Smokin' Armadillos (album) explained

Smokin' Armadillos
Type:	studio
Artist:	Smokin' Armadillos
Cover:	Dillos album.jpg
Genre:	Country
Label:	Curb
Producer:	Chris Farren Chuck Howard Smokin' Armadillos
Prev Title:	Out of the Burrow
Prev Year:	1993
Next Title:	Strike the Match
Next Year:	2003

Smokin' Armadillos is the self-titled album of the American country music band Smokin' Armadillos. It was released in 1996 via MCG/Curb Records.

Content

The album includes the singles "Let Your Heart Lead Your Mind" and "Thump Factor", which both entered the Hot Country Songs charts in 1996.^[1] "My Girlfriend Might" and "I'm a Cowboy" were previously included on the band's 1993 EP Out of the Burrow.

Critical reception

Dan Kuchar of Country Standard Time gave a mixed review, saying that the band's "publicists seem to want to portray them as a country-fied New Kids on the Block". He praised the variety of stylistic influences and musicianship, but thought that the band had "yet to establish a sonic trademark for themselves".^[2] Jack Leaver of Allmusic rated it 3 stars out of 5, saying that the band "plays with an unbridled enthusiasm that serves the material well."^[3]

Track listing

1. "Too Hot to Handle" (Steve Meeks) — 2:56
2. "The Big Bad Beat (Of My Broken Heart)" (Al Carmichael, Gary Griffin) — 2:49
3. "Miracle Man" (Al, Bird, Greg Barnhill) — 4:12
4. "Thump Factor" (Tony Martin, Scott Meeks) — 2:45
5. "Love of a Lifetime" (Scott Meeks) — 3:37
6. "When Will I Ever Learn" (Scott Meeks) — 3:48
7. "Let Your Heart Lead Your Mind" (Scott Meeks, Jason Theiste) — 3:30
8. "The Legend of Wooley Swamp" (Charlie Daniels, Tom Crain, Joel DiGregorio, Fred Edwards, James W. Marshall, Charlie Hayward) — 4:24
   • feat. Charlie Daniels
9. "Dance with a Brand New Partner" (Aaron Casida) — 3:33
10. "Could I Have Made It Back Then" (Cassida, Scott Meeks, Rick Russell) — 4:16
11. "I'm a Cowboy" (Josh Graham, B.J. Welle) — 4:22
12. "My Girlfriend Might" (Graham) — 4:36

Personnel

Compiled from liner notes.^[4]

Musicians

Smokin' Armadillos

• Aaron Casida — bass guitar
• Josh Graham — rhythm guitar
• Darrin Kirkindoll — drums
• Scott Meeks — lead guitar, acoustic guitar
• Rick Russell — lead vocals
• Jason Theiste — fiddle

Additional musicians

• Eddie Bayers — drums
• Michael Black — background vocals
• Birch Caffee — piano, keyboards
• John Catchings — cello
• J. T. Corenflos — acoustic guitar
• Conni Ellisor — violin
• Larry Franklin — fiddle
• Rob Hajacos — fiddle
• Tony Harrell — piano, keyboards
• Mary Ann Kennedy — background vocals
• Brent Mason — electric guitar
• Terry McMillan — harmonica, percussion
• Steve Nathan — piano, keyboards
• Louis "Big Bad Beat" Nunley — background vocals
• Michael Rhodes — bass guitar
• Brent Rowan — electric guitar
• John Wesley Ryles — background vocals
• Kelly Shiver — background vocals
• Hank Singer — fiddle
• Michael Spriggs — acoustic guitar
• Neil Thrasher — background vocals
• John Willis — electric guitar
• Glenn Worf — bass guitar

Production

All tracks produced by Chuck Howard. "I'm a Cowboy" co-produced by Chris Farren and Smokin' Armadillos; adapted from original dance mix by Chris Farren.

Tracks 1, 5, 6, 7, 9-12 arranged by Smokin' Armadillos; additional arrangement on tracks 5, 7, 9, 10 by Birch Caffee.

Chart performance

Album

Chart (1996)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums	37
U.S. Billboard Top Heatseekers	24

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions
		US Country
1996	"Let Your Heart Lead Your Mind"	53
	"Thump Factor"	68

Notes and References

1. Book: Whitburn, Joel. Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. 2008. 244. 978-0-89820-177-2.
2. Web site: Smokin' Armadillos review. Kuchar. Dan. Country Standard Time. 26 April 2013.
3. Web site: Smokin' Armadillos review. Leaver. Jack. Allmusic. 26 April 2013.
4. Smokin' Armadillos . Smokin' Armadillos . 1996 . CD insert . . 77748.