Lifeline is an album by Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals. It was recorded in Paris in the fall of 2006 after the lengthy European leg of the Both Sides of the Gun tour. Harper and the Innocent Criminals wrote the tracks while on tour and would rehearse the songs during sound checks while at each venue. Recorded in only seven days on analog, the album was released on August 28, 2007.Rolling Stone, September 2007. It is Harper's eighth album. The recording process emphasized live performances and the use of analog recording equipment.
Lifeline debuted at number 9 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling about 41,000 copies in its first week.Jonathan Cohen, "'High School Musical 2' Starts Third Week At No. 1", Billboard.com, September 5, 2007. As of November 2008, the album has sold 173,000 copies in the United States.
Reception
Rolling Stone said that Lifeline "mostly succeeds in warming ways, especially at the end." Thom Jurek at AllMusic described the album as "...a deeply focused, loose, and laid-back record that is musically compelling and deeply soulful, and contains some of Harper's finest songs to date".
Track listing All songs written by Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, except "Paris Sunrise #7" and "Lifeline" written by Ben Harper. "Fight Outta You" – 4:10 "In the Colors" – 2:57 "Fool for a Lonesome Train" – 3:30 "Needed You Tonight" – 2:46 "Having Wings" – 3:27 "Say You Will" – 2:58 "Younger Than Today" – 3:24 "Put It on Me" – 3:30 "Heart of Matters" – 4:31 "Paris Sunrise #7" – 5:17 "Lifeline" – 4:28
Personnel Ben Harper – guitars, vocals Juan Nelson – bass Oliver Charles – drums Michael Ward – guitar Jason Yates – keyboards Leon Mobley – percussion Michelle Haynes, Rovleta Fraser – backing vocals
Charts
Weekly charts +Weekly chart performance for Lifeline Chart (2007) Peakposition
Year-end charts +2007 year-end chart performance for Lifeline Chart (2007) Position French Albums (SNEP) 44 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) 73 +2008 year-end chart performance for Lifeline Chart (2008) Position French Albums (SNEP) 152
Certifications and sales
References