Derek Webb’s Ctrl Tops Amazon’s Singer-Songwriter Chart

On the heels of the acclaimed release of his latest studio album, Ctrl, indie pioneer Derek Webb has enjoyed seeing the project crown the Amazon Singer-Songwriter Albums chart, where it peaked in the top spot, as well as the No. 7 position on the overall Alternative chart, just behind Mumford & Sons. In addition to the success ofCtrl, all of Webb’s previous efforts—Feedback, Mockingbird, Stockholm Syndrome, I See Things Upside Down, She Must and Shall Go Free, The Ringing Bell, The House Show—jumped into the Top 50 on the Amazon Christian & Gospel Albums chart.

Webb officially unveiled Ctrl on Sept. 4 to stellar reviews and remarkable praise from critics. In addition, the album made its chart debut in the Top 10 on the Christian Soundscan chart.

With Ctrl, Webb breaks new ground sonically with his combination of nylon-string acoustic guitar, Sacred Harp recordings, and hyper-personal lyrics framed in a fictional narrative of his own writing. The combination of these unique musical elements colors a sonic landscape and supports a lyrical palette that Webb painstakingly crafted along with collaborators Josh Moore (co-producer of Ctrl, along with Webb’s Stockholm Syndrome and Feedback albums) and Allan Heinberg (Writer/Executive Producer of Grey’s Anatomy, 2006-2010). Sacred Harp singing is a tradition of sacred choral music that took root in the Southern region of the United States and is part of the larger tradition of shape note singing. Webb interweaves recordings of the four-part harmony, historic, American art form into his compositions on the 10-track album.

Here’s just a slice of some of the latest praise for Ctrl:

“Morally challenging and musically innovative, Derek Webb takes yet another bold step with Ctrl…”

“Ctrl is ultimately a surprising, perplexing, and overall redemptive piece of art.”

“Webb has crossed the labyrinth of songs with a message by providing a story where the listener takes a meaningful, inward journey. Like standing up a mirror for each of us to see inside ourselves, [Ctrl] has done what few Christian offerings have managed to do in the past. Webb has created a tool for us to use for our spiritual self-improvement.”

Webb is on tour throughout the fall to promote Ctrl, visiting markets including Atlanta, Kansas City and Chicago before wrapping in Richmond, VA, on Nov. 16. Boulder-based indie trio Page CXVI is supporting Webb on tour. For full tour information, please visitwww.DerekWebb.com/tour.