Our Shadows Will Remain

Background

Joseph Arthur began the recording of Our Shadows Will Remain shortly after tour dates supporting Tracy Chapman and worldwide solo tour dates (promoting his previous album Redemption's Son) in late 2003. The album was recorded across New Orleans, New York City, London and Prague. Joseph produced the album with Mike Napolitano, Ken Rich, and David Kosten. Joseph, who has battled with alcoholism and drug abuse throughout his entire life, said in an October 2004 interview with Paste Magazine: "I got totally wasted for a while in New Orleans, then I went to L.A. and was going further that way, and I called up my friends in New Orleans and said, 'I'm coming back and I have to straighten out and you have to help me.'" Joseph remained sober and returned to Mike Napolitano and his French Quarter apartment/studio to finish the album. The strings were arranged by Andrew Sherman, and were played by the City of Prague Philharmonic.

During the recording of the album, Joseph also wrote and recorded a new song for the film Shrek 2, titled "You're So True." The song plays during the end credits of the film and also appears on the movie's soundtrack.

Singles and promotion

In December 2004, Vector Recordings released an EP entitled And the Thieves Are Gone, available only at American independent music retail stores. The EP featured six previously unreleased tracks, mostly recorded during the New Orleans sessions for Our Shadows Will Remain. Prior to the release of Our Shadows Will Remain in the UK, the non-album track "All of Our Hands" was issued as a single with the album version of "A Smile That Explodes" on the B-side.

In the UK, there were four singles released from the album. "Can't Exist" was issued as the first single on July 4, 2005. Both formats of the single featured the exclusive B-side "Real as Rain." On September 26, 2005, "Even Tho" was released as the album's second single. The CD featured an unreleased live version of "Even Tho" as the B-side, while the 10" vinyl single was pressed on dark-green vinyl and featured a remix of "Even Tho" by Dan the Automator. To coincide with Joseph's February 2006 tour across the United Kingdom, "Devil's Broom" was issued as the third single. B-sides included the exclusive non-album track "Papa" as well as a live cover of The Smiths' "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out." In May 2006, "Can't Exist" was reissued as the fourth single. The single was released on three separate 7" vinyl singles, each one pressed on a different color vinyl, and featuring a different recording of "Can't Exist" (part one featured the radio edit, part two featured an acoustic version, and part three featured a live recording taken from his February 24, 2006 performance at Shepherds Bush Empire). Music videos were created for all three singles, directed by filmmaker Noaz Deshe.

Between July 2004 and mid-2006, Joseph embarked on several worldwide tours to promote Our Shadows Will Remain, including multiple tours across the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe. In total, Joseph performed 87 gigs in 2004, 102 gigs in 2005, and 78 gigs in 2006.

Critical reception

Our Shadows Will Remain was released to positive acclaim in both the United States and Europe. Allmusic awarded the album 4.5 out of 5 stars, praising that, "Arthur is in a class of his own and Our Shadows Will Remain is a monstrous, memorable outing, his finest moment in a career that is thus far full of them." Entertainment Weekly gave the album an A rating, hailing the album as "especially forceful and cohesive"; The Guardian hailed that Joseph "might just be a genuine mad genius"; Stylus Magazine gave the album an A– rating; and Chris Rubin of Rolling Stone named Our Shadows Will Remain as the number 1 album of the year 2004 in the year-end critics' pick list, and stated that, "The singer-songwriter from Akron weaves his dark tales through tempestuous music, and Shadows is as good as music gets."

Track listing

All tracks written by Joseph Arthur.

Credits