Talking Is Hard

Talking Is Hard
Studio album by Walk the Moon
Released	December 2, 2014
Recorded	2014
Studio	Rancho Pagzilla (North Hollywood, California)
Genre	Indie pop new wave dance-rock power pop pop rock synthpop
Length	43:11
Label	RCA
Producer	Tim Pagnotta
Walk the Moon chronology
Walk the Moon (2012) Talking Is Hard (2014) Different Colors EP (2015)
Singles from Talking Is Hard
"Shut Up and Dance" Released: September 10, 2014 "Different Colors[1]" Released: May 5, 2015 "Work This Body[2]" Released: January 19, 2016

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]

Talking Is Hard is the second major-label (and third overall) album by American alternative rock band Walk the Moon. It was released on December 2, 2014, by RCA Records. The first single released from the album was "Shut Up and Dance," which became an international hit for the band, reaching number one on the Billboard Alternative chart and the Billboard Rock Songs chart, as well peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. It also charted in the Netherlands and Sweden.

Music

The album has been described as new wave and very 80s inspired.^[4] The album features 'chiptune' synthesizer solos, and chiptune synth tones.^[5] Nick Petricca called "Shut Up and Dance" a 'dork rock' anthem and it was inspired by songs like "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" (Pat Benatar) and "Jessie’s Girl" (Rick Springfield), real heart-on-your-sleeve kind of anthems. ^[4]

Track listing

Talking Is Hard – Standard edition[6]
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Different Colors"	Nicholas Petricca Kevin Ray Sean Waugaman Eli Maiman	3:42
2.	"Sidekick"	Petricca Ray Waugaman Maiman	2:55
3.	"Shut Up and Dance"	Petricca Ray Waugaman Maiman Ben Berger Ryan McMahon	3:19
4.	"Up 2 U"	Petricca Ray Waugaman Maiman Berger McMahon	3:23
5.	"Avalanche"	Petricca Ray Waugaman Maiman Tim Pagnotta	3:40
6.	"Portugal"	Petricca Ray Waugaman Maiman	4:01
7.	"Down In the Dumps"	Petricca Ray Waugaman Maiman	4:25
8.	"Work This Body"	Petricca Ray Waugaman Maiman John Ryan	2:57
9.	"Spend Your $$$"	Petricca Ray Waugaman Maiman	3:22
10.	"We Are the Kids"	Petricca Ray Waugaman Maiman Ryan	3:37
11.	"Come Under the Covers"	Petricca Ray Waugaman Maiman	3:51
12.	"Aquaman"	Petricca Ray Waugaman Maiman Matt Radosevich	3:59
Total length:			43:11

Talking Is Hard – UK edition (bonus tracks)[7]
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
13.	"Boyfriend"	Petricca Ray Waugaman Maiman Blake O'Brien	2:58
14.	"This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)" (Live at Sirius XM)	David Byrne Chris Frantz Jerry Harrison Tina Weymouth	3:53
15.	"Shut Up and Dance" (Live at Sirius XM)	Petricca Ray Waugaman Maiman Berger McMahon	3:15
Total length:			53:12

Talking Is Hard – Deluxe Google Play edition (bonus tracks)[8]
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Shut Up and Dance" (Acoustic)	Petricca Ray Waugaman Maiman Berger McMahon	3:14
2.	"Different Colors" (Acoustic)	Petricca Ray Waugaman Maiman	3:24
Total length:			49:57

Promotion

• Walk the Moon (as of March 2015) are embarking on a Talking Is Hard Tour.^[9]
• They have performed the album's lead single, "Shut Up and Dance", on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,^[10] The Ellen DeGeneres Show,^[11] and Jimmy Kimmel Live.^[12]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Talking Is Hard.^[13]

Locations

• Recorded at Rancho Pagzilla, North Hollywood, California
• Mixed at The Casita, Hollywood, California
• Mastered at Sterling Sound, New York City

Personnel

• Nick Petricca – vocals, keyboards, percussion, programming, songwriting
• Kevin Ray – bass, vocals, songwriting
• Sean Waugaman – percussion, vocals, songwriting
• Eli Maiman – guitar, vocals, programming, songwriting
• Ben Berger – songwriting, vocal production, co-production
• Ryan McMahon – songwriting, vocal production, co-production
• Jarett Holmes – programming, recording, digital editing
• Tim Pagnotta – production, recording
• Brian Phillips – digital editing
• Allen Casillas – digital editing
• Ryan Gillmore – digital editing
• Mauro Rubbi – drum technician
• Andrew "Muffman" Luftman – recording assistant
• Kuk Harrell – vocal recording
• Marcos Tovar – vocal recording
• Blake Mares – assistant engineer
• Robert Cohen – assistant engineer
• Neal Avron – mixing
• Scott Skrzynski – mixing assistant
• Joe LaPorta – mastering

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (2014–15) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[14] 85 Canadian Albums (Billboard)[15] 31 French Albums (SNEP)[16] 126 Japanese Albums (Oricon)[17] 148 Scottish Albums (OCC)[18] 37 UK Albums (OCC)[19] 53 US Billboard 200[20] 14 US Digital Albums (Billboard)[21] 7 US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[22] 1 US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[23] 3 US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[24] 10

Year-end charts Chart (2015) Position US Billboard 200[25] 32 US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[26] 16 Certifications Region Certification Sales/shipments United States (RIAA)[27] Gold 500,000 ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history

List of release dates, showing region, formats, label, and editions

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label	Edition(s)
Australia	November 28, 2014	CD digital download	Sony Music	Standard
Germany
Ireland
Italy
New Zealand
Canada	December 2, 2014
United States			RCA Records
United Kingdom	June 15, 2015

References

1. "Ultimate Music - Walk the Moon "Different Colors" (Video Premiere)". Ultimate Music.
2. "WALK THE MOON - Work This Body (Single Edit Audio)". YouTube. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
3. Monger, James Christopher. "Talking Is Hard – Walk the Moon". AllMusic. Retrieved July 13, 2015.
4. "Related Questions: WALK THE MOON, ‘Shut Up and Dance’ « Radio.com". radio.com.
5. Mark Grondin. "spectrum pulse". spectrum-pulse.ca.
6. "Talking Is Hard on iTunes". November 28, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
7. "Talking Is Hard on iTunes". June 15, 2015. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
8. "TALKING IS HARD (Google Play Deluxe Edition)". Retrieved November 20, 2015.
9. Natalie Kuchik. "Walk The Moon to head out on 2015 'Talking Is Hard' tour". AXS.
10. "Walk the Moon Performs on "The Tonight Show" (Watch Now)". Headline Planet.
11. "Amy Poehler & Bill Hader, Walk the Moon". EllenTV.
12. "WALK THE MOON Bring The Party To ‘Jimmy Kimmel': Watch Their Raucous Rendition Of “Shut Up + Dance” - Idolator". Music News, Reviews, and Gossip on Idolator.com.
13. Talking Is Hard (inlay cover). Walk the Moon. RCA Records. 2014. p. 16.
14. Ryan, Gavin (June 27, 2015). "ARIA Albums: Ed Sheeran X Returns To No 1". Noise11. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
15. "Walk the Moon – Chart history" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for Walk the Moon. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
16. "Lescharts.com – Walk the Moon – Talking Is Hard". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
17. "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2015-08-31" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
18. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
19. "Walk the Moon | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved June 22, 2015.
20. "Walk the Moon – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Walk the Moon. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
21. "Walk the Moon – Chart history" Billboard Digital Albums for Walk the Moon. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
22. "Walk the Moon – Chart history" Billboard Top Alternative Albums for Walk the Moon. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
23. "Walk the Moon – Chart history" Billboard Top Rock Albums for Walk the Moon. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
24. "Walk the Moon – Chart history" Billboard Top Tastemaker Albums for Walk the Moon. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
25. "Top Billboard 200 Albums Year End 2015". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
26. "Top Rock Albums Year End 2015". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
27. "American album certifications – Walk the Moon – Talking Is Hard". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 12, 2016. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH