Right Between the Promises

Right Between the Promises is the sixth studio album by singer-songwriter Freedy Johnston. It was released in 2001 on Elektra Records.

Right Between the Promises
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 7, 2001
GenreAlternative rock
Length37:56
LabelElektra
ProducerCameron Greider
Freedy Johnston chronology
Live at 3313
(2000)
Right Between the Promises
(2001)
The Way I Were: 4-Track Demos 1986-1992
(2004)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic [1]
Rolling Stone[2]
Robert Christgau(1-star Honorable Mention)[3]

Reception edit

AllMusic's Kenneth Bays describes the album as "simultaneously the flip side of, and a companion piece to, 1999's Blue Days Black Nights. Where that album's songs flowed with an ominous energy barely concealed by the moody, hushed tones of their surface, Promises forces those same emotions out into the light." Resulting in "[s]mart, darkly ambiguous songs that nevertheless seem built for high-volume, summertime play." Concluding "Right Between the Promises may not be as richly nuanced as [Johnston's] very best work, but it's still a fine example of his idiosyncratic brand of intelligent, radio-friendly folk-rock."[1]

Rolling Stone's James Hunter called the album "[c]omposed songs about being confused." Noting that Johnston "just sings his modestly fluid, sweet-toned tunes in a voice to match."[2]

Track listing edit

All songs written by Freedy Johnston, except where noted.

  1. "Broken Mirror" – 2:39
  2. "Waste Your Time" – 3:55
  3. "Love Grows" (Tony Macaulay, Barry Mason) – 2:28
  4. "That's Alright with Me" – 4:57
  5. "Radio for Heartache" – 2:37
  6. "Back to My Machine" – 5:05
  7. "Arriving on a Train" – 4:20
  8. "Save Yourself, City Girl" – 3:49
  9. "Anyone" – 3:45
  10. "In My Dream" – 4:21

Personnel edit

  • Freedy Johnston – vocals, guitar
  • Cameron Greider – guitar, piano, bass, percussion, background vocals
  • Alan Berozi – drums
  • Butch Vig – drums
  • Bon Hamlet – drums
  • Graham Maby – bass
  • Paul Eske – bass
  • Phil Lyons – bass
  • Jay Moran – piano, background vocals
  • Mary Gaines – background vocals
  • Christine Gatti – background vocals
  • James Cowan – percussion
  • John Vriesacker – violin
  • Karl Lavine – cello
  • Tina Kakuske – flute
  • Mark Haines – guitar, tambourine
  • Tom Williams – tambourine

References edit

  1. ^ a b Bays, Kenneth. Right Between the Promises at AllMusic. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  2. ^ a b Hunter, James. "Right Between the Promises", Rolling Stone, September 13, 2001, p. 112.
  3. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Freedy Johnston". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 4 August 2015.