Oxygen (Avalon album)

Oxygen
Studio album by
Avalon
ReleasedMay 22, 2001
Recorded2000
GenreCCM, Inspirational
Length54:10[1]
LabelSparrow
ProducerBrown Bannister
Avalon chronology
Joy: A Christmas Collection
(2000) 		Oxygen
(2001) 		O2: Avalon Remixed
(2002)
Singles from Oxygen
  1. "The Glory"
    Released: June 4, 2001
  2. "Make It Last Forever"
    Released: June 4, 2001[2]
  3. "Wonder Why"
    Released: June 2001
  4. "Come and Fill My Heart"
    Released: July 1, 2001[3]
  5. "I Don't Want to Go"
    Released: 2002
  6. "Undeniably You"
    Released: November 15, 2002[4]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Oxygen is Avalon's fifth studio album, released on May 22, 2001, and produced by Brown Bannister. The album included six singles that reached #1 on Christian adult contemporary or Christian contemporary hit radio,[5] the most of any Avalon album to date.

A collector's edition of the album was released, including one bonus track, "Beyond the Clouds."

Track listing

Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Wonder Why"
  • Grant Cunningham
  • Matt Huesmann
Janna, Jody4:00
2."The Best Thing"
  • Mark Pennells
  • Zarc Porter
Michael, Cherie4:55
3."By Heart, By Soul" (featuring Aaron Neville)
  • Stephanie Lewis
  • Phil Silas
All4:08
4."Undeniably You"
Cherie3:57
5."I Don't Want to Go"
Janna5:25
6."Never Givin' Up"
  • Tommy Collier
  • Scott Faircloff
  • Jordan
All4:26
7."Make It Last Forever"
  • Cates
  • Michael Linney
Michael, Jody, Cherie3:23
8."The Glory"
Jody, Cherie5:02
9."Oxygen"
Michael, Janna4:53
10."Love Remains"
Jody4:31
11."Come and Fill My Heart"
  • Cunningham
  • Huesmann
Michael5:09
Collector's edition bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
12."Beyond the Clouds"
  • Steve Siler
  • Dan Muckala
Janna, Cherie4:22

Personnel

Musicians

  • Dan Needham – programming (1), synthesizers (4)
  • Dan Muckala – programming (2, 3, 6, 7, 10)
  • Blair Masters – synthesizers (2, 5), acoustic piano (5), keyboards (6, 9), additional keyboards (10)
  • Jeff Savage – programming (4, 7)
  • Bernie Herms – programming (5, 11)
  • Alan Pasqua – keyboards (6, 8, 9)
  • Phil Madeira – Hammond B3 organ (11)
  • Chris Rodriguez – electric guitar (1, 3, 4), BGV arrangements (1), acoustic guitar (4, 10)
  • Jerry McPherson – electric guitar (2, 6, 11), guitars (5, 10)
  • Michael Thompson – electric guitar (3, 6-9), acoustic guitar (9)
  • Tim Pierce – electric guitar (6-9), mandolin (8)
  • Leland Sklar – bass (6, 8, 9)
  • Steve Brewster – drums (5)
  • Neal Wilkinson – drums (6, 8, 9)
  • Chris McHugh – drums (11)
  • Eric Darken – percussion (1, 2, 5)
  • Luis Conte – percussion (6, 9)
  • Patrick Kiernan – violin (7)
  • Michael Mellett – BGV arrangements (1, 2, 4, 10)
  • Carl Marsh – string arrangements (5, 11)
  • Gavyn Wright – concertmaster (5, 11), violin (7)
  • The London Session Orchestra – strings (5, 11)

Production

  • Grant Cunningham – executive producer
  • Brown Bannister – producer
  • Michael Mellett – vocal production (1, 2)
  • Steve Bishir – recording, mixing
  • Bill Deaton – additional engineer
  • Patrick Kelly – additional engineer
  • Russ Long – additional engineer
  • Hank Nirider – mix assistant
  • Jonathan Allen – strings recording (5, 11)
  • Andrew Dudman – strings recording assistant (5, 11)
  • Fred Paragano – digital editing
  • Steve Hall – mastering
  • Traci Bishir – production coordinator
  • Michelle Bentrem – production coordinating assistant
  • Christiév Carothers – creative direction
  • Jan Cook – art direction
  • Dan Harding – art direction, design
  • Matthew Barnes – photography
  • Gino Tanabe – stylist
  • Sheila Davis – grooming, make-up
  • Marybeth Felts – grooming, make-up
  • Brady Wardlaw – grooming, make-up
  • Proper Management – management

Studios

Release and promotion

Radio

Oxygen was successful on Christian radio, with all of its singles reaching #1.[5] "The Glory," the album's first Christian adult contemporary single, was added by all 41 reporting stations its debut week. "Make It Last Forever," released simultaneously to Christian contemporary hit radio (CHR), received an initial 14 adds out of 19 reporting stations.

Sales

Oxygen sold more than 33,400 copies its first week of release,[6] debuting at #37 on the Billboard 200[7] and reached #1 on Billboard's Christian albums chart.[8] Both chart positions represent the highest performances on their respective charts in the group's career.

Limited edition single

A CD single containing four tracks was released at Christian retail as a free bonus to customers who pre-ordered the album.[9] The single included the album's first two singles, "The Glory" (in its radio version) and "Make It Last Forever"; "Fly to You," from the 1999 film Jesus, also presented in its radio version; and a live version of "Testify to Love" from the group's second album, A Maze of Grace.

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Glory" (radio version)
4:19
2."Make It Last Forever"
  • Jess Cates
  • Michael Linney
3:26
3."Fly to You" (radio version)
  • Grant Cunningham
  • Matt Huesmann
3:52
4."Testify to Love" (live)
  • Henk Pool
  • Paul Field
  • Ralph van Manen
  • Robert Riekerk
5:22

References

  1. ^ a b Kittle, Ashleigh. "Review: Oxygen". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
  2. ^ "Make It Last Forever" at Discogs
  3. ^ "Come and Fill My Heart" at Discogs
  4. ^ "Undeniably You" at Discogs
  5. ^ a b "Avalon Fact Sheet". EMI Christian Music Group. 2006. Archived from the original (DOC) on October 10, 2007.
  6. ^ Price, Deborah (16 June 2001). "Higher Ground". Google Books. Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  7. ^ "Avalon - Chart History". Billboard. Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  8. ^ "Billboard Magazine, Vol. 113 No. 23". Google Books. Billboard Magazine. 9 June 2001. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  9. ^ "The Glory / Make It Last Forever (Limited Edition Single)" at Discogs