian radio in 2006. In 2007, the song was nominated at the GMA Dove Awards for Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year...
", initially titled as "I'll Be Fine", and at that point the band decided to rework the song's lyrical theme. "We're not going to lie. We're not going to try to sit here and try to sugarcoat what's happening right now or say something because it sounds good. I'm not alright", Matt Hammit said. The previous material they had written was lyrically "shifted to the stuff we were going through at [that] point". "I'm Not Alright", which became the album's lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
, was rewritten and represented the themes of brokenness and confession on The Face of Love. Mark Graalman noted: "It's been an unbelievably hard year for the band. But we've learned to rely on God’s grace, and we've learned to be honest and transparent. Being honest and transparent means not faking it; it has to be OK to say, 'No, I'm not alright'."
The Face of Love was recorded and mixed
Audio 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...
at the fabmusic and Smoakstack studios in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
Musical style
The Face of Love has generally been labeled as a melodic alternative rockAlternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
album, taking influence from the power pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
of their debut Say It Loud and the more distinctive rock sound of Fight the Tide
Fight the Tide
Fight the Tide is the second studio album from Christian rock band Sanctus Real, and was released on June 15, 2004 under Sparrow Records. Most of the album was written within one month and recorded in only four weeks...
. Allmusic's review noted, "If you swirled together Switchfoot's The Beautiful Letdown
The Beautiful Letdown
The Beautiful Letdown is the fourth studio album by alternative rock band Switchfoot. Released in early 2003, it launched the band into the mainstream on the strength of two top 20 singles: "Meant to Live" and "Dare You to Move." The album was hugely popular and remained a staple on the Billboard...
, Jars of Clay's Good Monsters
Good Monsters
Good Monsters is the eighth full-length album from Jars of Clay, released by Essential Records on September 5, 2006. This is their last album of new material from Essential Records and it is said to be lyrically their most aggressive album to date. It features eleven original songs, and a remake of...
and U2's How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is the eleventh studio album by Irish rock band U2, released in November 2004. Much like their previous album, All That You Can't Leave Behind, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb was commercially successful and critically acclaimed and maintains a more traditional rock...
, the concoction would sound much like this."
Release and promotion
The Face of Love was released on April 4, 2006 through Sparrow RecordsSparrow Records
-Background:Sparrow Records was founded in 1976 by Billy Ray Hearn, then A&R director at Myrrh Records. Purchased by EMI in 1992, it is now part of the EMI Christian Music Group, and has been named by Billboard Magazine as "America's Best Christian Music Record Label"...
and Capitol Music Group
Capitol Music Group
Capitol Music Group is a major record label, a wholly owned subsidiary of EMI.-History:It was formed in February 2007 as a merger of Virgin Records and Capitol Records in an effort by EMI to restructure and save an average of $217 million yearly...
. It debuted at number 168 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 number 2 on 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...
magazine's Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
chart. It also reached number 10 on Billboards Top Christian Albums chart, and in December 2006, the album re-entered the Billboard 200 and placed at number 158.
Three radio single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
s were released from the album: "I'm Not Alright
I'm Not Alright
"I'm Not Alright" is a song by Christian rock band Sanctus Real from their album The Face of Love. It was a number 1 hit on Christian radio in 2006. In 2007, the song was nominated at the GMA Dove Awards for Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year...
", "The Face of Love", and "Don't Give Up
Don't Give Up (Sanctus Real song)
"Don't Give Up" is a song by Christian rock band Sanctus Real from their 2006 album The Face of Love. The song was released as a radio single in early 2007, and reached number 1 on R&Rs Christian CHR chart in the beginning of May 2007. It is the band's fifth number 1 hit, and the second...
". On April 23, 2006, the band launched The Face of Love Tour in promotion of the album; it travelled through the southeast and midwest of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, featuring Needtobreathe
Needtobreathe
Needtobreathe is an American rock band from Seneca, South Carolina. The band has charted on mainstream rock/pop charts, but have had their greatest number of singles on Christian music charts...
and This Beautiful Republic
This Beautiful Republic
This Beautiful Republic was an American band signed to ForeFront Records in November 2006. They are best known for their song "Right Now". The group appeared on the Christian television show The Logan Show on December 9, 2006...
as guest artists.
Reception
Upon its release, The Face of Love was generally well-received by music critics. Jared Johnson of Allmusic gave a 4.5/5 review, praising Matt Hammit's lead vocals as "so rich and mature that he could practically sing a computer owner's manual to rave reviews"; it was also labeled by Allmusic as an AMG Album Pick. The title track "The Face of Love" received individual accolade, as well: Jesus Freak HideoutJesus Freak Hideout
Jesus Freak Hideout is a Christian music website. The website specializes in reviewing, previewing, and selling Christian albums. The website is known for its album reviews, independent music, artist interviews, concert dates and ministry through devotionals and prayer...
main editor John DiBiase called it "probably the band's best [song] to date", while Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
said that it was a "beautiful illustration". The album was noted to somewhat "lack distinction" by Christianity Today, however; the magazine's review noted, "Based on the songwriting, this is Sanctus Real's most mature effort to date ... Though it all sounds great, there's ultimately something a little lacking ... [W]hile there is indeed growth here, it doesn't necessarily make The Face of Love a step forward in excellence compared to the band's two previous efforts."
The Face of Love was nominated for the Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year honor at the 2007 GMA Dove Awards. The album's lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
"I'm Not Alright
I'm Not Alright
"I'm Not Alright" is a song by Christian rock band Sanctus Real from their album The Face of Love. It was a number 1 hit on Christian radio in 2006. In 2007, the song was nominated at the GMA Dove Awards for Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year...
" also received a Dove Award nomination, in the category Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year.
Track listing
All tracks written by Sanctus Real and Christopher Stevens, except where noted.- "I'm Not AlrightI'm Not Alright"I'm Not Alright" is a song by Christian rock band Sanctus Real from their album The Face of Love. It was a number 1 hit on Christian radio in 2006. In 2007, the song was nominated at the GMA Dove Awards for Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year...
" (Sanctus Real, Christopher Stevens, Doug McKelvey) – 4:07 - "Eloquent" – 3:22
- "Fly" – 3:58
- "The Face of Love" – 3:55
- "Don't Give UpDon't Give Up (Sanctus Real song)"Don't Give Up" is a song by Christian rock band Sanctus Real from their 2006 album The Face of Love. The song was released as a radio single in early 2007, and reached number 1 on R&Rs Christian CHR chart in the beginning of May 2007. It is the band's fifth number 1 hit, and the second...
" – 4:14 - "We're Trying" (Sanctus Real) – 3:00
- "Thank You" – 3:34
- "Magnetic" – 4:27
- "Possibilities" – 3:30
- "Where We Belong" – 3:34
- "Benjamin" – 4:15
Personnel
Band members
|
Additional personnel
|
Album
| Year | Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | U.S. 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... |
158 |
| 2006 | U.S. 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... Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
2 |
| 2006 | U.S. 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... Top Christian Albums |
10 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | "I'm Not Alright I'm Not Alright "I'm Not Alright" is a song by Christian rock band Sanctus Real from their album The Face of Love. It was a number 1 hit on Christian radio in 2006. In 2007, the song was nominated at the GMA Dove Awards for Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year... " |
U.S. R&R R&R (magazine) R&R was a weekly music trade publication that followed the radio industry and tracked the monitoring of current songs by format, station and audience cumes... Christian CHR Contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts... format |
1 |
| 2007 | "Don't Give Up Don't Give Up (Sanctus Real song) "Don't Give Up" is a song by Christian rock band Sanctus Real from their 2006 album The Face of Love. The song was released as a radio single in early 2007, and reached number 1 on R&Rs Christian CHR chart in the beginning of May 2007. It is the band's fifth number 1 hit, and the second... " |
U.S. R&R Christian CHR format | 1 |