Phantom Center

Phantom Center
Phantom Center
Studio album by Ferron
Released	1990, 1995
Studio	Eldorado Recording Studios, Los Angeles; Knob World Studios, Los Angeles; Purple Dragon Studios, Atlanta; Summa Music Group, Los Angeles
Genre	Folk rock
Length	49:53
Label	Chameleon Records, EarthBeat! Records
Producer	Joe Chiccarelli, Ferron
Ferron chronology

Phantom Center is a 1990 studio album by the Canadian female singer-songwriter Ferron.

Background and release

It was Ferron's first album in six years.^[1] It was later re-packaged and re-released by Warner Bros. Music in 1995.^[2]

Critical reception

Robert Christgau rated this album "neither", meaning "may impress once or twice with consistent craft or an arresting track or two. Then it won't".^[3]

Stephen Holden in the New York Times called the album 'captivating', noting "its quirky, archetypal imagery, and diction that swings between the conversational and the oracular".^[4] Steven Hochman of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the album "made modern self-analysis seem easy, and even fun."^[1]

Track listing

All songs written by Ferron.

"Stand Up (Love in the Corners)"
"The Cart"
"Harmless Love"
"Indian Dreams"
"Sunken City"
"White Wing Mercy"
"Heart of Destruction"
"Inside Track" (also known as "My My (Inside Track)")
"Phantom Center"
"Higher Wisdom"

Personnel

Adapted from liner notes

Musicians

Ferron - lead vocals, acoustic guitar
Denny Fongheiser - drums, percussion
Tim Landers - bass
Eric Williams - acoustic and electric guitar, ukulele, mandolin, melodica and E-Bow
Jim Lang - keyboards
Steve Reid - percussion
Larry Tuttle - Chapman Stick (2, 9)
Novi Novog - viola (2, 4, 6, 9)
Barbara Higbie - violin (4, 6)
Tori Amos - backing vocals
Nanci Shanks - backing vocals
Lauren Wood - backing vocals

Musicians (track 1, 1995 recording)

Ferron - lead vocals, acoustic guitar
Amy Ray (Indigo Girls) - backing vocals, acoustic guitar
Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls) - backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitars
Sara Lee - bass
Jerry Marotta - drums, percussion

Others

Joe Chiccarelli - producer
Ferron - producer (track 1 only)
Susan Becker - assistant engineer
Linda Cobb - art direction, design
John Ewing, jr - assistant engineer, mixing assistant
Chris Furman - engineering
Brian Gardner - mastering
Tim Harrigan - engineer
Dan Marnien - engineering, mixing, remixing
Raymond Meeks - photography
David Skernick - photography
Heidi Wills - hair stylist, make-up

References

^ ^a ^b Hochman, Steve (1990-11-03). "POP MUSIC REVIEW : Ferron Turns Self-Analysis Into Fun". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
^ Walters, Barry. "Ferron entrances with her lyrics". SFGATE. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
^ Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Ferron". Robert Christgau, Dean of American rock critics. Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
^ Holden, Stephen (2 November 1990). "After Six Years of Silence, Ferron Expresses Herself". New York Times. No. November 2, 1990, Section C, Page 8. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2 January 2024.

[:0-1] Hochman, Steve (1990-11-03). "POP MUSIC REVIEW : Ferron Turns Self-Analysis Into Fun". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-01-16.

[2] Walters, Barry. "Ferron entrances with her lyrics". SFGATE. Retrieved 2024-01-16.

[RC-PhantomCenter-3] Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Ferron". Robert Christgau, Dean of American rock critics. Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2 January 2024.

[NYT-PhantomCenter-4] Holden, Stephen (2 November 1990). "After Six Years of Silence, Ferron Expresses Herself". New York Times. No. November 2, 1990, Section C, Page 8. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2 January 2024.

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