All American Boy (Steve Grand album)

Background and development

The development of the record came to fruition after Steve Grand released his first music video "All-American Boy" in August 2013 on YouTube. The music video became a viral hit and led Grand to launch a crowdfunding campaign under Kickstarter to assist him on his debut studio album. The campaign was then expected to reach an estimate of $81,000 but unexpectedly surpassed the expectations with $326,593 pledged making it to become the third most funded music project never to be affiliated with a major label in Kickstarter history. The album was produced by Aaron Johnson, whom was best known for producing material for artists such as The Fray and Eve 6.

Influences and themes

In an 2014 interview with The Advocate, Grand explained his feelings upon the process of the album: "While people say this is no big deal anymore. Who cares? You know who cares are the kids that are really struggling with this. The kids who feel like they would still rather be dead than live life as a gay person. I'm thinking about them all the time when I’m doing these things. Because deep down we really all just want to loved, we want to experience love, we want to give love, we want to take in love, and we want to feel valued and understood." He also added "It's not just about the album, it's a movement. I think a small pocket of people feel like I'm helping the voice [of LGBT people] be heard, and they’re making a statement by supporting the record."

Grand explained in an interview about the material selected for the album. "Each song needed to function as a plot point on that arc. A lot of things in life follow that trajectory, where there’s a beginning, middle, and end. Relationship do that, growing up does that, life does that." Every number, Grand adds, "explores some kind of relationship, whether it be a relationship with a romantic partner, a relationship with a friend, a relationship with the past, a relationship with something destructive, a relationship with a community."

On an interview with ChicagoPride.com, Grand explained his inspiration behind the album "I named it All American Boy, not just because the song "All American Boy", but because when I was growing up, my dad would always pat me and my older brother on the head and brag to neighbors and friends, "These are my all-American boys. They're in Boy Scouts, they get good grades, they play sports, they build treehouses. They're just your typical all-American boys." That was an identity that he put on us, and that was something to be proud of. When I realized I was gay, it occurred to me that I no longer fit into what it typically meant to be an all-American boy. So me, naming my record All American Boy is kind of symbolic of me taking back an identity that I felt was kept from me because I was a gay person."

According to Grand himself, he stated that the album "represents the time in my life between 19 and 24, that awkward age between youth and adulthood," and that "features some of the themes you only experience during that time. It's not just an album of, 'Oh, he broke up with me, oh he loves me, oh I wish he loved me'. Those three songs are on there, but there are lots more."

In an interview with The Daily Beast, Grand also claimed that bands and singers such as Blink-182, Sum 41, My Chemical Romance, and Lady Gaga have all inspired him on the sound of the album, "I grew up listening to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elton John and Billy Joel with my dad. We’d listen to the oldie station when we were driving in the car. Even before high school, I was getting into Blink-182, Sum 41, My Chemical Romance and all those kind of pop-punk and post pop-punk, all that sound really inspired me. And Fall Out Boy. Top 40s music inspires me too, country music inspires me. I did live in Nashville for one year when I was going to Temple University so I think that country sound and style of writing has worked its way into me a little bit and comes off in my music sometimes. And I love pop artists, I love Lady Gaga, I think she’s a great artist of our time." In addition, he also influenced by Billy Joel, Fall Out Boy, and Bruce Springsteen, also most of the artists he grew up listening to.

Release and reception

The album became available for pre-order on March 10, 2015. Steve Grand confirmed via Instagram that the album would be available through both digital download and on compact disc. According to iTunes, the album would bear a Parental Advisory warning label. BroadwayWorld.com confirmed the album is being exclusively distributed by Brody Distribution Group and RED Distribution, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. The album premiered on Billboard on March 17, 2015 via SoundCloud. All American Boy has produced a total of five singles to date: "All-American Boy", "Stay", "Back to California", "Time", and "Whiskey Crime", with the latter released as a promotional single supporting pre-orders of the album. On March 27, 2015, the music video for "Time" was released onto YouTube and features model Daniel Williams.

To promote and discuss about his new album, Grand performed live at a number of locations and talk shows including Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Wind City, MSNBC, and at gay pride events. He was also interviewed on Good Morning America, Larry King Now, The Huffington Post, CNN, and MSNBC.

Critical reception

All-American Boy was highly commended by contemporary critics. While praising Steve Grand's musical talent, Gregg Shapiro of ChicagoPride praised tracks such as "We Are the Night", "Better Off", and "Back to California". He also claimed that "Next to Me" and "Run" were radio-friendly. Upon "Back to California" he stated that the "emotion-packed power-ballad that is yet another examples of Grand's towering versatility." In a review of the record, Shapiro also wrote, "Grand wisely included the title cut, the song that first introduced him to his far-reaching and devoted followers. It also features 'Stay,' another song with which the Grand Nation (his fans) will be familiar. Among the new material the sexy 'Soaking Wet,' intoxicating 'Whiskey Crime,' dance-floor-destined 'Better Off' and the beautiful 'Back To California,' are all welcome additions to his repertoire."

Markos Papadatos of Digital Journal lauded the album and praised tracks "Say You Love Me", "Red, White and Blue", "We Are the Night", "All-American Boy", "Soakin' Wet", "Lovin' Again", "Whiskey Crime", "Time", "Run", and "Back to California". He wrote "For Steve Grand fans the wait is finally over for his highly-anticipated breakthrough studio album, "All American Boy," and it is a superb studio effort." and also added "Overall, Steve Grand delights on his new studio album All American Boy. There is a lot of variety on the collection, and one can hear Grand's heart on every song. It may have taken a while to record, but it was well worth the wait, since excellence takes time, and Grand has achieved that on this musical project." Markos Papadatos gave an A rating. David Clarke of Broadway World lauded the album, saying that it consists of "strong love songs, gorgeously crooned ballads, and infectious pop-country anthems that listeneres of all walks of life can get lost in. Regardless of who you are, the universal human emotions expressed in these smartly penned lyrics are instantly relatable." Clarke praised tracks such as "Say You Love Me", "We Are the Night", "Whiskey Crime", "Soakin' Wet, "Next to Me", and "Time".

Luis Gonzalez of AlbumConfessions praised the album as well. He wrote "Grand has produced an album, a majority of it written and produced on his own, that crosses many boundaries. The album is not only a country experiment as many have labelled it. The artist has used pop, dance and rock elements to his advantage, expanding his broad range that much more. His honest storytelling leaves no stone unturned and may be the main reason Grand found a devoted audience in the first place." He singled out "We Are the Night", "All-American Boy", "Soakin' Wet" and "Run" as the tracks to hear in his four-star review. Timothy Monger of AllMusic also lauded the album "With his passionate, powerful delivery and clever pop songcraft, Grand delivers 13 tracks of passionate, country-infused rock that should resonate with fans regardless of their sexuality." He also praised the two tracks "Red, White, and Blue" and "Whiskey Crime". Monger has yet to give a rating to the album despite his positive report upon the album.

Josh Haigh from SoSoGay UK gave a positive review and said that the album was "a country album at its heart" and said that "The album’s pop influences bring to mind Shania Twain’s iconic Come On Over, which famously managed to bridge the gap between country and pop and went on to become one of the best selling albums of all time." He claimed his assumptions on "Soaking Wet" saying, "whose subtle sexual-charged undertone – ‘You can dry off later on/’Cos we’re a little having too much fun/Being soaking we-e-et/Got you soaking we-e-et'" and called it "album’s instant standouts". He also said that the track "gives us a hint of what Grand’s sound could potentially evolve into with future releases." Upon "Stay", Haigh says that it "sees him emulate indie-pop singer Ben Folds to great effect" and that "Whiskey Crime" is "equivalent of Come On Over’s ‘Rock This Country!’". He claimed that it could be mistaken that "this was a major label debut from an up and coming country star." He also claimed similarities between Lady Gaga's 2011 hit single "Born This Way" and "We Are The Night". He ended with "However, at its core, All American Boy is a strikingly competent debut from one of the most promising mainstream LGBT artists to emerge in a long, long time." Hiagh gave 4.5 out of 5 stars for the album. Calan of Homorazzi gave a stellar review, he said that the album was "great body of work" and that "There is a perfect mix of upbeat fun pop-country tunes as well as those tragic ballads we all love to listen and cry to when life comes crashing down." He claimed that it reminded him of Canadian Idol runner-up Rex Goudie and his debut album Under the Lights (2005).

Commercial reception

The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 47 and on the Independent Albums chart at No. 3. The record sold 10,000 copies in the week ending March 29, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of All American Boy.