Just a Little Lovin'
| Just a Little Lovin' | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio 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, Country | |||
| Length | 39:03 | |||
| Label |
Lost Highway Records (U.S., Canada; CD and LP) Mercury Records (U.K.; CD) | |||
| Producer | Phil Ramone | |||
| Shelby Lynne chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Just a Little Lovin' | ||||
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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.
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.
Style and reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   link |
| Being There |  link |
| The Buffalo News | link |
| The Dallas Morning News | A- link |
| Details | link |
| Entertainment Weekly (EW.com) | A- link |
| The Guardian | link |
| Louisville Courier-Journal | link |
| Metacritic | 82 (out of 100) link |
| Rolling Stone | link |
| The Tennessean | link |
| Twisted Ear | link |
| USA Today | link |
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] Rhapsody (online music service) praised the album, calling it one of their favorite cover albums.[3]
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." [4]
The album garnered one award nomination in the Best Engineered Non-Classical Album category for the 51st Grammy Awards, recognizing the work of album engineer Al Schmitt. Just a Little Lovin' lost to the eventual winner, Consolers of the Lonely, performed by The Raconteurs.
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 August 20, 2008, the album has sold 81,000 copies in the US.
| Chart | Peak position |
Certification | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard 200 | 41 | ||
| Swedish Album Chart | 58 |
Singles
The sole 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 U.S. edition of the album written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. (A cover of "Wishin' and Hopin'", another Bacharach/David selection referencing Springfield's debut, was added as a bonus track to the British edition of the album.)
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" | You Don't Have to Say You Love Me | 4:11 |
| 4 | "I Only Want to Be with You" | Stay Awhile/I Only Want to Be with You | 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 Laura Mae Jones" | 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" | On audio single "How Can I Be Sure" (1970) | 3:37 |
| 11* | "Wishin' and Hopin'" | A Girl Called Dusty |
* Released on UK edition
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
References
- ↑ "Mistress and the margaritas". Sydney Morning Herald. January 26, 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
- ↑ "Shelby Lynne takes on Dusty Springfield's music". New York Daily News. January 26, 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
- ↑ Rhapsody’s Favorite Covers Albums Referenced August 1, 2010
- ↑ "Shelby salutes Dusty". Louisville Courier-Journal. Retrieved 2008-02-19.
External links
- "The Return of Blue-Eyed Soul", Chebatoris, Jac. Newsweek (web exclusive), November 21, 2007, accessed January 23, 2008
- "Shelby Lynne's Dusty Trail", Hoerburger, Rob. The New York Times Magazine, January 13, 2008, accessed January 24, 2008
(including comparison of "Breakfast In Bed" audio clips of Springfield and Lynne) - "Anyone Who Had a Heart" streaming audio from Entertainment Weekly
- "Shelby Lynne talks about her new album 'Just A Little Lovin’,' an homage to Dusty Springfield," www.edgeboston.com, January 25, 2008, accessed February 1, 2008
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