Old Wives' Tales is an album by the American musician Exene Cervenka, released in 1989.[2][3] Cervenka told the Los Angeles Times that she considered the album to be "for and about women."[4]
| Old Wives' Tales | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1989 | |||
| Genre | Folk, folk rock | |||
| Label | Rhino[1] | |||
| Producer | Tony Gilkyson | |||
| Exene Cervenka chronology | ||||
| ||||
"He's Got a She" peaked at No. 17 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart.[5] Cervenka promoted the album by touring with the Oyster Band.[6]
Production
editThe album was produced by the former X guitarist Tony Gilkyson.[7] Unlike in X, Cervenka contributed to both the album's music and lyrics; Cervenka had to reacquaint herself with playing the guitar.[4][8] The songs were written in northern Idaho.[9]
"Gravel" and "Famous Barmaid" include poetry recitations.[10] Gilkyson's sister, Eliza, provided backing vocals on the album.[11]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [12] |
| Chicago Tribune |  [10] |
| Robert Christgau | B[13] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [1] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | [14] |
| Orlando Sentinel | [15] |
| Ottawa Citizen | [7] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [16] |
The Chicago Reader called the album "a surpassingly melodic manifesto on what can only be called post-postpunk feminism and romanticism."[17] The New York Times thought that, "as in X, Ms. Cervenka's lyrics conjure an American panorama of prosaic hopes and romantic friction."[18] The Globe and Mail wrote that it is the "casual musical eclecticism, along with Exene's ability to toss off lines like 'She believes in a God who's all thumbs,' that make Old Wives' Tales interesting."[19]
Robert Christgau stated: "Always a notebook-toter, she goes for the roots and poetry you'd expect—in other words, folk-rock."[13] Trouser Press determined that "the tasteful and varied mixture of folk, country, recitation and sturdy rock isn’t that great a stylistic leap from the essence of X."[20] The Orlando Sentinel concluded that if Cervenka "didn't have a punk-rock past, her solo debut might win her a place among country-Western New Traditionalists such as Lyle Lovett and K.D. Lang."[15] The Toronto Star opined that, while Cervenka "doggedly wrestles with the empty romance of poverty-stricken America," the album "comes replete with suspect vocals and arrangements."[21]
AllMusic called Old Wives' Tales "a charming, timeless album of mostly quiet, quirky folk music."[12] The Rolling Stone Album Guide deemed the songs "wordy and pretentious."[16]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "She Wanted" | |
| 2. | "Biggest Memory" | |
| 3. | "Here Come the Crucifiers" | |
| 4. | "Cocktail Trees" | |
| 5. | "Famous Barmaid" | |
| 6. | "Leave Heaven Alone" | |
| 7. | "Good Luck" | |
| 8. | "White Trash Wife" | |
| 9. | "He's Got a She" | |
| 10. | "Gravel" | |
| 11. | "Coyote on the Town" |
References
edit- ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 2. MUZE. pp. 272–273.
- ^ "Exene Cervenka Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ "Ex-Punk Star Finds Country Music More to Her Liking". Deseret News. November 10, 1989.
- ^ a b McKenna, Kristine (7 Oct 1989). "Cervenka's New Life as an Old Wife". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 1.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (December 19, 2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Rock Tracks 1981-2008. Hal Leonard Corporation.
- ^ Brodeur, Scott (19 Oct 1989). "Former Punk Offers Tunes with Twang". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. D7.
- ^ a b Erskine, Evelyn (15 Dec 1989). "Punk still lurking in move to poetry in rock". Ottawa Citizen. p. D6.
- ^ Sullivan, Jim (7 Dec 1990). "X Still Marks a Spot in Her Heart". Arts and Film. The Boston Globe. p. 66.
- ^ Righi, Len (14 Oct 1989). "Exene Marks Solo Spot with Album, Tour". The Morning Call. p. A63.
- ^ a b Kot, Greg (5 Oct 1989). "Recordings". Chicago Tribune. p. 15F.
- ^ Brown, Joe (15 Oct 1989). "Singer-Songwriters with Studio'd Grace". The Washington Post. p. G6.
- ^ a b "Old Wives' Tales". AllMusic.
- ^ a b "Exene Cervenka". Robert Christgau.
- ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 1252.
- ^ a b Gettelman, Parry (1 Dec 1989). "Exene Cervenka, Old Wives' Tales". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 20.
- ^ a b The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 120.
- ^ Wyman, Bill (November 2, 1989). "Exene Cervenka". Chicago Reader.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (October 29, 1989). "Half of X Equals Cervenka". The New York Times.
- ^ Dafoe, Chris (23 Nov 1989). "Old Wives Tales Exene Cervenka". The Globe and Mail. p. C12.
- ^ "X". Trouser Press. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- ^ "Exene Cervenka Old Wives' Tales". Toronto Star. 20 Oct 1989. p. D18.