Trouble No More is an album by the American musician Darden Smith, released in 1990.[2][3] It was a commercial disappointment.[4] Smith promoted the album by touring with Marshall Crenshaw.[5]
| Trouble No More | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1990 | |||
| Studio | Mad Dog, Burbank, California; Arlyn, Austin, Texas; De-Mix, London | |||
| Label | Columbia[1] | |||
| Producer | Pete Anderson, Martin Lascelles, Darden Smith | |||
| Darden Smith chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editThe album was produced by Pete Anderson, Martin Lascelles, and Smith.[6] The sessions began in Los Angeles, with Anderson; Columbia Records and Smith decided to do more recording in Austin, with Lascelles.[7] Two of the album's songs were cowritten with Boo Hewerdine, with whom Smith had recorded an album that was released one year prior to Trouble No More.[8][9] "Johnny Was a Lucky One" is about a Vietnam veteran.[10] Preston Hubbard, of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, played bass on "Fall Apart at the Seams" and "Frankie & Sue".[11]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [8] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [12] |
| Houston Chronicle |  [13] |
| Los Angeles Daily News | [10] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | [6] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [14] |
| Windsor Star | B+[15] |
Spin noted that "Smith's melodies ride a fine line between divinely catchy and John Mellencamp rejects."[16] The Chicago Reader called the album "questioning, calm, and likeable," writing that "he has an intimate, cozy way with a melody–the one on the shimmering '2,000 Years', for example, efficiently overwhelms the song's kinda dumb apocalyptic visions."[17] The Vancouver Sun praised the "lush melodies, sweeping acoustic guitar rhythms and richly topical lyrics."[18]
The Windsor Star thought that "this mainly acoustic set features good melodies, Smith's emotional vocals, and some great arrangements."[15] The Edmonton Journal determined that Trouble No More "goes to waste in a flurry of plagiarism... His 'Ashes to Ashes' sounds so like Mellencamp's 'Jack And Diane' it warrants a court order."[19] The Philadelphia Inquirer deemed "Fall Apart at the Seams" the album's best song, writing that Smith has "from his country roots toward a lean pop sound."[20]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music stated that Trouble No More was "possibly" Smith's best album.[12]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Darden Smith; except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Midnight Train" | 3:47 | |
| 2. | "Frankie & Sue" | 3:01 | |
| 3. | "All the King's Horses" | 3:00 | |
| 4. | "2000 Years" | 3:30 | |
| 5. | "Ashes to Ashes" | 3:33 | |
| 6. | "Fall Apart at the Seams" | 3:32 | |
| 7. | "Trouble No More" | 2:54 | |
| 8. | "Long Way Home" | Smith, Boo Hewerdine | 3:32 |
| 9. | "Listen to My Own Voice" | 3:47 | |
| 10. | "Johnny Was a Lucky One" | 2:54 | |
| 11. | "Bottom of a Deep Well" | Smith, Hewerdine | 3:21 |
References
edit- ^ Kot, Greg (21 Mar 1991). "Pop meets folk: Unlikely songwriting partnership opened new doors for Darden Smith". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 8.
- ^ "Darden Smith Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ Kachtick, Keith (October 1, 1996). "Quick-Change Artist". Texas Monthly.
- ^ Spangler, Jerry (December 16, 1990). "2 Albums Are Richly Lyrical, Stunningly Substantial". Deseret News. p. E10.
- ^ "Crenshaw hits a strong chord with new album". Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. 12 July 1991. p. D1.
- ^ a b MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 1037.
- ^ MacCambridge, Michael (20 Sep 1990). "Austin albums among fall releases". Onward. Austin American-Statesman. p. 6.
- ^ a b "Trouble No More". AllMusic.
- ^ Maurstad, Tom (October 23, 1990). "Arts Day". The Dallas Morning News. p. 5C.
- ^ a b Shuster, Fred (November 16, 1990). "Sound Check – Country". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L34.
- ^ Neufield, Matt (March 11, 1991). "Darden Smith's songs of heartache". The Washington Times. p. E3.
- ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7. MUZE. p. 550.
- ^ Racine, Marty (November 11, 1990). "Trouble No More Darden Smith". Zest. Houston Chronicle. p. 8.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 648–649.
- ^ a b Shaw, Ted (3 Nov 1990). "Trouble No More: Darden Smith". Windsor Star. p. C2.
- ^ Gordon, Robert (May 1991). "Spins". Spin. Vol. 7, no. 2. p. 80.
- ^ Wyman, Bill (March 21, 1991). "Calendar". Chicago Reader.
- ^ Potter, Greg (18 July 1991). "Touring with talent". Vancouver Sun. p. F11.
- ^ Campbell, Rod (13 Jan 1991). "Smith a great impostor". Edmonton Journal. p. C4.
- ^ DeLuca, Dan (14 Mar 1991). "Darden Smith at Dobbs". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. D5.