Beautiful Thing (Ben Vaughn album)
Beautiful Thing is an album by the American rock and roll musician Ben Vaughn (credited to the Ben Vaughn Combo), released in 1987.[2][3] The album's final track, "The Apology Line", is covered on Barrence Whitfield's Ow! Ow! Ow![4]
Beautiful Thing | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1987 | |||
Genre | Rock and roll | |||
Label | Restless Records[1] | |||
Producer | Ben Vaughn | |||
Ben Vaughn chronology | ||||
|
Production
The album was produced by Ben Vaughn, who also wrote the songs.[5] Mostly acoustic, the songs were in part inspired by radio disc jockey patter and random conversations overheard by Vaughn.[6][7] The band used bongos, hubcaps, maracas, and accordion on many of the tracks.[8]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chicago Tribune | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Robert Christgau | B[11] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
New Musical Express | 9/10[12] |
The Philadelphia Inquirer | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Richmond Times-Dispatch | B[6] |
Robert Christgau thought that "unlike many comedians, this mild-mannered male chauvinist is funniest when he lets on how clever he is."[11] Trouser Press wrote that "Beautiful Thing has a fresh, easygoing feel, but too much restraint can be dangerous: halfway through the first side, this mild record threatens to slide right off the turntable."[14] The New York Times concluded that "all the three-chord rock of the 1950's and 60's—rockabilly, surf-rock, Cajun, rhythm-and-blues, country—twangs and relaxes together in the Ben Vaughn Combo, as Mr. Vaughn talk-sings his way through droll, understated songs without a hint of rock's latter-day histrionics."[15] The Philadelphia Inquirer deemed the album "a marvelously eclectic collection of rock styles and romantic observations."[13]
The Philadelphia Daily News called the tracks "clever, evocative new songs in a time honored, timeless style," writing that the band "has a slap happy simplicity and ragged enthusiasm that's anachronistic, that seems a throwback to the 1950s rockabilly era of Eddie Cochran and Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper."[16] The Washington Post determined that "sometimes Vaughn sounds like what might have happened if Lou Reed had influenced Bob Dylan rather than the other way around, but he always manages a neat wedding of lyric and melody."[4] The Chicago Tribune stated that "Vaughn brings some uncommon touches to numbers about male-female relationships."[10]
AllMusic wrote that "the tunes on Beautiful Thing never hit harder than they have to or take up more space than necessary, and their modesty only adds to their effectiveness."[9] The State included Beautiful Thing on its list of the ten best albums of 1987.[8]
Track listing
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Jerry Lewis in France" | |
2. | "Clothes Don't Make the Man" | |
3. | "Beautiful Thing" | |
4. | "The North Wind Blew" | |
5. | "Shingaling with Me" | |
6. | "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme" | |
7. | "She's a Real Scream" | |
8. | "Big House with a Yard" | |
9. | "On the Rebound" | |
10. | "A Good Woman is Hard to Find" | |
11. | "Desert Boots" | |
12. | "The Apology Line" |
References
- Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. pp. 406–407.
- "Ben Vaughn Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- Leigh, Keri (November 6, 1987). "Vaughn Combo Shakes Up VZD". The Daily Oklahoman. North. p. 14.
- Joyce, Mike (15 Jan 1988). "Blues and Rock, Barrence and Ben". The Washington Post. p. N17.
- Healy, James (November 1, 1987). "Ben Vaughn Combo, 'Beautiful Thing'". Omaha World-Herald. Entertainment.
- Perry, Claudia (December 27, 1987). "REVERENCE FOR POP". Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. G11.
- Hoekstra, Dave (November 27, 1987). "Ben Vaughn reaches toward his dream". Chicago Sun-Times. Weekend Plus. p. 7.
- Miller, Michael L. (January 1, 1988). "1987 LEFT ROCK 'N' ROLL IN STATUS QUO". The State. p. 8B.
- "Beautiful Thing - Ben Vaughn, Ben Vaughn Combo | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- Popson, Tom (11 Sep 1987). "FROM AMERICA TO YUGOSLAVIA: NEW INDIE LP'S". Chicago Tribune. Friday. p. H.
- "Robert Christgau: CG: Ben Vaughn Combo". www.robertchristgau.com.
- The Legend! (2 January 1988). "Ben Vaughn Combo: Beautiful Thing". New Musical Express. p. 26.
- Tucker, Ken (27 Sep 1987). "THE BEN Vaughn Combo, Beautiful Thing". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. J4.
- "Ben Vaughn Combo". Trouser Press. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- Pareles, Jon (8 Jan 1988). "SOUNDS AROUND TOWN". The New York Times. p. C6.
- Takiff, Jonathan (18 Sep 1987). "BEN DAY". Philadelphia Daily News. FEATURES FRIDAY. p. 53.