Welcome, Convalescence is the second album by South San Gabriel, recorded at Slobberbone singer Brent Best's Denton house in January 2002 and released in April 2003 by Munich Records.[1]
| Welcome, Convalescence | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | April 2003 |
| Recorded | January 2002 |
| Studio | Brent Best's house, Denton, Texas |
| Genre | Rock |
| Label | Munich/Undertow |
The album features all of the members of singer Will Johnson's main band, Centro-Matic, as well as Best on guitars and Joe Butcher of Pleasant Grove on pedal steel guitar.[2]
Reception edit
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [2] |
Allmusic reviewer John Schacht gave it a 4-star review, calling it "one of those brilliantly despondent records so gorgeously executed it lifts your spirit just to be able to feel its sadness", and "a melancholic masterpiece".[2] No Depression commented on its "beautifully languid melodies that exert a subtle, hypnotic pull", stating "Quiet desperation rarely sounds this enchanting."[1] The Austin Chronicle's Michael Chamy gave it three and a half stars, stating "all eight tracks are winners" and describing it as "the summer album you want to hear while nestled up to the air-conditioner after coming in from the 100-degree heat. The definition of cool."[3]
The Manchester Evening News gave it a more mixed review, stating "like the eponymous river, too much of this album just flows by murkily".[4] The Chicago Tribune was similarly ambivalent, stating "Will Johnson's songs are undeniably pretty, but the slow pace and his affected, sleepy drawl can be distracting."[5]
Track listing edit
- "New Brookland"
- "Saint Augustine"
- "Smelling Medicinal"
- "Everglades"
- "Like a Madman"
- "Evangline"
- "Ariza/284"
- "The Splinter Angelic"
Personnel edit
- Will Johnson - vocals, guitars
- Scott Danbom - vocals, keyboards, violin
- Mark Hedman - bass, guitars
- Matt Pence - drums, keyboards
- Brent Best - guitars
- Bryan Vandivier - guitars
- Joe Butcher - pedal steel guitar, organ, mellotron
References edit
- ^ a b "South San Gabriel - Welcome, Convalescence", No Depression, April 30, 2003. Retrieved September 23, 2017
- ^ a b c Schacht, John "Welcome, Convalescence Review", Allmusic. Retrieved September 23, 2017
- ^ Chamy, Michael (2003) "South San Gabriel: Texas Platters", Austin Chronicle, May 9, 2003. Retrieved September 23, 2017
- ^ "South San Gabriel - Welcome Convalescence (Munich)", Manchester Evening News, August 11, 2004. Retrieved September 23, 2017
- ^ Klein, Joshua (2003) "South San Gabriel Welcome, Convalescence", Chicago Tribune, July 3, 2003. Retrieved September 23, 2017