Slicker Than Your Average is the second album by singer Craig David, released in 2002 through Atlantic Records. It peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart and number 32 in on the US Billboard 200, while it also peaked at number on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart in late 2002. It was certified Gold by RIAA in the U.S. and double Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry in the UK. As of November 2013, the album has sold over 3.5 million copies worldwide.[1]
The album was released in a number of different versions. The original release contained 13 new tracks. A six track bonus remix CD was released in Asia that featured remixes of the singles "Rise and Fall" and "Hidden Agenda", as well as versions of "Fill Me In" and the B-Side "Four Times a Lady" from the single, "What's Your Flava?".[2]
Background and writing
After David managed to crack the American music industry with his hit debut album Born to Do It, his musical style began to alter to appeal to the worldwide market on his second album. In an interview with ANDPOP's Adam Gonshor, David revealed the inspiration for some of the songs on the album. He was forced to stay in a hotel room for a week following the September 11 attacks in New York City in 2001, and it was this event that inspired him to write the song "World Filled with Love". In the interview, he said, "I was thinking, I'm actually in this world that's filled with madness, with this drama that's going on. Some of the things we were talking about in music, in the big picture, are so trivial...I thought music is a form of escapism, so I used it to write a song hopefully for positive means to say, we are in a world that's filled with love."[3] David also commented that the album title could be looked at in two different ways: "On the one hand, it's coming across like I'm arrogant. On the other hand, it's saying I have a lot more composure on the album." The album was leaked onto the internet prior to its official release, but David was not too bothered as he felt that it "spreads the word".
Critical reception
The album received mostly positive reviews from contemporary music critics. BBC Music's Keysha Davis wrote that "Slicker Than Your Average provides the listener with the opportunity to get into the mind of a truly gifted young star...there are enough club friendly tracks to ensure heavy rotation in the hottest nightspots". However, in reference to his success in the United States, she also pointed out "true fans may be a tad bit disappointed by the new super-slick musical direction".[5] AllMusic's Christina Fuoco gave it a rating of three stars out of five and wrote "Slicker Than Your Average is stronger than the average sophomore effort...it proves that Craig David's abilities are innate".[4] Pat Blashill, writing for Rolling Stone magazine, called it "one of the most subtle male R&B records in a good while" and gave it a 3/5 rating.[12] Blender magazine's gave the album a rating of 4/5 and commented "David moves away from underground two-step...toward a modern, mainstream R&B record. Slicker is full of Timbaland-style production, booty-call ballads and even Spanish guitars. Sometimes being real means revealing the marshmallow within."[6]
Ken Tucker, writing for Entertainment Weekly, gave the album a B- and wrote "David has a voice that's fresh and expressive, so it doesn't bode well that on what's only his second album, he's also an artist already reduced to singing about the burdens of fame."[8] The Guardian's Alexis Petridis wrote "His second album has its flaws, but they are largely generic: when it tries to fit too snugly into the R&B template, it tails off. At its best, however, it is a curiously unique record."[9]
Track listing
| 1. |
"Slicker than Your Average" |
Craig David, Trevor Henry & Anthony Marshall |
5:58 |
| 2. |
"What's Your Flava?" |
Craig David, Trevor Henry & Anthony Marshall |
3:50 |
| 3. |
"Fast Cars" |
Craig David, Trevor Henry & Anthony Marshall |
4:16 |
| 4. |
"Hidden Agenda" |
Craig David & Mark Hill |
3:54 |
| 5. |
"Eenie Meenie" (featuring Messiah Bolical) |
Craig David, Trevor Henry, Leroy Williams & Adam Lyons |
5:04 |
| 6. |
"You Don't Miss Your Water ('Til the Well Runs Dry)" |
Craig David & Mark Hill |
5:20 |
| 7. |
"Rise & Fall" (featuring Sting) |
Craig David, Sting & Dominic Miller |
4:47 |
| 8. |
"Personal" |
Craig David, Trevor Henry & Anthony Marshall |
5:24 |
| 9. |
"Hands Up in the Air" |
Craig David & Mark Hill |
4:05 |
| 10. |
"2 Steps Back" |
Craig David, Soulshock, Kenneth Karlin, Nate Butler, Jimmy Cozier & Harold Lily |
3:48 |
| 11. |
"Spanish" (featuring Duke One) |
Craig David, Trevor Henry & Anthony Marshall |
5:03 |
| 12. |
"What's Changed" (featuring Katie Holmes (not the actress)) |
Craig David & Mark Hill |
4:41 |
| 13. |
"World Filled with Love" |
Craig David & Fraser T Smith |
3:45 |
Bonus tracks
Other releases
Asian Limited Edition - Bonus Remix CD
- "What's Your Flava?" (Todd's underground flava vocal remix)
- "Hidden Agenda" (Blacksmith rerub feat. Know ?uestion)
- "Hidden Agenda" (Soulshock remix)
- "Four Times a Lady"
- "Rise & Fall" (Blacksmith hiphop rub feat. Fallacy)
- "Fill me in" (Acoustic recorded in Seoul)
- DVD
- "Fill Me In" (Music Video)
- "7 Days" (Music Video)
- "Walking Away" (Music Video)
- "Rendezvous" (Music Video)
- "What's Your Flava" (Music Video)
- "Hidden Agenda" (Music Video)
- "Rise & Fall" (Music Video)
Singles
- "What's Your Flava?"
- "Hidden Agenda"
- "Rise & Fall" (with Sting)
- "Spanish" (with Duke One)
- "You Don't Miss Your Water ('Til the Well Runs Dry)"
- "World Filled with Love"
Charts and certifications
Charts
|
|
Certifications
| Country |
Certification |
| Australia |
Platinum[25] |
| United Kingdom |
2× Platinum[26] |
| United States |
Gold[27] |
|
References
External links
