Who I Am (Cory Marks album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Who I Am
Who I Am Cory Marks.jpg
Studio album by
Cory Marks
ReleasedAugust 7, 2020
StudioThe Hideout, Las Vegas, NV
GenreCountry rock[1]
Length44:25
LabelBetter Noise
Producer
Cory Marks chronology
This Man
(2015) 		Who I Am
(2020) 		Nashville Mornings
(2021)
Singles from Who I Am
  1. "Outlaws & Outsiders"
    Released: March 4, 2020
  2. "Drive"
    Released: July 20, 2020
  3. "Blame It on the Double"
    Released: October 5, 2020
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Maximum Volume9/10 stars[2]
Entertainment Focus4/5 stars[3]
Ramzine4/5 stars[4]

Who I Am is the second studio album by Canadian country rock artist Cory Marks, and was released on August 7, 2020 through Better Noise Music.[5][6][7]

Background[]

Marks spent five years co-writing and recording the songs for this album with producer Kevin Churko.[7] Marks frequently travelled from his hometown North Bay, Ontario to Churko's studio "The Hideout" in Las Vegas, Nevada to work on the album.[8]

Critical reception[]

Dave Brooks of Billboard referred to the album as the "Long Awaited Next Generation Country Rock Record".[1] Nanci Dagg of Canadian Beats Media said of Marks and the album: "his style is outlaw country/country rock and he pulls it off like no other. He has a boisterous sound and unique style that will always impress those who have come to know him and his music".[8] Rock 'N' Load Magazine said the "album is packed with a gnarly backbone and beautiful melodies intertwined right across the thirteen fine recordings".[9] Andy Morley of Maximum Volume Music stated the album is "for the good ol’ boys, [it's] never meaning no harm, oh and it's going to take over the world. See, a college hockey player, and a pilot he might have been, but these days Cory Marks is about to break out as a big star.[2]

Singles[]

Marks released his first single on Better Noise Music, "Outlaws & Outsiders", featuring Ivan Moody, Travis Tritt, and Mick Mars,[10] in November of 2019. It debuted at #1 on iTunes in Canada as well as #1 on the Billboard Rock Digital Songs and Hard Rock Digital Songs charts and #7 on the Country Digital Songs charts[11][12] and would later peak inside the top 10 on US Mainstream Rock radio, top 5 on German rock radio, and at #12 on Canada Rock radio.[13][14]

Marks released three promotional singles, "Better Off",[15] "Blame It on the Double",[16] and "Devil's Grin",[17] prior to officially announcing the album.

In June 2020, Marks released "Drive",[18][19][20] and announced it as the second single to country radio off the simultaneously announced album.

"Blame It on the Double" became the album’s second single to rock radio in Germany and the United Kingdom in October 2020.[21] A later version of the song featuring Tyler Connolly of Theory of a Deadman was sent to Canadian country radio,[22] while another version featuring Connolly and Jason Hook was sent to Canadian rock radio.[23]

Track listing[]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Devil's Grin"
2:43
2."Outlaws & Outsiders" (featuring Travis Tritt, Ivan Moody & Mick Mars)
  • Marks
  • Churko
  • Churko
3:17
3."Good to Be Us"
2:57
4."Blame It on the Double"
  • Marks
  • Churko
  • Churko
3:27
5."Another Night in Jail"
  • Marks
  • Churko
  • Churko
3:36
6."Who I Am"
  • Marks
2:53
7."Drive"
  • Marks
3:34
8."Better Off"
  • Marks
  • Kevin Churko
3:17
9."My Whiskey Your Wine"
  • Marks
3:16
10."Keep Doing What I Do"
  • Marks
  • Churko
  • Churko
3:33
11."Out in the Rain" (featuring Lzzy Hale)
  • Marks
  • Churko
  • Churko
4:14
Bonus tracks (CD/Digital/Streaming only)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."She’s Hollywood"
  • Marks
  • Churko
  • Churko
4:16
13."My Whiskey Your Wine" (acoustic)
  • Marks
3:16

Personnel[]

Adapted from the album liner notes.[24]

  • Scotty Alexander - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, fiddle, banjo
  • Jay Buettner - electric guitar
  • Kane Churko - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keys, production, engineering
  • Kevin Churko - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, bass guitar, keys, drums, production, engineering, mixing, mastering
  • Khloe Churko - studio assistance
  • Jody Domingue - photography
  • Alex Donaldson - electric guitar
  • Joel Ferguson - steel guitar, slide guitar
  • Bob Funk - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, banjo
  • Tristin Hardin - editing
  • Lzzy Hale - featured vocals on "Out in the Rain"
  • Shane Hendrickson - bass guitar
  • Cory Marks - lead vocals, acoustic guitar, drums
  • Mick Mars - electric guitar on "Outlaws & Outsiders"
  • Shawn McGhee - editing
  • Ivan Moody - featured vocals on "Outlaws & Outsiders"
  • Marc Muller - electric guitar, steel guitar, slide guitar
  • Ed Regan - photography
  • Travis Tritt - featured vocals on "Outlaws & Outsiders"
  • Justin Schipper - steel guitar, slide guitar
  • Adam Wakeman - organ
  • John Wellman - artwork

Charts[]

Album[]

Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australian Country Albums (ARIA)[25] 16
Canada Top 20 (MC)[26] 12
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] 98
UK Country Albums (OCC)[28] 6
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[29] 74
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[30] 17

Singles[]

Year Single Peak
positions
CAN
Digital
[31] 		CAN
Rock
[14] 		US
Country
Digital
[32] 		US
Main
Rock
[33] 		US
Rock
[34]
2020 "Outlaws & Outsiders"[12]
(featuring Ivan Moody, Travis Tritt and Mick Mars) 		11 12 7 10 14
"Drive"[18] — — — — —
"Blame It on the Double"[35] — — — — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Release history[]

Release formats for Who I Am
Country Date Format Label Ref.
Various August 7, 2020 Digital download
[5]
Compact disc
Streaming
August 28, 2020 Vinyl

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Brooks, Dave (August 11, 2020). "Cory Marks Debuts Long Awaited Next Generation Country Rock Record 'Who I Am'". Billboard.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Thorley, Andy (August 12, 2020). "REVIEW: CORY MARKS – WHO I AM (2020)". Maximum Volume Music.
  3. ^ Ellwood-Hughes, Pip (August 7, 2020). "Cory Marks – Who I Am Album Review". Entertainment Focus.
  4. ^ Dison, Tom (September 13, 2020). "Cory Marks states clearly Who I Am". Ramzine.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b "Who I Am – Cory Marks". AllMusic. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  6. ^ Iahn, Buddy (August 11, 2020). "CORY MARKS 'WHO I AM' DEBUTS WORLDWIDE". The Music Universe.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b "Cory Marks, The Critically Acclaimed Next Generation of Country Rock, Releases Debut Album, WHO I AM". The Country Note. August 7, 2020.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b Dagg, Nanci (August 26, 2020). "Review & Interview with Cory Marks". Canadian Beats Media.
  9. ^ "CORY MARKS // WHO I AM // ALBUM REVIEW". Rock 'N' Load Magazine. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  10. ^ Gosselin, Jessica (November 26, 2019). "North Bay's Cory Marks' new song is number one on iTunes Canada". CTV News Northern Ontario.
  11. ^ "Cory Marks Throws Down in Single "Outlaws & Outsiders" ft. Travis Tritt, Ivan Moody & Mick Mars". Front Porch Music. January 26, 2020.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b Brooks, Dave (December 20, 2019). "Cory Marks 'Outlaws and Outsiders' Is the 2019 Hit That Couldn't Be Confined". Billboard.
  13. ^ "Big day for North Bay's Cory Marks". BayToday.ca. August 7, 2020.
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b "Travis Tritt Chart History: Canada Rock Song Sales". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  15. ^ "Cory Marks releases his new single 'Better Off'". The Rockpit. December 13, 2019.
  16. ^ "Top Country Pick: Cory Marks 'Blame It On The Double'". Top Country. February 14, 2020.
  17. ^ Taylor, Blake (April 17, 2020). "Cory Marks Releases New Single, 'Devil's Grin'". iHeart Radio.
  18. ^ Jump up to: a b Brooks, Dave (June 19, 2020). "Cory Marks New Track 'Drive' Is The Feel Good Country Hit of the Summer". Billboard.
  19. ^ Elwood-Hughes, Pip (June 7, 2020). "Cory Marks debuts new track Drive ahead of August album release". Entertainment Focus.
  20. ^ Iahn, Buddy (June 5, 2020). "CORY MARKS ANNOUNCES 'WHO I AM'". The Music Universe.
  21. ^ "Cory Marks on Twitter: "Very excited to announce that my single #BlameItOnTheDouble is now at UK & [German] rock radio!!