Standing My Ground is an album by the American musician Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, released in 1989.[1][2] Brown supported the album with a North American tour.[3] Standing My Ground was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Recording.[4]
| Standing My Ground | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1989 | |||
| Genre | Blues | |||
| Label | Alligator | |||
| Producer | Jim Bateman, Clarence Brown | |||
| Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production edit
Brown played guitar, piano, violin, and drums.[5] He wrote seven of the album's songs.[5] Terrance Simien contributed on accordion.[6] "What Am I Living For" is a cover of the Chuck Willis song.[7] As on other albums, Brown avoided songs in the Mississippi Delta blues style, considering them too loud and too negative.[8] The album title refers in part to Brown's refusal to stick to certain musical genres despite pressures from record labels.[9] "Born in Louisiana" is about life along the Louisiana-Texas border.[10] "Cool Jazz" is an instrumental.[11]
Critical reception edit
The Chicago Tribune praised Brown's "one-of-a-kind technique: unrelentingly swinging, punctuated by playful, almost human-sounding cries and accents."[13] The Calgary Herald deemed the album a "white-hot collection of blues and swing."[12] The St. Petersburg Times concluded that "Standing My Ground offers ample evidence that Brown is a true American original who would be a major star in a society blind to barriers of both race and musical genres."[19] The Winston-Salem Journal opined that it "rarely offers performances above the perfunctory and the expected."[20]
The Ottawa Citizen noted that, "though he can't cover all the bases—a zydeco tune, 'Louisiana Zydeco' sounds stilted and forced—his haunting fiddle on 'What Am I Living For' is convincing and true to his roots."[21] The Washington Post labeled Standing My Ground "a wonderfully effortless, eclectic and inspired piece of work."[22] The Cincinnati Post admired the "fluid electric guitar" and considered the album to be one of Brown's best.[14]
AllMusic called the album "a delightfully eclectic program spotlighting nearly all of Gate's musical leanings."[5]
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Got My Mojo Working" | |
| 2. | "Born in Louisiana" | |
| 3. | "Cool Jazz" | |
| 4. | "I Hate These Doggone Blues" | |
| 5. | "She Walks Right In" | |
| 6. | "Leftover Blues" | |
| 7. | "Louisiana Zydeco" | |
| 8. | "What Am I Living For" | |
| 9. | "Never Unpack Your Suitcase" |
References edit
- ^ Dicaire, David (2015). Blues Singers: Biographies of 50 Legendary Artists of the Early 20th Century. McFarland, Inc. p. 167.
- ^ Hardy, Phil; Laing, Dave (1995). The Da Capo Companion to 20th-Century Popular Music. Da Capo Press. p. 115.
- ^ Metella, Helen (26 Jan 1990). "The last time Grammy award winning blues artist...". Edmonton Journal. p. C7.
- ^ "Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown". Grammy Awards. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Standing My Ground Review by Bill Dahl". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ Lichtenstein, Grace; Dankner, Laura (1993). Musical Gumbo: The Music of New Orleans. W.W. Norton. p. 306.
- ^ Luhrssen, Dave (9 Apr 1990). "Skills Shines Through Brown's Relaxed Approach". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. p. 8.
- ^ Terhune, Linda (11 Oct 1991). "Life of blues keeps 'Gate' swinging". Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. p. E6.
- ^ Sculley, Alan (12 May 1993). "Blues Artist Tests the Limits". Daily Press. Newport News. p. C1.
- ^ Franks, Mark (17 Nov 1989). "'Gatemouth' Brown puts music together his own way". Missoulian. p. E3.
- ^ "Fresh blues". The Journal News. 14 Dec 1989. p. 14.
- ^ a b Brennan, Brian (21 Dec 1989). "Discs". Calgary Herald. p. E4.
- ^ a b Kot, Greg (14 Dec 1989). "Rave recordings". Chicago Tribune. p. 17B.
- ^ a b Nager, Larry (9 Dec 1989). "Records". The Cincinnati Post. p. 5C.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press.
- ^ Hadley, Frank-John (1993). The Grove Press Guide to the Blues on CD. Grove Press. p. 27.
- ^ MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 51.
- ^ The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin. 2006. p. 78.
- ^ a b Paul, Alan (18 May 1990). "Imitators, Meet True Blues". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 14.
- ^ a b Bumgardner, Ed (20 Jan 1990). "Wax Facts". Winston-Salem Journal. Entertainment. p. 4.
- ^ Barr, Greg (10 Aug 1990). "The Direct Approach". Ottawa Citizen. p. D3.
- ^ Joyce, Mike (15 Mar 1991). "Blues Pleasures, Small and Large". The Washington Post. p. N18.