Twelve Months, Eleven Days

Twelve Months, Eleven Days is the second solo studio album released by British singer-songwriter Gary Barlow. The album was released by BMG and RCA Records on 11 October 1999. It was to be Barlow's last studio album for 13 years until the release of Sing. Furthermore, this was his last full length record up until the release of Since I Saw You Last.

Twelve Months, Eleven Days
Studio album by
Gary Barlow
Released11 October 1999 (1999-10-11)
Recorded1998—1999
GenrePop
Length54:04
LabelBMG, RCA
ProducerGary Barlow, Kristian Lundin, Max Martin, Jon Douglas, Grant Mitchell, Brian Rawling, Mark Taylor, Cutfather & Joe, Dufflebag Boys
Gary Barlow chronology
Open Road
(1997)		 Twelve Months, Eleven Days
(1999)		 Sing
(2012)
Singles from Twelve Months, Eleven Days
  1. "Stronger"
    Released: 5 July 1999
  2. "For All That You Want"
    Released: 27 September 1999
Alternative cover
Japanese edition cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

Background

Following the success of Barlow's debut album Open Road, expectations were high for his second solo album. However, when the album's lead single, "Stronger", a dance-ballad, was released on 5 July 1999, many fans were unsure of Barlow's change in direction,[2] and the single only peaked at #16 on the UK Singles Chart. At the time, the British press had been ridiculing Barlow for not providing the media the headlines that they craved about his private life, and that his ex-bandmate, Robbie Williams, had regularly been in the papers with his erratic behaviour and party lifestyle. In an attempt to create a hype for the album, Barlow released "For All That You Want" as the album's second single, which entered and peaked at #24 on the UK Singles Chart.

Release

When the album was released on 11 October 1999 it debuted at #35 on the UK Albums Chart, and after two weeks, fell out of the Top 100. It also debuted at number 19 in Ireland and number 67 in Germany before falling out of the chart the following week. This was believed to be down to poor promotion and little airplay, and the fact that he had been targeted by the press and Robbie Williams with him citing that his departure from Take That was due to Barlow. "Lie to Me" was intended to be released as the album's third single; however, after music differences and arguments between Barlow and RCA over their involvement in his long term career, the single was cancelled. Barlow later referred to "Lie to Me" as the best song on the album.[3]

Reception

Jon O'Brien of Allmusic gave the album 3 stars out of 5 stating positively that "comeback single "Stronger" was an infectious slice of Enrique Iglesias-style Latin dance-pop, co-penned with the team behind Cher's "Believe"; [whilst] the funky "Fast Love"-esque "Wondering" shows he is capable of pulling off the George Michael uptempos as well as the heartfelt ballads; and "Walk" was a surprisingly accomplished stab at slick new jack swing-inspired R&B -- all proving that Barlow hadn't lost his ability to write infectious melodies overnight." However, he went on to say that for the album to have been a success when being "released in the midst of Robbie Williams' chart domination, Barlow needed to have recorded something with a little more substance than the watered-down pop of Open Road if he was to have any chance of competing with his virtually untouchable former bandmate, something that its lowly number 35 chart position seemed to firmly confirm he failed to do." O'Brien concluded his review positively stating that the "largely forgotten swan song to a glittering career, in the wake of Take That's triumphant revival Twelve Months, Eleven Days has witnessed something of a reassessment. And while there's nothing here that would appear on a Gary Barlow greatest-hits collection, it's certainly not the car crash that its dismal sales suggest."[4]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."For All That You Want"Gary Barlow, Max Martin, Kristian LundinMartin, Lundin3:36
2."Arms Around Me"Barlow, Peter VetteseDufflebag Boys3:50
3."Lie to Me"BarlowJon Douglas5:30
4."Fast Car"BarlowDouglas4:45
5."Stronger"Barlow, Graham GouldmanDouglas, Brian Rawling[a], Mark Taylor[a]3:40
6."All That I've Given Away"BarlowBarlow4:30
7."Wondering"BarlowGrant Mitchell, Douglas[b]3:43
8."Don't Need a Reason"BarlowMitchell4:35
9."Before You Turn Away"BarlowDouglas3:18
10."Walk"BarlowCutfather & Joe5:20
11."Nothing Feels the Same"BarlowDouglas4:05
12."Yesterday's Girl"BarlowBarlow6:54
Limited edition bonus CD-rom tracks
No.TitleLength
13."Stronger" (Video)3:40
14."Yesterday's Girl" (Video)3:36
Japanese edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."Stronger" (Metro extended)7:01
14."Stronger" (Mark's inbetween vocal)9:50
15."DMC Megamix"7:36
Notes
  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer
  • ^[b] signifies a remixer

Personnel

Credits for Twelve Months, Eleven Days adapted from Allmusic.[5]

  • Gary Barlow - vocals, keyboards, programming, backing vocals
  • Tracie Ackerman - backing vocals
  • Joe Belmaati - engineer
  • Andy Caine - backing vocals
  • Chris Cameron - keyboards, string arrangements
  • Andreas Carlsson - backing vocals
  • Dave Clews - keyboards, programming
  • Cutfather - producer
  • Chris Dagley - drums
  • Jon Douglas - programming, producer, remixing
  • Adam Drake - guitar
  • DuffleBag Boys - arranger, producer
  • Andy Duncan - percussion
  • Steve Fitzmaurice - mixing
  • Ben Foster - conductor, string score
  • Steve Sidwell - trumpet
  • Paul Gendler - guitar
  • Graham Gouldman - composer
  • Lain Gray - backing vocals
  • Nick Griffiths - string arrangements
  • Steafan Hannigan - pipe
  • Nana Hedin - backing vocals
  • Nigel Hitchcock - tenor saxophone
  • Henrik Janson - string arrangement
  • Ulf Jansson - string arrangement
  • Lawrence Johnson - vocal arrangement, backing vocals
  • The London Session Orchestra - orchestra
  • Kristian Lundin - composer, producer
  • Will Malone - string arrangements
  • M. Martin - composer
  • Max Martin - producer, backing vocals
  • Milton McDonald - guitar
  • Grant Mitchell - producer
  • Dean Murphy - Engineer
  • Dale Markey - assistant engineer
  • Phil Palmer - guitar
  • Juan Ramirez - flamenco guitar
  • Alan Ross - guitar
  • Rebekah Ryan - backing vocals
  • Patricia Scott - backing vocals
  • James Shearman - string arrangements
  • Neil Sidwell - trombone
  • Paul Spong - trumpet
  • Miriam Stockley - backing vocals
  • Ren Swan - engineer
  • Brian Taylor - producer, remixing
  • Paul Turner - bass guitar
  • Peter-John Vettese - composer
  • Tim Willis - engineer

Charts
Chart (1999) Peak
position
Danish Albums (Hitlisten) 38
German Albums (Media Control AG)[6] 67
Irish Albums (IRMA)[7] 19
Scottish Albums (OCC)[8] 81
UK Albums (OCC)[9] 35

References
  1. Allmusic review
  2. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a150788/barlow-to-re-release-solo-albums.html Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  3. http://www.celeb-tweets.co.uk/tweet/214456568924745729 GBarlowOfficial Twitter account Retrieved 17 June 2012
  4. http://www.allmusic.com/album/twelve-months-eleven-days-mw0000453689 Jon O'Brien, All Music review Twelve Months, Eleven Days.
  5. http://www.allmusic.com/album/twelve-months-eleven-days-mw0000453689/credits Twelve Months, Eleven Days Album credits.
  6. PhonoNet GmbH. "Musicline.de". Retrieved 19 January 2010.
  7. " Stats – Gary Barlow – Twelve Months, Eleven Days". Chart Stats. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  8. . Official Charts Company http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-albums-chart/19991017/40/. Retrieved 17 February 2013. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. "Chart Stats – Gary Barlow – Twelve Months, Eleven Days". Chart Stats. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
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