Awake is an album by the English musician John Wesley Harding, released in 1998.[1][2] Harding deemed the sound "gangsta folk."[3] He supported the album with a North American tour that included shows with Steve Wynn.[4][5]
| Awake | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1998 | |||
| Label | Zero Hour | |||
| Producer | John Wesley Harding, Chris Von Sneidern | |||
| John Wesley Harding chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editThe album was produced by Harding and Chris Von Sneidern.[6] Harding avoided writing about himself, preferring to tell stories in his songs.[7] He employed tape loops, samples, e-bow, mellotron, and tubular bells on some of the tracks.[8][9] Awake is a loose concept album, where the songs occur after an alarm clock has buzzed.[10] Kurt Bloch and Scott McCaughey contributed on guitar.[11][12] Kelly Hogan sang on "It's All My Fault".[6] "Miss Fortune" is about a millionaire who discovers a baby in a trench.[7] "I'm Staying Here (And I'm Not Buying a Gun)" is about resolving differences without firearms.[13] "Your Ghost (Don't Scare Me No More)" is about moving on from an old relationship.[14]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [15] |
| Daily Breeze | [12] |
| Pitchfork | 5.5/10[16] |
Pitchfork wrote that "too many songs lack any real character and slide slowly into generic lite-rock territory."[16] The Times Union deemed the album "a dazzling, dream-like collection of pop songs culled from Harding's vast and vivid imagination."[17] The Chicago Tribune noted that "much of the record retains Harding's typical techno-free pairing of wry lyrics with fetching melodies."[18]
The San Antonio Express-News called it "a masterful effort, its pointed commentary contrasting with a melodic, folk-rock backing."[19] The Plain Dealer panned the album, writing that "most of the tunes are typical introspective folkie singer-songwriter fare, ranging from the interminable drone of 'Blood Sweat Tears and Come' to the halfhearted country of 'It's All My Fault'."[20] The San Diego Union-Tribune considered Awake "his strongest effort yet, his sparse folk tunes ... combined with a low-fidelity atmosphere more common to bands like Folk Implosion and Pavement."[21]
AllMusic wrote that Harding's "acid-tongued, always-clever phrasing, folky leanings, and strong sense of melody show him to be one of the finest (and unfairly overlooked) songwriters of the '90s."[15]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Good Morning (I Just Woke Up)" | |
| 2. | "Your Ghost (Don't Scare Me No More)" | |
| 3. | "Window Seat" | |
| 4. | "Burn" | |
| 5. | "It's All My Fault" | |
| 6. | "Sweat Tears Blood and Come" | |
| 7. | "Poor Heart" | |
| 8. | "Miss Fortune" | |
| 9. | "Song I Wrote Myself in the Future" | |
| 10. | "Something to Write Home About" | |
| 11. | "You're Looking at Me" | |
| 12. | "You So&So" | |
| 13. | "I'm Staying Here (And I'm Not Buying a Gun)" | |
| 14. | "Good Bye (Late O'Clock)" |
References
edit- ^ "John Wesley Harding Biography by Mark Deming". AllMusic. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ^ Newman, Melinda (Feb 7, 1998). "This and That". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 6. p. 14.
- ^ "Von Sneidern, Harding Team". Sunday Datebook. San Francisco Chronicle. 8 Mar 1998. p. 46.
- ^ "Borders Hosts Singer Harding". The Commercial Appeal. 19 Mar 1998. p. NT5.
- ^ Rowland, Hobart (May 14, 1998). "Average John". Music. Houston Press.
- ^ a b "Awake". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 9. Feb 28, 1998. p. 70.
- ^ a b Molenda, Michael (Apr 1998). "Songcraft: John Wesley Harding". Guitar Player. Vol. 32, no. 4. p. 27.
- ^ O'Brien, Kyle (3 Apr 1998). "Awake to Harding's Music". Arts and Entertainment. The Oregonian. p. 39.
- ^ Blackstock, Peter (1 May 1998). "Slew of Singer-Songwriters to Strut Their Stuff". What's Happening. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. 8.
- ^ Skidmore, Mick (11 Apr 1998). "An impressive, quirky collection". The Patriot Ledger. p. 30.
- ^ Condran, Ed (23 May 1998). "On New Ground". Previews. The Record. Bergen County. p. 38.
- ^ a b Carroll, Tomm (May 8, 1998). "John Wesley Harding, 'Awake'". Daily Breeze. p. K17.
- ^ Okamoto, David (March 19, 1998). "John Wesley Harding, Awake". The Dallas Morning News. p. 5C.
- ^ Iwasaki, Scott (April 24, 1998). "John Wesley Harding's 'Awake' is a cool journey through a day". Deseret News. p. W7.
- ^ a b "Awake Review by Chris Woodstra". AllMusic. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ^ a b Richard-San, Mark. "John Wesley Harding Awake". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 2001-01-12. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ^ "Wesley Harding breaks ground with Gangsta Folk sound". Times Union. 16 Apr 1998. p. P27.
- ^ "John Wesley Harding, Friday and Saturday at Martyrs". Friday. Chicago Tribune. 24 Apr 1998. p. 45.
- ^ Johnson, Robert (March 13, 1998). "John Wesley Harding, 'Awake'". San Antonio Express-News. p. 21H.
- ^ Pantsios, Anastasia (March 15, 1998). "John Wesley Harding 'Awake'". Arts. The Plain Dealer. p. 21.
- ^ Gillespie, Tarleton (March 19, 1998). "Folk/Pop". Entertainment. The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. 15.