Star (Belly album)

Star
Studio album by Belly
Released January 25, 1993
Recorded Sound Emporium Studios, Nashville, Tennessee
Amazon Studios, Liverpool, England
Genre Alternative rock, indie pop, jangle pop
Length 51:01
Label Sire/Reprise
Producer Belly, Tracy Chisolm
Gil Norton (tracks 3, 5, 7, 9)
Belly chronology

Star
(1993)		 King
(1995)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
Robert Christgau [2]
Slant Magazine [3]

Star is the debut album by the American band Belly. It was released in 1993 and was an unexpected success, going gold in the USA. The single "Feed the Tree" became a #1 Modern Rock hit,[4][5] and the album was nominated for two Grammy Awards.[6] "Slow Dog" peaked at #17 on the Modern Rock chart in the summer of 1993,[7] while "Gepetto" peaked at #8 in the late fall/winter of 1993.

The album and group received two 1994 Grammy Nomination's for Best Alternative Album and Best New Artist. The music video for "Feed The Tree" was a smash buzz bin MTV hit, and was nominated for Best Alternative Video VMA and Best New Artist VMA in 1993. Follow up videos for "Slow Dog" and "Gepetto" didn't have the same cross-over success, but were popular on Alternative and Rock segments and outlets of MTV and VH1.

"Feed the Tree" also became a surprise pop hit peaking at #95 on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the late spring of 1993. Before breaking into the Hot 100 it was a chart topper on the Billboard Bubbling Under The Hot 100 singles for 6 weeks. While "Gepetto" did not match the success of "Feed The Tree" it charted on the Billboard Bubbling Under The Hot 100 Singles for 5 weeks in the late fall/winter of 1993 becoming a modest Pop hit and a signature song.

"Angel" is not a rerecording of the song of the same name that Tanya Donnelly wrote with Throwing Muses for their 1989 album Hunkpapa.

U.S sales of "Star" slightly exceeded 800,000 copies, though never being certified Platinum by the RIAA.

United Kingdom Charts

In the UK Star peaked at No. 2 on the Top UK Album chart. "Feed The Tree" was a breakthrough hit, peaking at No. 40 on the Top UK Singles chart. Star was certified Gold in the UK.

Track listing

All songs written by Tanya Donelly, except where noted.

  1. "Someone to Die For" – 2:04
  2. "Angel" – 2:58
  3. "Dusted" – 2:48
  4. "Every Word" – 3:33
  5. "Gepetto" – 3:24
  6. "Witch" – 1:35
  7. "Slow Dog" – 4:02
  8. "Low Red Moon" – 5:32
  9. "Feed the Tree" – 3:29
  10. "Full Moon, Empty Heart" – 3:02
  11. "White Belly" (Fred Abong/Donelly) – 3:36
  12. "Untogether" – 4:43
  13. "Star" – 1:27
  14. "Sad Dress" – 3:44
  15. "Stay" – 4:56

References

  1. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Star (Belly album) at AllMusic. Retrieved 7 March 2006.
  2. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Belly > Consumer Guide Reviews". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  3. ↑ Cinquemani, Sal (January 26, 2008). "Belly Star > Album Review". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  4. ↑ Classic 45s, "Feed the Tree." ("Chart info: #95p in May, #1m in January 1993")
  5. ↑ Michael Verity, "Belly And 'Star,'" WNEW.radio.com, December 14, 2011.
  6. ↑ AllMusic.com, "Feed the Tree."
  7. ↑ Billboard, "Modern Rock Tracks," June 5, 1993.

External links