Reason to Believe is the ninth studio album by the Americanpunk rock bandPennywise, which was released on March 25, 2008 as a worldwide free digital download on MySpace. MySpace Records released the album within the United States as a standard CD and a limited-edition vinyl version with two bonus tracks not available in any other format. The album was available in Europe on March 24 through Epitaph Records. Originally to be released in 2007 based on the two-year gaps between the last eight studio albums, a tentative title for the album was Free for the People, but the title was scrapped. Some copies of this album have the Parental Advisory labelon the cover. This was the first time a Pennywise album would have a Parental Advisory label on an album cover, even though many of their albums contain profanity. Reason to Believe peaked at #98 in the United States on the Billboard 200, and #46 in Australia on the ARIA Albums Chart, the band's second lowest position on that chart since their 1995 album About Time. Reason to Believe was the last Pennywise album to feature Jim Lindberg on vocals until his return in October 2012.
Writing and production
In September 2005, it was reported that Pennywise were planning to return to the studio in 2006 to begin work on their next album after The Fuse tour. In May 2006, it was also reported that the album was intended to contain songs that were not on the previous album. It was later revealed that one such song was "Brag, Exaggerate & Lie". In an October 2006 interview, guitarist Fletcher Dragge stated that "everyone's been already working on songs" and Pennywise would get "together in the next coming months and put all the songs together". In that interview, he also predicted that the album would be out "before next summer or in next summer". In September 2007, it was reported that Dragge also stated in interview at the Warped Tour that the band had approximately 60 new songs and would spend the Fall "arguing" over which thirteen to include on the album. In October 2007, it was reported that Pennywise were back in the studio, where Dragge said they were "working on some new shit". It was also reported that Randy Bradbury wrote most of the songs and the album was intended to be more of an "old school" Pennywise album.
Promotion and release
In November 2007, it was revealed that the band would release the album free through a partnership between MySpace Records, and Textango, a mobile music distributor. In addition to that, the album would be for sale in stores through Epitaph, including a bonus DVD and two extra tracks. On February 13, 2008, "Something to Live For" was made available for streaming via Alternative Press. On March 20, 2008, the band made the entire album available to stream on their Myspace page. As of March 2008, according to an OC Register report, Reason to Believe has been downloaded more than 400,000 times, making it one of Pennywise's most successful albums since their 2001 breakthrough Land of the Free?. The album's first single, "The Western World", was premiered on the Los Angeles radio station KROQ on February 20, 2008, and debuted at number 28 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, marking the highest initial charting single in the band's career. Pennywise began the Reason to Believe Tour to promote the album on March 26, 2008 in San Diego, California. A music video for "The Western World" was posted online on May 21. In July and August, the band performed on the 2008 edition of Warped Tour. In September and October, the band at a series of radio festivals. "Die for You" impacted radio on September 30. In February 2009, the band went on a brief tour of the west coast. "One Reason" impacted radio on March 31. In April and May, the band co-headlined the Jagermeister Music Tour with Pepper.
Critical reception
Reason to Believe was released on March 25, 2008, and was the first Pennywise album distributed via MySpace Records. The album received widespread critical acclaim upon its release, earning a rating of 4 out of 5 on Allmusic.
