Natural Selection (album)

Natural Selection
Studio album by Fuel
Released	September 23, 2003
Recorded	2003
Genre	Hard Rock Alternative Rock
Length	51:05
Label	Epic Records
Producer	Michael Beinhorn Carl Bell
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Fuel chronology
Something Like Human (2000) Natural Selection (2003) The Best of Fuel (2005)

Natural Selection is Fuel's third full-length album, released in 2003. The song "Falls on Me" was a popular first single and received much airplay on MTV. The album's other two singles, "Won't Back Down" and "Million Miles" received average amounts of airplay.

Background

Following the multi-platinum success of their previous album Something Like Human, Fuel had some set backs to overcome before they could begin recording the album that became Natural Selection. First off, the band had to resolve some pressing legal matters which prohibited them from recording.^[1] Medical problems also inhibited the recording of the album as well. Singer/guitarist Brett Scallions clashed onstage with guitarist/songwriter Carl Bell on one of the band's earlier tours which left Scallions with a deviated septum that required medical attention and time for recovery.^[2] According to Scallions, "I think I basically had to relearn how to sing... I had to recondition myself and figure out how to sing again."^[2] Bell felt confident about the album, stating "The record is, I think, far and beyond any of the other records we've had as a body of work."^[3]

Reception

Natural Selection debuted at #15 on the U.S. Billboard album charts.^[4] The album was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2004 for best engineered album.^[5]

Aftermath

Natural Selection would prove to be the final Fuel album to feature drummer Kevin Miller and Scallions on vocals. Miller was excused from the band in 2004, and Scallions left in 2006, stating that "... there was no fun in [making the album], because there was no activity within the band."^[6] Scallions' feelings of lack of group activity along with Bell's feelings of Scallions losing vocal range led to Scallions' eventual departure from the group.^[7]

Track listing

All songs written by Carl Bell except where noted.

1. "Quarter" - 3:39
2. "Down Inside of You" - 4:07
3. "Million Miles" - 3:51
4. "Falls on Me" - 4:13
5. "These Things" - 4:57
6. "Won't Back Down (Bring You Hell Remix)" - 3:23
7. "Running Away" - 4:54
8. "Most of All" - 4:13
9. "Getting Thru?" - 4:09
10. "Die Like This" - 4:29
11. "Luck" (Brett Scallions) - 4:15
12. "Days with You" - 4:29

Personnel

• Brett Scallions: Vocals, guitar
• Carl Bell: Guitar, vocals, keyboards
• Jeff Abercrombie: Bass guitar
• Kevin Miller: Drums

References