Air for Free

Air for Free is the eighth studio album by Relient K, released on July 22, 2016, through Mono vs Stereo. The album's lead single, "Bummin", was released on April 13, 2016. It is the first album since Five Score and Seven Years Ago (2007) to feature drummer Dave Douglas, though he is not credited as an official member. It also features the return of producer Mark Lee Townsend following his absence on Collapsible Lung (2013).

Release and promotion
A week before its official release, Air for Free was streamed in its entirety on Pandora Radio. In support of the album, Relient K played an album-release show in their home state of Ohio on July 23, 2016, with Cardboard Kids opening, and later embarked on the Looking for America Tour with Switchfoot. The tour ran from September 16, beginning in Denver, Colorado, through November 26, concluding in San Francisco, California.

Commercial performance
Air for Free debuted at its peak of No. 44 on the Billboard 200 and also No. 1 album on the Top Christian Albums Chart, selling 9,000 copies in its opening week.

Critical reception
The album was met with critical acclaim. Writing for Jesus Freak Hideout, Michael Weaver states, "Air for Free could be described as what Collapsible Lung should've been"; in a similar vein, Cortney Warner declares that the album "proves the band is far from 'has been' status, and continues to create fresh, thoughtful music that anyone can enjoy." In his review for CM Addict, Michael Tackett says, "Air for Free is lyrically and musically a welcome return to form for Relient K." Writing for AllMusic, Neil Z. Yeung called the album a "lush and joyful affair" featuring a "sunny, creative blend of indie rock and contemporary pop."

Track listing

 * Vinyl

Personnel
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.

Relient K
 * Matt Thiessen – vocals, acoustic piano, programming, guitars, ukulele, trumpet
 * Matt Hoopes – keyboards, guitars, Omnichord, trumpet, Boss HC-2 percussion synth, backing vocals

Additional musicians
 * Mark Lee Townsend – guitars, bass, backing vocals
 * Bill Mitchell – additional guitars
 * Dave Douglas – drums, backing vocals
 * Tom Breyfogle – drums, percussion
 * Roger Bissell – trombone
 * Brandon Calderon – trombone
 * Jake Germany – Boss HC-2, additional backng vocals
 * AJ Babcock – additional backing vocals
 * Austin Cunningham – additional backing vocals
 * Tiffany Fernandez – additional backing vocals
 * Lisa Goe – additional backing vocals
 * Billy Raffoul – additional backing vocals

Production
 * Mark Lee Townsend – producer, recording, mixing (6, 11)
 * Brandon Calderon – recording assistant
 * Seth Morton – recording assistant
 * Steve Marcantonio – mixing (1-5, 7–10, 12–16)
 * Tom Breyfogle – editing
 * David A. Terry – mastering
 * Jake Germany – art direction, design
 * Josh Ness – photography
 * Brandon McGowan – graphics
 * Dawn Hepp – management
 * Kevin Spellman – management

Release history
Sources: Amazon.com, SMLXL Vinyl