Magazines or Novels is the second studio album by American recording artist Andy Grammer, released on August 5, 2014, through S-Curve Records. It includes the triple-platinum selling hit single "Honey, I'm Good" which peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. A special edition exclusive to Target stores was released in May 2015 featuring two newly recorded tracks: "Kamikaze" and "Amazing".[3] A re-issued deluxe edition was released on November 20, 2015, with new artwork and included the album's third single, "Good to Be Alive (Hallelujah)".[4]
Singles
Prior to the album's release, Grammer released a single "Back Home" on March 25, 2014, co-written by Grammer and Ryan Met of the band AJR, who co-produced the track with Jon Levine. The album's second single, "Honey, I'm Good" was co-written by Grammer and Nolan Sipe and produced by Sipe, Steve Greenberg and Brian West.[5] Grammer went on the "Siren Songs" tour with Los Angeles-based recording artist Hughie Stone Fish in September 2014.[6]
The second single "Honey, I'm Good" was released in the US in November 2014, and eventually impacted radio in February 2015. It became his biggest single to date, peaking at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and being certified triple-platinum by the RIAA.
In August 2015, during his run on Dancing with the Stars, Grammer released a new single "Good to Be Alive (Hallelujah)"[7] (also written by Ryan Met from AJR) which was included on a reissued deluxe version on November 6, 2015.
Critical reception
Judah Joseph from The Huffington Post gave a positive review of the album saying "it is in ways reminiscent of John Mayer's earlier work" and compared Grammer's voice to Gavin DeGraw and Adam Levine's. "Magazines or Novels displays a level of consistent creativity and continued talent. [...] It surpasses the standard he set back in 2011". Joseph concluded describing the album as "emotionally complex collection of songs".[8]Newsday reviewer Glenn Gamboa gave the album a C grade commenting "it feels like a desperate attempt to manufacture another hit" while he ultimately "ends up with cut-rate approximations of other artists (Maroon 5 and OneRepublic)."[9] James Dinh from "SheKnows.com" analyzed the meanings of the songs and its contrasting lyrics and stated that "Grammer sprinkles a variety of lyrical themes throughout Magazines or Novels. While he plays up his lust for women (even though he's married) on the country-pop hoedown "Baby, I'm Good", he switches it up and assumes the role of sweet husband on the retro-sounding "Forever", using his easy-breezy falsetto to sing about how long his girl takes to get ready."
