Painted Desert Serenade

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Painted Desert Serenade
Painted Desert Serenade.jpg
Studio album by
Joshua Kadison
ReleasedMay 18, 1993
Recorded1992
GenreSoft rock
Length36:51
Label
Producer
Joshua Kadison chronology
Painted Desert Serenade
(1993) 		Delilah Blue
(1995)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic3/5 stars[1]
Music & MediaFavorable[2]

Painted Desert Serenade is the debut studio album by American pianist/singer-songwriter Joshua Kadison, released in 1993 on SBK (a subsidiary of Capitol Records). It features two singles, both of which reached the top 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100: "Jessie" peaked at number 26, while "Beautiful in My Eyes" reached number 19 in 1994. The album was certified Gold in the United States in August 1994, and Platinum the following April.

Critical reception[]

Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Bryan Buss called it "chock full of odes to finding romance, longing for romance and losing romance".[1] Music & Media wrote, "Whereas most singer/songwriters operate in the cult hero circle, Kadison has an unmistakable ACE potential. The single Jessie could tear down walls like Walking In Memphis did for Marc Cohn. Those who even think that that's too left of centre should recognise that his voice comes close to Billy Joel and most of all to Elton John. The track Beau's All Night Radio Love Line is the finest about this delicate subject since Ben Vaughn's The Apology Line."[3]

Track listing[]

All songs written by Joshua Kadison.

  1. "Jessie" – 5:19
  2. "Painted Desert Serenade" – 2:56
  3. "Beau's All Night Radio Love Line" – 4:26
  4. "Invisible Man" – 4:57
  5. "Mama's Arms" – 3:00
  6. "Beautiful in My Eyes" – 4:07
  7. "Picture Postcards from LA" – 4:33
  8. "When a Woman Cries" – 3:31
  9. "Georgia Rain" – 4:03

Personnel[]

  • Joshua Kadison – vocals, acoustic piano
  • Rod Argent – keyboards (1, 3, 4, 6, 7), Hammond B3 organ (8)
  • Phil Parlapiano – accordion (2)
  • CJ Vanston – Hammond B3 organ (9)
  • Mark Cresswell – guitars (1), acoustic guitar (6, 7)
  • Tim Pierce – guitars (2, 9)
  • Clem Clempson – acoustic guitar (3, 4, 8), 12-string guitar (3), mandolin (3), electric guitar (7)
  • Tim Renwick – electric guitar (8)
  • John Pierce – bass guitar (2, 3, 9)
  • John Giblin – acoustic bass (4), bass guitar (8)
  • Peter Van Hooke – drums (1, 3, 6, 7), percussion (1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8)
  • Denny Fongheiser – drums (2, 9)
  • Ian Thomas – drums (4)
  • Neal Wilkinson – drums (8)
  • Martin Ditcham – additional percussion (1), percussion (4, 7, 8)
  • Frank Ricotti – congas (1, 7), additional percussion (1), percussion (4, 7)
  • Susie Hanson – viola (2)
  • Paul Jones – harmonica (3)
  • Richard Morgan – oboe (4)
  • Lance Ellington – harmony vocals (5)
  • Carol Kenyon – harmony vocals (5)
  • Ruby Turner – harmony vocals (5)
  • Tessa Niles – backing vocals (7)
  • Gene Miller – backing vocals (9)

String Quartet (Track 4)

  • Rod Argent – arrangements
  • Gavyn Wright – conductor, violin
  • Roger Smith – cello
  • George Robertson – viola
  • Wilfred Gibson – violin

Strings (Tracks 6 & 8)

  • Rod Argent – arrangements
  • Gavyn Wright – conductor
  • Chris Laurence – double bass
  • Paul Kegg, Ben Kennard, Helen Liebmann and Roger Smith – celli
  • Susie Hansen, Andrew Parker, George Robertson, Robert Smissen and Stephen Tees – viola
  • Mark Berrow, Ben Cruft, Roger Garland, Wilfred Gibson, Roy Gillard, Tim Good, Rita Manning, Peter Oxer, Bill Penham, Barry Wilde, David Woodcock and Gavyn Wright – violin

Choir (Track 6)

Choir (Track 9)

Production[]

  • Rod Argent – producer (1, 3-8)
  • Peter Van Hooke – producer (1, 3-8)
  • David Kershenbaum – producer (2, 9), mixing (1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9)
  • Brian Koppelman – A&R
  • Simon Smart – engineer (1, 3-8)
  • Kevin Smith – mixing (1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9), engineer (2, 9)
  • John Kurlander – string recording (4, 6, 8)
  • Rob Eaton – mixing (4, 5, 8)
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering
  • Nick Bode – art direction, design, management
  • Annalisa Pessin – photography

Studios

  • Recorded at Red House Studios (Bedfordshire, UK); Westside Studios and Abbey Road Studios (London, UK); The Mill Studios (Cookham, UK); Music Grinder Studios (Hollywood, California); Track Record Studios and Pacifique Studios (North Hollywood, California).
  • Mastered at Masterdisk (Hollywood, California).

Charts[]

Weekly charts[]

Chart (1994–95) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart[4] 45
US Billboard 200[5] 69

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Norway (IFPI Norway)[6] Gold 25,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Painted Desert Serenade – Joshua Kadison – Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  2. ^ "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. March 19, 1994. p. 9. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  3. ^ "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. March 19, 1994. p. 9. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  4. ^ "JOSHUA KADISON – full Official Chart History – Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  5. ^ "Joshua Kadison Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  6. ^ "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
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