Any Man in America

{{Infobox album

| name = Any Man in America

| type = studio

| artist = Blue October

| cover = Any Man In America.jpg

| alt =

| released = August 16, 2011

| recorded = 2010–2011

| venue =

| studio =

| genre =

| length = 62:05

| label =

| producer = Tim Palmer

| prev_title = Ugly Side: An Acoustic Evening With Blue October

| prev_year = 2011

| next_title = Sway

| next_year = 2013

| misc = {{Extra chronology

| artist = Blue October studio album

| type = studio

| prev_title = Approaching Normal

| prev_year = 2009

| title = Any Man in America

| year = 2011

| next_title = Sway

| next_year = 2013

}}

{{Singles

| name = Any Man in America

| type = studio

| single1 = The Chills

| single1date = {{Start date|2011|5|31}}

| single2 = The Feel Again (Stay)

| single2date = {{Start date|2011|6|14}}

| single3 = The Worry List

| single3date = {{Start date|2011|10|8}}

}}

}}

Any Man in America is the sixth studio album and ninth album overall by alternative rock band Blue October. The album was recorded at Matchbox Studios in Austin, Texas between Summer of 2010 and March 2011, and was released August 16, 2011 by Justin Furstenfeld's Up/Down Records and distributed through RED Distribution. The album was produced by Tim Palmer, who has previously worked with artists such as David Bowie, Robert Plant, The Cure, U2 and Pearl Jam and had mixed Blue October's album History for Sale. The artwork on the album cover is a drawing of Justin Furstenfeld drawn by Tim Palmer's daughter Bluebell, who was three years old at the time.

The songs on the album are largely about Justin Furstenfeld's divorce and custody battle over his daughter.{{cite web|url=http://www.guitarworld.com/interview-justin-furstenfeld-blue-october|author=Scott Iwasaki|date=2011-06-13|title=Interview: Justin Furstenfeld of Blue October|access-date=2011-06-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615064800/http://www.guitarworld.com/interview-justin-furstenfeld-blue-october|archive-date=2011-06-15|url-status=dead}}

The first single from the album, "The Chills", became available for digital download May 31, and impacted radio June 27, 2011. On June 9, 2011 the band posted a video of the song "The Feel Again (Stay)", directed by Merritt Fields, on YouTube. Due to the overwhelming positive response to the video by fans, the band released the song on iTunes five days later.{{cite web|url=http://blueoctober.posterous.com/the-feel-again-stay-is-now-digitally-availabl|author=|date=2011-06-14|title="The Feel Again (Stay)" Is Now Digitally Available!}} On Monday, July 25, 2011, the official music video for the first single, "The Chills", was released via the band's YouTube Vevo channel.

Upon release, the album topped the Amazon.com album downloads chart. The album sold 27,275 copies in its first week, making it the highest-selling debut, the highest-selling alternative rock album, the second highest-selling independent album, and the eighth best selling album overall.{{cite web|url=http://www.hitsdailydouble.com/sales/salescht.cgi |date=2011-08-22 |title=Building albums Sales Chart |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140915012320/http://www.hitsdailydouble.com/sales/salescht.cgi |archivedate=2014-09-15 }} Additionally, the album was popular on iTunes where it was the best selling alternative album, and the fifth best selling album overall.{{cite web|url=http://www.muenmagazine.net/2011/08/blue-october-lands-highest-chart-debut-of-their-career/ |date=2011-08-24 |title=Blue October Lands Highest Chart Debut of Their Career |author=Shauna O'Donnell }}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The album debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200, making it the highest-charting album of Blue October's career, although their two previous studio albums actually sold more units in their first week of release. It peaked at number two on the Billboard Independent Albums chart and number one on the Top Rock Albums Chart.

Track listing

{{tracklist

| extra_column = Writer(s)

| title1 = Everything (AM Limbo)

| extra1 = Justin Furstenfeld

| length1 = 0:52

| title2 = The Feel Again (Stay)

| extra2 = Justin Furstenfeld

| length2 = 6:00

| title3 = The Money Tree

| extra3 = Justin Furstenfeld

| length3 = 4:59

| title4 = For the Love

| extra4 = Justin Furstenfeld

| length4 = 4:43

| title5 = Drama Everything

| extra5 = Justin Furstenfeld, Andy Sharp

| length5 = 4:30

| title6 = The Chills

| extra6 = Justin Furstenfeld, Tim Palmer

| length6 = 3:34

| title7 = The Flight (Lincoln to Minneapolis)

| extra7 = Justin Furstenfeld

| length7 = 6:45

| title8 = Any Man in America

| extra8 = Justin Furstenfeld

| length8 = 6:25

| title9 = You Waited Too Long

| extra9 = Justin Furstenfeld, Tim Palmer

| length9 = 4:28

| title10 = The Honesty

| extra10 = Justin Furstenfeld

| length10 = 4:22

| title11 = The Getting Over It Part

| extra11 = Justin Furstenfeld, Tim Palmer

| length11 = 4:38

| title12 = The Worry List

| extra12 = Justin Furstenfeld, Dwight Baker

| length12 = 4:33

| title13 = The Follow Through

| extra13 = Justin Furstenfeld

| length13 = 6:10

}}

Reviews

The album was released to mixed reviews, Allmusic rating the album with 2 out of 5 stars and stating "Justin Furstenfeld has no qualms about putting his domestic problems on display, and while heartache and ruin are well-worn rock & roll topics, self-indulgence works best when tempered with hooks, something Furstenfeld seems to have left at the crime scene." Diminuendo had to say about the album, "As long as they continue doing what they're good at - writing deeply personal, heart-wrenching lyrics - it doesn't matter where they venture musically. Any Man in America is a model to follow for great artists: an ever-changing sound with a signature lyrics and vocals,"{{cite web|url=http://amusicaldiscourse.blogspot.com/2011/08/blue-october-any-man-in-america-2011.html |title=Blue October - Any Man in America (2011) |publisher=Diminuendo: A Musical Discourse |accessdate=August 18, 2011 }}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} giving the album a volume setting of 9 out of 11.

{{Album ratings

|rev1 = Allmusic

|rev1Score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/any-man-in-america-r2238178|title=Blue October "Any Man In America" Album Review |author=James Christopher Monger|date=2011-07-26}}

|rev2 = Sputnikmusic

|rev2Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/45209/Blue-October-Any-Man-in-America/|title=Blue October Any Man in America|author=SowingSeason|date=2011-08-22}}

|rev3 = MassLive.com

|rev3Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=http://blog.masslive.com/playback/2011/10/cd_reviews_blue_october_john_m.html|title=CD reviews: Blue October, John Martyn tribute disc|date=2011-10-03}}

}}

Personnel

References

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Blue October}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2011 albums

Category:Blue October albums

Category:Albums produced by Tim Palmer