Old Enough (album)
Old Enough is an album by the American musician Lou Ann Barton, released in 1982.[1][2] It was a commercial disappointment, and Barton experienced personal and music business problems.[3][4] The album was reissued in 1993 and in 2007.[5][6]
Old Enough | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1982 | |||
Studio | Muscle Shoals Sound Studio | |||
Genre | Blues, pop, blues rock, R&B | |||
Label | Asylum | |||
Producer | Glenn Frey, Jerry Wexler | |||
Lou Ann Barton chronology | ||||
|
Production
The album was produced by Glenn Frey and Jerry Wexler.[7] It was Frey's first time producing another musician's work.[8] Old Enough was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, where Barton was backed by the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section.[9][10] Jimmie Vaughan played guitar on the album.[11] "It's Raining" was written by Allen Toussaint.[12] "Finger Poppin' Time" is a cover of the Hank Ballard song; "Brand New Lover" is a cover of the Marshall Crenshaw song.[6][7] "The Sudden Stop" is a cover of the song made famous by Percy Sledge.[13]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Robert Christgau | C+[14] |
MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The New York Times called the album "the freshest, most emotionally compelling pop debut in the last year," stating that "it's difficult to make gritty, soulful albums these days; transistorized recording equipment and advanced computer technology get in the way... But Mr. Wexler and Mr. Frey have been able to get a band sound out of their Muscle Shoals musicians that's full, rich and centered, a sound with a bluesy edge."[8] The Globe and Mail noted the "pure rhythm and blues."[10] The Washington Post wrote that "Barton's style has a smoky nasality appropriate for a blues vocalist, but there's a gutsy quality often lacking in female blues covers."[12] Robert Christgau panned Barton's "tractability," opining that she adopted different personas for her producers.[14]
AllMusic deemed the album "a solid piece of soulful Texas-style blues-rock."[9]
Track listing
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "I'm Old Enough" | |
2. | "Brand New Lover" | |
3. | "It's Raining" | |
4. | "It Ain't Right" | |
5. | "Finger Poppin' Time" | |
6. | "Stop These Teardrops" | |
7. | "The Sudden Stop" | |
8. | "The Doodle Song" | |
9. | "Maybe" | |
10. | "Every Day of the Week" |
References
- Racine, Marty (23 Nov 1986). "Records". Zest. Houston Chronicle. p. 11.
- Hoekstra, Dave (7 Aug 1987). "Steppin' Out". Weekend Plus. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 7.
- Derwae, Robert (23 June 1989). "It's been seven years since Texas singer...". The Plain Dealer.
- The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 37.
- McLeese, Don (5 Jan 1993). "Alone Star label fades to 'temporarily retired' status". Austin American-Statesman. p. C5.
- Moser, Margaret (July 27, 2007). "Lou Ann Barton Old Enough". The Austin Chronicle.
- McLeese, Don (16 Mar 1993). "Melodious Views". Austin American-Statesman. p. F5.
- Palmer, Robert (17 Feb 1982). "The Pop Life: A New Singer Beats the Odds, and All Win". The New York Times. p. C17.
- "Old Enough Review by Stewart Mason". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
- Niester, Alan (27 Mar 1982). "Old Enough Lou Ann Barton". The Globe and Mail. p. F6.
- "Lou Ann Barton Biography by Richard Skelly". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
- Browning, Boo (March 5, 1982). "Lou Ann Barton's 'Old Enough'". The Washington Post.
- Toombs, Mikel (20 May 1993). "Short Takes". Entertainment. The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. 27.
- "Lou Ann Barton". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
- MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 19.
- Kiely, John (6 Apr 1993). "While the album rated four stars in Rolling Stone...". The Kitchener-Waterloo Record. p. C6.