Jackson Browne (album)
| Jackson Browne | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Jackson Browne | ||||
| Released | January 1972 | |||
| Recorded | 1971 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 40:55 | |||
| Label | Asylum | |||
| Producer | Jackson Browne, Richard Sanford Orshoff | |||
| Jackson Browne chronology | ||||
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Jackson Browne is the self-titled debut album of singer Jackson Browne released in 1972. It peaked on the Billboard 200 chart at number 53.[1] Two singles were released with "Doctor My Eyes" peaking at number 8 on the Pop Singles chart and "Rock Me on the Water" reaching number 48.[2]
Contents |
[edit] History
Browne had been having minor success as a songwriter but was still unable to obtain his own recording contract. He sent a demo of "Jamaica Say You Will" to David Geffen in early 1970 and Geffen began looking for a record deal for Browne. Geffen ended up founding his own label, Asylum Records, instead and signing Browne.[3]
The album was certified as a Gold record in 1976 and Platinum in 1997 by the RIAA.[4]
[edit] Title confusion
The album is often mistakenly called Saturate Before Using, because the words appear on the album cover, which was designed to look like a water bag that would require saturation in order to cool its contents by evaporation. For this very reason, Asylum Records executives suggested to no avail that the words be removed from the album cover and nearly rejected the cover art outright. However, the initial pressings not only included the text, but the cover carried a burlap-like feel to further the water bag theme.
The confusion over the title returned when the album was converted to CD format, when the words appeared on the spine of the jewel case as the album title.[5]
[edit] Reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |  [6] |
| Robert Christgau | B[7] |
| Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [8] |
Jackson Browne received mostly highly favorable reviews. In his review for Allmusic William Ruhlmann praised the album as "An auspicious debut that doesn't sound like a debut." and "the album has long since come to seem a timeless collection of reflective ballads touching on still-difficult subjects... and all with an amazingly eloquent sense of language. Jackson Browne's greater triumph is that, having perfectly expressed its times, it transcended them as well."[6] Rolling Stone rated the album 6 of 10 stars and stated "Browne's debut lays the groundwork for future heart-and-soul excavations. "Doctor My Eyes," an early hit single, communicates the subdued, subtle power of his half-spoken melodies, while "Rock Me on the Water" and "Song for Adam" foreshadow the free-ranging contemplation to come."[8] The original 1972 review in Rolling Stone stated "Jackson Browne's sensibility is romantic in the best sense of the term: his songs are capable of generating a highly charged, compelling atmosphere throughout, and - just as important - of sustaining that pitch in the listener's mind long after they've ended."[9] Music critic Robert Christgau gave the album a B grade, but was ambivalent about the whole album, writing, "The voice is pleasant, present, and unpretentious, and when I listen assiduously I perceive lyrics crafted with as much intelligence and human decency as any reasonable person could expect. Unfortunately, only critical responsibility induces me to listen assiduously. It's not just the blandness of the music, but of the ideas as well, each reinforcing the other."[7]
[edit] Track listing
All songs by Jackson Browne
- "Jamaica Say You Will" – 3:23
- "A Child in These Hills" – 3:57
- "Song for Adam" – 5:22
- "Doctor My Eyes" – 3:11
- "From Silver Lake" – 3:49
- "Something Fine" – 3:47
- "Under the Falling Sky" – 4:08
- "Looking into You" – 4:20
- "Rock Me on the Water" – 4:13
- "My Opening Farewell" – 4:45
[edit] Personnel
- Jackson Browne – acoustic guitar, guitar, piano, keyboard, vocals
- David Campbell – viola
- David Crosby – vocals, harmony vocals
- Jesse Ed Davis – guitar, electric guitar
- Craig Doerge – piano, keyboard
- Jimmie Fadden – harmonica
- Jim Gordon – organ
- David Jackson – piano
- Sneaky Pete Kleinow – pedal steel
- Leah Kunkel – vocals
- Russ Kunkel – drums
- Albert Lee – guitar, electric guitar, electric piano
- Leland Sklar – bass
- Clarence White – acoustic guitar
Production notes:
- Jackson Browne – producer
- Richard Sanford Orshoff – producer, engineer
- Greg Ladanyi – mastering
- Gary Burden – art direction
- Henry Diltz – photography
[edit] Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)[1]
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Pop Albums | 53 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)[2]
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | "Doctor My Eyes" | Pop Singles | 8 |
| 1972 | "Rock Me On The Water" | Pop Singles | 48 |
[edit] References
- ^ a b Jackson Browne - Jackson Browne > Charts & Awards > Billboard Album at Allmusic. Retrieved 21 October 2004.
- ^ a b Jackson Browne - Jackson Browne > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles at Allmusic. Retrieved 21 October 2004.
- ^ Ruhlmann, William. Jamaica Say You Will - Jackson Browne > Song Review at Allmusic. Retrieved June 6, 2010.
- ^ RIAA Gold and Platinum award. Retrieved July 20, 2010
- ^ Saturate before reading | American Printer | March 2006
- ^ a b Ruhlmann, William. Jackson Browne (album) at Allmusic. Retrieved 22 November 2004.
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert. "Jackson Browne > Consumer Guide Reviews". Robert Christgau. http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=jackson+browne. Retrieved 4 March 2006.
- ^ a b Brackett, Nathan with Hoard, Christian, eds. (2004). "Jackson Browne". The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. London: Fireside. pp. 112–113. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. Abridged in "Jackson Browne > Album Guide". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/jackson-browne/albumguide. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
- ^ Scoppa, Bud (March 2, 1972). "Jackson Browne Jackson Browne > Album Review". Rolling Stone (103). http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/jackson-browne-19720302. Retrieved 8 June 2010.
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