Just a Little Lovin' (Shelby Lynne album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Just a Little Lovin'
Just a Little Lovin' cover
Tribute album by Shelby Lynne
Released January 29, 2008 (U.S., Canada)
February 4, 2008 (U.K.)
Recorded Capitol Studio A (Los Angeles)
January 2007
Genre Pop
Length 39:03
Label Lost Highway Records
(U.S., Canada; CD and LP)

Mercury Records (U.K.; CD)
Producer Phil Ramone
Professional reviews
Shelby Lynne chronology
Suit Yourself
(2005)
Just a Little Lovin'
(2008)
Singles from Just a Little Lovin'
  1. "Anyone Who Had a Heart"
    Released: December 18, 2007 (2007-12-18)

Just a Little Lovin' is the tenth studio album by Shelby Lynne, released in the United States and Canada on January 29, 2008. The album is a tribute to British singer Dusty Springfield, and features covers of nine songs popularized by her, in addition to "Pretend", an original song written by Lynne. Three of the covers are of songs from Springfield's debut album, while another four are of selections from Springfield's widely acclaimed fifth album, Dusty in Memphis.

Lynne's tenth studio album is also her debut album for Lost Highway Records; the label released a promotional EP recorded in conjunction with radio station KCRW four days prior to the album. This album marks a return to Universal Music Group after Lynne released her previous two studio albums through Capitol Records. Though recorded at Capitol's Studio A in Los Angeles, California during January 2007, Lynne initially found her completed album without a distributing label amidst Capitol's merge with Virgin Records. Lynne told the Sydney Morning Herald in a January 25, 2008, interview, "We cut the record the week Capitol Records busted up. So we're downstairs wondering why upstairs isn't coming down to check us out. Turns out there was no upstairs there."[1]

Outside the United States and Canada, the album is distributed by Mercury Records, the initial distributing label for her critical breakthrough album, I Am Shelby Lynne, when it was released in the United Kingdom prior to its American distribution.

Contents

[edit] Inspiration

In a January 29, 2008, article in The Advocate, Lynne discussed the inspiration she gained for the project, with Springfield having been a favorite singer of Lynne's since she was 28. Lynne further credits suggestion from Barry Manilow for her consideration in making the album, stating on her website and various interviews that the idea of covering Springfield's songs had come as early as spring of 2005, close to the release of Lynne's ninth album, Suit Yourself.

Aside from influences Lynne has discussed, her performance on I Am Shelby Lynne had drawn critical comparisons to Springfield's Dusty in Memphis, with each album said to be pivotal to the career of the respective artist.

[edit] Style and reception

In contrast to the more fully instrumented original versions Dusty Springfield recorded, Lynne's recordings of many of the covers are presented in comparatively spare arrangements, favoring acoustic guitars and pianos rather than a string or horn section. The reimagining of Springfield's songs has been a frequent mention in reviews of the album, notably in the four-star critique by Bill Friskics-Warren in Nashville's largest newspaper, The Tennessean. Jim Farber, a critic for the New York Daily News, stated in his review that Lynne "[makes] Springfield's hits her own by inverting them on almost every level." [2]

While reviews have generally been favorable for the album, some critics have noted desire for a more forcefully delivered performance as Springfield had provided on many of the songs — and as Lynne herself had shown on her own early projects. As Louisville Courier-Journal critic Jeffrey Lee Puckett wrote in his album review, "She instead decided to make the record one long, slow burn — very slow, to the point where most songs tend to barely ignite or even bleed together. The result is, at best, killer make-out music and, at worst, background for a pleasant meal." [3]

[edit] Charts and sales

In its debut week of sales, the album garnered a career sales high for Lynne, according to Billboard. While this album entered the magazine's main album chart (the Billboard 200) within the 50 most popular albums of the week, Lynne's previous album (Suit Yourself) had failed to make the chart. As of March 19, 2008, the album has sold 53,000 copies in the US.[4]

Chart Peak
position
Certification Sales
Billboard 200 41
Swedish Album Chart 58

US Chart run: 41-85-124-150-152-118-184

[edit] Singles

The first single from the album, Lynne's cover of "Anyone Who Had a Heart" from Springfield's debut album A Girl Called Dusty, was released through the U.S. edition of iTunes on December 18, 2007. The song, along with "The Look of Love" (a U.S. exclusive release for Springfield), is one of two selections from the album written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.

[edit] Track listing

Track # Song Springfield album Length
1 "Just a Little Lovin'" Dusty in Memphis 5:19
2 "Anyone Who Had a Heart" A Girl Called Dusty 3:13
3 "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" A Girl Called Dusty 4:11
4 "I Only Want to Be with You" A Girl Called Dusty 3:50
5 "The Look of Love" The Look of Love 3:21
6 "Breakfast in Bed" Dusty in Memphis 3:21
7 "Willie and Lauramae Jones" Dusty in Memphis / See All Her Faces 4:08
8 "I Don't Want to Hear It Anymore" Dusty in Memphis 4:37
9 "Pretend" 3:06
10 "How Can I Be Sure" Greatest Hits (1970 single) 3:37

[edit] Personnel

Kevin Axt - Bass (Electric), Bass (Upright)
Curt Bisquera - Drums
Jill Dell'Abate - Production Coordination
Sue Drew - A&R
Gregg Field - Drums
Steve Genewick - Assistant
Gary Gilbert - Legal Advisor
Elizabeth Jordan - Management
Russell Lefferts - Legal Advisor
Shelby Lynne - Guitar
Rob Mathes - Keyboards
Karen Naff - Design
Dean Parks - Guitar
Phil Ramone - Producer
Randee Saint Nicholas - Photography
Doug Sax - Mastering
Al Schmitt - Engineer, Mixing

[edit] References

[edit] External links