Native Son (album) explained

Native Son
Type:Album
Artist:the Judybats
Cover:Native Son (Judybats album).jpg
Released:1991
Studio:Dreamland, Hurley, New York
Genre:Alternative pop
Length:45:34
Label:Sire
Producer:Richard Gottehrer
Next Title:Down in the Shacks Where the Satellite Dishes Grow
Next Year:1992

Native Son is the first studio album by the American band the Judybats, released in 1991 by Sire Records.[1] [2] The title track peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.[3] The band supported the album by touring with John Wesley Harding.[4]

Promotion

"She Lives (In a Time of Her Own)" first appeared on (1990).[5] "Don't Drop the Baby" later appeared on the Sire Records various artists sampler album Just Say Yes Volume V: Just Say Anything (1991).

Music videos were made for the songs "Native Son", "Don't Drop the Baby", "Daylight", and "She Lives (In a Time of Her Own)".

Critical reception

The Calgary Herald wrote that "the Judybats strikes a blow for pop music lovers with its debut disc, a shimmering collection of songs". Trouser Press determined that "it's really Jeff Heiskell's remarkable singing and bittersweet lyrics that distinguish the record—'Incognito' provides an elegant précis of a relationship that can’t quite be publicly acknowledged, and 'Convalescing in Spain' and 'Don't Drop the Baby' address fear and desire with both grace and humor."[6] The Chicago Tribune opined that "it's a playful debut with some sparkling pop (the title track, 'Daylight') propping up overscrutinized propositions like 'Love's All Counting Sheep'." The Washington Post concluded that "any band that can make the 13th Floor Elevator's 'She Lives (In a Time of Her Own)' sound this tidy could use a little scuffing up."[7] The Indianapolis Star considered Native Son to be one of the best pop/rock albums of 1991.[8]

Track listing

All music by the Judybats, lyrics by Jeff Heiskell, except where otherwise indicated.

  1. "Native Son" – 3:19
  2. "Daylight" – 3:19
  3. "Convalescing in Spain" – 4:07
  4. "Don't Drop the Baby" – 3:42
  5. "She Lives (In a Time of Her Own)" (Tommy Hall, Roky Erickson) – 4:06
  6. "Incognito" – 3:03
  7. "In Like With You" – 4:06
  8. "Woman in the Garden" – 3:58
  9. "Waiting for the Rain" – 4:08
  10. "Counting Sheep" – 3:25
  11. "Perfumed Lies" (Lyrics: Johnny Sughrue) – 3:44
  12. "The Wanted Man" – 4:45

Personnel

The Judybats

Technical

Notes and References

  1. News: Hall . Dave . Sound Bites . St. Petersburg Times . Feb 22, 1991 . Weekend . 18.
  2. News: Burliuk . Greg . Native Son The Judybats . The Kingston Whig-Standard . Mar 30, 1991 . Magazine . 1.
  3. Web site: The Judybats Songs Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography Music VF, US & UK hits charts.
  4. News: Kim . Jae-Ha . Harding sets his wise-guy wit to music at Park West . Chicago Sun-Times . April 14, 1991 . 2.44.
  5. News: Larsen . Dave . Dig the New Breed . Dayton Daily News . April 19, 1991 . Go! . 14.
  6. Web site: Zwirn . Michael . Judybats . Trouser Press . 17 July 2024.
  7. News: Jenkins . Mark . The rare batch of New South folk-rockers... . The Washington Post . Apr 26, 1991 . N13.
  8. News: Best of Show . The Indianapolis Star . Dec 29, 1991 . G1.