Ghost Writer is the second solo album by Garland Jeffreys, released by A&M Records in 1977.[5][6] It was recorded with an all-star lineup of session musicians, including Dr. John, The Brecker Brothers, Anthony Jackson, Steve Gadd, Hugh McCracken, David Spinozza, and Leon Pendarvis. Alongside the tracks specially recorded for the album, it includes Jeffreys' earlier song "Wild in the Streets", recorded with Dr. John and his band and released as a single by Atlantic Records in 1973.
| Ghost Writer | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1977 | |||
| Recorded | 1977 | |||
| Studio | Atlantic Studios, New York City | |||
| Label | A&M | |||
| Producer | Roy Cicala, David Spinozza, Garland Jeffreys | |||
| Garland Jeffreys chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | A−[2] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |  [3] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [4] |
The album peaked at No. 140 on the Billboard 200.[7]
Critical reception
editAllMusic wrote that the album "covers a lot of ground in ten songs, but it never gets lost on its whirlwind ride around the city, and if it became a cult item rather than a mainstream success, anyone who gives this a fair hearing is likely to conclude it's the work of an artist of the first order."[1] The Boston Globe called it "a classic of the era, with hints of doo-wop, easy skanking, and even a little disco, all scuffed up with bankruptcy-era New York City grit."[8]
The album led Rolling Stone to name Jeffreys the "Best New Artist" of 1977.[9]
Track listing
editAll tracks composed by Garland Jeffreys
- "Rough and Ready" - 2:57
- "I May Not Be Your Kind" - 3:46
- "New York Skyline" - 3:29
- "Cool Down Boy" - 4:04
- "Ghost Writer" - 5:39
- "Lift Me Up" - 3:28
- "Why-O" - 3:38
- "Wild in the Streets" - 2:59
- "35 Millimeter Dreams" - 3:12
- "Spanish Town" - 7:43
Personnel
edit- Garland Jeffreys - guitar, percussion, vocals
- Anthony Jackson - bass
- John Boudreaux, Rick Marotta, Steve Gadd - drums
- Alan Freedman, Sugarbear - guitar
- Hugh McCracken - guitar, harmonica
- David Spinozza - guitar, keyboards
- Don Grolnick, Dr. John, Leon Pendarvis - keyboards
- Rubens Bassini - percussion
- Al Cohn, David Sanborn, Michael Brecker - saxophone
- Phil Messina - trombone
- Burt Collins, Danny Cahn, Randy Brecker - trumpet
- Arnold McCuller, David Lasley, David Peel, James Taylor, Lynn Pitney - backing vocals
- Technical
- Randy Mason - assistant engineer
- Lew Hahn - recording, mixing
- Carole Langer - cover concept, art direction
- Duane Michals - cover photography
References
edit- ^ a b "Ghost Writer - Garland Jeffreys | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: J". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 27, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 4. MUZE. p. 607.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 365.
- ^ "Garland Jeffreys | Biography & History". AllMusic.
- ^ Rockwell, John (March 25, 1977). "The Pop Life" – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ "Garland Jeffreys". Billboard.
- ^ "On his farewell tour, Garland Jeffreys is a satisfied rock 'n' roll survivor". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
- ^ "The Return Of Garland Jeffreys". NPR.org.