Awake (Secondhand Serenade album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Awake
Type = Album
Artist = Secondhand Serenade


Released = January 10, 2007
May 22, 2007 (re-release)
Recorded =
Genre = Acoustic rock
Length = 45:29
Label = Self-release (2005)
Glassnote (2007)
Producer =
Reviews =
Last album =
This album = "Awake"
(2007)
Next album = "A Twist In My Story"
(2008)
Misc = Singles
Name = Awake
Type = studio
single 1 = Vulnerable
single 1 date = April 2007

Awake is the debut album by American acoustic rock musician, John Vesely, under the pseudonym Secondhand Serenade. The album was originally released as a demo, in 2005. In late 2006, Secondhand Serenade signed to label Glasstnote Records and re-released the album on January 10, 2007.

Original release

The 2005 album was recorded as a demo, after booking a few days at a San Francisco studio earlier in 2005, "using just an acoustic guitar and his multi-tracked vocals".cite web|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/shayquillen/ci_8281695?source=rss|title=Peninsula's John Vesely finds success as Secondhand Serenade|publisher=Mercury News.com|last=Quillen|first=Shay|accessdate=2008-06-05] It was promoted through the Secondhand Serenade Myspace page and by playing local shows. The CD's were originally sold through mail order with a PayPal account by Vesely, eventually he signed up with distributor TuneCore, making Secondhand Serenade's songs available on music portals including iTunes.cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003549834|title=Digital Distribution Provides Boost to Heatseeking Artist|last=Ben-Yehuda|first=Ayala|publisher=Billboard.com|accessdate=2008-06-05]

The album experienced tremendous online support, and by the end of 2006 Secondhand Serenade had received millions of plays on Myspace and had been the social-networking site's No. 1 Independent Artist for months. Financially, he was said to be bringing in up to $20,000 a month from downloads and merchandise sales out of his home. He sold over 15,000 copies of the album on his own,cite web|url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/press_releases/secondhand_serenades_debut_album_enters_at_16_on_billboard.html|title=Secondhand Serenade's Debut Album Enters At #16 On Billboard|last=Press Release|publisher=Ultimate Guitar.com|accessdate=2008-06-05] and on the strength of these sales and the support, naturally, the labels came knocking. Secondhand Serenade was signed by longtime label executive Daniel Glass, on his new label Glassnote Records, which is distributed through Warners Independent Label Group.

Re-release

In early 2007, the album was reissued by Glassnote Records with an additional two songs. It was released on February 6 and gave Vesely his first chartings, debuting at #16 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart. Added success lead to it peaking at #164 on the Billboard 200, #3 on the Top Heatseekers and #19 on the Top Independent Albums chart.cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=813088&model.vnuAlbumId=1101973|title=Secondhand Serenade Albums Chart History|publisher=Billboard.com|accessdate=2008-06-05]

ingle

Secondhand Serenade released only one song as a single from the debut album, "Vulnerable". The song spawned a music video, which was created by Frank Borin who was responsible for the Red Hot Chili Peppers' video for hit single "Dani California". "Vulnerable" peaked at #83 on the Billboard Hot 100, #64 on the Pop 100 and #56 on the Hot Digital Songs charts.cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.vnuArtistId=813088&model.vnuAlbumId=1101973|title=Secondhand Serenade Singles Chart History|publisher=Billboard.com|accessdate=2008-06-05] They have since then contunued to build up on their sound.

Track listing

# "Half Alive" - 3:44
# "Broken" - 3:53
# "Vulnerable" - 3:22
# "Your Call" - 3:44
# "Maybe" - 3:22
# "It's Not Over" - 3:29
# "I Hate This Song" - 4:39
# "Awake" - 4:05
# "Take Me With You" - 4:53
# "Let It Roll" - 3:27
# "The Last Song Ever" - 4:38
# "End" - 4:13

Credits

* John Vesely - guitar and vocals
* Ronnie Day - piano on tracks 4, 8 and 12
* Tracked, mixed and mastered at SF Soundworks
* Engineer: Rachel Allgood & Adam Munoz
* Mastered by: Tony Espinoza & Loredana Palomares
* Assistants: Loredanna Palomares, Aaron DeMateo

References

External links

* [http://www.myspace.com/secondhandserenade Official Myspace]