Lessons to Be Learned

Lessons to Be Learned
Studio album by Gabriella Cilmi
Released 31 March 2008 (2008-03-31)
(see release history)
Recorded 2005–2008
Genre Pop, soul, rock, funk, jazz
Length 37:46 (standard edition)
Label Island
Producer Brian Higgins, Xenomania
Gabriella Cilmi chronology
Lessons to Be Learned
(2008)		 Ronnie Scott's Live Session
(2008)
Alternative covers
Australian special edition cover
US cover and European deluxe edition cover
Singles from Lessons to Be Learned
  1. "Sanctuary"
    Released: 12 December 2007
  2. "Sweet About Me"
    Released: 17 March 2008
  3. "Don't Wanna Go to Bed Now"
    Released: 21 July 2008
  4. "Save the Lies"
    Released: 18 August 2008
  5. "Warm This Winter"
    Released: 15 December 2008

Lessons to Be Learned is the debut album by Australian singer-songwriter Gabriella Cilmi, released in the United Kingdom on 31 March 2008 by Island Records and in Australia on 10 May 2008 by Mushroom Records. Co-written and produced by the team Xenomania, the album takes its title from a line in the song "Sweet About Me", which became a worldwide hit.

Background

Speaking in July 2008 to Pete Lewis of the magazine Blues & Soul, Cilmi explained the meaning behind the album title:

I guess the title 'Lessons To Be Learned' has always been a line that jumped out from the single 'Sweet About Me'. Plus it kinda sums up the whole experience for me, because I've been recording this album for three years - I started when I was 13! So, during its making, I had to learn so many things! I moved from Melbourne to London last year. So I had to learn how to communicate with adults and just get my opinion across really fast, as well as learn just basic everyday things like how to catch tubes![1]

Several different versions of the album have been released with varying track lists, without there being one edition including all released tracks. On some early printings, "Messy" was not included. Tracks such as "Round and Round", "Sorry" and "Warm This Winter" were included as bonus tracks on only some editions of the album. A track titled "Sad Sad World" appeared only on a promotional UK version of the album.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
BBC Music(mixed)[3]
Daily Music Guide[4]
PopMatters[5]
Sputnikmusic[6]
The Times[7]

Lessons to Be Learned received generally mixed reviews from critics. Sharon Mawer from Allmusic called it "a good debut album" and praised Cilmi's "confidence" and range of styles, however did not feel the album was original, saying "it had all been heard before, many times in a crowded market". Mawer also compared her vocals and styles to artists including Anastacia, Joss Stone, Kylie Minogue, and Duffy.[2] Daily Music Guide gave the album a generally mixed-to-negative review, calling "Sweet About Me" "slightly irritating" and also noted "if you expected ["Sweet About Me"] to give you a preview of what her debut album might sound like, you would be wrong". "Save the Lies" and "Sit In the Blues" were considered highlights of the album, while "Awkward Game" and "Einstein" were criticized for having "too much gloss".[4]

Mike Joseph from PopMatters considered Cilmi an Amy Winehouse clone, yet without "a fraction of the wit or lived-in soulfulness that Back to Black (or even Winehouse’s debut, Frank) possessed." and said he found himself "praying Lessons to Be Learned will end quickly". He highlighted "Safer" and "Sit In the Blues", but compared Cilmi negatively to fellow artists such as Winehouse, Adele and Duffy.[5] Jake C. Taylor of Sputnikmusic gave the album a generally positive review, summarising "With an excellent blend of pop rock, jazz, blues and soul, Lessons to Be Learned is fun, engaging and wonderful listen from an upcoming star, whose vocal techniques are simply wonderful." He, however, criticized Cilmi as having little that separates her from her competing peers.[6]

Track listing

Standard edition
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Save the Lies"  Gabriella Cilmi, Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Tim Powell, Bob Bradley, Saint Etienne 3:38
2. "Sweet About Me"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins, Tim Larcombe 3:23
3. "Sanctuary"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins 3:28
4. "Einstein"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins, Larcombe 3:39
5. "Got No Place to Go"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins, Powell, Nick Coler 3:23
6. "Don't Wanna Go to Bed Now"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins, Powell, Coler, Shawn Lee 3:09
7. "Messy" (not included on early printings)Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins 3:54
8. "Awkward Game"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins, Powell, Lee 3:28
9. "Safer"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins, Coler, Lee 3:24
10. "Cigarettes and Lies"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins 2:51
11. "Terrifying"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins 2:37
12. "Sit in the Blues"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins, Larcombe, Mike Christer 3:23
US edition
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Got No Place to Go"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins, Powell, Coler 3:21
2. "Sweet About Me"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins, Larcombe 3:22
3. "Sanctuary"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins 3:27
4. "Einstein"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins, Larcombe 3:38
5. "Save the Lies"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins, Powell, Bradley, Saint Etienne 3:38
6. "Round and Round"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins 3:39
7. "Awkward Game"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins, Powell, Lee 3:28
8. "Cigarettes and Lies"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins 2:51
9. "Terrifying"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins 2:37
10. "Safer"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins, Coler, Lee 3:24
11. "Sit in the Blues"  Cilmi, Cooper, Higgins, Larcombe, Christer 3:23

Charts

Release history

Region Date Label Format Catalogue
United Kingdom 31 March 2008[24] Island CD, digital download 1763307
Australia 10 May 2008[25] Mushroom 5144275002
New Zealand 12 May 2008 Warner Bros. 5144275002
Europe 20 June 2008 Island 060251773945
Brazil 10 September 2008 Universal CD 602517739468
Australia (deluxe edition) 11 October 2008[26] Mushroom 5186504315
Poland 28 October 2008 Universal 1785089
United States 17 March 2009 Universal Republic B0012720-02

References

  1. ↑ Pete Lewis (2012). "Gabriella Cilmi: Lessons Learned". Blues & Soul Magazine. Blues & Soul Magazine. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  2. 1 2 Allmusic review
  3. ↑ Chris Jones (18 April 2008). "Gabriella Cilmi Lessons To Be Learned Review". BBC - Music. BBC. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  4. 1 2 David Spencer (30 November 2008). "Gabriella Cilmi - Lessons To Be Learned (Island)". DailyMusicGuide. DailyMusicGuide. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  5. 1 2 Mike Joseph (20 May 2009). "Gabriella Cilmi: Lessons to Be Learned". PopMatters. PopMatters Media, Inc. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  6. 1 2 Sputnikmusic review
  7. ↑ The Times review
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Gabriella Cilmi – Lessons To Be Learned – Music Charts". αCharts.us. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  9. ↑ "ultratop.be – Gabriella Cilmi – Lessons To Be Learned". Ultratop (in French). Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  10. ↑ "European Top 100 Albums – Chart Listing For The Week Of Aug 23 2008". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  11. ↑ "Artisti – Classifica settimanale dal 25-07-2008 al 31-07-2008". Federation of the Italian Music Industry (in Italian). Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  12. ↑ "Chart Stats – Gabriella Cilmi – Lessons To Be Learned – Deluxe Edition". The Official Charts Company. Chart Stats. Archived from the original on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  13. ↑ "Lessons to Be Learned > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  14. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2008 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 25 January 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  15. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank ('Lessons+To+Be+Learned')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  16. ↑ "Swiss Certifications – Awards 2008". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. swisscharts.com. Archived from the original on 6 July 2010. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  17. 1 2 "UK Year-End Charts 2008" (PDF). The Official Charts Company. ChartsPlus. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  18. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Albums 2004". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  19. ↑ "Jahreshitparade 2008 – austriancharts.at" (in German). austriancharts.at. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
  20. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2008" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  21. ↑ "Classement Albums – année 2008". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (in French). Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  22. ↑ "Deutsche Alben-Charts 2008 (select "Deutsche Album-Charts", "Top 100" and "2008")" (in German). Charts-Surfer. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
  23. ↑ "Swiss Year-End Charts 2008". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  24. ↑ hmv.com: albums: Lessons To Be Learned (2008)
  25. ↑ CILMI, GABRIELLA / LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
  26. ↑ http://www.sanity.com.au/product/product.asp?sku=2116575
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