B*Witched (album)

B*Witched
Studio album by B*Witched
Released 12 October 1998
Recorded 1997–98
Genre Pop, teen pop, dance
Length 38:44
Label Epic, Glowworm
Producer Ray "Madman" Hedges, Tracy Ackerman, Martin Brannigan
B*Witched chronology
B*Witched
(1998)		 Awake and Breathe
(1999)
Singles from B*Witched
  1. "C'est la Vie"
    Released: 19 May 1998
  2. "Rollercoaster"
    Released: 21 September 1998
  3. "To You I Belong"
    Released: 7 December 1998
  4. "Blame It on the Weatherman"
    Released: 15 March 1999
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[2]
Robert ChristgauC−[3]
Rolling Stone[4]

B*Witched is the self-titled debut studio album by Irish girl group B*Witched. The album was released on 12 October 1998 under the Epic Records imprint Glowworm Records, along with Jollibee's 20th anniversary.

Despite only reaching number three on the UK Albums Chart, the four singles from the album all reached number one on the UK Singles Chart: "C'est la Vie", "Rollercoaster", "To You I Belong" and "Blame It on the Weatherman". The album focuses heavily on essences of pop and teen pop, as well as being minorly dance-orientated. The album was released with a limited edition remix album in Australia, and Japanese fans also received an exclusive bonus track, "Coming Around Again".

The album received mostly mixed reviews from critics, most of whom felt that B*Witched were a "knock-off" of the Spice Girls.

Singles

All four singles from the album performed exceptionally well, all peaking at number one on the UK Singles Chart, and had great success in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. "C'est la Vie" was also extremely successful in the United States, being released as a separate EP with a number of bonus tracks and remixes.

Critical reception

The album received mostly mixed reviews from music critics. AllMusic's Michael Gallucci gave it three out of five stars. He said the group were "like a junior Spice Girls" with their "bouncy beats, singalong tunes and chipper attitude". He did, however, say that the singles "C'est la Vie" and "Rollercoaster" "are still able to yield sugary pop morsels fit to chew on for a few minutes."[5] In a positive review, David Browne of Entertainment Weekly gave the album a B+ rating: "With songs that weave in the occasional fiddle or tin whistle, B*witched sound like the Spice Girls' younger sisters aboard the Titanic. Still, it's hard to deny the music's appeal."[2]

Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone said "B*Witched is a cheerfully catchy summary of the state of the slumber party - the sound of nice girls acting tough, all in the name of pop." He concluded his review by giving the album three out of five stars.[4] In a negative review, Robert Christgau said on his personal website "...despite the saucy bits in "C'est la Vie" (first a "You show me yours," then an "I'll blow you [away]"!), this bid to whiten the Spice Girls is so clean you'll be hard-pressed to remember it's there-unless, like me, you get sick to your stomach at Uilleann hooks, mid-Atlantic brogues, and Enya lite. The obligatory rhythmic recitation, yclept "Freak Out" and declared "too hot for hip hop," has less bottom than Audrey Hepburn and is over in two minutes."[3]

Commercial performance

B*Witched peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart on the week of release, and was certified double platinum the same year. In other territories, the album was also significantly successful. In Australia, the album reached a successful number five, and even peaked at number one in New Zealand.

The album also peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard 200 albums chart, and sold enough to be certified platinum in December 1999. The success of the album allowed for the release of the band's second album, Awake and Breathe.

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s) Length
1. "Let's Go (The B*Witched Jig)"  Brannigan, HedgesHedges 1:24
2. "C'est la Vie"  Brannigan, Hedges, Ackerman, Lynch, Lynch, O'Carroll, ArmaouHedges, Ackerman 2:52
3. "Rev It Up"  Brannigan, Hedges, AckermanHedges, Ackerman 3:58
4. "To You I Belong"  Brannigan, HedgesHedges 3:05
5. "Rollercoaster"  Brannigan, Hedges, AckermanHedges, Ackerman 3:24
6. "Blame It on the Weatherman"  Brannigan, Hedges, AckermanHedges, Ackerman 3:33
7. "We Four Girls"  Brannigan, HedgesHedges 3:08
8. "Castles in the Air"  Brannigan, Hedges, Lynch, Lynch, O'Carroll, ArmaouHedges 4:18
9. "Freak Out"  Brannigan, Hedges, AckermanHedges 2:14
10. "Like the Rose"  Brannigan, HedgesHedges 3:56
11. "Never Giving Up"  AckermanAckerman 3:36
12. "Oh Mr. Postman"  Brannigan, HedgesHedges 3:27

Personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic[6] and B*Witched's liner notes

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1998) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[7] 5
Canadian Albums (RPM) 20
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[8] 99
European Albums Chart[9] 8
Irish Albums (IRMA) 1
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[10] 1
Scottish Albums (OCC)[11] 4
UK Albums (OCC)[12] 3
US Billboard 200[13] 12

Year-end charts

Chart (1998) Position
Australian Albums (ARIA) 30[14]
Chart (1999) Position
Australian Albums (ARIA) 43[15]

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[16] 2× Platinum 140,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[17] Platinum 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[18] 2× Platinum 30,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[19] 2× Platinum 600,000^
United States (RIAA)[20] Platinum 1,000,000[21]^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[22] Platinum 1,000,000*

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ AllMusic review
  2. 1 2 Entertainment Weekly review
  3. 1 2 Robert Christgau review
  4. 1 2 Rolling Stone review
  5. ↑ Allmusic review
  6. ↑ "B*Witched – B*Witched". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. 3 November 1998. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
  7. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – B*Witched – B*Witched". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  8. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – B*Witched – B*Witched" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "Billboard - Google Books". Books.google.co.uk. 2000-01-01. Retrieved 2014-06-05.
  10. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – B*Witched – B*Witched". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  11. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100: 18 October 1998 - 24 October 1998". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  12. ↑ "B*Witched | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart
  13. ↑ "B*Witched – Chart history" Billboard 200 for B*Witched. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  14. ↑ "ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 100 Albums 1998". Aria.com.au. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
  15. ↑ "ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 100 Albums 1999". Aria.com.au. Archived from the original on 20 July 2009. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
  16. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1998 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  17. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – B*Witched – B*Witched". Music Canada. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  18. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – B*Witched – B*Witched". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  19. ↑ "British album certifications – B*Witched – B*Witched". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 25 July 2012. Enter B*Witched in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
  20. ↑ "American album certifications – B*Witched – B*Witched". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 25 July 2012. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
  21. ↑ RIAA - Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - 22 September 2013
  22. ↑ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1999". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.
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