God's Work

God's Work
Studio album by
LeAnn Rimes
ReleasedSeptember 16, 2022
Recorded2020–2022
Genre
Length48:38
Label
Producer
LeAnn Rimes chronology
Chant: The Human & the Holy
(2020) 		God's Work
(2022)
Singles from god's work
  1. "Throw My Arms Around the World"
    Released: December 16, 2020
  2. "How Much a Heart Can Hold"
    Released: April 8, 2022
  3. "Spaceship"
    Released: September 27, 2022
  4. "Innocent"
    Released: September 1, 2023

God's Work (stylized in all lowercase) is the seventeenth studio album by American country-pop singer LeAnn Rimes, released on September 16, 2022. Rimes co-wrote all but two of the tracks.

Four singles were released in support of the album: "Throw My Arms Around the World", "How Much a Heart Can Hold", "Spaceship", and "Innocent". "I Do", a collaboration with Aloe Blacc, was released as a single from his fifth studio album All Love Everything (2020) and included as the final track on God's Work.

Background

The album title and tracks are all stylized in lowercase. Rimes stated the reason for this is "If we're arguing about why the 'g' is or isn't capitalized, we're missing the whole point. It's so important for us to focus on the messages, rather than the nuances."[3][4]

Singles

Four singles were released to promote the album. The first, "Throw My Arms Around the World", was released in 2020.[5][6] "How Much a Heart Can Hold" and "Spaceship" were released in 2022.[4][7] "Spaceship" peaked at number 65 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart.[8] On September 1, 2023, "Innocent" was released as the fourth single from the album.[9] "I Do", a collaboration with Aloe Blacc, was released as a single from his fifth studio album All Love Everything (2020) and included as the final track on God's Work.[10][11]

Prior to the release of the album, three promotional singles were issued. "The Only" was released on May 20, 2022.[12] On July 15, 2022, Rimes released "The Wild".[13] On August 18, 2022, "Awakening" was released as the album's final promotional single.[14]

Commercial performance

In the United Kingdom, "God's Work" appeared on a variety of different charts; the album peaked at number 43 on the UK Album Downloads Chart,[15] number 69 on the UK Physical Albums Chart,[16] number 5 on the Americana Albums Chart,[17] number 25 on the UK Independent Albums Chart,[18] and at number 5 on the UK Christian & Gospel Albums Chart.[19]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
American Songwriter[2]

The album received three-and-a-half star reviews from both AllMusic and American Songwriter. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic wrote that "The dramatic air is heartfelt and striking, albeit a little monochromatic: it's an album delivered in grayscale, the sober execution suiting the probing songs but sounding slightly stifling over the course of 12 tracks",[1] while Alli Patton of American Songwriter wrote "Overall, the album is involved. From the opening track, god's work begins a journey of reflection and introspection, albeit slow, at times, but meditative all the same. For those willing to take that journey, god's work will not disappoint."[2]

Track listing

All tracks are written by LeAnn Rimes and Darrell Brown, except where noted

God's Work track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Spaceship" 4:07
2."The Only" (featuring Ben Harper, Ledisi, and Ziggy Marley) 4:05
3."Awakening" 4:14
4."How Much a Heart Can Hold"David Baerwald, Brown, Rimes3:25
5."Throw My Arms Around the World" 5:18
6."The Wild" (featuring Mickey Guyton and Sheila E.) 4:13
7."Innocent" 3:48
8."God's Work" (featuring Mickey Guyton, Robert Randolph, and Tata Vega)Mark Batson, Brown, Rimes5:04
9."Something Better's Coming" 4:38
10."Imagined with Love" 2:32
11."There Will Be a Better Day"Brown, Beth Neilsen Chapman4:00
12."I Do" (duet with Aloe Blacc)Blacc, Jon Levine, Sarah Solovay3:10
Total length:48:38
God's Work CD bonus track
No.TitleLength
13."Throw My Arms Around the World" (Dave Audé remix)3:59
Total length:52:37
God's Work Resurrected bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."Innocent" (featuring Orchid Quartet)3:31
14."Imagined with Love" (featuring San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir & New York City Gay Men's Chorus)2:31
15."Spaceship" (Dave Audé Extended Remix)5:49
16."Throw My Arms Around the World" (Dave Audé Extended Remix)5:50
17."Spaceship" (Dave Audé Astral Plane Remix)4:23
Total length:70:42

Notes

Personnel

  • Darrell Brown – producer,arranger,composer&lyricist,recording
  • Mark Batson – co-produced "God's Work"
  • Aloe Blacc – co-produced "I Do"
  • Lynne Earls – recording
  • Nico Bolas – recording
  • Alisse Laymac – Pro Tools engineer
  • Chandler Harrod – Pro Tools engineer
  • Alisse Laymac – additional recording
  • Eric Liljestrand – additional recording
  • Mychael Gabriel – additional recording
  • Ray Donghwan – additional recording
  • Ruadrhi Cushnan – mixed tracks 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
  • Elise Mollé – assistant mixing
  • Emily Lazar – mixed tracks 1 and 6
  • Chris Allgood – mixed tracks 1 and 6
  • Jay Marcovitz – mixed track 4
  • Emily Lazar – mastering
  • Chris Allgood – mastering
  • Cindy Peters – production coordinator
  • Norma Seeff – photography and cover designer
  • Hannah Maldon – art director and booklet designer
  • Trevor Lawrence Jr. – drums and percussion
  • Stefan Lessard – bass
  • Taku Hirana – percussion
  • Mark Batson – B3
  • Waddy Wachtel – guitars
  • Dean Parks – guitars
  • Ilya Toshinsky – guitars
  • Greg Hagan – guitars
  • Robert Randolph – pedal steel on "God's Work" and "Throw My Arms Around the World"
  • Ben Harper – guitars and vocals on "The Only"
  • Ziggy Marley – guest vocals on "The Only"
  • Ledisi – guest vocals on "The Only"
  • Sheila E. – guest drums and percussion on "The Wild"
  • Mickey Guyton – guest vocals and background vocals on "God's Work" and "The Wild"
  • Tara Vega – guest vocals on "The Wild"
  • Jennifer Condos – bass on "Awakening" and "How Much a Heart Can Hold"
  • Hadas Kleinman – cello on "How Much a Heart Can Hold"
  • Josh Luxe – additional acoustic guitars on "Awakening"
  • Mara – additional percussion on "Throw My Arms Around the World"
  • LeAnn Rimes – vocals, piano on "There Will Be a Better Day", additional background vocals on "God's Work" and "Throw My Arms Around the World"
  • Tiffany Palmer – additional background vocals on "God's Work" and "Throw My Arms Around the World"
  • Denise Green – additional background vocals on "God's Work" and "Throw My Arms Around the World"
  • Chris Walden – string arranger

Release history

Release date and formats for God's Work
Region Date Format Version Label Ref.
United States September 16, 2022
Standard EverLe [20][21][22]
November 10, 2023
  • Digital download
  • streaming
 Resurrected [23]

References

  1. ^ a b c Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. God's Work at AllMusic
  2. ^ a b c Patton, Alli (September 16, 2022). "Review: LeAnn Rimes' god's work is a Complex Collection of Spiritually-Fueled Hits". American Songwriter. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  3. ^ Iahn, Buddy (April 8, 2022). "LeAnn Rimes announces genre-bending new album". The Music Universe. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Nolan, Kathleen (April 8, 2022). "LeAnn Rimes Announces New Album, 'god's work,' Featuring Ziggy Marley, Aloe Blacc, and More". American Songwriter. Savage Ventures Brand. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  5. ^ ""Throw My Arms Around the World" by LeAnn Rimes". Apple Music. Archived from the original on December 20, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  6. ^ "Throw My Arms Around The World by LeAnn Rimes is a song from the album Throw My Arms Around The World - Single and was released in 2020". New Country SOngs. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  7. ^ "LeAnn Rimes Talks Stripping Down for Raw 'spaceship' Music Video Directed by Husband Eddie Cibrian (Exclusive)". Entertainment Tonight. 27 September 2022. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  8. ^ "LeAnn Rimes - spaceship". Official Charts. 3 November 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  9. ^ "Innocent by LeAnn Rimes". Apple Music. Archived from the original on September 26, 2023. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  10. ^ Huff, Lauren (February 21, 2021). "Aloe Blacc and LeAnn Rimes collaborate on new duet version of 'I Do' — listen now". Entertainment Weekly. Meredith Corporation. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  11. ^ "I Do by Aloe Blacc & LeAnn Rimes". Amazon Music. Amazon.com, Inc. Archived from the original on February 16, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  12. ^ Major, Michael (May 20, 2022). "LeAnn Rimes Releases 'the only' Featuring Ziggy Marley, Ben Harper & Ledisi". Billboard World. Wisdom Digital Media. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  13. ^ Melas, Chloe (July 15, 2022). "LeAnn Rimes and Mickey Guyton's new song is a 'battle cry' for women - CNN". CNN. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  14. ^ "LeAnn Rimes has released awakening as the latest cut from her new album 'god's work'". Retropop. August 21, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  15. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart on 23/9/2022 23 September 2022 - 29 September 2022". Official Charts. 23 September 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Official Physical Albums Chart on 23/9/2022 23 September 2022 - 29 September 2022". Official Charts. 23 September 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  17. ^ "Official Americana Albums Chart on 23/9/2022 23 September 2022 - 29 September 2022". Official Charts. 23 September 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  18. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart on 23/9/2022 23 September 2022 - 29 September 2022". Official Charts. 23 September 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  19. ^ "Official Christian & Gospel Albums Chart". Official Charts. 30 September 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  20. ^ "LeAnn Rimes - god's work". Amazon. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  21. ^ "god's work LP". LeAnn Rimes Official Store. Archived from the original on November 27, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  22. ^ "god's work CD". LeAnn Rimes Official Store. Archived from the original on November 27, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  23. ^ "god's work (resurrected) by LeAnn Rimes". Apple Music. Retrieved November 19, 2023.