Introduction (Alex Parks album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Introduction
Type = Album
Artist = Alex Parks


Released = November 24, 2003
Genre = Pop
Label = Polydor
Producer = Gary Clark, Boo Hewerdine, Simon Hill, Glenn Skinner, Blair MacKichan and Kevin Armstrong
Reviews =
Last album =
This album = "Introduction" (2003)
Next album = "Honesty"
(2005)

"Introduction" is Alex Parks' debut album, released on 24 November 2003. Recorded and released within only two weeks of Parks winning the BBC's "Fame Academy", it included seven original compositions, mostly co-written with songwriters Helen Boulding, Gary Clark and Boo Hewerdine, as well as six cover songs from John Lennon, Tears for Fears, R.E.M., Christina Aguilera, Eurythmics and Coldplay.

The album reached number 5 in the UK Top 40 Album charts. It has been classified double platinum in the UK, and gold in six other countries including Italy, Greece, Germany and Australia.

"Introduction" includes rock influences on "Dirty Pretty Words" and "Wandering Soul", as well as a folk pop acoustic track, "Not Your Average Kind of Girl".

The lead single "Maybe That's What It Takes" was released on 17 November 2003 and peaked at number 3 in the UK Top 40 the following week. The second single "Cry" was released in February 2004, and charted at number 13.

Track listing

#"Maybe That's What It Takes" - 3:54 (Alex Parks, Helen Boulding)
#"Cry" - 3:49 (Parks, Gary Clark, Boo Hewerdine)
#"Dirty Pretty Words" - 3:10 (Parks, Clark, Hewerdine)
#"Imagine" - 3:13 (John Lennon)
#"Not Your Average Kind of Girl" - 3:37 (Parks, Carolynne Good, James Fox)
#"Mad World" - 3:03 (Roland Orzabal)
#"Everybody Hurts" - 5:44 (Bill Berry, Mike Mills, Peter Buck, Michael Stipe)
#"Beautiful" - 3:59 (Linda Perry)
#"Stones & Feathers" - 3:07 (Justin Gray, Blair MacKichan, Stefan Skarbek, Parks)
#"Here Comes the Rain Again" - 3:20 (Annie Lennox, David A Stewart)
#"Yellow" - 4:30 (Guy Berryman, Jon Buckland,Will Champion, Chris Martin)
#"Wandering Soul" - 3:31 (Parks, Clark, Hewerdine)
#"Overconscious" - 3:37 (Parks, Glenn Skinner, Luciano Caporaso)

Certifications

External links

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=B84820r4al489 All Music Guide - Alex Parks]
* [http://www.ateaseweb.com/news/archive/2004/02/index.php#001112 Radiohead praise Alex Parks, Feb 2004]
* [http://www.shakenstir.co.uk/feature.php?a=455 Shakenstir - INTRODUCTION album review]
* [http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,,1089348,00.html Guardian Unlimited - INTRODUCTION album review]
* [http://playlouder.com/review/+introduction/ Playlouder - INTRODUCTION album review]