Tomorrow the Green Grass

by The Jayhawks

Overview

Released in 1992, Hollywood Town Hall wasn't a hit, but it received enough rave reviews to considerably raise the Jayhawks' profile, and it certainly heightened expectations for their next album. On 1995's Tomorrow the Green Grass, the Jayhawks found themselves in the tricky situation of trying to match the quality of Hollywood Town Hall without simply repeating themselves, and they came remarkably close to achieving that daunting task. Rather than simply mimic the warm and unaffected sound of Hollywood Town Hall, the Jayhawks reached for a broader and more eclectic approach on Tomorrow the Green Grass; with the presence of new keyboard player Karen Grotberg and the addition of strings on several tracks, the album certainly sounded fuller and more artful, but Mark Olson and Gary Louris' harmonies were still the band's secret weapon, and were as pure and emotionally compelling as ever, while Louris' electric guitar solos gave the songs real rock & roll muscle without disturbing the essentially gentle nature of their music. And the best songs on Tomorrow the Green Grass are every bit as good as anything on Hollywood Town Hall, especially the opening hat trick of "Blue," "I'll Run Away," and "Miss Williams' Guitar" (the latter a joyous love letter to Olson's new bride, Victoria Williams). But while nearly every song on Hollywood Town Hall seemed like a classic in context, the greater stylistic variety of Tomorrow the Green Grass had the consequence of making a few of the songs in the second half of the album seem less than essential, most notably "Ann Jane" and "Pray for Me," though they hardly counted as disappointments, and the album rallies to a rousing finale with "Ten Little Kids." If Hollywood Town Hall is inarguably the Jayhawks' best album, Tomorrow the Green Grass runs a very close second, and though it was to be the group's last album with Mark Olson, the eclectic approach pointed the way to the sound and style of the fine records the Louris-led version of the band would go on to make. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	09/30/2014
Label:	American / Virgin Emi
UPC:	0602537864300

Tracks

1. Blue
2. I'd Run Away
3. Miss William's Guitar
4. Two Hearts
5. Real Light
6. Over My Shouler
7. Bad Time
8. See Him on the Street
9. Nothing Left to Borrow
10. Ann Jane
11. Pray for Me
12. Red's Song
13. Ten Little Kids

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Jayhawks   Primary Artist
Benmont Tench   Guest Artist,Organ
Sharleen Spiteri   Guest Artist,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Victoria Williams   Guest Artist,Vocals (Background)
Don Heffington   Drums,Percussion
Lili Haydn   Viola,Violin
Mark Olson   Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Karen Grotberg   Organ,Piano,Vocals,Wurlitzer,Featured Artist
George Drakoulias   Guitar,Soloist,Guitar (Baritone)
Gary Louris   Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Marc Perlman   Bass
Greg Leese   Pedal Steel,Guitar (Steel)
Tammy Rodgers   Violin

Technical Credits

Tony Glover   Liner Notes
Paul Buckmaster   Arranger,String Arrangements
Stephen Marcussen   Mastering
The Jayhawks   Design,Art Direction
Clif Norrell   Engineer
Jamie Seyberth   Assistant Engineer
Mark Farner   Composer
Mark Olson   Composer
David Bianco   Mixing
George Drakoulias   Producer,Photography
Gary Louris   Composer
Harlan Howard   Composer
Marc Perlman   Composer
Billy Walker   Composer
Jeff Sheehan   Assistant Engineer
Linda Cobb   Design,Art Direction
Marina Chavez   Cover Photo,Photography
Victor Janacua   Assistant Engineer