Closer to You is the 11th studio album by J. J. Cale, released in 1994. It was published under the independent French label Delabel and distributed by Virgin Records.
Closer to You is best remembered for the change in sound from Cale’s previous albums due to the prominence of synthesizers, with Cale employing the instrument on five of the twelve songs. Although the use of synthesizers may have seemed like a left turn for hardcore fans used to his laidback, rootsy sound, it was not new; Cale had used synthesizers on his 1976 Troubadour album. In an interview with Vintage Guitar in 2004, Cale acknowledged the dismay some fans felt, recalling:
…me playing with the synthesizer, everybody hated. [Then producer/manager] Audie Ashworth did the first eight albums, and those were kind of semi-popular, for an obscure songwriter like me. Then I started doing these albums in California with all synthesizers and me being the engineer. I liked those, but the folks wanted a little warmer kind of thing.[2]
On Closer to You Cale used two bass players (electric and acoustic), three percussionists (including Jim Keltner), three guitarists (including Cale), two keyboardists (Spooner Oldham and Bill Payne), and three horn players. The horns are used on the closing track “Steve’s Song,” which AllMusic describes as a “hypnotically groovy instrumental.” The same review also complements the electronic treatment of Cale’s vocals on the title track, a technique that surprisingly makes him sound as down-to-earth as ever.” In truth, the majority of the songs boast the sound that Cale is so well-known for. The lusty “Slower Baby” and the breezy “Sho-Biz Blues” are characteristic Cale tracks, with the latter documenting the bleak realities of a musician’s life. (“The bus breaks down and the motel’s bad, you’re always in a stew…”) The foreboding “Borrowed Time” and “Brown Dirt” are meditations on mortality, the latter from the perspective of a Mississippi cotton picker who observes, “Brown dirt, somebody told me, be the last place you lay.” The gentle love song “Rose in the Garden” appeals for affection while the more direct “Like You Used To” asks a lover to “Tell me that you really love me, even if it ain't true.” The album also includes one live track, “Hard Love.”
Receptionedit
AllMusic: “With the dazzling Closer to You, J.J. Cale finds ever-newer surprises in his own remarkable corner of the musical world.”
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Closer to You is the 11th studio album by J J Cale released in 1994 It was published under the independent French label Delabel and distributed by Virgin Records Closer to YouStudio album by J J CaleReleasedAugust 23 1994 1 StudioCapitol Studios Hollywood California USAGenreBlues Americana Tulsa SoundLength43 55LabelDelabel VirginProducerJJ CaleJ J Cale chronologyNumber 10 1992 Closer to You 1994 Guitar Man 1996 Contents 1 Recording 2 Reception 3 Track listing 4 References 5 External linksRecording editCloser to You is best remembered for the change in sound from Cale s previous albums due to the prominence of synthesizers with Cale employing the instrument on five of the twelve songs Although the use of synthesizers may have seemed like a left turn for hardcore fans used to his laidback rootsy sound it was not new Cale had used synthesizers on his 1976 Troubadour album In an interview with Vintage Guitar in 2004 Cale acknowledged the dismay some fans felt recalling me playing with the synthesizer everybody hated Then producer manager Audie Ashworth did the first eight albums and those were kind of semi popular for an obscure songwriter like me Then I started doing these albums in California with all synthesizers and me being the engineer I liked those but the folks wanted a little warmer kind of thing 2 On Closer to You Cale used two bass players electric and acoustic three percussionists including Jim Keltner three guitarists including Cale two keyboardists Spooner Oldham and Bill Payne and three horn players The horns are used on the closing track Steve s Song which AllMusic describes as a hypnotically groovy instrumental The same review also complements the electronic treatment of Cale s vocals on the title track a technique that surprisingly makes him sound as down to earth as ever In truth the majority of the songs boast the sound that Cale is so well known for The lusty Slower Baby and the breezy Sho Biz Blues are characteristic Cale tracks with the latter documenting the bleak realities of a musician s life The bus breaks down and the motel s bad you re always in a stew The foreboding Borrowed Time and Brown Dirt are meditations on mortality the latter from the perspective of a Mississippi cotton picker who observes Brown dirt somebody told me be the last place you lay The gentle love song Rose in the Garden appeals for affection while the more direct Like You Used To asks a lover to Tell me that you really love me even if it ain t true The album also includes one live track Hard Love Reception editAllMusic With the dazzling Closer to You J J Cale finds ever newer surprises in his own remarkable corner of the musical world Track listing editAll songs written by J J Cale Long Way Home 2 50 Backing Vocals Christine Lakeland Leslie Taylor Bass Tim Drummond Drums James Cruce Drums Percussion Jim Karstein Guitar Don Preston Piano Organ Bill Payne 2 Sho Biz Blues 3 39 Bass Tim Drummond Drums James Cruce Drums Percussion Jim Karstein Guitar Don Preston 2 Piano Organ Bill Payne 3 Slower Baby 5 00 Drums Percussion Jim Karstein Synthesizer J J Cale 4 Devil s Nurse 3 45 Synthesizer J J Cale 5 Like You Used To 3 02 Bass Tim Drummond Drums James Cruce Drums Percussion Jim Karstein Guitar Don Preston 2 Piano Organ Bill Payne 6 Borrowed Time 4 13 Bass Tim Drummond Drums James Cruce Drums Percussion Jim Karstein Guitar Don Preston 2 Organ Spooner Oldham Piano Organ Bill Payne 7 Rose in the Garden 3 00 Backing Vocals Christine Lakeland Bass Tim Drummond Cello Nancy Stein Drums James Cruce Drums Percussion Jim Karstein Guitar Don Preston 2 Piano Organ Bill Payne Viola Marcy Dicterow Vaj Violin Sid Page 8 Brown Dirt 3 26 Synthesizer J J Cale 9 Hard Love 4 18 Synthesizer J J Cale 10 Ain t Love Funny 2 43 Accordion Garth Hudson Bass Tim Drummond Drums Jim Keltner Jim Karstein Guitar Backing Vocals Christine Lakeland Violin Doug Atwell 11 Closer to You 2 46 Synthesizer J J Cale 12 Steve s Song 4 02 Acoustic Bass Larry Taylor Bass Tim Drummond Drums James Cruce Jim Keltner Drums Percussion Jim Karstein Guitar Christine Lakeland Don Preston 2 Organ Spooner Oldham Piano Organ Bill Payne Saxophone Lee Allen Trombone George Bohanon Trumpet Steve MadaioReferences edit J J Cale Closer to You Allmusic Forte Dan 2004 J J Cale Clapton Mentor Ear Of Newt Retrieved June 26 2019 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Check url value help permanent dead link External links editJ J Cale Closer To You at Discogs list of releases nbsp This 1990s rock album related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Closer to You J J Cale album amp oldid 1185982374, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
