Semi Crazy
Semi Crazy | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1996 | |||
Genre | Country, rock and roll | |||
Label | MCG/Curb[1] | |||
Producer | Junior Brown | |||
Junior Brown chronology | ||||
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Semi Crazy is an album by the American musician Junior Brown, released in 1996.[2][3] It contains the crossover hit "Surf Medley", featuring three popular surf rock songs.
The album peaked at No. 32 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart.[4] Brown supported Semi Crazy by touring with the Mavericks.[5] Its first single was "Venom Wearing Denim".[6]
Production
[edit]The album was produced by Brown.[7] "Semi-Crazy" is a duet with Red Simpson.[8] "Hong Kong Blues" was written by Hoagy Carmichael.[9] Brown's intention was to craft a mainstream album; he did not want to be considered a revivalist/traditionalist or an outsider artist.[10]
Critical reception
[edit]Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Austin Chronicle | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Robert Christgau | ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | A−[14] |
The Indianapolis Star | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Orlando Sentinel | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Robert Christgau deemed the album "the essence of Western swing—jazzy picking, lousy singing, and a light heart."[13] Entertainment Weekly wrote: "A virtuoso picker (guitar freaks will appreciate the jaw-dropping pyrotechnics of 'I Hung It Up', and his definitive 'Surf Medley'), Brown’s a casually irreverent humorist to boot."[14] Rolling Stone thought that Brown "straddles the fence between Nashville airplay and Texas grit" on "Gotta Get Up Every Morning" and "Surf Medley".[18] The Orlando Sentinel determined that the album "is chock full of the kind of catchy, clever, instantly memorable songs that used to be a staple of country radio."[17]
Texas Monthly called "Semi-Crazy" "the first decent truckin’ song in more than a decade."[19] The Chicago Reader stated that "while Brown and his band may look like Republican staffers, his witty, jaunty music is anything but conservative."[20] The Los Angeles Times concluded that "by stretching stories of wayward lovers almost beyond believability—as Hank Williams himself often did—Brown magnifies and clarifies the very real emotions underlying them."[16] The Indianapolis Star considered the album to be "a masterpiece" and "a collection of Ernest Tubb-meets-Jimi Hendrix country music."[15]
AllMusic wrote that Brown's "clever lyrics, Ernest Tubb-like voice, and virtuoso guitar playing ... are once again intact and on the mark."[11]
Track listing
[edit]- "Gotta Get Up Every Morning" – 1:58
- "Darlin' I'll Do Anything You Say" – 2:49
- "I Hung It Up" – 3:33
- "I Want to Hear It from You" – 3:11
- "Semi-Crazy" – 3:23
- "Hong Kong Blues" – 3:32
- "Venom Wearing Denim" – 2:38
- "Parole Board" – 3:40
- "Joe the Singing Janitor" – 3:18
- "Surf Medley" – 7:08
Musicians
[edit]- Junior Brown – vocals, guitar, steel guitar
- Tanya Rae Brown – rhythm guitar, harmony vocals
- Steve Lane – bass, harmony vocals
- Tommy Lewis – drums
- Danny Levin – piano on tracks 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9
- Red Simpson – vocals on track 5
Song info
[edit]Track 10 is an instrumental cover medley: "Pipeline" by The Chantays, "Walk Don't Run" by The Ventures, and "Secret Agent Man" by Johnny Rivers.[21] All other songs by Junior Brown except track 4 by F Carter, Jr., track 5 by Brown and R. Avis, track 6 by Hoagy Carmichael.
References
[edit]- ^ "Junior Brown". Trouser Press. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
- ^ "Junior Brown Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ Buja, Ben (July 5, 1996). "Semi Crazy". Washington City Paper.
- ^ "Junior Brown". Billboard.
- ^ MacLaughlin, John P. (11 Sep 1996). "Junior Brown one of a kind". The Province. p. B5.
- ^ Shuster, Fred (31 May 1996). "COUNTRY MUSIC'S NEW TRAILBLAZERS: MAVERICKS, JUNIOR BROWN EXPAND HORIZONS IN NASHVILLE". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L20.
- ^ Verna, Paul (Jun 8, 1996). "Semi Crazy". Billboard. 108 (23): 97.
- ^ Ching, Barbara (July 19, 2001). "Wrong's What I Do Best: Hard Country Music and Contemporary Culture". Oxford University Press – via Google Books.
- ^ Nash, Alanna (Jul 1996). "Semi-Crazy". Stereo Review. 61 (7): 84.
- ^ McLeese, Don (9 May 1996). "Junior Brown: Hip Country". Austin American-Statesman. p. 36.
- ^ a b "Semi-Crazy - Junior Brown | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ "Record Reviews". www.austinchronicle.com.
- ^ a b "Robert Christgau: CG: Junior Brown". www.robertchristgau.com.
- ^ a b "Semi-Crazy". EW.com.
- ^ a b Redmond, Mike (19 May 1996). "Junior Brown 'Semi- Crazy'". The Indianapolis Star. p. I8.
- ^ a b Lewis, Randy (19 May 1996). "JUNIOR BROWN, 'Semi-Crazy'". Los Angeles Times. p. 70.
- ^ a b Gettelman, Parry (18 Oct 1996). "JUNIOR BROWN". Orlando Sentinel. Calendar. p. 6.
- ^ a b Corcoran, Michael (Jun 13, 1996). "Semi-Crazy: Junior Brown". Rolling Stone (736): 86.
- ^ Patoski, Joe Nick (June 1, 1996). "Junior Achievement". Texas Monthly.
- ^ Margasak, Peter (July 4, 1996). "Mavericks/Junior Brown". Chicago Reader.
- ^ Mann, Brent (December 16, 2003). "99 Red Balloons--: And 100 All-time One-hit Wonders". Citadel Press – via Google Books.