Better is the second studio album by American singer and songwriter Haley Reinhart. It was released on April 29, 2016 by music publishers Ole and Red Dot.[1] Reinhart's cover of Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love" was released as the album's first promotional single on October 9, 2015.[2][3] The lead single, "Better", was released on April 8, 2016, the same day that the album became available for pre-order.[4] The album was met with positive reviews from critics, who praised its production, its fusion of genres and eras, Reinhart's voice and personality, and the album's overall message of empowerment. Better debuted at number 22 on the Independent Albums chart and sold 7,500 units in its first two weeks of release.
Production
Better began as an initial six-track EP which was recorded at Westlake Recording Studios in February 2015 with financial support from ole publishing company.[5][6] After being delayed several times throughout 2015, Reinhart announced that the EP would instead be expanded into her full-length second LP with a release date in spring 2016.[7]
The album included tracks that were written as demos several years ago and newer tracks, including her cover of "Can't Help Falling in Love."[2][3][8] The first song Reinhart wrote for Better, "I Belong to You," is her favorite song from the album.[9] She utilized original productions and fused them with cuts from a live band[8] to produce a final product "with a powerful, meaty foundation" and material "that people will relate to".[2] Reinhart composed five songs with Swedish songwriter Anders Grahn, and her father provided guitar for the album.[8][10] Reinhart had a lot of production control over the album, specifying "I feel I've grown as an artist in terms of songwriting and I've really put my producing skills into practice. I was really meticulous about every nuance of the production, so I'm really proud of this record."[11]
The album includes themes of confidence and progress; Reinhart states "even in a lot of the artwork I'm doing, I have roses represented throughout all the photos. I wanted to tie in something that represents growth and evolution. A rose is constantly growing, blooming, flourishing.”[9] Additionally, she describes Better as a "sultry" mix of funk and rock with a soulful foundation that is crafted to inspire self-confidence and independence in young women, especially through the song "Better."[12]
Singles
Reinhart's cover of "Can't Help Falling in Love" was released as the album's first promotional single on October 9, 2015 after being used in a commercial for Extra Gum.[2][3] The video amassed 18,000,000 views on YouTube and 88,000,000 views on Facebook.[2][13] The single debuted at number 25 on the BillboardAdult Contemporary chart dated January 16, 2016.[14] The song peaked at number 31 on Billboard's Adult Top 40 chart.[15]
The title track was released as the album's lead single on April 8, 2016.[4]
Other songs
The album's second track, "Behave," premiered as a "teaser track" on Idolator on April 25, 2016, four days before the album release.[16]
Critical reception
Jason Scott of Popdust praised the album, which, "packed to the brim with 11 soul-inspired, Motown-fused tracks, is a kind of greatness which forges career-defining moments in time." He also lauded Reinhart for the "placement of her growl and finesse (mostly) above the production, licensing her the freedom to color outside the lines in breathtaking ways." He noted the songs "My Cake," "Can’t Help Falling in Love," "Check Please," "Better," and "Love Is Worth Fighting For" as highlights from the album, rating it overall at four out of five stars.[17] Gabi Bruckner of Tongue Tied Mag provided a positive review, praising Reinhart for her infusion of retro styles into the album. Of the beginning tracks "My Cake" and "Behave," Bruckner noted, "these two tracks side by side allow the album to build in the retro and pop glamour vibe it's destined to unfold towards the latter," adding that "'Bad Light' follows this direction of rebellious, rock influenced vocals with sweet harmonies and jagged attitude." Overall, Bruckner lauded the album for the "empowerment flavor that continues to be one of the album's underlying themes."[18] Emily Tan of MySpace included the album in her list of the "Top 5 Album Releases of the Week" for April 29. She praised the album as a showcase of Reinhart's personality, stating "she's not only bringing the sass but also the funk." She also noted, "throwing in jazzy scats and strong belts, the 25-year-old pop singer walks the fine line of a vintage sound and something a bit more modern."[19] Jacob Elyachar of Jake's Take praised Reinhart's "innate ability to blend multiple musical genres together" and gave the album an A+ rating overall.[20]
Commercial performance
Better debuted at number 22 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart dated May 21, 2016.[21] The album sold 7,500 units within its first two weeks of release.[22]
Promotion
Live performances
Throughout 2014, Reinhart performed several small-scale gigs, debuting many of the album tracks in her performances at Room 5 Lounge in Los Angeles.[23] In July 2015, she opened for The Rigs at The Troubadour in West Hollywood, California, performing covers and original material from Better.[24][25] On March 18, 2016, Reinhart performed in Austin, Texas for Mix 94.7 during SXSW as part of the "West of the Fest" venue.[26] On April 30, 2016, Reinhart held an album release and benefit concert at Durty Nellie's Pub in Palatine, Illinois for the development of multimedia sexual abuse prevention curriculum for the PAVE and Erin's Law organizations.[11][27] Of the show, Reinhart stated:
"the new album is going to be released the day before, so it's going to be a big homecoming on lots of levels. I'm also going to have my parents' band backing me up for that show, which is going to be great. And the cause itself is something I've really wanted to put energy and time into since I was a young girl. Plus, April happens to be Sexual Assault awareness month. I'm just happy to be a part of it."[11]
Radio promotion tour
In mid-February 2016, Reinhart launched a nationwide radio promotion tour to support the success of "Can't Help Falling in Love." Several 2016 dates were released for preliminary venues located throughout the United States.[28] Reinhart performed at The Hard Rock Cafe in Denver on February 17 for Mix 100.[29] She performed at Mix 96.9's Broken Hearts Ball concert event in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 19[30] and at the Acoustic Cafe for 96.5 Tic FM in Hartford, Connecticut on March 14.[31]
2016 Better summer solo tour
On March 28, 2016, Reinhart officially confirmed a US summer solo tour in support of the album, with an initial 17 dates announced throughout the month of June.[32] On May 25, 2016, Reinhart announced a European leg for her tour, which consists of an additional 16 dates throughout the months of September and October.[33] The European leg was subsequently postponed until spring of 2017, with some dates rescheduled to May and June 2016 and many others cancelled due to rescheduling conflicts.[34]
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