Marshall Crenshaw: Downtown CD Track Listing

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Marshall Crenshaw Downtown (1985)
Originally Released 1985\nCD Edition Released March 3, 1992\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: Marshall Crenshaw entered the studio to begin work on his third album, Downtown, but for the first time, he was without the familiar backing of Chris Donato on bass and brother Robert Crenshaw on drums (though he does appear on two tracks). Following the dense, sonic thunder of the commercially disappointing Field Day, this album employed the services of various studio pros, and returned him to the roomier, more traditional tone of his first effort. Along with co-producers T-Bone Burnett and Larry Hirsch (and Mitch Easter on one track), Crenshaw creates an old-fashioned rock & roll record with the inviting warmth of '60s pop and the swing and recklessness of the '50s. And though he doesn't do anything radically new or different here, the results are once again never less than fresh or stirring. Tracks like the irresistible "Little Wild One (No. 5)," the primal beat of "Yvonne," and "(We're Gonna) Shake Their Minds," with it's syncopated guitar and drum interplay, are first-rate rockers, while Ben Vaughn's "I'm Sorry (But So Is Brenda Lee)" and Crenshaw's own "Like a Vague Memory" have the feel of classic '50s pop tunes. Though Downtown did little to reverse the downward slide of Marshall Crenshaw's market value, it does complete a brilliant triad of releases going back to his 1982 debut. ~ Brett Hartenbach\n \nAmazon.com Customer Review\nGreat music that is too hard to find and needs reissuing, May 17, 2004 \nReviewer: Juan La Princi "Mr. F. Bombalate" (livin' just enough) - See all my reviews \nMarshall Crenshaw, an overnight sensation who quickly fell from grace by somehow falling on the wrong side of Rolling Stone critics (it's hard to believe they ever mattered very much) and became a cult artist, is gradually disappearing from view. When he tours, he tours alone, playing before small but intensely loyal crowds. Although Rhino has reissued his popular first album, and put together an excellent best-of, most of the rest of his catalogue is now out of print and increasingly hard to find. If you somehow have the sad fate of being a fan, like me, who considers Crenshaw's artistry on a par with the greatest rock ever had to offer, your first move should be to buy up what you can that's in-print, before it goes out of print. Then you can start hunting for the rarities. \n\n"Downtown" is one of his rarest, and one of his best. I had the LP, have never gotten close to the CD, which was out for 20 minutes, and recently managed to score an unopened cassette. It's so great, it's hard to believe this wasn't a gigantic hit. But, it wasn't. The best-of includes four of the best songs, including "Vague Memory," "Little Wild One" "Blues is King," and the hilariously sad "I'm Sorry (but so is Brenda Lee)." But, if you're a fan, you will also want to be able to hear the eight songs omitted from the best-of, including the beautifully composed "The Distance Between," "Terrifying Love" (featuring producer T. Bone Burnett on sitar), the bopping "Shake Up Their Minds," and especially "Yvonne," one of Crenshaw's trademark epic tales of romance gained and lost. Any of these would have earned a spot on the best-of, and deserve to be heard today. \n\nThis album might've failed commercially, despite its excellence, because compared to his first two, it does have a melancholy feeling to it. Even the upbeat songs use a lot of minor keys. I think Crenshaw has said this album, and its successor "Mary Jean," both reflect his disillusionment and loss of confidence in the wake of his big build-up and fall. But to me, that enriches the music all the more. T-Bone Burnett's production is among his best efforts--clean, with a very "live" sound that was somewhat of a change from the Phil Spectorish sounds of his first two albums. \n\nI hope the folks at Rhino read this review and think about it, and decide the world needs to hear this album in its entirety, on CD, remastered, etc. etc. But in case they don't, I recommend you pay whatever reasonable amount you can to get the few copies left on this earth of "Downtown." \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nRootsy Music from a Pop Maestro, February 2, 2004 \nReviewer: Timothy Brough "author and music buff" (Springfield, PA United States) \nLong before T-Bone Burnett became so well known ("Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?"), he was an artist playing with likes of Bob Dylan and a producer with a name for drawing eclectic performances from artists that matched his style (including Elvis Costello, Los Lobos and the BoDeans, to name a few). Marshall Crenshaw was one such artist to benefit from his touch. Burnett stripped the sound down to its essentials, Crenshaw pitched in with some fervent performances. "Downtown" was also packed with some of Crenshaw's usual excellent songwriting. Future classics like "Blues Is King" and "Like a Vague Memory", along with Ben Vaughn's "I'm Sorry (But So Is Brenda Lee)" appear here. \n\nSadly, Crenshaw's momentum had been derailed by the thunderous noise of his underrated "Field Day" and the loss of his original trio-mates Robert Crenshaw and Chris Donato. (Well known session men Mitchell Froom, G.E. Smith, Mickey Curry, Tony Levin and Jerry Marotta provided Crenshaw and Burnett with solid support throughout the disc.) So while the album was firm, it really didn't get the attention it deserved. But if you're a fan of 60's and 50's swinging rock, don't miss the trip to "Downtown." \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nPopular wisdom has Marshall Crenshaw's first album, April 28, 2000 \nReviewer: A music fan \nfor Warner Bros. as his crowning glory. In my book, this one is nearly as good. Perhaps because it has a number of producer credits, it sounds more varied. The highlight is the bittersweet gem, "Blues Is King." If jangly guitars, power pop hooks and lovelorn lyrics are your thing, this is a good value. \n\nHalf.com Album Credits\nG.E. Smith, Contributing Artist\nJoey Spampinato, Contributing Artist\nMitch Easter, Contributing Artist\nMitchell Froom, Contributing Artist\nRobert Crenshaw, Contributing Artist\nT-Bone Burnett, Contributing Artist\nTom Ardolino, Contributing Artist\n\nAlbum Notes\nPersonnel: Marshall Crenshaw (guitars, vocals, bass, percussion); G.E. Smith (guitar); T-Bone Burnett (vocals, electric sitar, programming); Steve Fischel (steel guitar); Mitch Easter (piano); Mitchell Froom (keyboards); Joey Spampinato, David Miner, Faye Hunter, Tony Garnier, Tony Levin (bass); Mickey Curry, Tom Ardolino, Robert Crenshaw (drums); Jerry Marotta (drums, percussion, bongos); Warren Klein (tambourine).\n\nProducers: Marshall Crenshaw, Larry Hirsch, Mitch Easter, T-Bone Burnett.\n\nEngineers: Larry Hirsch, Thom Panunzio, Steve Haigler, Bill Jackson, Lincoln Clapp.\n\nRecorded at Media Sound, New York; Sunset Sound and Ocean Way, Hollywood, California; Reflection, Charlotte, North Carolina.\n\nAll songs written by Marshall Crenshaw except "I'm Sorry (But So Is Brenda Lee)" (Ben Vaughn) and "Right Now" (Sylvester Bradford/Al Lewis).
This rock cd contains 10 tracks and runs 37min 18sec.
Freedb: 7808bc0a
Buy: from Amazon.com

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