...But You Can Call Me Larry

...But You Can Call Me Larry is an album by the Canadian musician Lawrence Gowan, released in 1993.[1][2] The album's first single was "When There's Time (For Love)"; three more singles were released.[3][4] The album went gold in Canada.[5] Gowan is credited by his full name on the album cover.[6][7]

...But You Can Call Me Larry
Studio album by
Released1993
GenreRock, adult contemporary
LabelAnthem
ProducerJerry Marotta, Eddie Schwartz
Lawrence Gowan chronology
Lost Brotherhood
(1990)
...But You Can Call Me Larry
(1993)
The Good Catches Up
(1995)

Production edit

The album was produced by Jerry Marotta and Eddie Schwartz.[8] Robert Fripp played guitar on the album; Tony Levin played bass.[9] Jann Arden contributed vocals.[3] John Sebastian appeared on "Last Laugh".[10] Gowan made a decision to move away from keyboards and synthesizers after buying a Martin acoustic guitar.[11] He felt that playing guitar instead of piano introduced new aspects to his songwriting.[10]

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [12]
Calgary HeraldB−[3]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide     [8]

The Toronto Star called the songs "refreshingly honest and heartfelt, with nary a hint of bandwagon jumping."[13] The Vancouver Sun determined that "producer/drummer Jerry Marotta does indeed stay out of the way of the songs, and a crack band—including former Red Rider guitar ace Kenny Greer—provide subtle accompaniment."[14]

The Ottawa Citizen thought that "Gowan's voice sounds better and shows more versatility, landing somewhere between Rod Stewart and Chris de Burgh in the unhurried romantic ballad 'When There's Time (For Love)'."[15]

AllMusic called the album "Gowan's wholehearted attempt at capturing a mature audience through acoustically based ballads and adult contemporary-styled rock songs."[12]

Track listing edit

No.TitleLength
1."Soul's Road" 
2."When There's Time (For Love)" 
3."Innocent" 
4."Your Stone Walls" 
5."Dancing on My Own Ground" 
6."Cry on My Shoulder" 
7."Moonchild's Psychedelic Holiday" 
8."You Never Let Go" 
9."(In The) Wild Summer Night" 
10."Last Laugh" 
11."Little Face" 

References edit

  1. ^ "Gowan Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  2. ^ "Rocker Lawrence Gowan to play Centrepointe". Ottawa Citizen. 7 October 1994. p. E6.
  3. ^ a b c Muretich, James (10 October 1993). "Gowan Follows a Simple Beat". Calgary Herald. p. C1.
  4. ^ Burliuk, Greg (1 November 1994). "The name's changed, but not the top quality". Entertainment. The Kingston Whig-Standard. p. 26.
  5. ^ Krewen, Nick (1 November 1995). "Still rockin': But Lawrence Gowan calls his own shots now". The Record. p. E5.
  6. ^ Pogue, Liz (14 June 1996). "Stripped down Gowan". Entertainment. Times Colonist. p. 1.
  7. ^ Mayer, Andre (April 2003). "Strange animals (Yesterday's celebrities)". Toronto Life. Vol. 37, no. 4. pp. 12–13.
  8. ^ a b MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 497.
  9. ^ Harrison, Tom (17 February 1994). "Lawrence/Larry has rediscovered guitar: Gowan and gang are playing at The Cultch". The Province. p. B4.
  10. ^ a b Reed, David (21 February 2020). "Lawrence Gowan reflects on his music". The Intelligencer. Belleville. p. C1.
  11. ^ Howell, David (16 February 1994). "Gowan no Strange Animal; Just plain Larry likes his acoustic guitar and deeper lyrics". Edmonton Journal. p. D9.
  12. ^ a b "...But You Can Call Me Larry". AllMusic.
  13. ^ Punter, Jennie (18 November 1993). "Gowan finds the Larry inside". Toronto Star. p. WO11.
  14. ^ Mackie, John (18 February 1994). "Tired of his '80s excesses, Gowan regresses from progressive sound". Vancouver Sun. p. C8.
  15. ^ Saxberg, Lynn (16 October 1993). "Lawrence Gowan returns to pop arena". Ottawa Citizen. p. H3.