Back to Love

Back to Love

by Anthony HamiltonAnthony Hamilton

Overview

Some of the interviews and press released in support of Anthony Hamilton's first RCA album (and sixth overall) were slightly misleading. Some readers might have been led to believe that Back to Love would offer a significant break from Hamilton's past work; the singer noted that he did not want to be pigeonholed as "the sad cat," that he was "ready to have some fun." Hamilton even talked about "taking things to the next level." Hamilton's previous release, 2008's The Point of It All, was as creative as any of his albums that came before it, and it had his highest first-week sales -- remarkable feats for a veteran, Grammy-winning artist. Regardless, Back to Love is clearly viewed as a fresh start, even though it offers no more surprises than Ain't Nobody Worryin' or The Point of It All. The lineup of collaborators is no shock, either, though longtime associate Mark Batson was not involved, and Babyface assists on three songs. Familiar names, including Salaam Remi, Kelvin Wooten, and Mike City, are more numerous than new ones. That Back to Love is not a major shake-up is not a bad thing. Most of the songs are instantly ingratiating in some way, with none of the lighter, upbeat numbers -- including the strutting, midtempo Southern soul of "Woo" and the thematically "Cool"-like blue-collar love song "Best of Me" -- the least bit out of character. There are some sad-cat moments that come very close to the standard Hamilton set with the instant classic "Charlene," led by the hushed "Life Has a Way" (produced and co-written by James Poyser), where the singer shuffles easily, if wearily, into that Bill Withers level of chilling relatability: "And my children still look up to me while their stomachs on empty/Oh, I need an angel to fall on me now." The way the song weaves Hamilton's raw, broken-spirited croon and spectral, multi-tracked melody is kind of crushing.

Product Details

Release Date: 12/13/2011
Label: Rca
UPC: 0886979913622
catalogNumber: 799136
Rank: 35740

Tracks

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Anthony Hamilton   Primary Artist,Background Vocals
Vincent Henry   Clarinet,Flute,Guitar,Saxophone
Bruce Purse   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Bobby Ross Avila   Organ,Bass,Guitar,Piano,Sitar,Hammond B3
Randy Bowland   Guitar
Donald Hayes   Horn,Baritone Saxophone,Tenor Saxophone
James Poyser   Organ,Keyboards
Salaam Remi   Bass
Terri Robinson   Background Vocals
Babyface   Acoustic Guitar,Bass,Electric Guitar,Background Vocals,Musician
Kelvin Wooten   Bass,Guitar,Piano,Keyboards,Background Vocals
Andreao "Fanatic" Heard   Background Vocals
Dan Kramer   Drums
Bryan Russell   Bass
Edith Yokley   Violin
Antonio Dixon   Musician
Kaveh Rastegar   Contrabass (Vocal)
Nicole Garcia   Violin
Frederic Yonnet   Harmonica
Iz   Guitar,Percussion,Drums
Justin Kirk   Trombone
Brandon Coleman   Organ,Musician
Jocelyn Butler   Cello
Ryan Porter   Horn
Troy Auxilly-Wilson   Drums
Randy Ellis   Horn
Eli Menezes   Guitar
Richie Pena   Drums
Bijon Watson   Trumpet
Nancy P   Viola
Jairus Mozee   Guitar,Musician
Oliver "Akos" Castelli   Synthesizer
John Adams   Piano
Phillip Kevin Wyatt   Harmonica
Orisha Pelzer   Violin
Chris Gray   Horn

Technical Credits

Babyface   Producer,Composer
Vincent Henry   Composer
Bobby Ross Avila   Composer
Bruce Irvine   Engineer
James Poyser   Composer,Producer
Salaam Remi   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Mike Anzelowitz   Composer
Anthony Hamilton   Composer,Engineer,Executive Producer
Mark Pitts   Executive Producer
Paul Boutin   Engineer
Rebecca Meek   Graphic Design
Jerry "Wonda" Duplessis   Composer,Producer
Kelvin Wooten   Composer,Producer,Engineer,drum programming
Crystal Johnson   Composer
Mike City   Composer,Producer,Engineer
Andreao "Fanatic" Heard   Producer,Engineer
Mike Anzel   Producer
Dan Kramer   drum programming
Bob Engel   Engineer
Jae Deal   String Arrangements
Arden Altino   Composer
Matt Marrin   Engineer
Ryan Moys   Engineer
Antonio Dixon   Composer,Producer
Sergio "Sergical" Tsai   Engineer
Sean Tallman   Engineer
Avila Brothers   Producer
Kory Aaron   Vocal Engineer
Patrick "J Que" Smith   Composer
Gleyder "Gee" Disla   Engineer
Arden "Keyz" Altino   Producer
Eli Davis   Executive Producer,Management
Brandon Coleman   Composer
Greg Morgenstein   Engineer
Andreao Heard   Composer
Issiah J. Avila   Composer
Nancy P   Engineer
Jairus Mozee   Composer,Producer
Akene Dunkley   Composer,Producer
Jacki Brown   Groomer
Adonis Sutherlin   Executive Producer
Abeer Shofani   Composer

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