Beautiful Light is an album by the American band the Fleshtones, released in 1994.[2][3] It was regarded as a comeback album.[4]
| Beautiful Light | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1994 | |||
| Genre | Garage rock | |||
| Label | Naked Language[1] | |||
| Producer | Peter Buck | |||
| The Fleshtones chronology | ||||
| ||||
Beautiful Light was issued in France as Forever Fleshtones, with a different track listing.[5]
Production edit
Recorded in Athens, Georgia, the album was produced by Peter Buck.[6][7] Buck had wanted to produce the band since 1986.[8] He played guitar on the album; Mike Mills played organ.[9] "Whistling Past the Grave" was cowritten by Michael Stipe.[10]
Critical reception edit
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [10] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [11] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+[12] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | [13] |
| Orlando Sentinel | [9] |
| The Tampa Tribune |  [14] |
Entertainment Weekly wrote that the band, "with the help of lean, rootsy production by R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, crafted their most earnest release."[12] Trouser Press noted that "'Mushroom Cloud' reconnects the band to the organ-powered psychedelia that has served it well in the past."[15] The Vancouver Sun panned Buck's "thin and even" production work.[16]
Stereo Review determined that "the Fleshtones rise to the occasion with a hunka-hunka burning blues/psych originals and enough garage-bred mustiness to keep things honest."[17] Rolling Stone concluded that, "when the Fleshtones resist the archness that sometimes infects their artful trash, they deliver grins."[18] The Tampa Tribune lamented the "somber mood" of Beautiful Light.[14]
AllMusic called the album "a solid record," writing that "Pickin' Pickin'" "features a fast, scale-climbing bass guitar rounded out by a slick horn section and barroom piano."[10] MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide deemed it "a pure pop record."[13]
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mushroom Cloud" | |
| 2. | "Take a Walk with the Fleshtones" | |
| 3. | "Beautiful Light" | |
| 4. | "Big Heart" | |
| 5. | "Not Everybody's Jesus" | |
| 6. | "Whistling Past the Grave" | |
| 7. | "Outcast" | |
| 8. | "D.T. Shadows" | |
| 9. | "Pickin' Pickin'" | |
| 10. | "Pocketful of Change" | |
| 11. | "Push on Thru'" | |
| 12. | "Worried Boy Blues" |
References edit
- ^ Staszowski, J.J. (Apr 4, 1994). "Eighteen Years, Seven Records, Three Chords". New York. Vol. 27, no. 14. p. 32.
- ^ "The Fleshtones Biography". AllMusic.
- ^ Krampert, Peter (March 23, 2016). The Encyclopedia of the Harmonica. Mel Bay Publications. ISBN 9781619115774.
- ^ Stoute, Lenny (22 Dec 1994). "Garage Door-Openers". Toronto Star. p. E12.
- ^ "Fleshography". Weekend. New Haven Register. June 5, 1998.
- ^ Catlin, Roger (2 June 1994). "Garage Rockers Fleshtones Play Tonight at Toad's Place". Calendar. Hartford Courant. p. 3.
- ^ "Album reviews — Beautiful Light by the Fleshtones". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 27. Jul 2, 1994. p. 85.
- ^ Smallwood, Sue (June 15, 1994). "Fleshtones Absorb R.E.M. Influences". The Virginian-Pilot. p. E7.
- ^ a b Gettelman, Parry (15 Apr 1994). "A Final Harvest of Spring Albums". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 7.
- ^ a b c "Beautiful Light". AllMusic.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 499.
- ^ a b "Beautiful Light". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ a b MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 435.
- ^ a b Ross, Curtis (April 29, 1994). "Fleshtones, Beautiful Light". Friday Extra!. The Tampa Tribune. p. 21.
- ^ "Fleshtones". Trouser Press. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
- ^ Monk, Katherine (18 Jan 1996). "And Peter Buck, it's nice that you want to help out young bands...". Vancouver Sun. p. D1.
- ^ "Popular music – Beautiful Light by Fleshtones". Stereo Review. Vol. 59, no. 5. May 1994. p. 87.
- ^ Evans, Paul (Apr 7, 1994). "Rollin' & tumblin' — Beautiful Light by The Fleshtones". Rolling Stone. No. 679. p. 74.