Dublin to Detroit

Dublin to Detroit is the sixth studio album by Irish boy band Boyzone. It was released on 21 November 2014 by East West Records. It is the group's first concept album and features renditions of classic Motown hits.[1] Dublin to Detroit became the group's lowest-charting studio album of their career, charting outside the top 10 of the charts in both Ireland and the United Kingdom. The album has been certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipments of 90,000 copies in the United Kingdom.

Dublin to Detroit
Studio album by
Boyzone
Released21 November 2014
GenreSoul
Length35:30
LabelEast West
ProducerBrian Rawling, Paul Meehan
Boyzone chronology
Love Me for a Reason - The Collection
(2014)		 Dublin to Detroit
(2014)		 Thank You & Goodnight
(2018)

Background

On 17 July 2014, it was announced that Boyzone would be releasing an album called From Dublin to Detroit, an album with covers of Motown hits. Keith Duffy said "We're basically just covering some of our favourite songs from the Motown era, and putting a full album together. So we've got 11 really exciting tracks coming out. It's going to give us a whole new catalogue of music to perform. And it will be very interesting how it fits in with our own back catalogue. It's kind of rejuvenating us. It's giving us just good times and good memories in the studio. So fingers crossed people will receive it well and it goes well for us."[2][3][4]

On 29 September, a few songs from the album were announced on Twitter; "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted",[5] "The Tracks of My Tears",[6] "Just My Imagination"[7] and "I'm Doin' Fine Now" (not actually a Motown song).[8]

Music videos

Boyzone have released videos for the songs "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted", "Reach Out I'll Be There" and "Wherever I Lay My Hat".[9][10] [11]

Reception

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Irish Times[12]
RenownedForSound[13]
Scunthorpe Telegraph[14]
Entertainment Focus[15]

Lauren Murphy of The Irish Times wrote: "It's a no-brainer that Boyzone have decided to release a covers album in the run-up to Christmas; what is more puzzling is their decision to cover this collection of Motown classics in a style that is closer to karaoke than anything else. Ronan Keating occasionally makes way for Mikey Graham on lead vocals as they tackle the likes of Tracks of My Tears, I’m Doing Fine Now and You Can’t Hurry Love; but with a cheesy backing track providing the music, the vitality and soul of most of these songs are rendered flat and schmaltzy. Cynicism placed firmly aside, a live band and some creative arrangements might have made all the difference."[12]

Jamie Parmenter of RenownedForSound wrote: "Tracks of my Tears takes a sombre tone with great vocal emotion before breaking into the instantly recognisable chorus; Ronan's having fun here as lead singer and it really shows. I don’t think anyone could do a bad cover of Higher and Higher and the boys don’t disappoint here. Just My Imagination is one of the lesser-known tracks on the record, but this is exactly what makes it stand out as an album highlight. The band do a great job with warm and comforting vocals, perfectly suited for the slow nature of the song. What Becomes of the Broken Hearted has nice vocal harmonising, but the swapping of lead vocals drowns out the essence of the heartbreak, whereas You Can't Hurry Love was always going to be a distant third choice behind The Supremes and Phil Collins efforts. Tears for a Clown's main vocals seem a little drowned out amongst the many layers, and to finish off, the band decided to end with a Christmas song. This makes for an odd climax to the album. Overall Dublin to Detroit is an album of contrasts. On the one hand their vocals are usually strong and suit the music, but they haven't made much attempt to make the tracks their own. I’d say they still have more to give us, and as such I’d like to hear a new record of original material in the future to see if they’ve still got it."[13]

Nick Cole of Scunthorpe Telegraph wrote: "It's 20 years since Ronan and the boys first charted in the UK with Love Me For A Reason. So to celebrate the band hit the rocky road to Detroit with 11 covers of such classics as Higher and Higher, Tracks of My Tears and This Old Heart of Mine. To their credit this salute to the magic of Motown works very well."[14]

Entertainment Focus highlighted the lack of support for Ronan Keating in the songs and "all is going well until someone other than Ronan Keating starts to sing". It commented that What Christmas Means To Me is another moment they enjoyed and made them think maybe the group should have done a Christmas record instead. "The more stripped-back This Old Heart of Mine really exposes the limits to the vocal abilities of the group. Ronan, as is to be expected, sounds fine but when he hands vocals to another member it all kind of just falls flat. The same is true on other songs such as Higher and Higher, and Wherever I Lay My Hat."

Commercial performance

Dublin to Detroit debuted at number 12 on the Irish Albums Chart.[16] In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number 14 on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 19,451 copies.[17] It is the group's first studio album to not chart in the top 10 of both territories.[17]

Promotion

Boyzone performed a medley of songs from the album on The X Factor Australia live results show on 13 October 2014.[18][19] On 14 November, the band promotes the album in the UK on BBC One for Children in Need.[20] On 22 November 2014, they performed on The Jonathan Ross Show.[21]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Original artist(s)Length
1."What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" (lead vocals: Keating, Graham)William Weatherspoon, Paul Riser, James DeanJimmy Ruffin (1966) and Robson & Jerome (1996)3:15
2."The Tracks of My Tears" (lead vocals: Keating)William Robinson, Warren Moore, Marvin TarplinThe Miracles (1965) and Linda Ronstadt (1975)3:06
3."You Can't Hurry Love" (lead vocals: Keating, Graham)Holland–Dozier–HollandThe Supremes (1966), Stray Cats (1981) and Phil Collins (1982)2:52
4."This Old Heart of Mine" (lead vocals: Keating, Graham)Holland–Dozier–Holland, Sylvia MoyThe Isley Brothers (1966) and Rod Stewart (1975)3:58
5."Just My Imagination" (lead vocals: Keating)Norman Whitfield, Barrett StrongThe Temptations (1971) and The Rolling Stones (1978)3:33
6."Higher and Higher" (lead vocals: Keating, Graham)Gary Jackson, Carl SmithJackie Wilson3:00
7."I'm Doin' Fine Now" (lead vocals: Keating)Thom Bell, Sherman MarshallNew York City (1973) and The Pasadenas (1991)3:13
8."Reach Out I'll Be There" (lead vocals: Keating, Graham)Holland–Dozier–HollandFour Tops (1966) and Gloria Gaynor (1975)3:13
9."The Tears of a Clown" (lead vocals: Keating)Stevie Wonder, Hank Cosby, Smokey RobinsonSmokey Robinson & The Miracles3:05
10."Wherever I Lay My Hat" (lead vocals: Keating, Graham)Marvin Gaye, Barrett Strong, Norman WhitfieldMarvin Gaye (1962) and Paul Young (1983)3:37
11."What Christmas Means to Me" (lead vocals: Keating)Anna Gordy Gaye, Allen Story, George GordyStevie Wonder2:38

Personnel
  • Boyzone - vocals
  • Brian Rawling and Paul Meehan – producer
  • Dom Liu – assistant engineer
  • Adam Phillips – guitar and bass
  • Nick Squires – string arrangement and cello
  • Ben Hancox and Rustom Pomeroy – violins
  • Andy Ross – sax and woodwind
  • Ralph Lamb – trumpet
  • Nichol Thompson – trombone
  • Dick Beetham – mastering
  • Matt Furmidge – mixing
  • Jon Gilbert – design
  • Ray Burmiston – photography
  • Shelina Somani-Lewis – styling
  • Sarah Brimson – grooming
  • Mark Plunkett and Jaqui Heywood – management

Charts
Chart (2014) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[22] 43
Irish Albums (IRMA)[16] 12
scope="row"Scottish Albums (OCC)[23] 13
UK Albums (OCC)[24] 14

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[25] Silver 90,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history
Country Date Format Label
Australia[26] 21 November 2014 Digital download East West Records
Austria[27]
Belgium[28]
Germany[29][30] CD, digital download
Ireland[31] Digital download
Netherlands[32]
New Zealand[33]
Norway[34]
Switzerland[35]
Denmark[36] 24 November 2014
United Kingdom[37][38] CD, digital download
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References
  1. "Comeback kids! Boyzone reveal their new Motown album will be released in WEEKS". Goss.ie. 7 October 2014. Archived from the original on 7 November 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  2. "Boyzone talk "exciting" Motown album". 17 July 2014.
  3. "Boyzone talk Motown album plans - Independent.ie".
  4. "Boyzone are back like we've never seen them before 'From Dublin to Detroit'". 7 October 2014.
  5. "KEITH DUFFY on Twitter".
  6. "Shane Lynch on Twitter".
  7. "Shane Lynch on Twitter".
  8. Twitter
  9. Boyzone (28 November 2014). "Boyzone - What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted" – via YouTube.
  10. Boyzone (20 November 2014). "Boyzone - Reach Out (I'll Be There)" – via YouTube.
  11. Boyzone (20 November 2014). "Boyzone - Wherever I Lay My Hat" – via YouTube.
  12. "Boyzone: Dublin to Detroit".
  13. "Album Review: Boyzone - Dublin To Detroit". 15 November 2014.
  14. "CD REVIEWS: Bette Midler, Boyzone, Idina Menzel and more". 4 December 2014. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014.
  15. "Boyzone - Dublin to Detroit album review - Entertainment Focus".
  16. "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 48, 2014". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
  17. Jones, Alan (1 December 2014). "Official Charts analysis: Olly Murs becomes second X Factor graduate to score three No.1s". Music Week. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  18. "The X Factor - Yahoo7". Archived from the original on 2014-10-16.
  19. J1MZO7 (13 October 2014). "The Top 4 & Boyzone - Week 10 - Live Decider 10 - The X Factor Australia 2014" – via YouTube.
  20. "Boyzone on Twitter".
  21. "Jonathan Ross Show on Twitter".
  22. "Australiancharts.com – Boyzone – Dublin To Detroit". Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  23. December 2014/40/ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  24. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  25. "British album certifications – Boyzone – DublinToDetroit". British Phonographic Industry. August 2015. Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type DublinToDetroit in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  26. "Dublin To Detroit by Boyzone on Apple Music".
  27. ""Dublin To Detroit" von Boyzone auf Apple Music".
  28. "Dublin To Detroit by Boyzone on Apple Music".
  29. ""Dublin To Detroit" von Boyzone auf Apple Music".
  30. "Dublin To Detroit" – via Amazon.
  31. "Dublin To Detroit by Boyzone on Apple Music".
  32. "'Dublin To Detroit' van Boyzone op Apple Music".
  33. "Dublin To Detroit by Boyzone on Apple Music".
  34. "Dublin To Detroit by Boyzone on Apple Music".
  35. ""Dublin To Detroit" von Boyzone auf Apple Music".
  36. "Dublin To Detroit by Boyzone on Apple Music".
  37. "Dublin To Detroit by Boyzone on Apple Music".
  38. "Dublin To Detroit". 24 November 2014 – via Amazon.
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