The Sound (Mary Mary album)

The Sound is the fifth studio album by American duo Mary Mary. It was released on October 21, 2008, by Columbia Records.[1] The Sound saw Mary Mary explore different genres, with fewer songs containing their signature contemporary R&B sound. As with their previous albums, they worked with Warryn Campbell on the majority of the album. This marked the duo's return to the gospel oriented crossover form of their debut album Thankful (2000).

The Sound
Studio album by
Mary Mary
ReleasedOctober 21, 2008
Length44:54
LabelColumbia
ProducerWarryn Campbell
Mary Mary chronology
A Mary Mary Christmas
(2006)		 The Sound
(2008)		 Something Big
(2011)
Singles from The Sound
  1. "Get Up"
    Released: July 15, 2008
  2. "I Worship You"
    Released: August 2008
  3. "God In Me"
    Released: March 2009
  4. "Seattle"
    Released: December 2009

In advance of the album's release, the duo released a promotional song entitled "A Mother's Smile" in conjunction with a Mother's Day promotion with Colgate.[2][3] The official lead single "Get Up" was released on July 15, 2008 and won Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance at the 2009 51st Grammy Awards. The album was also nominated for a Dove Award for Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year at the 40th GMA Dove Awards.[4]

Production

As with other Mary Mary recordings, Warryn Campbell assumed production over the album. The Sound saw Mary Mary explore more genres, with fewer songs containing their signature contemporary R&B sound. The songs "Forgiven Me" and "Dirt" feature elements of pop rock. The duo also covers a traditional gospel song, "It Will All Be Worth It". The Sound covers their famous R&B/hip hop sound with songs such as "Superfriend" and "God In Me" and experiments with 1960s pop on the title track. Finally, the duo also incorporated dance-pop music in their lead single "Get Up". The latter tracks on the album are primarily worship ballads.

Another difference between The Sound and the duo's previous efforts is the vocal structure. On previous recordings, each group member would sing a verse and take turns on the bridge. However, on songs such as "Get Up", the duo harmonizes both of the verses and bridge together, only ad-libing on the final chorus. On Superfriend, each member alternated lines and shared one verse while harmonizing on the bridge. On other songs, one member sings both verses (Tina on "Boom" and Erica on "Forgiven Me") and the other repeats the pre-chorus. The entire album is recorded to give the listener the illusion of listening to a radio station. The Sound employs inter-track drops and frequent station IDs (WMBR/MyBlock Radio).[5]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[6]
Cross Rhythms[7]
SoulTracksfavorable[8]

Andy Kellman from AllMusic gave The Sound a four out of five stars rating. He found that "once again, it's the instantly memorable, upbeat, radio-ready material that places Mary Mary at the forefront of contemporary gospel [...] There's more walloping vigor than what can be found in nearly any given modern, platinum-seeking R&B album. The disc's latter half is relatively indistinct, but it could never be said that the duo is going through the motions."[6] Cross Rhythms editor Dave Brassington wrote that "far more focussed than previous projects, and with occasionally breathtaking production this shows Tina and Erica at their finest [...] Clearly the sisters taking it up to the next level has been recognised by the public as this is their most successful album of the five they've recorded and wherever you look."[7] Chris Rizik from SoulTracks wrote that "what's surprising about their newest disc, The Sound, is how Mary Mary can sound so new – and maybe even better – five records into their career."[8]

Accolades

In December 2008, The Sound was Grammy Award-nominated for the 51st Grammy Awards of 2009 in the category "Best Gospel Album". The album's first single "Get Up" also received two Grammy nominations for "Best Gospel Song" and "Best Gospel Performance," of which it won "Best Gospel Performance." At the 52nd Grammy Awards in 2010 the duo won another Grammy for Best Gospel Song for God In Me. The album was also nominated for a Dove Award for Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year at the 40th GMA Dove Awards. The song "Get Up" was also nominated for Country Recorded Song of the Year.[4]

Chart performance

The Sound debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200, selling 37,800 copies it first week. This marked Mary Mary's highest charting album to date. In addition, it peaked at number two on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart, as well as number 1 on both the Top Gospel Albums and Top Christian Albums. The Sound has remained on the Billboard 200 for 55 weeks.[9]

Singles

Leading single, "Get Up", was released digitally on July 15, 2008. The song peaked at number 30 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, number two on the Hot Gospel Songs and topped the Hot Dance Club Play chart.[10][11] A music video for Mary Mary's next single "I Worship You" was released through several online channels in August 2008.[12]

An additional single, "God In Me", featuring singer Kierra Sheard gained airplay on both hip-hop and R&B formats.[13] According to a bulletin post on Sheard's official MySpace page, an internet contest to appear in the music video for "God In Me" was announced in December 2008.[14][15] It peaked at number 68 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number five on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and again, topped the Top Gospel Songs chart.[9] It became the first song since their debut single "Shackles (Praise You)" to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. "God In Me" reached the top ten of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in its 42nd week, the longest climb to the top tier in the survey's 67-year history. It spent 76 weeks on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[16]

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Intro" (featuring Deborah Joy Imani Winans)0:46
2."The Sound"3:26
3."Get Up"3:08
4."Superfriend" (featuring David Banner)3:49
5."God in Me" (featuring Kierra "Kiki" Sheard)3:10
6."Boom"3:41
7."I'm Running"3:08
8."Forgiven Me"4:34
9."Dirt"4:20
10."Seattle"4:11
11."I Worship You"5:53
12."It Will All Be Worth It" (featuring Andrae Crouch, Daryl Coley, Tramaine Hawkins, Walter Hawkins, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Joe Ligon, Karen Clark Sheard, and Rance Allen)4:48

Leftover tracks
  • "Because of Him" (featuring Kirk Franklin)[17]
  • "His Rhythm"[17]
  • "I Wish Things Would Change"[17]
  • "In Light Of"[17]
  • "Just When You Thought"[17]
  • "The Melody"[17]
  • "The Things We Changed"[17]

Charts

Release history
List of release dates, showing region, and label
Region Date Label
United States September 30, 2008
(Exclusive digital release via Rhapsody.com)
  • Columbia
  • Sony
United Kingdom October 20, 2008
United States October 21, 2008
Europe October 21, 2008
  • Integrity Europe
  • Provident
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References
  1. "Mary Mary - The Sound CD". Play.com (UK). Retrieved January 23, 2009.
  2. Yarbrough, Kenya M. (May 9, 2008). "MARY MARY MOTHER'S DAY GIFT SONG: Gospel duo helps Colgate-Palmolive send smiles". Archived from the original on May 15, 2008.
  3. Official Mary Mary Website
  4. Nominations Announced for 40th GMA Dove Awards at CBN.com
  5. Gospel Flava Review
  6. Allmusic review
  7. "Review: The Sound – Mary Mary". www.crossrhythms.co.uk. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  8. "Mary Mary - The Sound (2008)". SoulTracks. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  9. "Mary Mary : Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2013-07-26.
  10. "Mary Mary: The Sound (band)". Amazon.com.
  11. "'SOUNDS' LIKE MARY MARY IS BACK: Gospel duo to release new album on Oct. 14". EURweb. September 4, 2008. Archived from the original on September 5, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2008.
  12. "I Worship You (Music Video)". iTunes.com. Retrieved January 23, 2009.
  13. ""God In Me" Chart Information". Billboard.com. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  14. Mary Mary "God In Me" Contest Details
  15. "Mary Mary "God In Me" Dance-Off". Columbia Records. Archived from the original on February 2, 2009. Retrieved January 31, 2009.
  16. God in Me Songfacts
  17. Mary Mary: The Sound
  18. "Mary Mary Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  19. "Mary Mary Chart History (Top Gospel Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  20. "Mary Mary Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  21. "Top Gospel Albums: Best of 2008". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  22. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2009". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  23. "Top Gospel Albums – Year-End 2009". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  24. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2009". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  25. "Top Gospel Albums – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  26. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
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