Testify (P.O.D. album)

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Testify
File:P.o.d. testify.jpg
Studio album by P.O.D.
Released January 24, 2006
Recorded December 2004 - July 2005 at the John Philips Estate in Palm Springs, California, The Plant in Sausalito, California, Aerowave Studios in Encino, California, Signature Sound in San Diego, California and Henson Studios in Hollywood, California
Length 50:19
Label Atlantic
Producer Glen Ballard, P.O.D.
P.O.D. chronology
The Warriors EP, Volume 2
(2005)The Warriors EP, Volume 22005		 Testify
(2006)		 Greatest Hits: The Atlantic Years
(2006)Greatest Hits: The Atlantic Years2006
Alternative cover
Limited Edition cover
Limited Edition cover
Singles from Testify
  1. "Goodbye for Now"
    Released: November 08, 2005
  2. "Sounds Like War"
    Released: 2005
  3. "Lights Out"
    Released: February 17, 2006

Testify is the sixth studio album by American recording group P.O.D.. It was originally set for a December 2005 release but finally slated for January 24, 2006 by Atlantic Records. This is P.O.D.'s first major-label album not produced by Howard Benson. The full album was leaked to file-sharing networks on January 20, 2006, just four days before its release. It was also their last album with Jason Truby on guitar, before he left the band in December 2006.

This album was also available in the Testify (Limited Edition) version with a bonus CD featuring commentary by the band on every song on the album, as well as four bonus songs and a remix that didn't make the album. The album's first single, "Goodbye for Now," went on to become the No. 1 music video on MTV's TRL and became P.O.D.'s unprecedented 4th No. 1 video. The song also enjoyed heavy play on the radio. Testify became the No. 1 selling Christian album on Billboard for several weeks and, as of May 2006, had been in the Top 25 for a total of 16 weeks. It opened at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 with 58,000 scans[1] and has sold over 210,000 copies in the US and over 500,000 copies worldwide.

Musical style and production

Bassist Traa Daniels stated "This album defines who we are musically as a foursome more than any other album that we've ever done." He added, "What we tried to do on this album. . . was to take people on a journey musically. . . I think we have a lot of different elements." Sonny Sandoval also noted, "We have one of the heaviest songs we ever wrote and one of the softest songs we ever wrote."[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic (55/100)[3]
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4/5 stars[4]
CBN 4.5/5 stars[5]
Christianity Today 3.5/5 stars[6]
Cross Rhythms 8/10 stars[7]
Entertainment Weekly C+[8]
IGN (6.8/10)[9]
Jesus Freak Hideout 3.5/5 stars[10]
musicOMH (favorable)[11]
Rolling Stone 2/5 stars[12]
Spin (6/10)[13]

Upon release, Testify was met with mixed reception from major music publications. On an aggregate score out of 100, Metacritic gave it 55 based on 11 reviews.[3] Jason Bracelin of Blender gave the album 2 stars out of 5 and proclaimed, "On their fifth disc, these 'jah soldiers' run low on ammo" and elaborated that "on the ska-tinged 'Strength of My Life,' they sound like the world’s most polite rude boys, while 'Goodbye for Now' is the kind of listless modern rock that could be bottled and sold as a sleep aid."[14] Rolling Stone's Christian Hoard similarly noted "Testify is not as pompous or overblown as you might think; it just feels tired. . . The most notable aspect of Testify, in fact, is how little P.O.D., or their guitars, have to say."[12]

Allmusic's Matt Collar, however, gave the album 4/5 rating and considered guitarist Jason Truby's work a "truly inspired and technically brilliant performance." He also commended Sandoval's enthusiastic vocals regarded the album as representing "a band reborn."

Track listing

All songs written and composed by P.O.D., except where noted. 

No. Title Length
1. "Roots in Stereo" (featuring Matisyahu) 4:42
2. "Lights Out"   2:47
3. "If You Could See Me Now"   3:07
4. "Goodbye for Now"   4:34
5. "Sounds Like War"   3:53
6. "On the Grind" (featuring Sick Jacken) 4:25
7. "This Time"   4:41
8. "Mistakes & Glories"   3:38
9. "Let You Down"   4:15
10. "Teachers"   4:21
11. "Strength of My Life" (featuring Matisyahu) 3:37
12. "Say Hello"   2:32
13. "Mark My Words" (featuring Sick Jacken) 3:43
Bonus tracks
No. Title Length
14. "Not Your Kind" (Japan bonus track) 2:37
15. "Your Eyes" (Wal-Mart exclusive bonus track) 4:23
Unreleased track
No. Title Length
1. "Here We Go" (Previously unreleased but was put on Greatest Hits: The Atlantic Years) 3:28

There is also a limited edition copy that has a second disc featuring exclusive web content, commentaries for all the songs, and the following bonus tracks:

  • "Generation" - 4:25
  • "Bridge to Burn" - 4:26 Payable on Death b-side
  • "Will You (Chris Vrenna Remix)" - 3:54 originally on the Will You Single
  • "Every Time I Die (Demo)" - 3:31
  • "New Wave (Demo)" - 3:39 demo of "Let You Down"

Personnel

Other Crew/Guest Musicians

  • Jonathan Davis - Was scheduled to perform backup vocals on the song "Mistakes and Glories" but could not due to scheduling conflicts. Jason Truby instead recorded the sections left for Davis.
  • Katy Perry - Background vocals on "Goodbye For Now".

References

  1. ↑ Harris, Chris Simon Cowell's Creation Beats Foxx And Blige For Billboard #1 MTV.com (February 1, 2006). Retrieved on 4-15-09.
  2. ↑ Moss, Corey P.O.D. Find New Hope With Interfaith Matisyahu Marriage MTV.com (January 25, 2006). Retrieved on 4-15-09.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=3697[dead link]

External links

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