Places I Have Never Been
Places I Have Never Been is an album by the American musician Willie Nile, released in 1991.[2][3] It was Nile's first album in 10 years, as legal and personal issues prevented him from putting out music.[4] Nile supported the album with a North American tour.[5]
| Places I Have Never Been | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1991 | |||
| Recorded | 321 Studios, The Hit Factory, Messina Music (New York City), Home Base Studios, Studio 4 (Philadelphia) | |||
| Genre | Rock, folk rock | |||
| Length | 52:12 | |||
| Label | Columbia[1] | |||
| Producer | Tom "T-Bone" Wolk, Stewart Lerman | |||
| Willie Nile chronology | ||||
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Production
The album was produced by Tom "T-Bone" Wolk and Stewart Lerman; Nile chose them after Rick Chertoff became unavailable.[6] It was Nile's intention to write an optimistic record.[7]
Richard Thompson and Roger McGuinn were among the guitar players who contributed to the album.[8] Suzzy Roche, Terre Roche, and Loudon Wainwright III sang on "That's Enough for Me".[9] Members of the Hooters also contributed to Places I Have Never Been.[10]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [11] |
| Chicago Tribune |  [4] |
| Windsor Star | A[1] |
The Austin American-Statesman wrote that "the nasal vocals, chiming guitars and anthemic scope of the material offer a hint of Tom Petty, a little Bruce Springsteen and a whole lot of Byrds."[12] The Atlanta Journal-Constitution opined that "Nile's lyrics, as they were on his first two records, are still his strong suit."[13]
The Washington Post deemed the album "a half-dozen sharp but not overly slick grabbers" and "a modest pleasure—even if it too is the sort of album that includes a reprise of its opening song."[14] The Vancouver Sun called it "pretty nifty ... adult rock and roll."[15] The Toronto Sun considered it to be "a jangly and surprisingly upbeat collection of folk-rock."[16]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Places I Have Never Been" | Willie Nile, J. R. Cobb, Rick Chertoff | 5:02 |
| 2. | "Rite of Spring" | Nile | 4:23 |
| 3. | "Heaven Help the Lonely" | Nile, Dean Chamberlain | 5:18 |
| 4. | "Café Memphis" | Nile | 4:15 |
| 5. | "Yesterday's Dreams" | Nile | 4:46 |
| 6. | "Everybody Needs a Hammer" | Nile | 4:36 |
| 7. | "Renegades" | Nile | 5:33 |
| 8. | "Don't Die" | Nile | 3:12 |
| 9. | "Breakdown" | Nile, Lowry Hamner | 5:12 |
| 10. | "Children of Paradise" | Nile, Martin Briley | 4:56 |
| 11. | "That's Enough for Me" | Nile | 4:11 |
| 12. | "Places I Have Never Been (Reprise)" | Nile, J. R. Cobb, Rick Chertoff | 0:48 |
| Total length: | 52:12 | ||
Personnel
- Musicians
- Willie Nile – lead & background vocals, electric, 12 string, & acoustic guitars, keyboard and piano
- Stewart Lerman - electric & acoustic guitars, 6 & 12 string guitars, maracas
- T-Bone Wolk - bass, acoustic guitar, keyboard, piano, percussion
- Mickey Curry - drums, tambourine, percussion, background vocals
- Peter Wood - keyboard, piano
- Larry Campbell - fiddle
- Roger McGuinn - guitar, 12 string guitar, background vocals
- Mark Johnson - background vocals
- James Cobb - background vocals
- Robbie McIntosh - electric guitar
- William Wittmann - acoustic guitar, background vocals, keyboard
- Paul "Wix" Wickens - Hammond organ
- Richard Thompson - lead electric guitar, background vocals
- Eric Bazilian - mandolin, background vocals
- Rob Hyman - accordion
- Richard Kennedy - lead acoustic guitar
- Luke Noonan - piano, background vocals
- Terre Roche - background vocals
- Suzzy Roche - background vocals
- Loudon Wainwright III - background vocals
- Bobby Noonan - background vocals
- Mary Noonan - background vocals
- JoJo Noonan - background vocals
- Jennifer Krause - background vocals
- Anthony Acquilato - background vocals
- Kelly Moore - background vocals
- Mel Papaterpos - background vocals
- Production and additional personnel
- Produced by Tom "T-Bone" Wolk and Stewart Lerman
- Executive producer: Rick Chertoff
- Mixing and additional recording Produced by William Wittmann
- Recorded and mixed by John Agnello
- Recorded at 321 Studios, The Hit Factory, Messina Music (New York City), Home Base Studios, Studio 4 (Philadelphia)
- Mixed at Messina Music
- Additional engineering: Tim Leitner, Ted Trewhella
- Assistant engineers: Ted Trewhella, Tom Cadley, Lance Neal, Joe Bartoldus, Phil Nicolo
- Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound (New York City)
- Art direction by Tony Sellari
- Cover photography by Lou Salvatori
References
- Shaw, Ted (18 May 1991). "Record Review". Windsor Star. p. C2.
- Simels, Steve (May 1991). "Places I Have Never Been by Willie Nile". Stereo Review. 56 (5): 67.
- Guterman, Jimmy (Apr 18, 1991). "Places I Have Never Been by Willie Nile". Rolling Stone (602): 96.
- Kot, Greg (11 Apr 1991). "Recordings". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
- Sullivan, Jim (23 May 1991). "After many twists and turns, Nile's music flows again". The Boston Globe.
- Anderson, Dale (May 12, 1991). "Willie Nile, Across the Miles". The Buffalo News. p. G1.
- Scott, Jane (May 10, 1991). "Singer's route to fame rocky". News. The Plain Dealer.
- Anderson, John (22 May 1991). "Willie Nile's Long Road Back to Music". Part II. Newsday. p. 58.
- Pick, Steve (April 12, 1991). "A Nile Worth Searching For". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 4F.
- Neufeld, Matt (May 23, 1991). "Nile flows back to 'Places' never left". The Washington Times. p. M28.
- Places I Have Never Been at AllMusic
- McLeese, Don (4 Apr 1991). "2 releases enlivening". Onward. Austin American-Statesman. p. 23.
- Thomas, Keith L. (July 20, 1991). "Places I Have Never Been Willie Nile". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. L26.
- Jenkins, Mark (10 Apr 1991). "Recordings". The Washington Post. p. B7.
- Mackie, John (6 June 1991). "Pop/Rock". Vancouver Sun. p. H18.
- Sakamoto, John (May 9, 1991). "A Nile in His Shoes". Entertainment. Toronto Sun. p. 99.