Waking at Dawn
{{Infobox album
| name = Waking at Dawn
| type = Studio
| artist = Roy Woods
| cover = WakingatDawnalbum.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{start date|2016|7|1}}
| recorded = 2016
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|Hip hop|Alternative R&B}}
| length = {{duration|m=35|s=56}}
| label = {{hlist|OVO Sound|Warner Bros.}}
| producer = {{hlist|Akeel Henry|DZL|FrancisGotHeat|Krs.|L.A. Chase|Murda Beatz|Omari Jabari|Prezident Jeff|Saintfall|Sunny Diamonds}}
| prev_title = Exis
| prev_year = 2015
| next_title = Nocturnal
| next_year = 2016
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Waking at Dawn
| type = studio
| single1 = Gwan Big Up Urself
| single1date = June 4, 2016
| single2 = How I Feel
| single2date = June 4, 2016
}}
}}
Waking at Dawn is the debut studio album by Canadian recording artist Roy Woods.{{cite web |last1=Balfour |first1=Jay |title=Roy Wood$: Waking at Dawn Album Review |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/22104-waking-at-dawn/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=24 June 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Kellman |first1=Andy |title=Roy Woods - Waking at Dawn Album Reviews, Songs & More |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/waking-at-dawn-mw0002959315?1687616214300 |website=AllMusic |access-date=24 June 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Hernandez |first1=Victoria |title=OVO's Roy Woods Drops Debut Album, "Waking At Dawn" |url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.39472/title.ovos-roy-woods-releases-debut-album-waking-at-dawn |website=HipHopDX |date=2 July 2016 |access-date=24 June 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Simmons |first1=Ted |title=Roy Woods Releases 'Waking At Dawn' Album |url=https://www.xxlmag.com/roy-woods-waking-at-dawn/ |website=XXL |date=July 2016 |access-date=24 June 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Glaysher |first1=Scott |title=Roy Woods delivers more mood music with Nocturnal |url=https://nowtoronto.com/music/roy-woods-delivers-more-mood-music-with-nocturnal/ |website=NowToronto |date=5 January 2017 |access-date=24 June 2023}} It was released on July 1, 2016, by OVO Sound and Warner Bros. Records.{{cite web|url=http://uk.complex.com/music/2016/07/roy-woods-new-album-waking-at-dawn-stream|title=Here's Roy Wood$' New Album 'Waking At Dawn'|work=Complex|accessdate=July 1, 2016}} The album serves as a follow-up to his debut EP Exis (2015). It was preceded by two singles; "Gwan Big Up Urself" and "How I Feel".
Background
On March 11, 2016, Roy Woods announced the album's title via Twitter.{{cite web|url=http://thedosemusic.com/roy-woods-announces-new-project-waking-at-dawn-coming-soon/|title=Roy Woods Announces New Project "Waking At Dawn" Coming Soon|publisher=The Daily Dose|last=Gavin|first=Sean|date=March 11, 2016|accessdate=November 23, 2017}} The release date and cover art was revealed on June 29, 2016.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefader.com/2016/06/29/roy-woods-waking-at-dawn-release-date-artwork|title=Roy Wood$ Shares Waking At Dawn Release Date And Cover Art|publisher=The Fader|last=Dandridge-Lemco|first=Ben|date=June 29, 2016|accessdate=November 23, 2017}}
Singles
The album's lead single and second single, "Gwan Big Up Urself" and "How I Feel" was released on June 4, 2016.{{cite web|url=http://www.rap-up.com/2016/06/05/new-music-roy-woods-gwan-big-up-urself/|title=New Music: Roy Woods – 'Gwan Big Up Urself'|publisher=Rap-Up|accessdate=June 4, 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://whatthehype.ca/roy-woods-how-i-feel/|title=Roy Woods – How I Feel|publisher=WhatTheHYPE|date=June 7, 2016|accessdate=November 23, 2017}}
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
|rev1=HotNewHipHop
|rev2 = Now
|rev2score ={{rating|3|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://nowtoronto.com/music/album-reviews/roy-woods-waking-at-dawn/|title = Roy Woods|date = 6 July 2016}}
|rev3 = Exclaim!
|rev3score = 6/10{{cite web | url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/roy_woods-waking_at_dawn | title=Roy Woods - Waking at Dawn | publisher=Exclaim! | date=July 1, 2016 | accessdate=August 5, 2016 | author=Alexis, Themistoklis}}
}}
Waking at Dawn was met with generally positive reviews. The album received a 74 out of 100 by HotNewHipHop. Writing for Exclaim!, Themistoklis Alexis praised the album's "flashes of maturity" but criticized Woods' "failure to emote fully on phonics."
Track listing
Credits were adapted from Tidal.{{cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/68620109|title=Waking At Dawn / Roy Woods|publisher=Tidal|accessdate=June 2, 2017}}
{{Track listing
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| total_length = 35:56
| title1 = Sonic Boom
| writer1 = {{hlist|Denzel Spencer|Francis Nguyen-Tran|Jeffrey Offe|Sunny Khokar}}
| extra1 = {{hlist|FrancisGotHeat|Prezident Jeff|Sunny Diamonds}}
| length1 = 3:04
| title2 = You Love It
| writer2 = {{hlist|Spencer|Antonio Mendes|Khokar}}
| extra2 = {{hlist|L.A. Chase|Sunny Diamonds}}
| length2 = 3:06
| title3 = Gwan Big Up Urself
| writer3 = {{hlist|Spencer|Christopher Allen|Nguyen-Tran|Khokar}}
| extra3 = {{hlist|Krs.|FrancisGotHeat|Sunny Diamonds}}
| length3 = 3:20
| title4 = How I Feel
| writer4 = {{hlist|Spencer|Lobban|Holmes|Khokhar}}
| extra4 = {{hlist|DZL|ALO}}
| length4 = 3:43
| title5 = Down Girl
| writer5 = {{hlist|Spencer|Offe|Khokar}}
| extra5 = {{hlist|Prezident Jeff|Sunny Diamonds}}
| length5 = 2:49
| title6 = Switch
| writer6 = {{hlist|Spencer|Nguyen-Tran|Shane Lindstrom|Khokar}}
| extra6 = {{hlist|FrancisGotHeat|Murda Beatz|Sunny Diamonds}}
| length6 = 3:21
| title7 = Got Me
| writer7 = {{hlist|Spencer|Holmes|Akeel Henry|Khokar}}
| extra7 = {{hlist|DZL|Akeel}}
| length7 = 3:38
| title8 = Why
| writer8 = {{hlist|Spencer|Lindstrom}}
| extra8 = Murda Beatz
| length8 = 4:22
| title9 = Menace
| writer9 = {{hlist|Spencer|Omari Jabari|Rashad Hussein|Khokar}}
| extra9 = {{hlist|Jabari|akaRashad|Sunny Diamonds}}
| length9 = 4:53
| title10 = She Knows About Me
| writer10 = {{hlist|Spencer|Nguyen-Tran|Khokar}}
| extra10 = {{hlist|FrancisGotHeat|Sunny Diamonds}}
| length10 = 3:40
}}
Personnel
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
Performers
- Roy Woods – primary artist
Technical
- Sunny Diamonds – recording engineer {{small|(all tracks)}}, mixing engineer {{small|(all tracks)}}
- Chris Athens – mastering engineer {{small|(all tracks)}}
{{col-2}}
Production
- FrancisGotHeat – producer {{small|(tracks 1, 3, 6, 10)}}
- Prezident Jeff – producer {{small|(tracks 1, 5)}}
- Sunny Diamonds – producer {{small|(tracks 1–3, 5, 6, 9, 10)}}
- L.A. Chase – producer {{small|(track 2)}}
- Krs. – producer {{small|(track 3)}}
- DZL – producer {{small|(tracks 4, 7)}}
- ALO – producer {{small|(track 4)}}
- Murda Beatz – producer {{small|(tracks 6, 8)}}
- Akeel Henry – producer {{small|(track 7)}}
- Omari Jabari – producer {{small|(track 9)}}
- Saintfall – producer {{small|(track 9)}}
{{col-end}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2016)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|BillboardCanada|30|artist=Roy Woods|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 12, 2016}} |
| {{album chart|Billboard200|127|artist=Roy Woods|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 12, 2016}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|11|artist=Roy Woods|rowheader=true|accessdate=July 12, 2016}} |
Release history
| class="wikitable" |
| Region
! Date ! Format ! Label ! {{abbr|Ref.|References}} |
|---|
| Worldwide
| July 1, 2016 | {{hlist|OVO Sound|Warner Bros.}} | style="text-align:center;"| All citations concerning the release history of Waking at Dawn:
|
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Discogs release|8724797}}
{{Roy Woods}}
{{Authority control}}