Phantom Center Explained
| Phantom Center |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Ferron |
| Cover: | Ferron – Phantom Center.jpg |
| Released: | 1990, 1995 |
| Studio: | Eldorado Recording Studios, Los Angeles; Knob World Studios, Los Angeles; Purple Dragon Studios, Atlanta; Summa Music Group, Los Angeles |
| Genre: | Folk rock |
| Length: | 49:53 |
| Label: | Chameleon Records, EarthBeat! Records |
| Producer: | Joe Chiccarelli, Ferron |
| Prev Title: | Shadows on a Dime |
| Prev Year: | 1984 |
| Next Title: | Resting With the Question |
| Next Year: | 1992 |
Phantom Center is a 1990 studio album by the Canadian female singer-songwriter Ferron.
Background and release
It was Ferron's first album in six years. It was later re-packaged and re-released by Warner Bros. Music in 1995.[1]
Critical reception
Robert Christgau rated this album "neither", meaning "may impress once or twice with consistent craft or an arresting track or two. Then it won't".[2]
Stephen Holden in the New York Times called the album 'captivating', noting "its quirky, archetypal imagery, and diction that swings between the conversational and the oracular".[3] Steven Hochman of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the album "made modern self-analysis seem easy, and even fun."[4]
Track listing
All songs written by Ferron.
- "Stand Up (Love in the Corners)"
- "The Cart"
- "Harmless Love"
- "Indian Dreams"
- "Sunken City"
- "White Wing Mercy"
- "Heart of Destruction"
- "Inside Track" (also known as "My My (Inside Track)")
- "Phantom Center"
- "Higher Wisdom"
Personnel
Adapted from liner notes
Musicians
- Ferron - lead vocals, acoustic guitar
- Denny Fongheiser - drums, percussion
- Tim Landers - bass
- Eric Williams - acoustic and electric guitar, ukulele, mandolin, melodica and E-Bow
- Jim Lang - keyboards
- Steve Reid - percussion
- Larry Tuttle - Chapman Stick (2, 9)
- Novi Novog - viola (2, 4, 6, 9)
- Barbara Higbie - violin (4, 6)
- Tori Amos - backing vocals
- Nanci Shanks - backing vocals
- Lauren Wood - backing vocals
Musicians (track 1, 1995 recording)
- Ferron - lead vocals, acoustic guitar
- Amy Ray (Indigo Girls) - backing vocals, acoustic guitar
- Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls) - backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitars
- Sara Lee - bass
- Jerry Marotta - drums, percussion
Others
- Joe Chiccarelli - producer
- Ferron - producer (track 1 only)
- Susan Becker - assistant engineer
- Linda Cobb - art direction, design
- John Ewing, jr - assistant engineer, mixing assistant
- Chris Furman - engineering
- Brian Gardner - mastering
- Tim Harrigan - engineer
- Dan Marnien - engineering, mixing, remixing
- Raymond Meeks - photography
- David Skernick - photography
- Heidi Wills - hair stylist, make-up
Notes and References
- News: Walters . Barry . Ferron entrances with her lyrics . 2024-01-16 . SFGATE . en.
- Web site: Christgau . Robert . Robert Christgau: CG: Ferron . Robert Christgau, Dean of American rock critics . Robert Christgau . 2 January 2024.
- News: Holden . Stephen . After Six Years of Silence, Ferron Expresses Herself . 2 January 2024 . New York Times . November 2, 1990, Section C, Page 8 . The New York Times Company . 2 November 1990.
- Web site: Hochman . Steve . 1990-11-03 . POP MUSIC REVIEW : Ferron Turns Self-Analysis Into Fun . 2024-01-16 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
