New Miserable Experience
| New Miserable Experience | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Gin Blossoms | ||||
| Released | August 4, 1992 | |||
| Recorded |
Ardent Studios, Memphis, TN | |||
| Genre | Power pop, jangle pop, alternative rock, pop rock | |||
| Length | 45:02 | |||
| Label | A&M | |||
| Producer |
Gin Blossoms, John Hampton, | |||
| Gin Blossoms chronology | ||||
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| Alternate cover | ||||
.jpg) Re-release cover |
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| Singles from New Miserable Experience | ||||
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New Miserable Experience is the breakthrough album by the pop-rock band the Gin Blossoms, released on August 4, 1992. The album was released to little fanfare and relatively lackluster reviews. However, nearly a year after its release the lead single, "Hey Jealousy", entered the top 40, with "Found Out About You" following a few months later. The album eventually reached multi-platinum status.
The band's guitarist, Doug Hopkins, was fired near the conclusion of the recording sessions for the album, ostensibly for his persistent alcohol problems. His replacement, Scott Johnson, is listed as a member of the band in the liner notes, but did not play on the album. Just as the album was becoming a success at the end of 1993, Hopkins committed suicide.
New Miserable Experience's initial release had completely different packaging. The album's original cover artwork depicted the Arizona desert. Songs on the album, such as "Mrs. Rita", a song about a local psychic from the Gin Blossoms' hometown of Tempe, Arizona, were also written with references to the area, people and events surrounding the band at the time. The majority of the songs rely on a melody-driven pop style while the final track, "Cheatin'", leans into country music. The album was re-released in late summer 1993, in conjunction with A&M's newfound support of the album. To celebrate the album's tenth anniversary, a deluxe edition containing an extra disc of demos, outtakes and live performances was released by the label in 2002.
Track listing
- "Lost Horizons" (Doug Hopkins) – 3:20
- "Hey Jealousy" (Hopkins) – 3:56
- "Mrs. Rita" (Jim Swafford, Jesse Valenzuela) – 4:25
- "Until I Fall Away" (Valenzuela, Robin Wilson) – 3:51
- "Hold Me Down" (Hopkins, Wilson) – 4:50
- "Cajun Song" (Valenzuela) – 2:56
- "Hands Are Tied" (Valenzuela) – 3:17
- "Found Out About You" (Hopkins) – 3:53
- "Allison Road" (Wilson) – 3:18
- "29" (Valenzuela) – 4:18
- "Pieces of the Night" (Hopkins) – 4:33
- "Cheatin'" (Hopkins, Valenzuela) – 3:25
Critical reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Chicago Tribune | [2] |
| Robert Christgau | C+[3] |
| Rolling Stone | (favorable)[4] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [5] |
Rolling Stone praised the album, saying it "sounds both fresh and highly personal."[4] AllMusic called the album "a tight and lean collection of brilliant, edgy pop music."[1]
Chart performance
Album - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Heatseekers | 1 |
| The Billboard 200 | 30 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | "Hey Jealousy" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 4 |
| The Billboard Hot 100 | 25 | ||
| Top 40 Mainstream | 20 | ||
| "Found Out About You" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 5 | |
| Modern Rock Tracks | 1 | ||
| The Billboard Hot 100 | 25 | ||
| Top 40 Mainstream | 6 | ||
| "Mrs. Rita" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 36 | |
| 1994 | "Until I Fall Away" | Adult Contemporary | 23 |
| Mainstream Rock Tracks | 40 | ||
| Modern Rock Tracks | 13 | ||
| Top 40 Mainstream | 13 | ||
| "Allison Road" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 20 | |
| Modern Rock Tracks | 39 | ||
| 1995 | "Found Out About You" | Adult Top 40 | 38 |
Personnel
Gin Blossoms
- Robin Wilson - lead vocals, acoustic guitar
- Doug Hopkins - guitars (uncredited)
- Jesse Valenzuela - guitars, mandolin, background vocals
- Bill Leen - bass guitar
- Phillip Rhodes - percussion, drums
Additional Personnel
- Robert Becker - piano on "Until I Fall Away" and "Pieces of the Night"
- C. J. Chenier - accordion on "Cajun Song"
- Robby Turner - pedal steel guitar on "Cheatin'" and "Cajun Song"
Production
- Producers: Gin Blossoms, John Hampton
- Engineer: John Hampton
- Assistant Engineer: James "Left Of" Senter
- Mixing: John Hampton
- Mastering: George Marino
- Art direction: Barrie Goshko
- Design: Barrie Goshko
- Photography: Jay Blakesberg, Robin Wilson
- Crew: Jim Coleman, Scott Guess, Mike Chappell
- Recorded at: Ardent Studios (Memphis, TN), except: Allison Road and Mrs. Rita, recorded at: AB Recorders (Phoenix, AZ) By: Andy Barret
Original 1992 release:
- Art direction and design: Rowan Moore
- Photography: Dennis Keeley
- Radiator: Kelly Ray
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Allmusic review
- ↑ Chicago Tribune review
- ↑ Robert Christgau Consumer Guide
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Gin Blossoms: New Miserable Experience : Music Reviews (Unfinished review)". Rolling Stone: 146. December 23, 1993. Archived from the original on 2007-12-23. Retrieved 2013-07-27.
- ↑ Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 332. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
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