A Public Affair
AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Albums:
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A Public Affair
- Artist: Jessica Simpson
- Rating:
- Release Date: August 29, 2006
- Genre: Rock
Review
There are basically two ways to deal with a divorce in pop music: dig deep into your soul and pour it all out on the page (à la Blood on the Tracks), or treat it as sheer liberation (à la Back in the High Life). Perhaps it's only appropriate that the dissolution of the Jessica Simpson/Nick Lachey marriage -- one of the biggest tabloid stories of the 2000s, or at least 2006 -- produced two wildly different records that nevertheless follow these blueprints to a tee. First, Nick delivered the mopey What's Left of Me, whose title pretty much gives away the game; he paints himself as the man wronged, unaware that he's coming across a bit like a simpering cuckold but clearly aware that he's placing all the blame on Jessica's shoulders, and even if she doesn't explicitly embrace that burden on her post-divorce platter, A Public Affair -- whose title also nods at the hysterical gossip surrounding their separation -- its devil-may-care vibe suggests that everything that's been said about her is indeed true. At the very least, she's put her marriage far, far behind her -- according to the liner notes, some sister-bonding with Ashlee, where they cried and listened to Patty Griffin, did the trick (if only they were watching Kathy Griffin instead!) -- and is out to have nothing but a good time. And that's what A Public Affair is: a party record, pure and simple. A full eight songs are finished by the time Jessica switches the tempo down a notch or two, and even then it's only for a few songs; of the 13 songs here, ten are designed either for the dancefloor or carefree sunny afternoons. Of those three slower songs, there are a few allusions to her breakup with Nick -- on "I Don't Want to Care" she sings that she doesn't want to care about him and herself, and her version of Patty Griffin's "Let Him Fly" carries a certain meeting given the context -- but they don't stick, since they're overwhelmed by the bright, gaudy retro-dance that dominates this album.In other words, it's the opposite of the turgid, moribund 2003 In This Skin, which was all mannered showbiz ballads, just like how 2001's Irresistible was the reverse of her overly calculated debut, but the difference is, A Public Affair is easily the strongest album she's ever made, powered by a couple of excellent singles in "A Public Affair" and "If You Were Mine." Respectively, they recycle Madonna's "Holiday" and Janet Jackson's "When I Think of You," but that's a good place for Jessica to be -- breezy and tuneful, sunny and cheerful, they're songs that retain their sugar buzz after they've been played a dozen times. When she tries too hard -- which she does a fair amount here: most horrendously on the stilted hip-hop of "Fired Up," which makes Britney's "Me Against the Music" seem graceful; most ridiculously on "Swing with Me," a reworking of Louis Prima's "Sing Sing Sing (With a Swing)" that just points out how good Christina Aguilera's similar big-band makeover on Back to Basics actually is; and most bizarrely on the attempted country-funk of "Push Your Tush," a disco workout built on the Ohio Players' "Who'd She Coo" but memorable for Jessica's incongruous Hee-Haw-isms, such as her opening salvo "let's get some grub!" or a tossed-off "cock-a-doodle-doo!" -- she falls flat on her face and it's pretty embarrassing to hear, but she and her producers have enough sense to keep things as light and airy as angel food cake. Since this has been an instinct that's failed Jessica and her team -- as always, headed by father and executive producer Joe Simpson -- it comes as a bit of a shock that a good portion of A Public Affair is indeed pure cheerful fun, since she's only hit that on occasion in the past. And if A Public Affair doesn't all work -- and even if her voice is suspiciously buried in the mix throughout -- it nevertheless is by far the most entertaining album she's ever done and does indeed suggest that the divorce has loosened and liberated her (of course, some might say she got a little looser and liberated toward the end of the marriage, and based on What's Left of Me, Nick Lachey would be one of them). ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
| A Psycho's Anthem (Album by Big Dvs) | |
| A Public Affair [Bonus Track] (2006 Album by Jessica Simpson) |
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A Public Affair
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A Public Affair
This article is about the album. For the song, see A Public Affair (song).
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| A Public Affair | ||||
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| Studio album by Jessica Simpson | ||||
| Released | August 26, 2006 (See release history) |
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| Recorded | 2005–2006 | |||
| Genre | Pop, dance-pop, R&B, disco | |||
| Length | 50:44 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Producer | Jessica Simpson, Lester Mendez, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Cory Rooney, Dan Shea, Scott Storch, Stargate | |||
| Jessica Simpson chronology | ||||
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| Singles from A Public Affair | ||||
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A Public Affair is the fifth studio album by American pop singer Jessica Simpson. The album was released on August 26, 2006 in the United States by Epic Records. The album is Simpson's first effort following her divorce from Nick Lachey in early 2006.[1][2]
The UK version was released on February 12, 2007 and included the video for "A Public Affair" and the audio for "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" as UK bonus tracks. Ultimately, it was a commercial disappointment, and is the last pop album Simpson released before switching to country music. A Public Affair has sold 500,000 units in the US and 1 million copies worldwide to date.[3][4]
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Contents
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Production
MTV first reported that Simpson's first album after her divorce would be released in late 2005.[5] Scott Storch describes the track entitled "Fired Up" as "Jessica's 'Dirrty'". Simpson wrote "Fired Up" for her friend Cacee Cobb "since that's what she always says". The song, "B.O.Y." samples the opening guitar riff of The Cars' "Just What I Needed" and showcased a sexier, more Europop side of Simpson.
Album cover
With only a month to go until the release of A Public Affair, Simpson switched the cover photo of the album. The first cover art for the album surfaced showing a sultry Simpson with her hair down, sporting a dress with the straps pulled down. Ultimately, Simpson's representative Rob Shuter told TMZ the final decision on a cover had not been made by the time one had to be provided to Simpson's record label, so the first cover option (of three choices they had) was given. The original cover was ultimately not chosen, and Simpson went with the cover eventually released. The chosen album cover has a casual-looking Simpson "with nothing but a T-shirt on", her hair pulled back and wearing a ring on her right index finger.[6]
Critical reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    [7] |
| BBC | mixed[8] |
| Entertainment Weekly | (C)[9] |
| Rolling Stone | [10] |
| Slant Magazine | [11] |
| Music Server |   [12] |
A Public Affair received mixed reviews in the press, including a two-star rating from Rolling Stone. The album was criticized for lack of originality, particularly its similarities to previous Top 40 pop and disco hits from the '70s and '80s, with few contemporary elements. The lead single "A Public Affair" was especially criticized for its similarities to Madonna's "Holiday", Diana Ross' "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and Earth, Wind & Fire's "Let's Groove". Bill Lamb from About.com stated: "The final 5 songs of A Public Affair are worth hearing for Jessica Simpson fans. I just hope fans can maintain their interest long enough to get there."[13]
Public Affair
The album debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200,[14] selling over 101,000 copies in its first week. Although Simpson first marked highest sales week of her career, the total sales of the album ended up being disappointing. A Public Affair shipped 500,000 units in the U.S. but has sold just 300,000 to date (according to Nielsen SoundScan) and was certified Gold by the RIAA.
In Canada the album debuted at #6, marking Simpson's highest position on the albums chart in Canada and was later certified Gold for 50,000 copies sold. A Public Affair also made the Top 40 in Japan, Ireland and Australia, in the latter country peaking lower than In This Skin which reached number 13 and was certified Platinum. Despite the title track becoming an international hit, the album has sold just 1 million copies to date, and is considered by and large a commercial failure compared to Simpson's previous work.
Singles
- "A Public Affair"
- "I Belong to Me"
- "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" (promo only)
When the first official single was released, fans expected the official follow-up single to be club track "Fired Up". Weeks later, in an MTV interview, Simpson stated that "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" might be the second single from the album and that she would like to tour after three or four songs had been released from the record. However, on August 9, 2006, Simpson stated on her official website that she wanted her fans to choose the second single from the album; she provided five choices, which were: "If You Were Mine", "The Lover in Me", "I Belong to Me", "B.O.Y." and "I Don't Want to Care".
Simpson stated in a radio interview on August 23, 2006 that the second official single from the album would be "I Belong to Me". The album originally did not include the track "I Belong to Me"; Simpson stated that the track would only be included on a special version of the album sold exclusively in Wal-Mart. The track is also included on the iTunes version of the album. However, less than two weeks after the album's release, Simpson's record company decided to start shipping copies with "I Belong to Me" included; today, the album can be purchased anywhere with the bonus track included. Simpson mentioned that the album would feature a special code with which fans could download the song for free.[15] Many fans wondered why "Fired Up" was not released as a single, as the song had a strong popularity and many plays on YouTube.
Public Boots
- "A Public Affair" – 3:21 (Simpson, Austin, Kurstin, Watters, Biancaniello, Mendez, Ashford, Simpson)
- "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" – 3:49 (Percy, Burns, Coy, Lever)
- "B.O.Y." – 3:22 (Driscoll, Gagel, Ocasek)
- "If You Were Mine" – 3:17 (Watters, Biancaniello, Kurstin, Gray, Sewell)
- "Walkin' 'Round in a Circle" – 4:40 (Simpson, Austin, Harris III, Lewis, Nicks)
- "The Lover in Me" – 3:41 (Simpson, Childress, Austin, Biancaniello, Watters, Gray)
- "Swing with Me" – 3:25 (Prima, Simpson, Rooney, Shea, Cobb, Alexander)
- "Push Your Tush" – 4:48 (Simpson, Harris III, Lewis, Tolbert, Bonner, Beck, Williams, Pierce, Jones, Middlebrooks, Satchell)
- "Back to You" – 4:11 (Simpson, Harris III, Lewis)
- "Between You & I" – 4:58 (Simpson, Rooney)
- "I Don't Want to Care" – 3:57 (Simpson, Eriksen, Hermansen, Riddick, Lind, Bjorklund, Beite, Hvidsten)
- "Fired Up" – 3:58 (Jessica Simpson, Scott Storch, Penelope Magnet, Jeff Bowden)
- "Let Him Fly" – 3:11 (Griffin)
- "I Belong to Me" – 3:40 (Warren) [Omitted on original release]
- "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (UK bonus track) – 3:58 (Hazlewood)
- "A Public Affair" [enhanced video] (UK bonus track)
The Circuit City version of the album had a bonus track as track 14: "A Public Affair" (extended version).
Charts and certifications
| Chart (2006) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Albums Chart[16] | 33 |
| Canadian Albums Chart | 6 |
| Irish Albums Chart | 32 |
| Japan International Albums Chart | 72 |
| UK Albums Chart | 65 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 5 |
| U.S. Top Internet Albums | 5 |
Certifications
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Album credits
- Abe Laboriel Jr. – drums
- Andrew Rugg – engineer
- Barry Danielian – trumpet
- Bobby Ross Avila – bass
- Brett Ratner – photography
- Brian Warwick – assistant engineer
- Cacee Cobb – backing vocals
- Chris August – backing vocals
- Chris Megert – vocal arrangement
- Conrad Golding – engineer
- Cory Rooney – drum programming, keyboards, producer, vocal producer
- Dan Kurtz – bass
- Dan Shea – keyboards, producer
- Dave Pensado – mixing
- David Andrew Mann – tenor saxophone
- David E. Williams – guitar
- David Levita – guitar
- Dorian Holly – backing vocals
- Eric Rennaker – assistant engineer
- Espen Lind – keyboards
- Evan Lamberg – A&R
- Farra Mathews – A&R
- Gary Novak – drums
- Greg Kurstin – guitar, keyboards, producer, programming
- Ian Cross – engineer, mixing
- Jerry Brown – drums
- Jessica Paster – wardrobe
- Jessica Simpson – vocals, executive producer
- Jimmy Jam – keyboards, producer
- James "Big Jim" Wright – keyboards
- Joe Simpson – executive producer, management
- Joe Wohlmuth – engineer
- Joe Zook – mixing
- Justin King – guitar
- Keith Gretlein – assistant engineer
- Ken Paves – hair stylist
- Laurie Rosenwald – cover typeset
- Lester Mendez – arranger, beats, Moog synthesizer, piano, producer
- Louis Biancaniello – keyboards, mixing, producer, programming
- Lyle Workman – guitar
- Magnus Beite – keyboards
- Makeba Riddick – backing vocals
- Matt Marrin – engineer, mixing
- Mike Terry – engineer
- Mikkel S. Eriksen – engineer, instrumentation, vocal producer
- Nikki Harris – backing vocals
- Orlando Calzada – engineer
- Ozzie Melendez – trombone
- Paul Jackson, Jr. – guitar
- Peter Wade – engineer
- Phil Tan – mixing
- Rafael Padilla – percussion
- Ravaughn Brown – backing vocals
- Reuben Rodriguez – bass
- Ron Allaire – engineer
- Sam Watters – mixing, producer
- Scott Storch – producer
- Serban Ghenea – mixing
- Sharlotte Gibson – backing vocals
- Sherree Ford Brown – backing vocals
- Siedah Garrett – backing vocals, vocal arrangement
- Steve Geuting – assistant engineer
- Tamyra Gray – backing vocals
- Terry Lewis – producer
- Tim Roberts – mixing assistant
- Tony Tolbert – backing vocals
- Valente Torrez – assistant engineer
- Vince Cherico – drums
- Vlado Meller – mastering
- Wally Gagel – engineer, instrumentation, mixing, producer
- Xandy Barry – producer
Release history
| Region | Date |
|---|---|
| Australia | August 26, 2006 |
| United States | August 29, 2006 |
| Japan | September 27, 2006 |
| United Kingdom | February 12, 2007 |
| Germany | March 2, 2007 |
References
- ^ http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/Jessica-Simpson/biography/
- ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/jessica-simpson/biography
- ^ http://www.jessicasimpsonmusic.net/biography.php
- ^ http://poponthepop.com/2008/09/18/jessica-simpsons-do-you-know-country-album-tops-billboard-country-chart/
- ^ "For The Record: Quick News On Jessica Simpson, Ashlee Simpson, Paris Hilton, Biggie And Serj Tankian, AFI & More – News Story | Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV News". Mtv.com. 2005-10-12. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1511394/20051012/simpson_jessica.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
- ^ http://www.amazon.com/Public-Affair-Jessica-Simpson/dp/B000GIXIAK
- ^ A Public Affair at Allmusic
- ^ link
- ^ link
- ^ link
- ^ link
- ^ [1] Musicserver.cz
- ^ "Jessica Simpson – A Public Affair: Review of Jessica Simpson's album 'A Public Affair' – About.com". Top40.about.com. 2009-11-03. http://top40.about.com/od/albums/fr/jsimpsonpaffair.htm. Retrieved 2010-04-07.
- ^ [2]
- ^ 2nd Single Poll
- ^ Steffen Hung. "Jessica Simpson - A Public Affair". australian-charts.com. http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Jessica+Simpson&titel=A+Public+Affair&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
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