Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin

Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin is the first greatest hits album by American rock band Breaking Benjamin, released on August 16, 2011 by Hollywood Records.[3] The album features every single released by the band from 2002's Saturate to 2009's Dear Agony, with the exception of the 2010 digital single version of "Blow Me Away"; instead featuring the remix of that track featuring vocals of Sydnee Duran of Valora. A two-disc deluxe version was released alongside it, featuring remastered versions of B-sides, covers, acoustic performances, live recordings, and other rarities.[4] Shallow Bay debuted at number 22 on the US Billboard 200, and sold an initial 13,700 copies.[5] It topped the US Top Hard Rock Albums chart for three consecutive years, from 2011 to 2013, and also reached number four on the US Top Alternative Albums and US Top Rock Albums charts for 2011.[3]

Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin
Greatest hits album by
ReleasedAugust 16, 2011
Length55:50
LabelHollywood
ProducerDavid Bendeth
Breaking Benjamin chronology
Dear Agony
(2009)
Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin
(2011)
Dark Before Dawn
(2015)
Singles from Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin
  1. "Blow Me Away"
    Released: June 7, 2011
Deluxe edition cover
Deluxe edition cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Loudwire[2]

Despite its name, the track "Shallow Bay" from Saturate does not appear on the album. The 2005 single "Rain" does not appear on the album either, but instead the 2004 studio version of the song which was never released as a single is also featured.[6]

Background and release

edit

In March 2010, Hollywood Records requested that the band produce two new master recordings, sought permission to release a new version of the hit song "Blow Me Away", featuring Sydnee Duran of Valora, and requested the production of Shallow Bay.[7] In May 2011, guitarist Aaron Fink and bassist Mark James Klepaski granted the record company's requests after they were offered a $100,000 payment. Benjamin Burnley, alleging that Fink and Klepaski did not inform him, the band's management, or the band's lawyer, fired the two via email, demanding at least $250,000 in compensatory and punitive damages, as well as the exclusive right to the name "Breaking Benjamin". Fink and Klepaski's attorneys stated the two "dispute and strictly deny" Burnley's allegations, instead asserting that "at issue is the validity of a January 2009 partnership agreement giving Burnley permission to dismiss Fink and Klepaski for 'cause,'" saying that the agreement was no longer valid due to Burnley's status of indefinite hiatus. The case was ordered by a judge to arbitration.[8] Burnley's attorney, Brian Caplan, told the Associated Press, "The relationship between Mr. Burnley and the two other members of the band has ended ... Mr. Burnley intends on moving forward using the name Breaking Benjamin and the band will continue. It just won't continue in its prior configuration. He's not retiring."[9]

In August 2011, Hollywood Records scheduled the release of Shallow Bay, featuring every Breaking Benjamin single released, including the remix of "Blow Me Away". Burnley publicly opposed the album's release, saying content had been altered without his consent and did not meet his standards, refusing to consider it part of the official Breaking Benjamin catalog.[10] The disc received positive critical reception, Loudwire giving the compilation a score of 4 out of 5,[11] with The Daily Trojan praising it for balance and a progressive retrospective history, concluding with "For the first-timers, welcome to Breaking Benjamin."[12]

Track listing

edit
Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Polyamorous" (Saturate)
2:57
2."Skin" (Saturate)
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Hummel
  • Klepaski
3:21
3."Medicate" (Saturate)
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Hummel
  • Klepaski
3:46
4."So Cold" (We Are Not Alone)
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Hummel
  • Klepaski
4:34
5."Sooner or Later" (We Are Not Alone)
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Hummel
  • Klepaski
3:39
6."Rain" (We Are Not Alone)
3:25
7."The Diary of Jane" (Phobia)
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Klepaski
3:20
8."Breath" (Phobia)
  • Burnley
  • Klepaski
3:38
9."Until the End" (Phobia)
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Klepaski
4:13
10."I Will Not Bow" (Dear Agony)
3:36
11."Lights Out" (Dear Agony)
  • Burnley
  • Rauch
3:35
12."Give Me a Sign" (Dear Agony)Burnley4:19
13."Blow Me Away" (featuring Valora)
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Hummel
  • Klepaski
3:09
14."Water" (remastered EP version)Burnley4:02
15."Had Enough" (live acoustic)Burnley4:16
Total length:55:50[6]
Deluxe edition – disc one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Polyamorous"
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Hummel
  • Klepaski
2:57
2."Skin"
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Hummel
  • Klepaski
3:21
3."Medicate"
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Hummel
  • Klepaski
3:46
4."So Cold"
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Hummel
  • Klepaski
4:34
5."Sooner or Later"
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Hummel
  • Klepaski
3:39
6."Rain"
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Hummel
  • Klepaski
  • Corgan
3:25
7."The Diary of Jane"
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Klepaski
3:20
8."Breath"
  • Burnley
  • Klepaski
3:38
9."Until the End"
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Klepaski
4:13
10."I Will Not Bow"
  • Burnley
  • Rauch
3:36
11."Lights Out"
  • Burnley
  • Rauch
3:35
12."Give Me a Sign"Burnley4:19
13."Blow Me Away" (featuring Valora)
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Hummel
  • Klepaski
3:09
Total length:47:32[6]
Deluxe edition – disc two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Ordinary Man" (We Are Not Alone Japanese B-side)
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Hummel
  • Klepaski
3:31
2."Water" (remastered EP version)Burnley4:02
3."Who Wants to Live Forever" (Queen cover)Brian May3:12
4."I Will Not Bow" (acoustic + strings mix)
  • Burnley
  • Rauch
4:06
5."Better Days" (previously unreleased)
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Hummel
  • Klepaski
  • Corgan
3:23
6."Polyamorous" (acoustic)
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Hummel
  • Klepaski
3:04
7."Lie to Me" (previously unreleased)
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Hummel
  • Klepaski
4:05
8."Lady Bug" (We Are Not Alone Japanese B-side)
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Hummel
  • Klepaski
3:02
9."Enjoy the Silence" (Depeche Mode cover)Martin Gore3:29
10."Until the End" (live acoustic)
  • Burnley
  • Fink
  • Klepaski
4:41
11."Breath" (live acoustic)
  • Burnley
  • Klepaski
4:56
Total length:41:31[6]

Personnel

edit

The track numbers correspond to the Deluxe edition.

Breaking Benjamin
  • Benjamin Burnley – vocals, guitar
  • Aaron Fink – lead guitar
  • Mark James Klepaski – bass guitar
  • Jeremy Hummel – drums (1-1 to 1-6, 2-1, 2-2, 2-5, 2-8)
  • Chad Szeliga – drums and percussion (1-7 to 1-12, 2-10, 2-11)
Additional musicians
  • David Bendeth – additional keyboards (1-4 to 1-6, 2-1), programming (1-13)
  • Wayne C. Davis – keyboards and programming (1-4 to 1-6)
  • Billy Corgan – guitar (2-5)
  • Suzie Catayama – strings arrangement (1-1 to 1-3)[13]
  • Syd Duran – featured vocalist (1-13)
  • Jonathan "Bug" Price – bass (2-2)
Technical personnel
  • Ulrich Wild – producer and engineer (1-1 to 1-3, 2-6)
  • David Bendeth – producer (1-4 to 1-13, 2-1, 2-3 to 2-5, 2-7), mixing (1-5, 1-6, 1-10, 1-12, 1-13, 2-1 to 2-11)
  • Bret Alexander – producer and engineer (2-2, 2-8, 2-9)
  • Paul Smith – producer and engineer (2-2, 2-8, 2-9)
  • Breaking Benjamin – producer (2-2, 2-8, 2-9)
  • Chris Lord-Alge – mixing (1-1 to 1-3, 1-7)
  • Rich Costey – mixing (1-4)
  • Ben Grosse – mixing (1-8, 1-9)
  • Dan Korneff – engineer and digital editing (1-4 to 1-13, 2-1 to 2-11), mixing (1-11), mix engineer (1-13)
  • John Bender – engineer and digital editing (1-7 to 1-13, 2-3, 2-5, 2-7), assistant engineer (1-4 to 1-6, 2-1)
  • Kato Khandwala – engineer (1-10 to 1-12), digital editing (1-7 to 1-12)
  • Jon D'Uva – engineer and digital editing (1-10 to 1-12)
  • Greg Tobler – engineer (2-10, 2-11)
  • The Jerry Farley – digital editing (1-4 to 1-6)
  • Wayne C. Davis – digital editing (1-4 to 1-6)
  • Ted Regier – assistant engineer (1-1 to 1-3)
  • Alex Reverberi – assistant engineer (1-1 to 1-3)
  • Chris Wonzer – assistant vocal engineer (1-1 to 1-3)
  • Mark Rinaldi – assistant engineer (1-7 to 1-9)
  • Austin Briggs – assistant engineer (1-7 to 1-9)
  • Mitch Milan – assistant engineer (1-10 to 1-12)
  • Ted Young – assistant engineer (2-3)
  • Keith Armstrong – assistant mix engineer (1-7)
  • Dim-E – assistant mix engineer (1-7)
  • Paul Pavao – assistant mix engineer (1-8, 1-9)
  • Stephen Marcussen – mastering (1-1 to 1-3)
  • George Marino – mastering (1-4 to 1-6)
  • Ted Jensen – mastering (1-7 to 1-13, 2-1, 2-2)

Chart positions

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Heaney, Gregory (August 16, 2011). "Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin - Breaking Benjamin". AllMusic. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  2. ^ Ramanand, Liz (August 16, 2011). "'Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin' - Album Review". Loudwire. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  3. ^ a b Heaney, Gregory (August 16, 2011). "Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin - Breaking Benjamin Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  4. ^ Ramanand, Liz (August 16, 2011). "'Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin' – Album Review". Loudwire. Diffuser Network. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  5. ^ "Breaking Benjamin Greatest Hits Debut At No. 22". Rock Access. August 25, 2011. Archived from the original on March 22, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  6. ^ a b c d "'Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin' by Breaking Benjamin". iTunes Store. Apple Inc. August 16, 2011. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  7. ^ Sisak, Michael R. (August 3, 2011). "From breaking to broken: The success & failure of Breaking Benjamin". Citizens' Voice. Times-Shamrock Communications. Archived from the original on August 3, 2014.
  8. ^ Sisak, Michael R.; Gaydos, Kristen (August 2, 2011). "Breaking Benjamin broken over song dispute". Citizens' Voice. Times-Shamrock Communications. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014.
  9. ^ Rubinkam, Michael (August 2, 2011). "Lead singer of Breaking Benjamin fires bandmates". Yahoo! News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014.
  10. ^ "Breaking Benjamin frontman disowns upcoming 'Hits' collection". 105.7 The Point. Emmis Communications. August 2, 2011. Archived from the original on April 15, 2015.
  11. ^ Ramanand, Liz (August 16, 2011). "'Shallow Bay: The Best of Breaking Benjamin' – Album Review". Loudwire. Diffuser Network. Archived from the original on May 1, 2013.
  12. ^ Jetti, Krishna Mohith (September 18, 2011). "Breaking Benjamin releases greatest hits album". The Daily Trojan. Archived from the original on August 2, 2014.
  13. ^ "Suzie Katayama Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  14. ^ "Breaking Benjamin - Chart history (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  15. ^ "Breaking Benjamin - Chart history (Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  16. ^ "Breaking Benjamin - Chart history (Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  17. ^ "Breaking Benjamin - Chart history (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  18. ^ "Breaking Benjamin - Chart history (Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  19. ^ a b "Blow Me Away ("Halo 2") - Breaking Benjamin". Billboard. Retrieved 2011-09-05.