The Outsider

The Outsider

by Rodney Crowell
The Outsider

The Outsider

by Rodney Crowell

CD(Digi-Pak)

$14.99 
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Overview

Rodney Crowell's The Outsider is a natural extension of his last two offerings: The Houston Kid and Fate's Right Hand. Where The Houston Kid was Crowell's autobiographical confessional and Fate's Right Hand was deeply philosophical and influenced by everything from Zen to the working through of anger, The Outsider digs deep into social and political consciousness. The album rocks harder than any Crowell record in the past, as evidenced by "Don't Get Me Started," which is an anti-war anthem that takes aim at the war in Iraq. Immediately following is "The Obscenity Prayer," written from the point of view of a hypocritical right-wing pleasure seeker whose positions are not only indefensible, they are, at worst, obscene. Conversely, the Zen-like advice in "Dancin' Circles Round the Sun" is a tough country rocker with killer rockabilly guitar lines by Stewart Smith and Hammond B3 grooves by John Hobbs. It is a testament to personal responsibility and awakening that exhorts and admonishes but never preaches. There is great tenderness here, as well, such as in the acoustically driven "Ignorance Is the Enemy," with its prayer-like cadence and spoken-word vocals by Emmylou Harris and John Prine. "Glasgow Girl" is as fine a country-rock love song as has been written in recent years. The album closes with "We Can't Turn Back Now," a rousing call for acceptance, forbearance, and perseverance, whose guitars and big bassline is graced by a stellar fiddle line and a beautifully delicate tin whistle winding through it all. Crowell -- still writing hits for "Hot 100" country artists to help finance and keep creative control of his recordings -- has matured into an artist who has the of hard-won experience that displays itself as poetically wrought wisdom. His work is full of humor, light, poignancy, and killer hooks. He's now written and recorded three big topic records, all of which surpass his early work. The only thing missing here now is a record on the other big topic: Love. Perhaps that's coming. Until then, The Outsider is the Rodney Crowell recording to listen to, debate with, and be inspired by. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date: 08/16/2005
Label: Sony Music Distribution
UPC: 0827969447024
Rank: 71857

Tracks

  1. Say You Love Me
  2. The Obscenity Prayer (Give It to Me)
  3. The Outsider
  4. Dancin' Circles Round the Sun (Epictetus Speaks)
  5. Beautiful Despair (For James)
  6. Don't Get Me Started
  7. Ignorance Is the Enemy
  8. Glascow Girl
  9. Things That Go Bump in the Day
  10. Shelter from the Storm
  11. We Can't Turn Back Now

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Rodney Crowell   Primary Artist
Trey Landrey   Drums
Steve Fischell   Guitar (Steel)
William Owsley III   Vocals (Background)
Kacie Jenkins   Vocals (Background)
Brodie Jenkins   Vocals (Background)
Steuart Smith   Guitar
Kim Fleming   Vocals (Background)
Jonathan Yudkin   Fiddle,String Quartet
John Prine   Spoken Word,Guest Artist,Speech/Speaker/Speaking Part
John Mock   Concertina,Tin Whistle
Beth Nielsen Chapman   Vocals (Background)
Billy Livsey   Organ
Marcia Ramirez   Vocals (Background)
Chris Rodriguez   Vocals (Background)
J.D. Souther   Vocals (Background)
Crystal Taliefero   Vocals (Background)
Pat Buchanan   Guitar,Harmonica,Vocals (Background)
Emmylou Harris   Guitar,Vocals,Spoken Word,Guest Artist,Vocals (Background),Speech/Speaker/Speaking Part
John Cowan   Vocals (Background)
Greg Morrow   Drums
John Hobbs   Organ,Keyboards
Chad Cromwell   Drums
J.T. Corenflos   Guitar
Julie Miller   Vocals (Background)
Richard Bennett   Guitar
Vince Santoro   Vocals (Background)
Shannon Forrest   Drums
Randy Scruggs   Flamenco Guitar
Will Kimbrough   Guitar,Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Buddy Miller   Vocals (Background)
Tony Harrell   Organ,Keyboards
Jedd Hughes   Guitar,Vocals,Mandolin,Vocals (Background)
Jerry McPherson   Guitar
Jim Horn   Saxophone
Michael Rhodes   Bass
Eddie Bayers   Drums
Randall Waller   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Tracy Baskette-Fleaner   Design,Art Direction
Sam Martin   Engineer
Thomas Petillo   Photography
Deb Haus   Art Direction,Artist Development
Jennifer Tzar   Cover Photo
Dawn Nepp   Production Assistant
Vic Anesini   Mastering
Bob Dylan   Composer
John Grady   Executive Producer
Rodney Crowell   Composer,Producer
Peter Coleman   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Brandon Epps   Assistant,Mixing Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Donivan Cowart   Engineer,Recording
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