Uptown (Neville Brothers album)
| Uptown | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1987 | |||
| Label | EMI America[1] | |||
| Producer | Jim Gaines (executive producer) | |||
| The Neville Brothers chronology | ||||
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Uptown is an album by the American musical group the Neville Brothers, released in 1987.[2][3] The album's title is an homage to the New Orleans neighborhood in which the Nevilles grew up.[4] The group supported the album by touring with Santana.[5]
The album peaked at No. 155 on the Billboard 200.[6]
Production
[edit]After four commercially unsuccessful albums, the Nevilles brought in outside writers, producers, and musicians, including Jerry Garcia, Branford Marsalis.[7] The album was overseen by Jim Gaines, then best known as Huey Lewis's producer, who agreed to executive produce only if he was allowed to make a "non-traditional" New Orleans album.[7] Uptown was recorded in Metairie, Louisiana.[8]
"Midnight Key" was cowritten by Jimmy Buffett.[9] Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley also contributed to the album.
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [10] |
| Robert Christgau | B+[11] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [12] |
| MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide |  [1] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [13] |
| Windsor Star | B+[9] |
Spin wrote: "By stripping them of all but the most subtle New Orleansisms, the Nevilles sound like Journey. Or Rick Springfield. Or instant mashed potatoes."[4] Robert Christgau thought that "between adult themes, solidly insinuating tunes, uncommonly grizzled vocals, and faint indigenous lilt, what we have here is a pretty damn good [Contemporary Hit Radio] album."[11]
The Globe and Mail considered that "the long-term pleasures come from Art Neville's rock steady keyboards and growling voice."[14] USA Today thought that "the undistinquished playing offers little of the funky fire that has made the Nevilles New Orleans' top rhythm band."[15] The Star Tribune opined that, "at best, this slick production evokes vintage Tower of Power with a Southern accent; at worst, it's as bland as the made-for-radio barroom-rock 'n' soul of Huey Lewis."[16]
AllMusic wrote that the album contains the group's "usual tight playing and exuberant collective vocals."[10] The Rolling Stone Album Guide panned the use of "sequencers and electronic percussion."[13]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Whatever It Takes" | 3:51 |
| 2. | "Forever ... For Tonight" | 4:13 |
| 3. | "You're the One" | 4:21 |
| 4. | "Money Back Guarantee (My Love Is Guaranteed)" | 4:35 |
| 5. | "Drift Away" | 3:58 |
| 6. | "Shek-A-Na-Na" | 3:59 |
| 7. | "Old Habits Die Hard" | 3:46 |
| 8. | "I Never Needed No One" | 3:57 |
| 9. | "Midnight Key" | 4:24 |
| 10. | "Spirits of the World" | 4:26 |
Personnel
[edit]- Aaron Neville — vocals
- Cyril Neville — vocals, percussion
- Charles Neville — saxophone
- Art Neville — keyboards, vocals
- Brian Stoltz — guitar; piano on "Shek-A-Na-Na"
- Daryl Johnson — bass, backing vocals; synthesizer on "Whatever It Takes"
- Willie Green — drums
- Additional musicians
- Branford Marsalis — saxophone on "Drift Away", "I Never Needed No One", "Midnight Key" and "Spirits of the World"
- Ronnie Montrose — guitar on "Whatever It Takes"
- Carlos Santana — guitar on "Forever ... For Tonight"
- Jerry Garcia — guitar on "You're the One"
- Richie Zito — guitar on "Spirits of the World"
- Keith Richards — rhythm guitar on "Midnight Key"
- Clem Clempson — sitar on "Old Habits Die Hard"
- Cory Lerios — keyboards on "Forever ... For Tonight", "You're the One" and "Money Back Guarantee (My Love Is Guaranteed)"
- Eric Kolb — keyboards
- Steve Nieve — keyboards on "Old Habits Die Hard"
- Luis Jardim — percussion on "Shek-A-Na-Na"
References
[edit]- ^ a b MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 421.
- ^ "Neville Brothers Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2021-06-04. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
- ^ "Watch the Grateful Dead Jam with the Neville Brothers in 1987". Relix. October 24, 2018. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
- ^ a b Matthews, Bunny (Apr 1987). "Uptown and Down". Spin. Vol. 3, no. 1. pp. 25–27.
- ^ Graff, Gary (7 July 1987). "Nevilles Tune Up for the Top 40". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 5.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2010). Top Pop Albums (7th ed.). Record Research. p. 563.
- ^ a b Tannenbaum, Rob (July 2, 1987). "The Neville Brothers: Funky but Chic". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
- ^ Lichtenstein, Grace; Dankner, Laura (September 14, 1993). Musical Gumbo: The Music of New Orleans. W.W. Norton. ISBN 9780393034684. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
- ^ a b Shaw, Ted (23 May 1987). "Record Review". Windsor Star. p. C2.
- ^ a b "Uptown". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2021-09-14. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
- ^ a b "The Neville Brothers". Robert Christgau. Archived from the original on 2021-09-14. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 159.
- ^ a b The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 502–503.
- ^ Lacey, Liam (7 May 1987). "Uptown The Neville Brothers". The Globe and Mail. p. C3.
- ^ Milward, John (1 Apr 1987). "Popular". USA Today. p. 4D.
- ^ Bream, Jon (1 May 1987). "Neville Brothers, 'Uptown'". Star Tribune. p. 3C.
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