Spacey and Shakin

Spacey and Shakin
Studio album by
Pete Droge
Released1998
Label57 Records/Epic
ProducerBrendan O'Brien
Pete Droge chronology
Find a Door
(1996) 		Spacey and Shakin
(1998) 		The Thorns
(2003)

Spacey and Shakin is an album by the American musician Pete Droge, released in 1998.[1][2] Droge supported the album with a North American tour that included shows opening for Edwin McCain.[3][4] He was backed by his band, the Millionaires.[5] Droge also participated in a "songwriters" tour, with John Doe, Steve Poltz, and Glen Phillips, nicknamed "Frasier Fair" in reference to Lilith Fair.[6][7]

Production

The album was produced by Brendan O'Brien; Droge briefly considered handling the production.[8][9] Droge divided the album into sides.[10] He added a Wurlitzer electronic piano to his heavier band sound, which was inspired by his reworking of songs on the Find a Door tour.[11][9] "I Want to Go Away" is about a resident of a psychiatric hospital.[12] "Motorkid" describes a trek to Neptune.[13]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
The Atlanta ConstitutionB+[15]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[16]
The Indianapolis Star[12]
MusicHound Folk: The Essential Album Guide[17]
The Province[18]
St. Paul Pioneer Press[19]

The Oregonian wrote: "More aggressive and much, much louder than his first two albums, the new work finds him moving boldly into the sonic territory of hard rock and psychedelia and the land of lyric abstraction, even as he drives it all home with his usual knack for great pop hooks."[20] No Depression called the album "very much a Big Rock record with huge guitars, huger drums and vocals flanged to infinity."[21] The Atlanta Constitution noted that "O'Brien adds a crunchy ruggedness to his catchy sound, anchoring Droge's more ethereal conceits in classic three-chord gravel."[15] Stereo Review opined that Spacey and Shakin "may be his best faux Petty yet; stylistically, it's certainly the most varied."[22]

Entertainment Weekly determined that, "although [Droge] doesn't define a unique sound, his stylistic searching makes for some pleasing music."[16] The St. Paul Pioneer Press concluded that, "writing and singing in a style that crosses John Hiatt with Tom Petty, he's stuck in midgear for nine of these 11 songs."[19] The Boston Globe stated that, "from the cyclonic guitars that swirl through the psychedelic title track to the Mott the Hoople-style shuffle of 'Motorkid', Droge crafts intriguing, exhilarating songs from a slightly warped perspective."[23]

AllMusic deemed the album "a confident, well-crafted collection of rootsy, rocking songs that have strong hints of folk, adult alternative pop, and alt-country."[14]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Spacy and Shakin" 
2."Please the Ghost" 
3."Eyes on the Ceiling" 
4."Motorkid" 
5."Song Four" 
6."Mile of Fence" 
7."I Want to Go Away" 
8."Blink of a Kiss" 
9."Evan's Radio" 
10."Walking by My Side" 
11."Blindly" 

References

  1. ^ Stout, Gene (3 Apr 1998). "Droge Goes for Loud, Soaring Sound on New "Spacey and Shakin' Rock Beat". What's Happening. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. 8.
  2. ^ "Pete Droge Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  3. ^ Carmen, John (May 11, 1998). "Pete Droge". Variety.
  4. ^ Findlay, Prentiss (4 June 1998). "McCain finds he's more successful as a balladeer". The Post and Courier. p. D28.
  5. ^ Morse, Steve (18 Sep 1998). "Pete Droge steps out on his own". The Boston Globe. p. D16.
  6. ^ "Local venues scare up treats for Halloween". Star Tribune. 30 Oct 1998. p. 3E.
  7. ^ Williams, Kevin M. (3 Nov 1998). "Frasier Fair at the Park West". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 2:32.
  8. ^ "Scans: Madonna, Hole, The Verve, Pete Droge, Goldie, David Bowie..." MTV News. February 10, 1998. Archived from the original on October 26, 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  9. ^ a b Roos, John (1 July 1998). "His Climes They Are A-Changin'". Los Angeles Times. p. F2.
  10. ^ Bertin, Michael (May 1, 1998). "Record Reviews". The Austin Chronicle.
  11. ^ Blank, Christopher (17 Apr 1998). "Pete Droge: Spacey and Shakin". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 18.
  12. ^ a b Konz, Joe (19 Apr 1998). "Pete Droge". The Indianapolis Star. p. I10.
  13. ^ Knopper, Steve (26 Apr 1998). "Recordings". Arts & Entertainment. Chicago Tribune. p. 12.
  14. ^ a b "Spacey and Shakin Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  15. ^ a b Drennen, Eileen M. (16 Apr 1998). "'Spacey and Shakin' Pete Droge". The Atlanta Constitution. p. D6.
  16. ^ a b Sheridan, Tim (Apr 17, 1998). "Spacey and Shakin". Entertainment Weekly. No. 427. p. 73.
  17. ^ MusicHound Folk: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 235.
  18. ^ Harrison, Tom (13 Oct 1998). "Pop/Rock". The Province. p. B3.
  19. ^ a b Shefchik, Rick (8 May 1998). "Sound Check". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Los Angeles Daily News. p. L22.
  20. ^ Hughley, Marty (10 Apr 1998). "Pete Droge Shakes Things Up". Arts and Entertainment. The Oregonian. p. 48.
  21. ^ "Pete Droge – Spacey and Shakin". No Depression. May 1, 1998.
  22. ^ Simels, Steve (Aug 1998). "Spacey and Shakin". Stereo Review. Vol. 63, no. 8. pp. 80, 81.
  23. ^ Gerard, David (14 May 1998). "Pete Droge Spacey and Shakin". Calendar. The Boston Globe. p. 9.