From the Bottom Up
1995 studio album by Brownstone
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From the Bottom Up is the debut studio album by American girl group Brownstone.[1] It was released by Epic Records and Michael Jackson's MJJ Music on January 10, 1995, in the United States.[2] Brownstone worked with a wide range of producers and songwriters on the album, including Jorge Corante, Dave "Jam" Hall, Soulshock & Karlin, and Gordon Chambers.[3] From the Bottom Up spawned four singles, including the top 10 R&B hits "If You Love Me" and "Grapevyne," and a cover of The Eagles' "I Can't Tell You Why". In addition, "Sometimes Dancin'" was featured in the Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home soundtrack.
- Jerry L. Greenberg (exec.)
- Michael Jackson (exec.)
- Gerald Baillergeau
- Dewey Browder
- Gordon Chambers
- Jorge Corante
- Charles Farrar
- Dave Hall
- Jonah
- Ken Kessie
- John Myles O'Brien
- Soulshock & Karlin
- Troy Taylor
- Darin Whittington
| From the Bottom Up | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | January 10, 1995 | |||
| Length | 57:25 | |||
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| Singles from From the Bottom Up | ||||
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The album debuted at number 48 on the US Billboard 200 and peaked at number 29 on March 11, 1995. It spent 37 consecutive weeks on the chart and earned a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on August 16, 1995.[4] From the Bottom Up received critical acclaim and garnered several accolades, including a Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "If You Love Me," and five Billboard Music Award nominations, winning one for Top Hot R&B Single Airplay for "If You Love Me."
Promotion
To promote the album, Brownstone embarked on a concert tour throughout the United States during the summer of 1995, performing at various venues such as the House of Blues[5] in North Hollywood, California, and participating in festivals like Jam 4 Peace in Milwaukee, Budweiser Superfest in Chicago, KUBE Summer Jam in Quincy, Washington, and the Cincinnati Jazz Festival.[6]
The trio also made appearances on several local and international television programs such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Video Soul, Top of the Pop, and Hey Hey Its Saturday.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B−[8] |
| Knoxville News Sentinel |  [9] |
| Los Angeles Times | [10] |
| Mademoiselle | [11] |
| Music Week | [12] |
| The Washington Post | (favorable)[13] |
Upon its release the album received positive reviews from critics. William Cooper from AllMusic called From the Bottom Up a "solid debut." He found that the album "showcases the group's considerable vocal talents, but Brownstone is somewhat distinctive in that the group's members also had a hand in writing their own material. Predictably, the album's songs alternate between R&B funk workouts and slinky slow jams, but the vocals rise above the material, making the album a delightful listen [...] From the Bottom Up is somewhat undermined by an overabundance of producers. But this doesn't take away from the quality of the songs and the solid vocal performances."[7]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Party wit Me" |
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| 4:44 |
| 2. | "Grapevyne" |
| Hall | 5:39 |
| 3. | "If You Love Me" |
| Hall | 5:04 |
| 4. | "Sometimes Dancin'" |
| Soulshock & Karlin | 5:03 |
| 5. | "I Can't Tell You Why" | 4:06 | ||
| 6. | "Don't Cry for Me" |
| Whittington | 5:21 |
| 7. | "Pass the Lovin'" |
| Ken Kessie | 3:51 |
| 8. | "Fruit of Life" |
|
| 5:15 |
| 9. | "True to Me" |
|
| 3:51 |
| 10. | "Wipe It Up" |
| Baillergeau | 3:25 |
| 11. | "Deeper Feelings (Ooh La La)" |
| Dewey Browder | 5:30 |
| 12. | "Half of You" (featuring Gordon Chambers) |
| Chambers | 5:42 |
Samples
- "If You Love Me" embodies portions of the composition "Spellbound" as performed by K-Solo.
- "Sometimes Dancin'" contains elements from "Kamazaki" as performed by Prince Jammy.
Personnel
Adapted credits from the liner notes of From the Bottom Up.[14]
- Alan Yoshida – mastering (A&M Mastering Studios)
- Jono Kohan – A&R (MJJ Music)
- Mary Mourer – art direction
- Doug Erp – design
- Warren Mantooth – photography
- Cheri Grey – front cover/logo design
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[26] | Silver | 60,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[27] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
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^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||