All My Life is an album by the American musician Charles Brown, released in 1990.[1][2] It was Brown's first album for Bullseye Blues (and the first album released on the imprint), and part of a comeback effort that began with his previous release, One More for the Road.[3][4][5] Brown supported the album with a North American tour.[6]
| All My Life | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1990 | |||
| Studio | Magic Shop, New York City | |||
| Genre | Blues | |||
| Label | Bullseye Blues | |||
| Producer | Ron Levy | |||
| Charles Brown chronology | ||||
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The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Traditional Blues Album".[7]
Production
editThe album was produced by Ron Levy.[8] Ruth Brown and Dr. John contributed to the album.[9] Clifford Solomon played saxophone.[10] The title track is a cover of the song made famous by Helen Ward.[11] "Bad Bad Whiskey" was recorded in the style of Amos Milburn's version.[8] "Joyce's Boogie" is an instrumental.[12]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [10] |
| Chicago Tribune |  [9] |
| Robert Christgau |  [13] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [14] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A−[15] |
| The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings | [16] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [17] |
The Chicago Tribune wrote that "the album is done in classic Brown style and helped along by solid band support."[9] The San Francisco Examiner determined that "Brown's piano work is loose, melodic and rhythmically irresistible."[11] The Philadelphia Inquirer concluded that "Brown's powers of persuasion have sharpened over time."[18] LA Weekly praised Brown's "silky baritone and impeccable phrasing."[19] Entertainment Weekly opined that Brown's "whisper-soft baritone brings a wry elegance to stories of hard luck and bad love."[15]
The Los Angeles Times' Mike Boehm listed the album as the 4th best of 1990.[20] All My Life was chosen as the best blues album of 1991 by DownBeat.[21] The Washington Post deemed the album "the finest album of his second-wind career."[22]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Early in the Morning" | |
| 2. | "Fool's Paradise" | |
| 3. | "Bad Bad Whiskey" | |
| 4. | "When the Sun Comes Out" | |
| 5. | "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" | |
| 6. | "That's Pretty Good Love" | |
| 7. | "A Virus Called the Blues" | |
| 8. | "Seven Long Days" | |
| 9. | "Joyce's Boogie" | |
| 10. | "Trouble Blues" | |
| 11. | "Tell Me Who" | |
| 12. | "All My Life" | |
| 13. | "Too Late" |
References
edit- ^ Young, Ron (30 Dec 1990). "Brown jazzes up his 'Life' with blazing blues sound". San Antonio Express-News. p. J6.
- ^ Mitchell, Rick (10 Feb 1991). "Recordings". Zest. Houston Chronicle. p. 11.
- ^ Atkins, Clarence (3 Aug 1991). "Legendary Charles Brown Is Resurrected and Sizzling". New York Amsterdam News. p. 24.
- ^ Snowden, Don (29 Sep 1990). "His Blues Get a New Audience". Los Angeles Times. p. F1.
- ^ Peterson, Anne M. (15 Aug 1991). "Charles Brown lives comeback to the fullest". Onward. Austin American-Statesman. p. 18.
- ^ Bream, Jon (18 Apr 1991). "Charles Brown and other choices". Star Tribune. p. 3E.
- ^ "Charles Brown". Recording Academy. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
- ^ a b Deffaa, Chip (1996). Blue Rhythms: Six Lives in Rhythm and Blues. University of Illinois Press. p. 134.
- ^ a b c Heim, Chris (31 Jan 1991). "Recordings". Tempo. Chicago Tribune.
- ^ a b "All My Life Review by Bill Dahl". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
- ^ a b Elwood, Philip (14 Dec 1990). "Still making blue eyes Brown". San Francisco Examiner. p. C18.
- ^ Allen, Greg (23 Nov 1990). "Porter tribute a bomb, but Charles Brown LP a beauty". At the Shore. The Press of Atlantic City. p. 28.
- ^ "Charles Brown". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press.
- ^ a b Givens, Ron (January 18, 1991). "All My Life". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books. 2006. p. 76.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 83, 84.
- ^ Moon, Tom (16 Nov 1990). "R&B veteran Charles Brown comes to the TLA". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 28.
- ^ Palmer, Don (17 Jan 1991). "The Living Is What's Counting". LA Weekly. p. 35.
- ^ "Top 10 Albums". Los Angeles Times. 27 Dec 1990. p. F2.
- ^ Jennings, Tom (9 Oct 1991). "Bluesman Brown knows of what he sings". San Pedro News-Pilot. p. C9.
- ^ Harrington, Richard (January 7, 2004). "From Bluesman Charles Brown, a Double Shot of Sophistication". The Washington Post.