Phoebe Snow (album)
Phoebe Snow | ||||
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Studio album by Phoebe Snow | ||||
Released | July 1974 | |||
Recorded | 1973 | |||
Genre | Soft rock | |||
Length | 35:36 | |||
Label | Shelter | |||
Producer | Dino Airali, Denny Cordell, Phil Ramone | |||
Phoebe Snow chronology | ||||
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Phoebe Snow is the debut album by singer-songwriter Phoebe Snow, released in 1974. It contains her Top 5 Billboard pop hit, "Poetry Man", and opens with her cover of Sam Cooke's hit "Good Times".
Background[]
Sessions were held in Los Angeles, Nashville and in Tulsa to find the right approach for the album. "She’d play with whoever was around and we’d record and analyze the recordings, try and work out what was ideal for each song, which approach to take," said Shelter president Denny Cordell. "I think she found that rather a long and painful study, but it obviously had its rewards." After the album's release, legal battles took place between Snow and Shelter Records. Snow eventually signed with Columbia Records. It would be two years before her next release on Columbia.[1]
Reception[]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Christgau's Record Guide | B+[3] |
In a retrospective review for Allmusic, critic Alex Henderson called Snow "a pearl of a singer who never caught on because she simply didn't fit neatly into any one category... With as many risks as she takes, the album is generally quite accessible."[2] Robert Christgau called the album "This woman's languorous, swaying folk-jazz fusion is striking enough to suggest that her debut LP will become some sort of cult item. And it's better than most cult items... The plus is for encouragement, and for the graceful way her voice combines nasality and smoothness."[3]
Track listing[]
All songs by Phoebe Snow, except where noted
- "Good Times" (Sam Cooke) – 2:20
- "Harpo's Blues" – 4:22
- "Poetry Man" – 4:36
- "Either or Both" – 3:52
- "San Francisco Bay Blues" (Jesse Fuller) – 3:29
- "I Don't Want the Night to End" – 3:55
- "Take Your Children Home" – 4:15
- "It Must Be Sunday" – 5:50
- "No Show Tonight" – 2:57
CD (DCC label Only) bonus tracks[]
- "Easy Street" [original "B Side" of Harpo's Blues single] – 3:20
- "Good Times" [original demo] (Cooke) – 2:39
- "Harpo's Blues" [original demo] – 4:55
- "I Don't Want the Night to End" [original demo] – 3:55
- "It Must Be Sunday" [original demo] – 6:42
- "San Francisco Bay Blues" [original demo] (Fuller) – 4:09
- "Poetry Man" [original demo] – 3:43
Personnel[]
- Phoebe Snow – acoustic guitar, vocals
- David Bromberg – lead acoustic guitar (4), dobro (4), rhythm guitar (4)
- Steve Burgh – electric guitar (1, 6, 9)
- Chuck Domanico – acoustic bass (2, 3, 7, 8)
- Chuck Israels – acoustic bass (5)
- Bob James – organ (2, 3, 6, 7, 8)
- Ralph MacDonald – percussion (2, 3, 7)
- Dave Mason – lead electric guitar (9)
- Hugh McDonald – electric bass (1, 6, 9)
- Steve Mosley – drums (1, 2, 6, 9), percussion (8)
- The Persuasions – background vocals (1)
- Margaret Ross – harp (2, 3, 7)
- Zoot Sims – tenor saxophone (2, 3, 8)
- Teddy Wilson – piano (2)
Production[]
- Producer: Dino Airali
- Co-Producer and Mixing: Phil Ramone
- Engineers: Steve Hoffman and Phil Ramone
- Assistant Engineers: Tom Baker, Glenn Berger and Bob Schaper.
- Recorded at A & R Recording (New York, NY) and Producer's Workshop (Hollywood, CA).
- Mixed at A & R Recording
- Production Manager: Roberta Ballard
- Photography: Ed Caraeff
- Cover Art: Mick Haggerty
Charts[]
Chart (1975) | Peak position |
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Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] | 45 |
Certifications[]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United States (RIAA)[5] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References[]
- ^ Palmer, Robert (1975). "Phoebe Snow Finds the Suburbs of the Soul". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Henderson, Alex. "Phoebe Snow > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved April 4, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 280. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "American album certifications – Phoebe Snow – Phoebe Snow". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
- Phoebe Snow albums
- 1974 debut albums
- Albums produced by Denny Cordell
- Albums produced by Phil Ramone
- Shelter Records albums