Old Enough (album)
Old Enough is an album by the American musician Lou Ann Barton, released in 1982.[1][2] It was a commercial disappointment that resulted in personal and music business problems for Barton.[3][4] The album was reissued in 1993 and in 2007.[5][6]
| Old Enough | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1982 | |||
| Studio | Muscle Shoals Sound Studio | |||
| Genre | Blues, pop, blues rock, R&B | |||
| Label | Asylum | |||
| Producer | Glenn Frey, Jerry Wexler | |||
| Lou Ann Barton chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production edit
The album was produced by Glenn Frey and Jerry Wexler.[7] It was Frey's first time producing another musician's work.[8] Old Enough was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, where Barton was backed by the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section.[9][10] Jimmie Vaughan played guitar on the album.[11] "It's Raining" was written by Allen Toussaint.[12] "Finger Poppin' Time" is a cover of the Hank Ballard song; "Brand New Lover" is a cover of the Marshall Crenshaw song.[6][7] "The Sudden Stop" is a cover of the song made famous by Percy Sledge.[13]
Critical reception edit
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [9] |
| Robert Christgau | C+[14] |
| MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide | [15] |
| Rolling Stone | [16] |
The New York Times called the album "the freshest, most emotionally compelling pop debut in the last year," stating that "it's difficult to make gritty, soulful albums these days; transistorized recording equipment and advanced computer technology get in the way... But Mr. Wexler and Mr. Frey have been able to get a band sound out of their Muscle Shoals musicians that's full, rich and centered, a sound with a bluesy edge."[8] The Globe and Mail noted the "pure rhythm and blues."[10] The Washington Post wrote that "Barton's style has a smoky nasality appropriate for a blues vocalist, but there's a gutsy quality often lacking in female blues covers."[12] Robert Christgau panned Barton's "tractability," opining that she adopted different personas for her producers.[14]
AllMusic deemed the album "a solid piece of soulful Texas-style blues-rock."[9]
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I'm Old Enough" | |
| 2. | "Brand New Lover" | |
| 3. | "It's Raining" | |
| 4. | "It Ain't Right" | |
| 5. | "Finger Poppin' Time" | |
| 6. | "Stop These Teardrops" | |
| 7. | "The Sudden Stop" | |
| 8. | "The Doodle Song" | |
| 9. | "Maybe" | |
| 10. | "Every Day of the Week" |
References edit
- ^ Racine, Marty (23 Nov 1986). "Records". Zest. Houston Chronicle. p. 11.
- ^ Hoekstra, Dave (7 Aug 1987). "Steppin' Out". Weekend Plus. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 7.
- ^ Derwae, Robert (23 June 1989). "It's been seven years since Texas singer...". The Plain Dealer.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 37.
- ^ McLeese, Don (5 Jan 1993). "Alone Star label fades to 'temporarily retired' status". Austin American-Statesman. p. C5.
- ^ a b Moser, Margaret (July 27, 2007). "Lou Ann Barton Old Enough". The Austin Chronicle.
- ^ a b McLeese, Don (16 Mar 1993). "Melodious Views". Austin American-Statesman. p. F5.
- ^ a b Palmer, Robert (17 Feb 1982). "The Pop Life: A New Singer Beats the Odds, and All Win". The New York Times. p. C17.
- ^ a b c "Old Enough Review by Stewart Mason". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
- ^ a b Niester, Alan (27 Mar 1982). "Old Enough Lou Ann Barton". The Globe and Mail. p. F6.
- ^ "Lou Ann Barton Biography by Richard Skelly". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
- ^ a b Browning, Boo (March 5, 1982). "Lou Ann Barton's 'Old Enough'". The Washington Post.
- ^ Toombs, Mikel (20 May 1993). "Short Takes". Entertainment. The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. 27.
- ^ a b "Lou Ann Barton". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
- ^ MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 19.
- ^ Kiely, John (6 Apr 1993). "While the album rated four stars in Rolling Stone...". The Kitchener-Waterloo Record. p. C6.