| The Glass Passenger | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 30, 2008 | |||
| Recorded | December 2007 – May 2008 | |||
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| Genre | Power pop | |||
| Length | 56:54 | |||
| Label | Sire, Warner Bros. | |||
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| Jack's Mannequin chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Glass Passenger | ||||
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The Glass Passenger is the second studio album by American rock band Jack's Mannequin. Frontman Andrew McMahon was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in mid-2005 following the recording of their debut album Everything in Transit. While touring, McMahon suffered from writer's block, which did not dissipate until mid-2006; many of the songs that would appear on The Glass Passenger were written mid-to-late 2007. Further writing sessions were held when a number of the dates were cancelled due to McMahon suffering from exhaustion and fatigue. The Glass Passenger was produced by McMahon and Jim Wirt and co-produced by CJ Eiriksson; the tracking marked the first time McMahon worked with the band in the studio.
Though the main recording sessions took place at two California-based studios (4th Street Recording and Sound City), additional recording followed at several other studios in both California and Texas. Most of the recording was done by December 2007, but label and business problems started to creep into the sessions, resulting in McMahon going on a sabbatical in January 2008. Around this time, the band signed to Sire Records and scheduled the album's release for April/May. Musically a power pop album, with comparisons to Ben Folds and Bruce Hornsby, The Glass Passenger saw McMahon focus on the aftermath and the recovery from his leukemia, backed with a new-found perspective on the world.
A club tour, a stint on the Warped Tour and a support slot for Paramore led into the release of "The Resolution" as a single in mid-August, prior to the eventual release of The Glass Passenger on September 30. It sold 49,000 copies in its first week, charting at number eight on the Billboard 200, and reached the top 10 on other Billboard charts. The album received a positive reception from critics, with a few commenting on lyrics and the record serving as a good follow-up, or even besting, Everything in Transit. Touring continued with another US club tour at the end of the year, shows in Japan and Australia in early 2009, and two further US tours (a two-month headliner and a three-month support slot for the Fray). "Swim" was released as a single in June.