Once in a While is the fifth studio album by American actor and singer Seth MacFarlane, released on April 19, 2019, by Republic Records and Verve Records. The record was primarily produced by Joel McNeely and MacFarlane himself, who also serves as the executive producer. The lead single from the album, "Half As Lovely (Twice As True)", was released digitally on April 11, 2019.
Background On March 8, 2019, MacFarlane revealed on his Twitter account that he had just finished recording his new album at Abbey Road Studios. It was also announced that for the first time, MacFarlane would be working with Andrew Cottee as the composer and arranger instead of Joel McNeely, however he still remained a producer for the album. MacFarlane has a close relationship with the composer, since meeting on the 2016 animated musical film Sing and later working together on The Orville. MacFarlane described the album as a moody style of Sinatra's signature albums. "I love the ballad album, the rich, melancholy songs," MacFarlane said. "You're taking a theme or a mood or a tone or an emotion and assembling a set list where everything lives in that space, so when you put it on, you're spending the 60 minutes or however long the album is immersed in that one emotion." Cottee also described the album as "not necessarily sad break-up songs. They're more reflective, thoughtful, even philosophical, but they're not all torch songs."
Critical reception
The Straits Times gave the album a positive review while also saying that MacFarlane should shake things up to make his music more fresh. Jazz Weeklys George W. Harris praised the album and MacFarlane himself, saying, "but it wouldn't work unless MacFarlane didn't have a strong enough voice to convince, and he does. He sounds convincing, assured and personal."
Track listing
Personnel Credits adapted from AllMusic.
Jonathan Aasgaard – Cello John Anderson – Oboe John Barrett – Assistant Engineer Chuck Berghofer – Bass Irving Berlin – Composer Anna-Liisa Bezrodny – Violin Adrian Bradbury – Cello Rich Breen – Engineer, Mixing Benjamin Buckton – Violin Sammy Cahn – Composer Gordon Campbell – Trombone Rebecca Chambers – Viola Corinne Chappelle – Violin Stephano Civetta – Assistant Engineer Dave Collins – Mastering Betty Comden – Composer Andrew Cottee – Arranger, Conductor Kris Crawford – Assistant Engineer Tom Croxon – Orchestra Contractor Hannah Dawson – Violin Rudi DeGroote – Cello Shlomy Dobrinsky – Violin Kira Doherty – French Horn Pierre Doumenge – Cello Dream Town Orchestra – Orchestration Clare Duckworth – Violin Michael Edwards – Composer Peter Erskine – Drums Joy Fehily – Executive Producer Carl Fischer – Composer Sammy Gallop – Composer Ian Gibbs – Violin Tim Gibbs – Bass Thomas Goodman – Bass Mark Graham – Music Preparation Peter Graham – Violin Adolph Green – Composer Bud Green – Composer Thelma Handy – Violin Philip Harmer – Oboe Lorenz Hart – Composer Andrew Harvey – Violin Richard Harwood – Cello Oliver Heath – Violin Cormac Henry – Flute Dan Higgins – Clarinet, Sax (Alto) Jeremy Isaac – Violin Maya Iwabuchi – Violin Paul James – Composer Magnus Johnston – Violin Cerys Jones – Violin Francis Kefford – Viola Liam Kirkman – Trombone Larry Koonse – Guitars Nicholas Korth – French Horn Frankie Laine – Composer Dunja Lavrova – Violin Peggy Lee – Composer Mike Lovatt – Trumpet James Lynch – Trumpet Seth MacFarlane – Art Direction, Liner Notes, Primary Artist, Producer, Vocals Ciaran McCabe – Violin Joel McNeely – Producer Johnny Mercer – Composer John Mills – Violin Kate Musker – Viola Alex Neal – Percussion Benjamin Newton – Viola Peter North – Trombone Simon Oliver – Bass John Parricelli – Guitars Fiona Paterson – Flute Julie Pryce – Bassoon Matthew Quenby – Viola Tom Ranier – Piano Edward C. Redding – Composer Richard Rodgers – Composer Ruth Rogers – Violin Ben Rogerson – Cello Laura Samuel – Violin Victor Schertzinger – Composer Bill Sienkiewicz – Illustrations Kristen Sorace – Design Lew Spence – Composer Joe Spix – Art Direction Jill Streater – Librarian Jule Styne – Composer Kay Swift – Composer Laurence Ungless – Bass Sam Walton – Percussion Vicci Wardman – Viola Hugh Webb – Harp Natalie Weber – A&R Claire Webster – Bassoon Hubie Wheeler – Composer Michael Whight – Clarinet Pat White – Trumpet Alec Wilder – Composer Steven Wilkie – Violin
Charts Once in a While debuted at No. 5 on the US Billboard Top Jazz Albums.
Chart (2019)Peakposition
Release history Region Date Format(s) LabelWorldwide April 19, 2019 April 26, 2019
References
External links