Selling the Gold
Selling the Gold | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1995 | |||
Studio | ICP | |||
Label | Musidisc | |||
Producer | Djoum, Elliott Murphy | |||
Elliott Murphy chronology | ||||
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Selling the Gold is an album by the American musician Elliott Murphy, released in Europe 1995.[1][2] It was released in the United States in January 1996.[3] Murphy, who had for years been selling better in Europe, shot a video for "Love to America".[4] Murphy supported the album with a North American tour.[5]
Production
[edit]Recorded at ICP Studios, in Brussels, Belgium, the album was produced by Djoum and Murphy.[6][7] Bruce Springsteen sang on "Everything I Do (Leads Me Back to You)".[8] Violent Femmes played on "King of the Serpentine".[9] Sonny Landreth appeared on "Then I'm Gonna Make Love to You".[10] "Is Fellini Really Dead" is a tribute to the director, for whom Murphy had worked.[11] "Selling the Gold" is about selling a ring to a pawn shop.[12] "Buddy and Peggy Sue" examines a couple on a road trip.[13]
Critical reception
[edit]Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Republican | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Newsday likened the album to Murphy's debut, writing that, "from the instrumentation to the thematic material, the two records, decades apart, draw a portrait of a troubadour who's stuck to his guns."[14] The Hartford Courant stated the Murphy's lyrics are "tightly wound novellas with strong images and fresh metaphors."[10] The St. Louis Post-Dispatch praised "Taste the Good Life" and "Love to America".[15] Tulsa World noted that Murphy "tells rambling tales with a probing, decadent post-hippie perspective."[16]
Stereo Review opined: "He plays acoustic guitar for texture and clear-toned leads for embellishment, while his voice—a Lou Reed by Bob Dylan urban-folk burr that shapes words with a poet's open heart and a rocker's offhand wit—is an unmistakable instrument in its own right."[17] The Fort Worth Star-Telegram wrote that "Murphy weaves his pithy, highly intelligent narratives and observations (mainly about America in these twisted times) into 11 mainly country-flavored songs."[18] The Daily Herald deemed Selling the Gold "a mature work by one of the best rock singer-songwriters you've probably never heard of."[19]
AllMusic called the album "a group of folk-rock songs full of highly literate lyrics that commented on modern life from an ironic perspective."[11]
Track listing
[edit]No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Love to America" | |
2. | "Take Your Love Away" | |
3. | "Everything I Do (Leads Me Back to You)" | |
4. | "Taste the Good Life" | |
5. | "Selling the Gold" | |
6. | "A Whole New World" | |
7. | "Buddy and Peggy Sue" | |
8. | "Real Times" | |
9. | "Is Fellini Really Dead" | |
10. | "Then I'm Gonna Make Love to You" | |
11. | "King of the Serpentine" |
References
[edit]- ^ Riemenschneider, Chris (28 Dec 1995). "Street Soundz". Austin American-Statesman. p. 21.
- ^ "Elliott Murphy, at the Bourges folk meeting". Le Monde. 27 Apr 2018.
- ^ Allan, Marc D. (7 Jan 1996). "5 new releases will break January boredom". The Indianapolis Star. p. I9.
- ^ Bessman, Jim (Apr 6, 1996). "Elliott Murphy returns to U.S. via Warner/Chappell France". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 14. p. 55.
- ^ Rosen, Steve (August 2, 1996). "Small clubs provide summer dates for promising new acts". The Denver Post. p. F8.
- ^ "Elliott Murphy Biography by Craig Harris". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
- ^ a b MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1996. p. 479.
- ^ Zwerin, Mike (8 Dec 1995). "Deck the Halls With CDs". International Herald Tribune. p. 12.
- ^ Lanham, Tom (Apr 1996). "Reviews". CMJ New Music Monthly. No. 32. p. 42.
- ^ a b Catlin, Roger (22 Feb 1996). "Elliott Murphy's Lyrics Rich". Calendar. Hartford Courant. p. 14.
- ^ a b c "Selling the Gold Review by William Ruhlmann". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
- ^ a b O'Hare, Kevin (January 14, 1996). "Elliott Murphy—An American Folkie Abroad". The Republican. p. E1.
- ^ Johnson, Robert (January 28, 1996). "San Marcos-based DejaDisc snares Elliott Murphy's credible 'Gold'". Records. San Antonio Express-News.
- ^ Williams, Stephen (4 Feb 1996). "Still a True Blue Troubadour". Fanfare. Newsday. p. 23.
- ^ Groth, Chuck (28 Mar 1996). "Selling the Gold Elliott Murphy". Get Out. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 8.
- ^ Conner, Thomas (May 31, 1996). "Elliott Murphy Selling the Gold". Entertainment. Tulsa World. p. 12.
- ^ Puterbaugh, Parke (May 1996). "Elliott Murphy: Selling the Gold". Stereo Review. Vol. 61, no. 5. p. 92.
- ^ Ferman, Dave (February 2, 1996). "Elliott Murphy, Selling the Gold". Star Time. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 11.
- ^ Kening, Dan (February 9, 1996). "Murphy's 'Gold' a nugget to treasure". Time Out. Daily Herald. p. 8.