Orion (X Ambassadors album)

Orion
Studio album by X Ambassadors
Released	June 14, 2019 (2019-06-14)
Recorded	2017–2019
Genre	Pop rock[1] alternative rock[2] R&B[3]
Length	35:20
Label	Kidinakorner Interscope
Producer	X Ambassadors (also exec.) Andrew Wells Jared Scharff Ricky Reed Earwulf Malay
X Ambassadors chronology
VHS (2015) Orion (2019) Belong (2020)
Singles from Orion
"Boom" Released: January 25, 2019 "Hey Child" Released: April 19, 2019 "Hold You Down" Released: May 31, 2019

Orion (stylized in all caps) is the second studio album by American rock band X Ambassadors. It was released on June 14, 2019, by record labels KIDinaKORNER and Interscope Records. The album follows X Ambassadors' first studio album, VHS (2015), and is the first album to feature the band as a trio since Noah Feldshuh took a personal break from X Ambassadors in 2016. Three singles have been released from Orion: "Boom", "Hey Child", and "Hold You Down". The album features production from musicians such as Ricky Reed and Malay.^[4][5][6]

Background

X Ambassadors released their debut album, VHS, on June 30, 2015. The band went on tour to support the album, where they wrote several songs that became singles.^[7] On January 26, 2018, the song "Joyful" was released. Later that day, an album of the same name was announced. The album was originally slated for an April 2018 release.^[8] On February 2, 2018, a second single titled "Don't Stay" was released.

On April 19, 2019, roughly a year after the planned release date, X Ambassadors announced that they had cancelled the album "Joyful". Singer Sam Harris stated in an interview with Billboard that the album was cancelled because "it didn't feel like it fully represented where [they] were at."^[9]

Promotion and tour

On January 24, 2019, the trio released the lead single from Orion titled "Boom". On April 19, 2019, X Ambassadors released another single, titled "Hey Child". A tour supporting Orion was announced on May 13, 2019, with 27 dates around the USA. 5 days later, additional dates were added.

The track listing was released through X Ambassadors' social media accounts on May 28, 2019. The next day, the band announced that the song "Happy Home" would be on the Target exclusive version.

Track listing

Orion – Standard edition^[10]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Hey Child"	X Ambassadors Andrew Wells	Wells Jared Scharff	3:28
2.	"Confidence" (featuring K.Flay)	X Ambassadors Dylan Cleary-Krell Julian Gramma Kristine Flaherty	X Ambassadors Ricky Reed Gramma Dez Wright	2:53
3.	"Quicksand"	X Ambassadors Eric Frederic Jayson DeZuzio	X Ambassadors DeZuzio	3:09
4.	"Boom"	X Ambassadors Frederic Thomas Eriksen Tom Peyton	X Ambassadors Reed Earwulf	2:44
5.	"Rule"	X Ambassadors James Ryan Ho	X Ambassadors Malay	3:25
6.	"History"	X Ambassadors	Reed Nate Mercereau	4:17
7.	"Recover"	X Ambassadors Frederic Justin Tranter	X Ambassadors Reed Jussifer	3:32
8.	"Wasteland"	X Ambassadors Frederic	X Ambassadors Reed Mercereau	3:08
9.	"Shadows"	X Ambassadors Frederic DeZuzio Emily Warren	X Ambassadors DeZuzio	3:14
10.	"I Don't Know How to Pray"	X Ambassadors	X Ambassadors	2:13
11.	"Hold You Down"	X Ambassadors Frederic Jacob Kasher Ho	X Ambassadors Reed Malay	3:17
Total length:				35:20

Orion – Target exclusive bonus track^[11]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
12.	"Happy Home"	X Ambassadors Darkchild	X Ambassadors Darkchild ReezyTunez	3:21
Total length:				38:41

Notes

• All track titles are stylized in all caps.^[12]

• The bonus track "Happy Home" would later appear on the band's 2020 EP Belong

Personnel

Adapted credits from the liner notes of Orion.^[13]

X Ambassadors Sam Harris – lead and backing vocals, guitars, bass guitar Casey Harris – piano, backing vocals, keyboards, synthesizers Adam Levin – drums, percussion Additional musicians K.Flay – additional vocals (on "Confidence") Jayson DeZuzio – additional vocals (on "Quicksand" and "Shadows") Ricky Reed – guitars, bass (on "Boom") Shaina Evoniuk – viola (on "History") Lewis Patzner – cello (on "History")

Production Andrew Wells – engineering Ethan Shumaker – engineering Manny Marroquin – mixing Chris Galland – mixing Joe LaPorta – mastering Artwork Lauren Kallen – photography Dina Hovsepian – CD design Christopher Hill – lighting

Charts

Chart (2019)	Peak position
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[14]	95
US Billboard 200[15]	125
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[16]	25

References

1. Hart, Jeremy (October 16, 2019). "X Ambassadors, Orion". Space City Rock. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
2. "Complete List of X Ambassadors Albums And Discography". Classic Rock History. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
3. Collar, Matt. "Orion — X Ambassadors". AllMusic. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
4. Olivier, Bobby (April 19, 2019). "X Ambassadors' Sam Harris Talks 'Hey Child' Single, 'Game of Thrones' Music & Rock's Urgent Need for Diversity". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
5. Iahn, Buddy (April 22, 2019). "X Ambassadors Announce 'Orion' for June 14th". The Music Universe. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
6. Brodsky, Rachel (May 3, 2019). "X Ambassadors Want To Redefine What It Means To Be A Band". Grammy.com. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
7. "X Ambassadors: Go From Joyful to Orion". WQKL-FM. April 19, 2019. Archived from the original on May 29, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
8. Hudelson, Molly (January 30, 2018). "X Ambassadors release "Joyful" new single and announce headlining tour". Substreammagazine.com. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
9. "X Ambassadors' Sam Harris Talks 'Hey Child' Single, 'Game of Thrones' Music & Rock's Urgent Need for Diversity". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
10. "ORION by X Ambassadors". Retrieved June 5, 2019.
11. "X Ambassadors - ORION (Target Exclusive) : Target". Retrieved June 5, 2019.
12. "Orion". Google Play Music. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
13. Orion (booklet). X Ambassadors. Kidinakorner. Interscope. 2019. B0030413-02.
14. "Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. June 21, 2019. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
15. "X Ambassadors Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
16. "X Ambassadors Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard.