Just as I Am (Brantley Gilbert album)

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Just as I Am
Studio album by
Brantley Gilbert
ReleasedMay 19, 2014 (2014-05-19)
Recorded2013–14
Genre
Length45:09
LabelValory
Producer
Brantley Gilbert chronology
Halfway to Heaven
(2010) 		Just as I Am
(2014) 		The Devil Don't Sleep
(2017)
Singles from Just as I Am
  1. "Bottoms Up"
    Released: December 17, 2013
  2. "Small Town Throwdown"
    Released: May 19, 2014
  3. "One Hell of an Amen"
    Released: November 10, 2014
  4. "Stone Cold Sober"
    Released: August 31, 2015
Cover for deluxe edition
Cover for platinum edition

Just as I Am is the third studio album by American country rock singer Brantley Gilbert. It was released on May 19, 2014 via Valory Music Group.[1][2] The album includes the number one singles "Bottoms Up" and "One Hell of an Amen".[3][4] Gilbert wrote or co-wrote all 11 tracks.[5][6]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Country WeeklyA[8]
Digital Journal[9]
Roughstock[10]
USA Today[11]

Just as I Am met with generally positive reception from music critics. At AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine rated the album four stars out of five, writing that Gilbert is "an outlaw with no desire to rebel, an insider who doesn't belong, so his music exists just outside the perimeters of what is accepted and is all the more powerful for it."[7] Brian Mansfield of USA Today rated the album two stars out of four, stating that " Coupling '80s-rock machismo with backroads buzzwords, these songs play like set-list padding."[11] At Country Weekly, Tammy Ragusa graded the album an A, calling this "a much more mature album and the exact collection he needed to secure his place in the history and future of country music."[8] Markos Papadatos of Digital Journal rated the album four-and-a-half stars out of five, remarking how on a release that shows his further refinement "as a vocalist and as a songwriter", Gilbert makes it clear on a musical project where "nothing [is] fake about him and there are no apologies on this record."[9] At The New York Times, Jon Caramanica gave a positive review of the album, saying that Gilbert "is a lunk with poet dreams, a bodybuilder cradling a newborn" because he "certainly [has] an intimate understanding of how his hard exterior allows him to flaunt softness when it's called for."[12] Matt Bjorke of Roughstock rated the album three-and-a-half stars out of five, indicating how this "is a confident, well-made album with much of what has made Brantley Gilbert the big rising star that he is and will keep his massive fan base completely happy."[10] Mike Johnston, former Host Echo bassist, has called Bottoms Up "an inspiration for an entire generation."

Commercial performance[edit]

The album debuted at No. 2 behind Coldplay's album Ghost Stories on the Billboard 200, and No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart with 211,000 copies sold in the US.[13] The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on June 30, 2014, and Platinum on May 18, 2016.[14] As of January 2017, the album has sold 1,021,400 copies in the US.[15]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."If You Want a Bad Boy"
3:31
2."17 Again"
3:59
3."Bottoms Up"
3:41
4."That Was Us"Gilbert[7]3:47
5."I'm Gone"
3:34
6."My Baby's Guns N' Roses"
3:33
7."Lights of My Hometown"
  • Gilbert
  • Davis
  • Forrest Whitehead
6:10
8."One Hell of an Amen"
  • Gilbert
  • Mike Dekle
  • Davis
3:42
9."Small Town Throwdown" (featuring Justin Moore and Thomas Rhett)
3:22
10."Let It Ride"Gilbert4:37
11."My Faith in You"
  • Gilbert
  • Jeremy Spillman
5:10
Total length:45:09
Deluxe Edition (Walmart exclusive)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."G.R.I.T.S."Gilbert3:53
13."Read Me My Rights"
  • Gilbert
  • Davis
  • Jess Franklin
3:56
14."Grown Ass Man"Gilbert4:58
Platinum Edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
15."Bottoms Up (remix)" (featuring T.I.)
  • Gilbert
  • James
  • T.I.
  • Weaver
3:42
16."Do What the Night Wants"
  • Gilbert
  • Akins
  • Hayslip
3:13
17."Stone Cold Sober"
3:52
18."Same Old Song"
3:47
19."Just as I Am"Gilbert4:04

Personnel[edit]

  • Robert Bailey – choir on "Lights of My Hometown" and "My Faith in You"
  • J. Bonilla – loop programming
  • Eric Darken – percussion
  • Everett Drake – choir on "Lights of My Hometown" and "My Faith in You"
  • Jason Eskridge – choir on "Lights of My Hometown" and "My Faith in You"
  • Jess Franklin – dobro, electric guitar
  • Paul Franklin – steel guitar
  • Brantley Gilbert – acoustic guitar, lead vocals
  • Vicki Hampton – choir on "Lights of My Hometown" and "My Faith in You"
  • Kyla Harris – choir on "Lights of My Hometown" and "My Faith in You"
  • Wes Hightower – background vocals, choir on "Lights of My Hometown" and "My Faith in You"
  • Dann Huff – bouzouki, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
  • David Huff – loop programming
  • Elliot Huff – drums
  • Charlie Judge – Hammond B-3 organ, keyboards, piano, synthesizer
  • Chris McHugh – drums
  • John Merlino – electric guitar
  • Justin Moore – vocals on "Small Town Throwdown"
  • Gordon Mote – piano
  • Wendy Moten – choir on "Lights of My Hometown" and "My Faith in You"
  • Thomas Rhett – vocals on "Small Town Throwdown"
  • Ben Sims – drums
  • Jonathan Waggonner – bass guitar
  • Jonathan Yudkin – string composer, string arrangements, and strings on "Bottoms Up"

Charts and certifications[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Vinson, Christina (March 18, 2014). "Brantley Gilbert Unveils Details for Third Studio Album, 'Just as I Am'". Taste of Country. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
  2. ^ Thompson, Gayle (March 18, 2014). "Brantley Gilbert Reveals Cover Art, Track Listing + Release Date for Third Album". The Boot. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
  3. ^ Freeman, Jon (March 18, 2014). "Brantley Gilbert Announces Third Album, "Just as I Am"". Country Weekly. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
  4. ^ Wyland, Sarah (March 26, 2014). "Brantley Gilbert to Release Just As I Am on May 19". Great American Country. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
  5. ^ Bjorke, Matt (March 17, 2014). "Brantley Gilbert "Just As I Am" Tracklist and Cover Art". Roughstock. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
  6. ^ Nicholson, Jessica (March 17, 2014). "Brantley Gilbert To Release Third Studio Album in May". MusicRow. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
  7. ^ a b c Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (May 19, 2014). "Just as I Am – Brantley Gilbert | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  8. ^ a b Ragusa, Tammy (June 23, 2014). "Just as I Am by Brantley Gilbert". Country Weekly. American Media, Inc. p. 66. ISSN 1074-3235. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  9. ^ a b Papadatos, Markos (May 24, 2014). "Review: Brantley Gilbert soars on new studio album 'Just As I Am'". Digital Journal. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  10. ^ a b Bjorke, Matt (May 19, 2014). "Album Review: Brantley Gilbert – Just As I Am". Roughstock. Cheri Media Group. Archived from the original on May 23, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  11. ^ a b Mansfield, Brian (May 19, 2014). "Listen Up: Other notable releases". USA Today. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  12. ^ Caramanica, Jon (May 19, 2014). "New Releases From Conor Oberst and Brantley Gilbert". USA Today. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  13. ^ Keith Caulfield (May 28, 2014). "Coldplay's 'Ghost Stories' Starts at No. 1 With Biggest Debut of 2014". Billboard.
  14. ^ a b "American album certifications – Brantley Gilbert – Just as I Am". Recording Industry Association of America.
  15. ^ a b Bjorke, Matt (January 22, 2017). "Top 10 Country Albums Chart: January 23, 2017". Roughstock.
  16. ^ "Brantley Gilbert Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard.
  17. ^ "Brantley Gilbert Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  18. ^ "Brantley Gilbert Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard.
  19. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums: 2014 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  20. ^ "Top Country Albums: 2014 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  21. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  22. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  23. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  24. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
  25. ^ "Brantley Gilbert Album & Song Chart History – Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  26. ^ "Brantley Gilbert Album & Song Chart History – Country Airplay". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  27. ^ "Brantley Gilbert Album & Song Chart History – Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  28. ^ "Brantley Gilbert Album & Song Chart History – Canada Country". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 20, 2013.
  29. ^ "Brantley Gilbert Album & Song Chart History – Billboard Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  30. ^ "Decade-End Charts: Billboard 200". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 30, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  31. ^ "Decade-End Charts: Top Country Albums". Billboard. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
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