Gravel & Wine is the second album from New Zealand pop singer Gin Wigmore, released in New Zealand on 7 November 2011.[1] The album was recorded in Santa Monica, California during the second quarter of 2011 under producer Butch Walker and counting with his backing band, The Black Widows. Before production begun, Wigmore travelled for two months in Mississippi and Alabama to get a Southern United States inspiration.[2]

Gravel & Wine
Black and white picture of Gin Wigmore, with a solid black background
Studio album by
Released7 November 2011
GenreAlternative rock, dark cabaret, folk rock
Length40:25
LabelUniversal, Mercury
ProducerButch Walker
Gin Wigmore chronology
Holy Smoke
(2009)
Gravel & Wine
(2011)
Blood to Bone
(2015)
Singles from Gravel & Wine
  1. "Black Sheep"
    Released: 26 September 2011
  2. "Man Like That"
    Released: 1 February 2012

The first single from the album "Black Sheep", and was released 26 September 2011, debuting at #13 in the Official New Zealand Music Chart.[3] The album was released on 7 November 2011. It debuted at number 1, and received a Recorded Music NZ double platinum certification, meaning over 15,000 units sold.[4]

Wigmore released music videos for "Man Like That" and "If Only". Wigmore's single "Black Sheep" was featured in a trailer for Orange Is the New Black, and it appeared in episode 12, season 8 of Grey's Anatomy, in episode 2, season 2 of Teen Wolf, and in episode 5, season 5 of The Good Wife. She also appeared singing it on "Gift of Revenge", a segment of ABC's television show Revenge season 2, episode 7. "Kill of the Night" was featured in various media, including another episode of Teen Wolf: it plays during the 2015 film Spy, was featured on the TV show 666 Park Avenue, and as well as being the theme song for the cable channel AMC 's annual airing of Halloween movies and shows titled FearFest. "Man Like That" is the song used in the James Bond Skyfall tie-in spot from Heineken; Wigmore herself is seen performing the song towards the end of it. The advertisement also featured many Bond stars from various Bond movies.

Gravel & Wine was released in the U.S. on 2 April 2013, and debuted at 87 on the Billboard 200, with over 6,000 units sold.[5] Wigmore promoted her North American debut by opening for Phillip Phillips,[6] and afterwards appearing on the entire 2013 Vans Warped Tour.[7][8]

Background

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In September 2011, Wigmore revealed the title and release of her new album Gravel & Wine on her official Facebook page.

Promotion

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The first single was slated to be "Black Sheep"; it was released 26 September 2011 and peaked at #13. The album was released on 7 November 2011. It debuted at #29 on the Australian Albums Chart. Wigmore released music videos for "Man Like That" and "If Only".

Gravel & Wine was released in the U.S. on 2 April 2013.

Critical reception

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Lydia Jenkins of The New Zealand Herald gave the album a 4.5/5 star review. "The whole album sees (Wigmore) taking the drama and character that made Holy Smoke track Hey Ho so successful, and extending it whole-heartedly with terrific results. Turns out Gin's ageing nicely, just like a good wine."

AllMusic gave the album a 3.5/5 star review with a user rating of 4/5 stars. Steve Leggett describe the album as "a huge-sounding dance-pop album full of songs geared for both the dancefloor and the radio stations that drive people to go there, all big, stomping drums and kinetic high vocals about men who don't measure up, jealous girls, and the trashy, dangerous side of love and other hazards."

Sputnikmusic gave the album a 3/5 rating, with a review summary "It's pretty much a kitchen sink piece of pastiche."

Track listing

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Gravel & Wine track listing[9]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Black Sheep"Gin Wigmore, Butch Walker3:03
2."Man Like That"Wigmore, Walker2:50
3."Poison"Wigmore, Walker, Dan Wilson3:07
4."Kill of the Night"Wigmore, Julian Hamilton, Gary Clark3:25
5."Devil in Me"Wigmore, Eric Rosse3:25
6."If Only"Wigmore, Wilson4:45
7."Dirty Love"Wigmore, Mike Viola2:52
8."Happy Ever After"Wigmore, Walker, Jake Sinclair3:22
9."Saturday Smile"Wigmore, Rosse3:22
10."Sweet Hell (ft. Butch Walker)"Wigmore, Walker, Lee McCutcheon, Andreas Levander3:36
11."Singin' My Soul"Wigmore3:09
Bonus track (International editions outside New Zealand)[10]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Don't Stop" (previously released on Holy Smoke)Wigmore, Mike Elizando3:26
Japanese bonus tracks (Previously released on Extended Play)[11]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."These Roses"Wigmore3:13
14."Hallelujah"Wigmore3:30
Target exclusive bonus tracks[12]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."Moving On to Gone"Wigmore3:10
14."Kick This Love"Wigmore, Andy Stochkansky, Jamie Hartman3:12

Personnel

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  • Gin Wigmore - vocals, drums, guitar, mandolin, organ, percussion

The Black Widows

  • Butch Walker – production, vocals
  • Fran Capitanelli – guitars, percussion, backing vocals
  • Jake Sinclair – bass guitar, drums, keyboards, backing vocals

Others

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Weekly chart performance for Gravel & Wine
Chart (2011) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart[13] 29
Austrian Albums Chart[14] 65
German Albums Chart[14] 69
New Zealand Albums Chart[15] 1
Swiss Albums Charts[16] 60
Billboard 200[5] 87

Year-end charts

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Year-end chart performance for Gravel & Wine
Chart Position
New Zealand Albums (2011)[17] 5
New Zealand Albums (2012)[18] 27

Release history

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Release history and formats for Gravel & Wine
Region Date
New Zealand[19] 7 November 2011
Japan 5 December 2012
United States 2 April 2013

References

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  1. ^ Leggett, Steve. "Gravel & Wine - Gin Wigmore". Allmusic. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  2. ^ Gin Wigmore up close and personal
  3. ^ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart".
  4. ^ Gold and platinum New Zealand albums to 2013
  5. ^ a b Chart Moves: Drake's 'Take Care' Hits 2 Million, Elvis Presley Scores 127th Charting Album
  6. ^ Gin Wigmore Poised to Be Warped Tour's Breakout Star
  7. ^ "Gin Wigmore Announces April 2nd 2013 For 'Gravel & Wine' Us Album Release". Contactmusic.com. 8 December 1980. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  8. ^ "The 2013 Vans Warped Tour Lineup". Punkmusic.about.com. 19 November 2012. Archived from the original on 24 April 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  9. ^ Gravel & Wine (liner notes). Gin Wigmore. Island Records. 2011. 2787616.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ Gravel & Wine (liner notes). Gin Wigmore. Island Records. 2011. 602537151806.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ Gravel & Wine (liner notes). Gin Wigmore. Island Records. 2011. UICO-1245.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ Gravel & Wine (liner notes). Gin Wigmore. Mercury Records. 2011. B001830302.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ "australian-charts.com - Gravel & Wine - Gin Wigmore". ARIA Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
  14. ^ a b Gravel & Wine - Gin Wigmore - austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved on 2011-04-21.
  15. ^ "Top 40 Albums: 14 November 2011". RIANZ. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  16. ^ "Gravel & Wine - Gin Wigmore". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  17. ^ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart".
  18. ^ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart".
  19. ^ "Gravel & Wine by Gin Wigmore". iTunes. January 2011.