Midnight Rose's is an album by the American band Royal Crescent Mob, released in 1991.[3][4] The first single was "Konk".[1] The band supported the album with a North American tour.[5] Royal Crescent Mob was dropped from Sire Records after the release of Midnight Rose's.[6]
| Midnight Rose's | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1991 | |||
| Genre | Funk, punk funk,[1] funk rock[2] | |||
| Label | Sire | |||
| Producer | Eric Calvi | |||
| Royal Crescent Mob chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editThe album was produced by Eric Calvi.[7] As on previous albums, the band was influenced by fellow Ohioans the Ohio Players.[8] "Pretty Good Life" is an examination of the yuppie lifestyle.[9] "I'm Sayin'" is about a marriage proposal.[1] "Mt. Everest" is about a romantic relationship with an extremely tall woman.[10] "Timebomb" contains a rap verse.[11] Singer David Ellison played harmonica on the album.[12]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [13] |
| The Buffalo News | [14] |
| Robert Christgau |  [15] |
| The Cincinnati Post | [12] |
| Dayton Daily News | [11] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | [7] |
| Orlando Sentinel | [16] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [17] |
Newsday stated: "In the tradition of the Ohio Players and the other '70s funkateers they grew up listening to, Royal Crescent Mob takes a conscious stand against the notion of significance... As long as Royal Crescent Mob persists with this bizarre modesty, they'll be one of rock's best kept secrets."[18] The Orlando Sentinel wrote that on the album's best track "the group ... abandons its funkateering and comes up with some delightfully loopy rock. 'Drunkard's Nose' combines a New Orleans rhythmic feel and swampy horns with country-flavored licks and one of the most original subjects ever for a rock song—the nose of the title and alcoholic's deteriorating looks."[16] Trouser Press determined that guitarist Mr. B "colors the songs in with cogent flashes of aptly aimed guitar as the rhythm section sets the rhythmic clock in motion."[9]
The Philadelphia Inquirer noted that "the only chink in the Mob's armor is that some of its songs exist only as one-dimensional grooves, with Ellison wisecracking over them."[19] The Houston Chronicle opined that, "where the [Red Hot Chili] Peppers thrash and bash and peel their clothes off in concert, the Mob layers melody, lyrical wit and subtle grooves to the attack, never more evident on Midnight Rose's."[20] The Austin American-Statesman concluded that, "where so many bands with similar influences ... seem to think that establishing a style is mainly a matter of extending cliches toward the point of parody, the Mob has real songs to go with its real grooves."[21]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ramblin'" | |
| 2. | "Big Mistake" | |
| 3. | "Apples" | |
| 4. | "Konk" | |
| 5. | "Mt. Everest" | |
| 6. | "I'm Sayin'" | |
| 7. | "Pretty Good Life" | |
| 8. | "Woodsnake" | |
| 9. | "Timebomb" | |
| 10. | "Drunkard's Nose" |
References
edit- ^ a b c Browne, David (March 22, 1991). "Midnight Rose's". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ Heim, Chris (27 Dec 1991). "Royal Crescent Mob and Urge". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. Q.
- ^ "Funky rockers have a winner in 'Midnight Rose's'". The Grand Rapids Press. 13 Mar 1991. p. E7.
- ^ Wright, Rickey (29 Apr 1991). "Mob Turns Up the Heat with Funky Review". Art & Travel. Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. 20.
- ^ Kim, Jae-Ha (27 Dec 1991). "Royal flush: Label gives Crescent Mob the heave-ho". Weekend Plus. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 3.
- ^ "Royal Crescent Mob Biography by Uncle Dave Lewis". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ a b MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1996. p. 579.
- ^ Jenkins, Mark (30 Aug 1991). "Groovy Rut for Royal Crescent Mob". The Washington Post. p. N17.
- ^ a b "Royal Crescent Mob". Trouser Press. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ Terrell, Steve (8 Mar 1991). "The Mob turning into contenders". Pasatiempo. The Santa Fe New Mexican. p. 13.
- ^ a b Larsen, Dave (8 Mar 1991). "Recordings on Review". Go!. Dayton Daily News. p. 17.
- ^ a b Nager, Larry (16 Feb 1991). "RC Mob returns to its roots". The Cincinnati Post. p. 5C.
- ^ "Midnight Rose's Review by Steven McDonald". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ Anderson, Dale (8 Mar 1991). "Pop". Gusto. The Buffalo News. p. 32.
- ^ "Royal Crescent Mob". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ a b Gettelman, Parry (12 Apr 1991). "Royal Crescent Mob, Midnight Rose's". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 18.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 608.
- ^ Tannenbaum, Rob (17 Mar 1991). "Disinheriting the Meek". Part II. Newsday. p. 15.
- ^ DeLuca, Dan (3 May 1991). "Royal Crescent Mob". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. D3.
- ^ Racine, Marty (12 May 1991). "Ohio funk group plays with style". Zest. Houston Chronicle. p. 11.
- ^ McLeese, Don (25 June 1991). "In terms of musical style, there's an extensive gulf separating...". Austin American-Statesman. p. C5.