Back Pages

Recording

Back Pages was recorded at British Grove Studios in London, Your Place or Mine in Glendale, California, and the Tracking Room and Zoomar South Studios in Nashville.

Release and promotion

Back Pages was released on July 26, 2011 by eOne. The release of Back Pages coincidentally fell two days after the sudden death of co-founding America band member Dan Peek.

Musical style

The musical style of Back Pages consists of the classic America vocal and acoustic guitar sound, backed by top Nashville session players, and enhanced by producer Fred Mollin's inclusion of some period sounds, like the sitar-effected guitar on "Woodstock" and the "heavily overdone guitar effects" on "Time of the Season".

Artwork

The album cover photo was taken by Chad Griffith and shows a brown leather-bound manuscript album containing sheet music, lying on a wooden table. The manuscript album cover contains the title words "Back" and "Pages" separated by the band's stylized logo.

Touring

In 2011, America performed 85 concerts throughout the United States, Canada, Italy, France, Guatemala, Honduras, and Chile.

Critical reception

In his review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album three out of five stars, noting the album's "intimate and friendly" production and the sometimes surprising arrangements, concluding, "It's comfortable and engaging without being complacent; it's a visit with old friends that still can do something unexpected after all these years."

In his review for American Songwriter, Rick Moore gave the album three and a half out of five stars, calling it "a well-done CD for baby boomers and their kids". He praised the song selection for including both older and modern standards, and remarked, "America's voices and ranges don't seem to have changed a bit; if anything, these guys are just getting better, as they sing with the confidence that only age can bring."

Personnel