Something Big (Mary Mary album)

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{rating|3|5}}

| rev2 = Christianity Today

| rev2Score = {{rating|8|10}}

| rev3 = Jesus Freak Hideout

| rev3Score = {{rating|4|5}}

| rev4 = Pop Matters

| rev4Score = {{rating|6|10}}

}}

Something Big received generally positive reviews from critics. Andy Kellman of Allmusic praised the title and opening track "Something Big" for being "a raucous stomper" and its follow-up "Something Bigger" which he notes "increases the energy with super-charged marching-band percussion".{{cite web|title=Something Big - Mary Mary|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/r2141945|first=Andy|last=Kellman|date=March 2011|work=Allmusic|accessdate= 30 March 2011}} Andrea Dawn Goforth of Christianity Today also reviewed the album's opening favourably, with its "exciting march-like drum beat and hooky Timbaland-esque male vocal". Goforth also highlighted the "infectious beats, sweet harmonies, and creative arrangements" on the album{{cite web|title=Something Big - Music - Christianity Today|url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/music/reviews/2011/somethingbig-mini.html|first=Andrea|last=Dawn Gorforth|date=March 2011|work=Christianity Today|accessdate=30 March 2011}} while Kellman lent praise to the group's "striking harmonies" on the rich folk-soul gospel that is "Homecoming Glory". Likewise, Josh Langhoff of Pop Matters praised the duo's voices, describing them as "wonderful", writing that they "sing clearly and richly, moving from solo lines to well-arranged harmonies" and that "every note seems perfectly calculated to deliver as much pleasure as possible". However, he noted that if there’s any fault in the music on this album, it’s that vocals and production seem overly-planned and non-outlandish throughout" going on to hail the album as "solid" but on the contrary "frustrating", writing that "it hints at an audacity that its lyrics and music never quite deliver".{{cite web|title=Mary Mary: Something Big < PopMatters|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/138858-mary-mary-something-big/|first=Josh|last=Langhoff|date=30 March 2011|work=Pop Matters|accessdate=30 March 2011}} Similarly Kellman reviewed the "album's second half" less positively than the first, writing that its "relatively dry songs lack the edge of the album’s first half" and so it "sags with plaintively strummed acoustic guitars and churning electric guitars". Kevin Hoskins of Jesus Freak Hideout gave a much more favourable review however, rating the album four out of five stars and describing it as being "much better and more diverse than expected". Hoskins listed "Something Big", "Something Bigger", "Walking", "Homecoming Glory", "Catch Me" and "Sitting With Me" - which was described by Langhoff as "a lovely lilting number" - as particular standouts.{{cite web|title=Jesusfreakhideout.com: Mary Mary, "Something Big" Review|url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/SomethingBig.asp|first=Kevin|last=Hoskins|date=21 March 2011|work=Jesus Freak Hideout|accessdate=30 March 2011}}

The album debuted at number ten on the US Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 42,000 copies in the United States.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/472190/britney-spears-snares-sixth-no-1-on-billboard-200-with-femme-fatale|title=Britney Spears Snares Sixth No. 1 on Billboard 200 with 'Femme Fatale'|magazine=Billboard|first=Keith|last=Caulfield|date=April 6, 2011|accessdate=April 6, 2011}}

The lead single, "Walking", was released digitally on December 7, 2010. The song garnered massive airplay mainly on the urban, urban adult contemporary, rhythmic, gospel and the dance radio formats. In the United States, it had peaked at number 3 on the Hot Gospel Songs, number 94 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 14 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, number 5 on the Hot Dance Club Play, and number 57 on the Radio Songs.{{cite web|title=Walking Chart Information|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=mary mary|chart=all}}|work=Billboard Mary Mary Walking|publisher=Billboard|accessdate=20 March 2011}} "Walking" also peaked at number 77 on the Japan Hot 100{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot100&year=2011&month=06&day=06|title=Billboard Japan Hot 100 [ 2011/06/01 公開]|work=Billboard Japan |language=Japanese|access-date=March 6, 2025}} and number 43 on the South Korea International chart.{{cite web|url=https://circlechart.kr/page_chart/onoff.circle?nationGbn=E&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=22&hitYear=2011&termGbn=week&yearTime=3|title=Digital Chart: 2011 Weeks 22|publisher=Circle |accessdate=March 9, 2025 }} The song's video was directed by Luga Podesta, best known for shooting recent pop videos for Travie McCoy, Emily Osment and Hey Monday and premiered in late January 2011.{{cite web|title=Walking Video Information|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mary-mary-announce-something-big-for-march-29-114500844.html|work=Mary Mary Announce SOMETHING BIG for March 29|publisher=PR Newswire|accessdate=20 March 2011}} The second single, "Survive" has peaked at number 51 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.{{cite web|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=fraser hill|chart=all}}|title=Survive : Chart History|publisher=Billboard.com|accessdate=2013-07-26}}

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Something Big

| writer1 = {{hlist|Tina Campbell|Erica Campbell|Danny Nixon|Alphonzo Mizell|Berry Gordy|Deke Richards|Freddie Perren}}

| extra1 = {{hlist|Nixon|Warryn Campbell|T. Campbell{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length1 = 3:51

| title2 = Something Bigger

| writer2 = {{hlist|E. Campbell|T. Campbell|W. Campbell}}

| extra2 = W. Campbell

| length2 = 3:17

| title3 = Blind

| writer3 = {{hlist|Antea Shelton|Anesha Birchett|W. Campbell}}

| extra3 = W. Campbell

| length3 = 3:34

| title4 = It Is Well

| writer4 = {{hlist|E. Campbell|T. Campbell|W. Campbell|Tammi Haddon}}

| extra4 = W. Campbell

| length4 = 4:00

| title5 = Never Wave My Flag

| writer5 = {{hlist|E. Campbell|T. Campbell|W. Campbell|Matthew Edwards|Juan Winans}}

| extra5 = {{hlist|W. Campbell|Edwards{{ref|b|[b]}}}}

| length5 = 3:49

| title6 = Walking

| writer6 = {{hlist|E. Campbell|T. Campbell|W. Campbell|Neal Conway|Crystal Waters}}

| extra6 = W. Campbell

| length6 = 3:20

| title7 = Slow Walk

| writer7 = {{hlist|E. Campbell|T. Campbell|W. Campbell}}

| extra7 = W. Campbell

| length7 = 1:47

| title8 = Survive

| writer8 = {{hlist|Gerald Haddon|Asaleana Elliott|Derrick "Swol" Ray|Aaron Sledge|Chris Johnson}}

| extra8 = {{hlist|Haddon|W. Campbell}}

| length8 = 3:39

| title9 = Are You Ready

| writer9 = {{hlist|E. Campbell|T. Campbell|W. Campbell}}

| extra9 = W. Campbell

| length9 = 3:25

| title10 = Catch Me

| writer10 = {{hlist|Winans|Justin Gray}}

| extra10 = {{hlist|W. Campbell|Edwards}}

| length10 = 3:51

| title11 = Sitting with Me

| writer11 = {{hlist|E. Campbell|T. Campbell|T. Haddon|Gerald Haddon}}

| extra11 = {{hlist|Haddon|W. Campbell}}

| length11 = 3:47

| title12 = Homecoming Glory

| writer12 = Alvin Love

| extra12 = W. Campbell

| length12 = 5:24

| total_length = 43:56

}}

Notes{{cite AV media notes |title=Something Big |type=liner notes |others=Mary Mary |publisher=Columbia Records |year=2011}}"Survive" Sample of "Never Can Say Goodbye". WhoSampled.com. http://www.whosampled.com/sample/138406/Mary-Mary-Survive-The-Jackson-5-Never-Can-Say-Goodbye/

• ^{{{note|a|[a]}}} denotes vocal producer
• ^{{{note|b|[b]}}} denotes co-producer

Sample credits

• "Something Big" contains a sample from "Mama's Pearl", performed by The Jackson 5.
• "It Is Well" contains re-sung lyrics from "It Is Well with My Soul", written by Horatio Spafford & Philip Bliss.
• "Survive" contains replayed bass sample from "Never Can Say Goodbye" performed by The Jackson 5.

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{{Reflist}}

{{Mary Mary}}

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Category:2011 albums

Category:Columbia Records albums

Category:Mary Mary albums

Category:Electronica albums by American artists