The Graduation Ceremony

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Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Andrew Leahey
Having dedicated most of 2010 to his supergroup side project, Fistful of Mercy, Joseph Arthur returns to his solo career with The Graduation Ceremony. "There's nothing to do in the Midwest but dream," he sings on the album, which dresses up Arthur's heartland pop songs with sweeping, atmospheric arrangements. Strings, pianos, synths, and female harmonies all make frequent appearances, adding some swirls of color to what might otherwise be a stark break-up album. Arthur is definitely hurting, and the song titles alone provide enough evidence of a relationship gone awry: "Out on a Limb," "Almost Blue," "Face in the Crowd," "Love Never Asks You to Lie." To cheer himself up, ...
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Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Andrew Leahey
Having dedicated most of 2010 to his supergroup side project, Fistful of Mercy, Joseph Arthur returns to his solo career with The Graduation Ceremony. "There's nothing to do in the Midwest but dream," he sings on the album, which dresses up Arthur's heartland pop songs with sweeping, atmospheric arrangements. Strings, pianos, synths, and female harmonies all make frequent appearances, adding some swirls of color to what might otherwise be a stark break-up album. Arthur is definitely hurting, and the song titles alone provide enough evidence of a relationship gone awry: "Out on a Limb," "Almost Blue," "Face in the Crowd," "Love Never Asks You to Lie." To cheer himself up, he gets a little help from his friends, leading a three-person band through these 12 songs and enlisting friends like Madi Diaz and Liz Phair to sing backup. The result is an album that doesn't sound as sad as its content. Instead, we're treated to the sort of elegantly weary, vaguely melancholic music that Ed Harcourt makes, with wistful melodies sung in either a smoky, folksy croon or a high falsetto register. Heartbreak makes for some some long, lonely nights. But it also makes for solid albums, provided you've got the right person in the driver's seat.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 5/23/2011
  • Label: Lonely Astronaut
  • UPC: 020286156345
  • Catalog Number: 9
  • Sales rank: 87,389

Tracks

Disc 1
  1. 1 Out on a Limb (3:24)
  2. 2 Horses (4:10)
  3. 3 Almost Blue (4:18)
  4. 4 Someone To Love (4:22)
  5. 5 Watch Our Shadows Run (3:54)
  6. 6 This Is Still My World (3:35)
  7. 7 Over the Sun (4:01)
  8. 8 Face In The Crowd (4:25)
  9. 9 Midwest (2:56)
  10. 10 Gypsy Faded (4:01)
  11. 11 Call (3:48)
  12. 12 Love Never Asks You To Lie (3:31)
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Album Credits

Performance Credits
Joseph Arthur Primary Artist, Bass, Guitar, Drums, Keyboards, Vocals
Jim Keltner Drums
Liz Phair Background Vocals
John Alagia Bass, Guitar
Brian Cohen Background Vocals
Madi Diaz Background Vocals
Sibyl Buck Background Vocals
Technical Credits
Ed Ackerson Engineer
John Alagia Producer, Engineer
Scott Hull Mastering
Joseph Arthur Producer
Sheldon Gomberg Engineer
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