Starting Over (Raspberries album)

Starting Over
Studio album by Raspberries
Released September 16, 1974
Recorded Record Plant Studios, New York
Genre Power pop, rock
Label Capitol
Producer Jimmy Ienner
Raspberries chronology

Side 3
(1973)		 Starting Over
(1974)		 Raspberries' Best
(1976)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]

Starting Over is the fourth album by the 1970s power pop band Raspberries. It peaked at #143 on the Billboard pop album chart in 1974; it generated the #18 Billboard pop single "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)". Stylistically, it represented a more aggressive arena rock/hard rock sound compared to previous albums in a way reminiscent of The Who, which was one of the groups' biggest influences. The album also included softer ballads such as "Rose Coloured Glasses" and "Cry".[2]

This album was re-released on CD as part of Power Pop Volume 2, which also contains their album Side 3.

Starting Over featured a new line-up, with Scott McCarl (Bass, Vocals), and Michael McBride (Drums), who had drummed with Carmen and Bryson in their previous band in the late 60's, Cyrus Erie. Jim Bonfanti and Dave Smalley left the band the previous year.

Bruce Springsteen's drummer Max Weinberg has said that he based his early drum style (particularly on the Springsteen album Darkness On The Edge of Town) on Raspberries drummer Michael McBride's work in this album,[3] while Springsteen himself has also mentioned several times in live performances that the title track is one of the greatest pop songs ever written.

John Lennon, a Raspberries fan, particularly liked the song "Overnight Sensation." He was present for part of the recording of the Starting Over LP[4] and, although not credited on the LP, is said to have assisted with the mix, including "Overnight Sensation."[5]

Critic Mark Deming of the All Music Guide praised the album as "a fine farewell from one of the best American pop bands of their era, though they didn't know it would be their last album when they were making it."[2]

Track listing

  1. "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)" (Carmen) – 5:34 / Lead vocal: Carmen
  2. "Play On" (Carmen, McCarl) – 3:01 / Lead vocal: McCarl
  3. "Party's Over" (Bryson) – 3:14 / Lead vocal: Bryson
  4. "I Don't Know What I Want" (Carmen) – 4:13 / Lead vocal: Carmen
  5. "Rose Coloured Glasses" (McCarl) – 3:38 / Lead vocal: McCarl
  6. "All Through the Night" (Carmen, McBride) – 4:30 / Lead vocal: Carmen
  7. "Cruisin Music" (Carmen) – 3:09 / Lead vocal: Carmen
  8. "I Can Hardly Believe You're Mine" (Carmen, McCarl) – 3:34 / Lead vocal: Carmen
  9. "Cry" (Carmen, McCarl) – 2:41 / Lead vocal: McCarl
  10. "Hands on You" (Bryson, McCarl) – 2:22 / Lead vocal: Bryson and McCarl
  11. "Starting Over" (Carmen) – 4:10 / Lead vocal: Carmen

Timings and credits taken from the original Capitol issue (ST-11329).

Band members

References

  1. ↑ Allmusic review
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.allmusic.com/album/starting-over-r16179/review
  3. ↑ Let There Be Drums Vol 3: The 70s liner notes
  4. ↑ http://www.rickresource.com/rrp/raspberriesstory.html
  5. ↑ http://www.cliffordmeth.com/methonericcarmentheraspber.htm