Southern Gravity
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Southern Gravity
| type = studio
| artist = Kristian Bush
| cover = Southern gravity.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2015|4|7}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = Country
| length = 44:30
| label = Streamsound
| producer =
- Kristian Bush
- Tom Tapley
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| next_year =
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Southern Gravity
| type = studio
| single1 = Trailer Hitch
| single1date = July 28, 2014
| single2 = Light Me Up
| single2date = June 1, 2015
}}
}}
Southern Gravity is the debut solo studio album by American country music singer Kristian Bush, one half of the duo Sugarland. It was released on April 7, 2015 via Streamsound Records
Content
Bush revealed the track list and title of the album on January 28, 2015. In an interview with Rolling Stone, he said, "I want people to go, 'I had no idea!' Using my voice is something I've shied away from, and I can't believe what a tool it is."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/kristian-bushs-southern-gravity-album-not-weighed-down-by-stereotypes-20150128|title=Kristian Bush's 'Southern Gravity' Album Not Weighed Down by Stereotypes|last=Moss|first=Marrissa|date=28 January 2015|magazine=Rolling Stone|accessdate=7 April 2015}} Jon Freeman of Country Weekly described the album's content as "a remarkably positive album…with only 'House on the Beach' alluding to an air of exhaustion and 'Feeling Fine California' occurring in the bewildering in the aftermath of a breakup. In large part, the songs are as sunny and personable as the man who wrote and recorded them."{{cite journal|last=Freeman|first=Jon|date=13 April 2015|title=Applying Gravity: With his solo album, Kristian Bush makes a case for himself as country's most eclectic songwriter|journal=Country Weekly|volume=22|issue=15|issn=1074-3235}} Marrissa Moss of Rolling Stone noted influences of Steve Earle, Zac Brown Band, and Jason Mraz in Bush's work for the album.
The album's first single is "Trailer Hitch". Bush co-wrote all 12 songs, and co-produced the album with Tom Tapley; Byron Gallimore is the album's executive producer.
Critical reception
Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe reviewed the album favorably, saying that Bush "offer[s] up a collection of catchy radio-ready tunes that don’t go too heavy on the gloss and play up his rootsy leanings" and "Bush takes center stage behind the microphone for the first time and shows off his pleasantly gritty vocals as he waxes mostly chipper about life, love, and what it all means."{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2015/04/06/kristian-bush-southern-gravity/vMk8SE4SfE3eynYzPC3GGJ/story.html|title=Kristian Bush, 'Southern Gravity'|last=Rodman|first=Sarah|date=6 April 2015|work=The Boston Globe|accessdate=7 April 2015}} Giving it a B+, Bob Paxman of Country Weekly wrote that "overall, you’ll be drawn to the good and positive vibes, delivered with Kristian’s laid-back but soulful style, unbelievably catchy melodies and warm sentiments. "{{cite web|url=http://www.countryweekly.com/reviews/southern-gravity-kristian-bush|title=Kristian Bush, Southern Gravity|last=Paxman|first=Bob|date=6 April 2015|work=Country Weekly|accessdate=7 April 2015}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| extra_column =
| total_length =
| title1 = Make Another Memory
| writer1 = Kristian Bush, Jeff Cohen, Rodney Clawson
| length1 = 3:11
| title2 = Light Me Up
| writer2 = K. Bush, Jesse Rice
| length2 = 3:33
| title3 = Trailer Hitch
| writer3 = K. Bush, Brandon Bush, Tim Owens
| length3 = 2:50
| title4 = Southern Gravity
| writer4 = K. Bush, Scooter Carusoe
| length4 = 4:12
| title5 = Flip Flops
| writer5 = K. Bush, Cohen, Paul Overstreet
| length5 = 3:42
| title6 = Giving It Up
| writer6 = K. Bush, Cohen, Tom Douglas
| length6 = 3:51
| title7 = Feeling Fine California
| writer7 = K. Bush, Cohen, Overstreet
| length7 = 4:24
| title8 = Waiting on an Angel
| writer8 = K. Bush, Cohen, Bob DiPiero
| length8 = 3:15
| title9 = Walk Tall
| writer9 = K. Bush, Cohen, Nathaniel "Bo" Rinehart, William "Bear" Rinehart
| length9 = 3:58
| title10 = Sending You a Sunset
| writer10 = K. Bush, Tim Owens
| length10 = 3:57
| title11 = Sweet Love
| writer11 = K. Bush, Cohen, Phil Barton, Sherrié Austin
| length11 = 3:44
| title12 = House on a Beach
| writer12 = K. Bush, Canaan Smith
| length12 = 3:48
}}
Chart performance
The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at 160 and the Top Country Albums chart at No. 16, selling 3,700 copies for the week in the US.{{cite news |url=http://roughstock.com/news/2015/04/34260-country-album-chart-report-april-15-2015/ |title=Country Album Chart Report For April 15, 2015 |author= Matt Bjorke |date= April 15, 2015 |work=Roughstock }} Sales figure given [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EU88r4wxrG4FTpfeCEwITPzwOmXju-uOIenH4ILNNG0/edit#gid=0 here]
=Album=
class="wikitable sortable"
! Chart (2015) ! Peak |
{{album chart|Australia|31|album=Southern Gravity|artist=Kristian Bush}} |
Australia Country Albums (ARIA){{cite web|title=ARIA Report (Issue #1308)|url=http://www.aria.com.au/Issue1308.pdf|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20150323130100/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20150324-0001/Issue1308.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2015-03-23|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|accessdate=April 12, 2017}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
| align="center"| 6 |
{{album chart|UKCountry|6|artist=Kristian Bush|date=2015-04-12}} |
{{album chart|Billboard200|160|artist=Kristian Bush}} |
{{album chart|BillboardCountry|16|artist=Kristian Bush}} |
{{album chart|BillboardHeatseekers|5|artist=Kristian Bush}} |
{{album chart|BillboardIndependent|17|artist=Kristian Bush}} |
=Singles=
class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2" style="width:10em;"| Single ! colspan="4"| Peak chart positions |
---|
style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="45"| US Country ! width="45"| US Country Airplay ! width="45"| US Bubbling ! width="45"| CAN Country |
2014
! scope="row"| "Trailer Hitch" | 25 | 21 | 9 | 44 |
2015
! scope="row"| "Light Me Up" | — | 60 | — | — |