Ring [Deluxe Edition]

by The Connells

Overview

After scoring a college radio hit with "Stone Cold Yesterday" from 1990's One Simple Word, the Connells followed up with their strongest effort to date, the radio-ready Ring. While muddy production and underdeveloped songs occasionally plagued their earlier releases, Ring is an album aimed squarely at the mainstream, and is a clear attempt to pick up on fans of R.E.M., alt-country like Uncle Tupelo, and rootsy power pop like Marshall Crenshaw. The album's first single, a lilting and seemingly unassuming acoustic ballad entitled "'74-'75" became an unexpected smash hit in Europe, topping the pop charts in many countries across the continent. The song was equally indebted to acoustic-based roots rock as it was to Celtic music (as witnessed in the ornate backing vocals) and was one of the band's most successful concoctions. Subsequent singles, such as the poppy "Slackjawed" and the nostalgic "New Boy" (which sounds like it was written as musical accompaniment to a James Thurber story) each managed to garner some alternative radio attention as well. The album tracks were equally as strong, especially the tense "Carry My Picture," a stark portrait of a vindictive relationship. Ring established the Connells as the forerunners in the group of jangle pop bands that had previously lived largely in the shadow of R.E.M. and helped the band become a moderate commercial success. While time has not been kind to the band or this album, the Connells clearly held some influence. In 2000, Fran Healy of the British guitar pop band Travis admitted that his band's 1999 hit "Writing to Reach You" was written while listening to "'74-'75" on the radio, and was, in effect, a bit of a rip-off. The songs sound unmistakably similar, and it's enough proof that the Connells deserve much more credit for their contributions to guitar-based pop than they have previously been given. ~ Jason Damas

Product Details

Release Date:	08/11/2023
Label:	Craft Records
UPC:	0888072419766

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Connells   Primary Artist
Tim Harper   Vocals (Background),Sampling,Keyboards
Michael Connell   Guitar,Vocals
Steve Potak   Organ,Piano,Keyboards
Doug MacMillian   Guitar,Vocals
Caro Giordano   Cello
David Connell   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Mike Connell   Guitar,Vocals
Doug Macmillan   Guitar,Vocals
Peele Wimberley   Drums,Percussion
George Huntley   Guitar,Vocals,Mandolin

Technical Credits

David Cook   Engineer
Dan McLoughlin   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Dave Cook   Engineer,Recording
Mark Williams   Recording,Mixing Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Tom Bender   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Tim Harrigan   Recording
Michael Connell   Composer
Steve Potak   Composer
Doug MacMillian   Composer
John Yates   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Kate Broudy   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
David Connell   Composer,Paintings
Mike Connell   Composer
Doug Macmillan   Composer
Ed Morgan   Back Cover
Peele Wimberley   Composer
Timothy Harper   Composer
George Huntley   Composer
Tracy Schroeder   Assistant Engineer
Ted Jensen   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
The Connells   Producer,Recording Producer
Ian Anderson   Composer
Lou Giordano   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Recording,Mixing Engineer,Recording Producer
Tim Harper   Composer,Producer,Mixing Engineer,Assistant Producer,Recording Producer