For Better, or Worse
For Better, or Worse | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 30, 2016 | |||
Recorded | January–February 2016 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Label | Oh Boy | |||
John Prine chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Associated Press | (favourable)[2] |
Robert Christgau | ![]() |
Exclaim! | 9/10[4] |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NPR | (favourable)[6] |
For Better, or Worse is the seventeenth studio album by John Prine. It consists of tracks in which Prine teams with an all-star array of female singers to tackle carefully chosen vintage country tunes in duets. The album was also released in vinyl format that also included a mp3 download pass for the album. It is his first studio album release in 9 years since 2007's Standard Songs for Average People.
Background
The album is the second compilation album featuring duets with Prine. The first Prine's compilation of duets was in 1999 when he recorded the similarly styled In Spite of Ourselves.[7][8][9]
The 15 tracks contain 14 duets with 11 female artists (with Iris DeMent, Lee Ann Womack and Kathy Mattea recording two duets and Alison Krauss, Susan Tedeschi, Holly Williams, Morgane Stapleton, Amanda Shires, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves and Prine's wife Fiona Prine recording one duet each). The last track is a solo recording, "Just Waitin'", by Prine.
Two of the artists, Iris DeMent and Fiona Prine had been featured in the 1999 album as well.
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number 2 on the US Billboard Country Albums chart and number 30 on the Billboard 200. It also reached number 7 on the US Independent Albums chart and number 5 on the US Folk Albums chart. The album has sold 43,700 copies in the US as of March 2017.[10]
Track listing
Personnel
- Kenneth Blevins – drums
- Shad Cobb – fiddle
- Iris DeMent – vocals on tracks 1 and 13
- Lloyd Green – pedal steel guitar
- Mark Howard – acoustic guitar, mandolin
- Dave Jacques – upright bass
- Kirk "Jelly Roll" Johnson – harmonica
- Alison Krauss – vocals on track 3
- Miranda Lambert – vocals on track 10
- Kathy Mattea – vocals on tracks 6 and 11
- Pat McLaughlin – mandolin
- Kacey Musgraves - vocals on track 12
- Tim O'Brien – fiddle, mandolin
- Al Perkins – pedal steel guitar, resonator guitar
- Fiona Prine – vocals on track 14
- John Prine – mlead vocals, acoustic guitar
- Amanda Shires – vocals on track 8
- Morgane Stapleton – vocals on track 7
- Susan Tedeschi – electric guitar, vocals on track 4
- Pete Wasner – piano, Wurlitzer piano
- Jason Wilber – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
- Holly Williams – vocals on track 5
- Lee Ann Womack – vocals on tracks 2 and 9
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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References
- ^ Deming, Mark. "John Prine: For Better, Or Worse". AllMusic.
- ^ Wine, Steven (September 29, 2016). "Music Review: John Prine performs covers on duets album". Associated Press.
- ^ Christgau, Robert. "For Better, or Worse > Review". Robert Christgau. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
- ^ Mullin, Kyle (September 30, 2016). "John Prine For Better, Or Worse". Exclaim!.
- ^ Spencer, Neil (October 2, 2016). "John Prine: For Better, Or Worse review – marriage duets, country-style". The Guardian.
- ^ Allen, Jim (September 22, 2016). "Review: John Prine, 'For Better, Or Worse'". NPR.
- ^ Richard Turner in The Wall Street Journal: John Prine Sings Duets in New Album, ‘For Better, or Worse’
- ^ Jim Allen review on npr.com: John Prine - 'For Better, Or Worse'
- ^ Neil Spencer in The Guardian: John Prine: For Better, Or Worse review – marriage duets, country-style
- ^ Bjorke, Matt (March 5, 2017). "Top 10 Country Albums Sales Chart: March 6, 2017". Roughstock.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – John Prine – For Better, or Worse" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – John Prine – For Better, or Worse" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
- ^ "John Prine Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
- ^ "John Prine Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard.
- ^ "John Prine Chart History (Top Americana/Folk Albums)". Billboard.
- ^ "John Prine Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard.
- ^ "John Prine Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard.
- ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2020.