No Ways Tired is an album by the American musician Fontella Bass, released in 1995.[2][3] Issued as part of Nonesuch's American Explorer Series (which focused on traditional American roots music), the album marked a return to Bass's beginnings in gospel.[4][5]

No Ways Tired
Studio album by
Released1995
GenreSoul, gospel
LabelNonesuch[1]
ProducerWayne Horvitz
Fontella Bass chronology
Everlasting Arms
(1991)
No Ways Tired
(1995)
Now That I Found a Good Thing
(1996)

The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album".[6]

Production

edit

No Ways Tired was produced by Wayne Horvitz.[7] Lester Bowie, Harvey Brooks, and David Sanborn were among the musicians who contributed to the album.[8][9] It includes covers of "Lean on Me" and "What the World Needs Now".[10] Bass wrote "This Place I Call Home"; she also helped to arrange the songs.[11][12]

Critical reception

edit
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [13]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music     [14]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide     [7]
Vancouver Sun    [15]

The Chicago Reader wrote that "Bass's soprano ascents are as thrilling as ever; her easy phrasing echoes immortals like Mahalia and Aretha; and her years spent immersed in everything from major-label pop to the [Chicago Art Ensemble's] outward-bound art music have given her an unusually broad stylistic and emotional range."[16] The New York Times thought that Bass's "voice is undiminished: a trumpet that peals out optimism."[17]

The Ottawa Citizen determined that "Bass infuses 'What the World Needs Now' with some holy spirit, and cuts the Dionne Warwick version into bits."[18] The Vancouver Sun opined that, "not only is her instrument in top-notch condition, floating in and out of the melody with the grace of a skater, but the energetic instrumentation is a positive kick in the pants."[15] The Washington Informer concluded that "the vocal abilities so evident in her 20's have come to full maturity at 54; the flourishing range and the expressiveness reveal an artist clearly at the height of her powers."[19]

AllMusic wrote that, "unlike Al Green, whose singing intensified when he reverted to gospel, Bass' gift has become more restrained."[13]

Track listing

edit
No.TitleLength
1."The Light of the World" 
2."You Don't Know What the Lord Told Me" 
3."No Ways Tired" 
4."Everlasting Arms" 
5."What the World Needs Now" 
6."All My Burdens" 
7."I Surrender All" 
8."Lean on Me" 
9."This Place I Call Home" 
10."This Little Light of Mine" 
11."I Must Tell Jesus" 

References

edit
  1. ^ Molanphy, Chris (May 1995). "Reviews". CMJ New Music Monthly. No. 21. p. 29.
  2. ^ "Fontella Bass Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  3. ^ Norment, Lynn (Jun 1995). "Sounding Off". Ebony. Vol. 50, no. 8. p. 20.
  4. ^ "Music: Hearing Fontella Bass Is Believing". Newsweek. April 23, 1995.
  5. ^ "Gospel/R&B singer Fontella Bass has a new gospel album, "No Ways Tired". NPR.
  6. ^ "Fontella Bass". Grammy Awards. November 23, 2020.
  7. ^ a b MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 80.
  8. ^ Durchholz, Daniel (26 Feb 1995). "Fontella Bass 'No Ways Tired'". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 3F.
  9. ^ Benarde, Scott R. (December 18, 2003). Stars of David: Rock'n'roll's Jewish Stories. UPNE.
  10. ^ "In an afternoon of song that is sure to raise the spirit...". Austin American-Statesman. 7 Mar 1995. p. 7.
  11. ^ Sweeting, Adam (Mar 3, 1995). "Fontella Bass No Ways Tired". The Guardian. p. T14.
  12. ^ Herndon, David (24 Feb 1995). "Fontella Bass: Rescued Again, 30 Years Later". Newsday. p. B20.
  13. ^ a b "No Ways Tired". AllMusic.
  14. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 1. MUZE. p. 458.
  15. ^ a b Monk, Katherine (13 Apr 1995). "Women doin' it for themselves". Vancouver Sun. p. D10.
  16. ^ Whiteis, David (September 14, 1995). "Fontella Bass". Chicago Reader.
  17. ^ Pareles, Jon (22 May 1995). "Pop Review". The New York Times. p. C11.
  18. ^ Ward, Bruce (28 Mar 1995). "And speaking of returns, Fontella Bass is back...". Ottawa Citizen. p. B8.
  19. ^ Walton, Brian M. (26 Apr 1995). "Fontella Bass: Still No Ways Tired". The Washington Informer. No. 27. p. 16.