Burn the Ships
Burn the Ships is the third studio album by For King & Country, an Australian Christian pop duo comprising brothers Luke Smallbone and Joel Smallbone, released via Word Entertainment on 5 October 2018.[1] It features appearances from Moriah Peters and Courtney, the respective wives of Joel and Luke Smallbone. For King & Country collaborated with Matt Hales, Blake Kanicka, Seth Mosley and Tedd Tjornhom in the production of the album.[2]
Burn the Ships
5 October 2018
2017–2018
42:20
- For King & Country
- Matt Hales
- Blake Kanicka
- Seth Mosley
- Tedd Tjornhom
Burn the Ships was supported by the release of four singles, "Joy", "God Only Knows", "Burn the Ships", and "Amen". The singles "Joy" and "God Only Knows" were certified gold, "God Only Knows" was also certified platinum in the United States by RIAA. The album was also marketed by two tours, Burn the Ships | Album Release Tour and Burn the Ships | World Tour. The album was a commercial success as it became For King & Country's highest charting debut on the US Billboard 200, launching at No. 7 with 62,000 equivalent album units sold in its first week,[3] concurrently becoming the duo's first No. 1 entry on Billboard's Christian Albums chart.
Burn the Ships garnered critical acclaim for their creativity, songwriting and the Smallbone brothers' vocal style. At the 2020 Grammy Awards, the album won the Best Contemporary Christian Music Album, while a remixed version of "God Only Knows" which features vocals from Dolly Parton won Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.
Music and lyrics[edit]
According to Timothy Monger of AllMusic, the music on the album, mixes the duo's "signature blend of dynamic rock and electronic pop with classical and choral elements".[13] NewReleaseToday's Kevin Davis likened the "worshipful alt-rock style" to recent releases by Coldplay, Needtobreathe and Mat Kearney, declaring that the "entire project has a Brit-rock tinged worshipful vibe", while noting that it "doesn't conform to the pattern of typical CCM music".[14] Robert Berman from Worship Musician Magazine described the album as being "in the same, hooky, Imagine Dragons/OneRepublic vein as their previous work, loaded with atmospheric keyboards in soaring arrangements".[15] The album's lyrics explore the themes of "hope, forgiveness, faith, and new beginnings",[13] whilst being "catchy and biblical".[14] Brandon Callies from On Tour Monthly depicted the album as "an anthem filled offering from start to finish", with "a constant uplift from track to track", musically and lyrically.[16]
The album opens with "Introit", is an instrumental intro.[17] This is followed by "Joy", which is a "bursting, celebratory anthem"[18] with an "upbeat hook and infectious melody".[14] Described by Billboard as "a buoyant track backed by a 100-member choir"[9] features a refrain from the popular song "Joy in My Heart" by George William Cooke.[17] "God Only Knows" is an "emotional track full of hope",[18] that tackles depression and suicide,[17] which could "easily be paired with Imagine Dragons or Fun any day".[16] The music video of "God Only Knows" ends with the number for the National Suicide Prevention Line.[19] "Amen" is another song that also asserts the brothers' religious convictions,[15] inspired by Luke Smallbone's rebaptism,[20][21] that provides "a Latin flair and energy into the mix".[17] The album's namesake track conveys the message of no retreat and leaving the past behind.[17][18] "Burn the Ships" has been likened to the 1994 Steven Curtis Chapman song of the same name due to the inspiration drawn from the historical incident.[15] "Fight On, Fighter" is a song dedicated to their wives,[9] a follow-up to "Priceless".[22] "Need You More" was born out of Luke's son's near-death experience,[20] which leans sonically towards "more of a traditional praise and worship sound".[16] "Control" is a song about letting go and letting God take the lead in life.[20][23] "Never Give Up" which uses "a relaxed groove with soft beats and finger snapping"[18] encouraging the listener to do just that.[20] The penultimate song, "Hold Her" is a love song about the difficulties of being away from home,[23][24] dramatising "the relational separations caused by a traveling musician's life on the road".[15] The duo joins forces with their wives on the final track, "Pioneers", forming "an ABBA-esque quartet",[24] to encourage married couples to carry on through the troubles they face.[25]
Release and promotion[edit]
On 13 May 2018, the duo announced that "Joy" will be released on 18 May and the song was availed for pre-order on iTunes and pre-saving on Spotify, with Spotify users being entered into a contest where the winner gets a trip to Nashville to attend an album listening party with the duo in the studio.[7] The lead single "Joy" was released that day, with the song's accompanying music video exclusively released to Apple Music.[8] The music video for "Joy" was released to YouTube two days later.[28] In an interview with Billboard, the duo was questioned regarding the album's release date and its title given that some promotional materials suggested a May release, to which Luke Smallbone replied that the album would most likely come out in October.[5] On 29 June 2018, For King & Country announced that their third studio album was titled Burn the Ships and would be released on 5 October 2018, with the album's pre-order period starting that day,[27] as well as the availing of "Pioneers" featuring Moriah Peters and Courtney Smallbone (credited by their first names) as a promotional single from the album, as well as its accompanying music video.[29] The duo also announced that it would avail a new song once a month in the lead-up to the album's release.[29]
"God Only Knows" followed as the third promotional single from the album on 27 July 2018, the duo also releasing the song's music video.[30] On 3 August 2018, For King & Country performed live on FOX & Friends. They went on to avail "Amen" as the fourth promotional single from the album during the pre-order period, as releasing the music video of the song.[31] The album's title track, "Burn the Ships", was the fifth and final instant grat track from the album on 28 September 2018.[32] The entire eleven-song collection was released on 5 October 2018, and the duo celebrated the album's release with the unveiling of the music video for "Burn the Ships".[1]
Singles[edit]
"Joy" was released on 18 May 2018 as the album's lead single.[8] On 11 January 2019, "God Only Knows" was released to Christian radio becoming the second single from the album.[33] "Burn the Ships" impacted Christian radio on 30 August 2019, as the album's third single.[34] Amen was released to Christian radio becoming the fourth single from the album on 5 February 2021.[35]
Commercial performance[edit]
In the United States, Burn the Ships debuted at No. 7 on the mainstream Billboard 200 chart dated 20 October 2018, earning a career-best of 62,000 equivalent album units in sales in its first week.[3][47] The album concurrently debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Christian Albums chart that same week,[48] was also the sixth best-selling digital release in the country that same week.[49] The album was a milestone for the duo, as it was their first top 10 entry on the Billboard 200 chart, their first Christian Albums chart-topper and fifth top 10 on the Christian Albums chart.[48] For King & Country also made their inaugural appearance with Burn the Ships on the all-genre Canadian Albums Chart issued by Billboard at No. 41.[50]
In Australia, Burn the Ships debuted at No. 11 on the ARIA Digital Album Chart for the week commencing 15 October 2018.[51] Burn the Ships launched at No. 3 on the Official Christian & Gospel Albums Chart dated 12–18 October 2018, as published by the Official Charts Company in the United Kingdom.[52]
Sample credits