The Sound of Music (The dB's album)

The Sound of Music
Studio album by
The dB's
Released1987 (1987)
StudioQuad Penthouse, NYC
GenrePower pop, alternative rock
Length44:46
LabelI.R.S.
ProducerGreg Edward
The dB's chronology
Like This
(1984) 		The Sound of Music
(1987) 		Ride the Wild Tom-Tom
(1993)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Robert ChristgauB[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[3]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[5]
Spin Alternative Record Guide6/10[6]

The Sound of Music is an album by American power pop group The dB's, released in 1987 on I.R.S. Records.[7][8]

The album peaked at No. 171 on the Billboard 200.[8]

All songs were written by Peter Holsapple with the exception of "Feel Alright," which is a cover of a Cargoe song.

Production

The Sound of Music was produced by Greg Edward.[9] Van Dyke Parks and Benmont Tench contributed piano, organ, and synthesizer to the album.[10]

Critical reception

Trouser Press wrote: "The Sound of Music finds the dB’s continuing in the style of Like This, with similarly fine results. The country elements reappear on 'Bonneville' (complete with fiddles and mandolins), 'Never Before and Never Again' (a brilliant [Peter] Holsapple duet with Syd Straw) and 'Looked at the Sun Too Long,' which could easily be mistaken for a Gram Parsons tune."[11] The Washington Post wrote that "without the counterpoint provided by [Chris] Stamey's more adventurous songs, Holsapple's full-bodied but conventional tunes have drifted toward the insipid."[9] The Rolling Stone Album Guide called the album "polished" but "not entirely convincing."[5] The Spin Alternative Record Guide called it "catchy but complacent."[6]

Track listing

  1. "Never Say When"
  2. "Change with the Changing Times"
  3. "I Lie"
  4. "Molly Says"
  5. "Bonneville"
  6. "Any Old Thing"
  7. "Think Too Hard"
  8. "Working for Somebody Else"
  9. "Never Before and Never Again"
  10. "A Better Place"
  11. "Looked at the Sun Too Long"
  12. "Today Could Be the Day"

CD bonus tracks

  2. "Feel Alright"
  3. "Sharon"

Lineup

  • Peter Holsapple - lead vocals, rhythm guitar, mandolin
  • Gene Holder - lead guitar
  • Will Rigby - drums, backing vocals
  • Jeff Beninato - bass, backing vocals

Guest Musicians

  • Benmont Tench - organ, synthesizers
  • Jane Scarpantoni - cello
  • Jeremy Smith - French horn
  • Van Dyke Parks - piano, synthesizers
  • Lisa Germano - violin
  • Syd Straw - co-lead vocals on "Never Before and Never Again"

Technical

  • Greg Edward - producer, mixer
  • Jeff Poe - assistant mixer
  • Dave Wolk - engineer
  • Spike Wolk - engineer
  • Andy Udoff - assistant engineer
  • Stephen Marcussen - mastering

References

  1. ^ The Sound of Music at AllMusic
  2. ^ "CG: The dB's". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2012-03-10.
  3. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 2. MUZE. p. 788.
  4. ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 315.
  5. ^ a b The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 184.
  6. ^ a b Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 103–104.
  7. ^ "The dB's | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  8. ^ a b Thompson, Dave (January 21, 2000). Alternative Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780879306076 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ a b Jenkins, Mark (September 9, 1987). "THE SOUTHERN STANDARDS" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  10. ^ "LISTENING TO THE SOUND OF STARTING OVER AGAIN THE DB'S". mcall.com.
  11. ^ "dB's". Trouser Press. Retrieved 21 January 2021.