Chris Black Changed My Life

Chris Black Changed My Life is the ninth studio album by American rock band Portugal. The Man. It was released on June 23, 2023 by Atlantic Records. The album was primarily produced by Jeff Bhasker and Asa Taccone, with Tommy Danvers, Tyler Johnson, and Casey Bates also contributing to production.

Chris Black Changed My Life
Studio album by Portugal. The Man
Released	June 23, 2023
Length	34:20
Label	Atlantic
Producer	Jeff Bhasker Tommy Danvers Asa Taccone
Portugal. The Man chronology
Oregon City Sessions (2021) Chris Black Changed My Life (2023)
Singles from Chris Black Changed My Life
"Dummy" Released: March 1, 2023 "Champ" Released: April 16, 2023 "Thunderdome [W.T.A.]" Released: May 12, 2023 "Summer of Luv" Released: May 24, 2023 "Plastic Island" Released: June 8, 2023

Background

The album is dedicated to the band's longtime friend and the album's namesake Chris Black, who died in May 2019.^[1]

Promotion

The album was supported by the release of the lead single "Dummy" on March 1, 2023, when the album was first announced.^[2] Simultaneously, the song was licensed for use in a Taco Bell advertisement campaign the same month.^[3] The second single, "Champ", was released on April 16, 2023.^[4] The third single, "Thunderdome [W.T.A.]", was released on May 12, 2023.^[5] The fourth single, "Summer of Luv", was released on May 24, 2023.^[6] The fifth and final single, "Plastic Island", was released on June 8, 2023.^[7]

Track listing

Chris Black Changed My Life track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Heavy Games II" (featuring Jeff Bhasker)	John Gourley Jeff Bhasker	Bhasker	1:03
2.	"Grim Generation"	Gourley Zach Carothers Eric Howk Zoe Manville Kyle O'Quin Bhasker Homer Steinweiss Asa Taccone	Bhasker Taccone^[a]	3:20
3.	"Thunderdome [W.T.A.]" (featuring Black Thought and Natalia Lafourcade)	Gourley Carothers O'Quin Sarah Aarons Bhasker Manuel Calderon Adria Del Valle Tyler Johnson Ruban Nielson Paulina Reza Steinweiss	Bhasker Johnson^[a]	2:54
4.	"Dummy"	Gourley Manville O'Quin Jason Sechrist Casey Bates Taccone	Taccone	2:25
5.	"Summer of Luv" (featuring Unknown Mortal Orchestra)	Gourley Carothers O'Quin Bhasker Nick Reinhart Taccone	Bhasker Taccone	2:39
6.	"Ghost Town"	Gourley O'Quin James Fauntleroy Steinweiss Taccone	Bhasker Taccone	3:19
7.	"Time's a Fantasy" (featuring Jeff Bhasker)	Gourley O'Quin Bhasker The Last Artful, Dodgr Matthew Leon	Bhasker	3:02
8.	"Doubt"	Gourley O'Quin Bhasker Kane Ritchotte Taccone	Bhasker	3:02
9.	"Plastic Island"	Gourley O'Quin Bhasker Steinweiss Taccone	Bhasker Taccone^[a]	3:03
10.	"Champ" (featuring Edgar Winter)	Gourley Manville O'Quin Sechrist Bates Tobias Jesso Jr. Steinweiss Edgar Winter	Bhasker Tommy Danvers Bates^[a]	3:49
11.	"Anxiety:Clarity" (featuring Paul Williams)	Gourley O'Quin Bhasker Steinweiss Taccone Paul Williams	Bhasker	5:44
Total length:				34:20

Note

• ^{^[a]} signifies an additional producer.

Personnel

Portugal. The Man

• Zach Carothers – vocals (track 6)
• John Gourley – vocals (all tracks), guitar (2–6, 8–11), bass guitar (2, 4, 9)
• Eric Howk – guitar (2)
• Zoe Manville – vocals
• Kyle O'Quin – bass guitar (1, 11), piano (2, 4–6, 8–10), arrangement (2, 8), guitar (3, 4, 9, 11), drums (4), brass arrangement (10)
• Jason Sechrist – percussion (2), vocals (4)

Additional musicians

• Jeff Bhasker – piano (1, 7, 11), vocals (1, 3, 7, 10, 11), bass guitar (2), synthesizer (3, 7, 10, 11), Hammond organ (5, 9, 10)
• The Last Artful, Dodgr – vocals (1, 3, 7, 11)
• Homer Steinweiss – drums (2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 11)
• Anthony Saffrey – synthesizer (2, 3, 5, 6), guitar (6)
• Steve Smith – percussion (2, 3, 6, 10)
• Asa Taccone – vocals (2–4, 8, 9, 11), programming (4, 9), synthesizer (4), whistle (6)
• Nick Reinhart – guitar (2, 5)
• Ben Stiller – percussion (2, 6, 10)
• Edie Lehmann Boddicker – choir vocals (2, 7, 11), choir conductor (2)
• Ayo Awosika – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Baraka May – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Charlean Carmon – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Danielle Withers – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Darryl Phinnessee – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• David Loucks – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Dorian Holley – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Gaayatri Kaundinya – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Holly Sedillos – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• India Carney – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Jarrett Johnson – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Jason Morales – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Jim Gilstrap – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Kenton Chen – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Luke Edgemon – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Matt Bloyd – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• May Sykes – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Monique Donnelly – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Nayanna Holley – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Nelson Beato – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Oren Waters – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Stevie Mackey – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Tehillah Alphonso – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Toni Scruggs – choir vocals (2, 7, 11)
• Jonathan Drummond – bass guitar (2, 11)
• Rosie Danvers – brass arrangement, conductor (2, 10); arrangement, cello (8)
• Andy Wood – trombone (2, 10)
• Daniel Higham – trombone (2, 10)
• James Davison – trumpet (2, 10)
• Louis Dowdeswell – trumpet (2, 10)
• Louis Walsh – trumpet (2, 10)
• Tommy Danvers – brass arrangement (2)
• Adria Del Valle – vocals (3, 6)
• Paulina Reza – vocals (3, 6)
• Alaap Sikander – guitar (3)
• Josue Rivas – percussion, vocals (3)
• Black Thought – vocals (3)
• Natalia Lafourcade – vocals (3)
• Cynthia Perinat – vocals (4)
• Michael Harris – vocals (4)
• Olivia Shapiro – vocals (4)
• Shana Levy – vocals (4)
• Ian Roller – alto saxophone, piccolo (5); saxophone (11)
• Ruban Nielson – vocals (5)
• Frances Gourley – vocals (6, 7)
• James Fauntleroy – vocals (6)
• Sean Leon – vocals (7)
• Jane Oliver – cello (8)
• Richard Pryce – double bass (8)
• Kane Ritchotte – drums (8)
• Meghan Cassidy – viola (8)
• Nick Barr – viola (8)
• Eleanor Mathieson – violin (8)
• Ellie Stanford – violin (8)
• Hayley Pomfret – violin (8)
• Jenny Sacha – violin (8)
• Patrick Kiernan – violin (8)
• Sally Jackson – violin (8)
• Sarah Sexton – violin (8)
• Takunda Masando – programming (9)
• Edgar Winter – saxophone, synthesizer, vocals (10)
• With War – vocals (10)
• Hether – guitar (11)
• Howard Wiley – saxophone (11)
• Jacob Scesney – saxophone (11)
• Paul Williams – vocals (11)

Technical

• Randy Merrill – mastering
• Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing (1–3, 6–11)
• Lars Stalfors – mixing (4, 5)
• Ryan Nasci – engineering (1–3, 5–11)
• Alex Thompson - engineering (1-4, 11)
• Jens Jungkurth – engineering (2, 5, 6, 9–11)
• Kennie Takahashi – engineering (3)
• Matthew Neighbour – mixing assistance (4, 5)

Charts

Chart performance for Chris Black Changed My Life

Chart (2023)	Peak position
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[8]	92

References

1. Anderson, Carys (March 1, 2023). "Portugal. The Man announce new album Chris Black Changed My Life, share "Dummy"". Consequence. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
2. Schmitt, Tyler (March 1, 2023). "Portugal. The Man wants everyone on the dance floor in their bizarre, delightful new single 'Dummy'". Variance Magazine. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
3. Kaufman, Gil (March 7, 2023). "Portugal. The Man Lend New Single 'Dummy' to Taco Bell Late Night Menu Campaign". Billboard. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
4. Ruiz, Ronan (April 16, 2023). "Portugal. The Man Channels Edgar Winter in New Track "Champ"". mxdwn Music. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
5. Paul, Larisha (May 12, 2023). "Portugal. The Man and Black Thought Map Out Their Path to the American Dream on 'Thunderdome [W.T.A.]'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
6. Anderson, Carys (May 25, 2023). "Portugal. The Man team with Unknown Mortal Orchestra for new song "Summer of Luv"". Consequence. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
7. Iahn, Buddy (June 9, 2023). "Portugal the Man shares 'Plastic Island'". The Music Universe. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
8. "Swisscharts.com – Portugal. The Man – Chris Black Changed My Life". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 3, 2023.