String of Pearls is the debut studio album by the Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Deborah Conway. The album was released in October 1991 and peaked at number 20 on the Australian ARIA Charts.
| String Of Pearls | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 25, 1991 | |||
| Recorded | 1990−91 | |||
| Studio | Metropolis Audio, Melbourne Ardent Studios, Memphis | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Label | Mushroom Records | |||
| Producer |
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| Deborah Conway chronology | ||||
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| Singles from String of Pearls | ||||
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At the ARIA Music Awards of 1992, the album was nominated for four awards; Breakthrough Artist – Album, Album of the Year, Best Cover Art, and Best Female Artist. It won Best Female Artist.[1]
In June 2015, Conway celebrated the 25th anniversary of the album by performing the entire album in Melbourne.[2]
Critical reception edit
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [3] |
Jonathan Lewis from AllMusic said "String of Pearls ranges from the melodic pop of the most successful single "It's Only the Beginning" to the rock of "Under My Skin". Much of the rest of the album is acoustic pop and gentle ballads, with the superb "Release Me" being the best example. Conway's voice is what holds the album together. Her voice is strong and suited to these songs. In the hands of a lesser singer String of Pearls would not have been anywhere near as effective. Instead, Conway manages to cover the slight lack of originality in songwriting by her strong presence and produces a memorable set of songs."
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Release Me" | 4:45 | |
| 2. | "It's Only the Beginning" |
| 4:39 |
| 3. | "Under My Skin" |
| 3:28 |
| 4. | "Buried Treasure" |
| 3:34 |
| 5. | "Will You Miss Me When You’re Sober" |
| 3:54 |
| 6. | "White Roses" |
| 3:48 |
| 7. | "For All the Wrong Reasons" |
| 4:08 |
| 8. | "Someday" |
| 3:38 |
| 9. | "King of Jordan" |
| 4:03 |
| 10. | "Deborah Conway’s Nightmare #347" |
| 3:36 |
| 11. | "String of Pearls" |
| 6:03 |
| 12. | "Last to Know" |
| 3:25 |
Charts edit
| Chart (1991/92) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[4] | 20 |
Certifications edit
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[5] | Gold | 35,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Credits edit
- Accordion – Dror Erez, Rick Staff
- Autoharp – Michael den Elzen
- Bass – Dave Cochrane, Michael den Elzen, Nigel Griggs, Richard Pleasance
- Cello – Peter O'Reilly
- Drums – Greg Morrow, Peter Jones
- Drums [Snare] – Peter Maslen
- Engineer – Doug Roberts, Joe Hardy
- Guitar – Michael den Elzen, Richard Pleasance, Deborah Conway
- Harmonica – Chris Wilson
- Mandolin – Richard Pleasance
- Organ – Alan Harding, Lawrence Maddy, Mick O'Connor, Rick Staff
- Percussion – Greg Morrow, Michael den Elzen, Peter Maslen, Richard Pleasance
- Piano – Alan Harding, Dror Erez, Richard Pleasance
- Tambourine – Peter Maslen
- Trumpet – Vince Jones
- Violin – Ann Hickey, Tom Fitzgerald
- Vocals (backing) – Deborah Conway, Joe Hardy, Linda Bull, Michael den Elzen, Richard Pleasance, Vika Bull, Vince Jones
References edit
- ^ "Winners by Year 1992". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
- ^ "Deborah Conway celebrates 25 years since 'String of Pearls' album release". Jane Shields. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 12 June 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ^ String of Pearls at AllMusic
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Deborah Conway – String of Pearls". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 65.