You and Your Sister is the debut album by the American band the Vulgar Boatmen, released in 1989.[2] The Vulgar Boatmen, at the time of the album, constituted two bands: one based in Florida and one based in Indiana. The band supported the album with a North American tour.[3] "Drive Somewhere" was released as a single.[4]
| You and Your Sister | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1989 | |||
| Length | 46:18 | |||
| Label | Record Collect[1] | |||
| Producer | Walter Salas-Humara, Robert Ray | |||
| The Vulgar Boatmen chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editThe album's songs were written by Dale Lawrence and Robert Ray.[5][6] Ray, based in Florida, and Lawrence, based in Indiana, sent songs through the mail.[7] Aside from a few tracks recorded in Indiana, the majority of the album was made at Ray's Gainesville, Florida, home studio.[8] You and Your Sister was coproduced by Ray and Walter Salas-Humara.[9]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [10] |
| Chicago Tribune | [11] |
| Robert Christgau | B+[12] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |  [1] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | [13] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [14] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 9/10[15] |
| The Tampa Tribune | [16] |
Robert Christgau wrote: "These guys make much more than you expect out of what first sounds like almost nothing--just tuneful enough to warrant play two, their mild jangle gains sweetness and kick as your faith increases."[12] The Chicago Tribune thought that "all of it—even the rhythmically powerful songs—is somehow quiet; it`s the dreamy, heart-tugging stuff that drifts in from another room late at night."[11] Greil Marcus, in The Village Voice, called the songs "very '50s in their casualness, present-day in their insistence on doubt."[17] The Boston Globe said that "the band creates its own, often lethargic sound that, after a half-dozen listens, makes perfect sense."[18]
AllMusic wrote that "a dozen near-perfect roots pop tunes ... address simple concerns, like driving and changing the world all around, to a steady four-four beat that just about accomplishes that latter feat with only the occasional syncopated accent."[10] The New Yorker thought that "the sound in general was what you’d call 'organic'—you could basically hear the guitars being strummed, the drums occasionally snapped, the almost-resigned naturalness of the lead singer’s voice, the plaintiveness of the melodies."[19]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mary Jane" | 3:53 |
| 2. | "You and Your Sister" | 4:06 |
| 3. | "Margaret Says" | 4:40 |
| 4. | "Katie" | 2:55 |
| 5. | "Drive Somewhere" | 6:00 |
| 6. | "Decision by the Airport" | 4:04 |
| 7. | "Change the World All Around" | 4:10 |
| 8. | "Fallen Down" | 3:36 |
| 9. | "Hold Me Tight" | 3:38 |
| 10. | "Cry Real Tears" | 2:14 |
| 11. | "Drink More Coffee" | 2:58 |
| 12. | "The Street Where You Live" | 4:04 |
References
edit- ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 460.
- ^ "The Vulgar Boatmen | Biography & History". AllMusic.
- ^ Warren, Jill (14 Sep 1989). "Vulgar Boatmen ready for release of its first record". The Indianapolis Star. p. D9.
- ^ Bangert, Dave (12 Dec 1991). "Same boat, different sea". Journal & Courier. p. D1.
- ^ "Essential New Music: The Vulgar Boatmen's "You And Your Sister"". Magnet. January 23, 2016.
- ^ "Vulgar Boatmen". Perfect Sound Forever.
- ^ "Vulgar Boatmen". Trouser Press. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ "The Strange Saga of the Vulgar Boatmen, the Two-Headed Band". Observer. November 27, 2015.
- ^ McLeod, Michael. "Two Live Crews". Orlando Sentinel.
- ^ a b "You and Your Sister - The Vulgar Boatmen | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ a b Wyman, Bill. "The Vulgar Boatmen You and Your Sister". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ a b "Robert Christgau: CG: The Vulgar Boatmen". www.robertchristgau.com.
- ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 1015.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 742.
- ^ Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 355–356.
- ^ Perez, Steve (2 Mar 1990). "Record Reviews". The Tampa Bay Times. The Tampa Tribune. p. 30.
- ^ Marcus, Greil (October 20, 2015). Real Life Rock: The Complete Top Ten Columns, 1986-2014. Yale University Press – via Google Books.
- ^ Boehlert, Eric (9 Nov 1989). "Vulgar Boatmen You and Your Sister". Calendar. The Boston Globe. p. 8.
- ^ "An Obsessive Listen to a Twenty-Five-Year-Old Album". The New Yorker. February 4, 2016.