| 620 W. Surf | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1991 | |||
| Studio | Rumbo Recorders | |||
| Length | 53:33 | |||
| Label | Giant [1] | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Michael McDermott chronology | ||||
| ||||
620 W. Surf is the debut album by the American musician Michael McDermott, released in 1991. [2] [3] The album is named after McDermott's former address in Chicago. [4]
"A Wall I Must Climb" peaked at No. 34 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart. [5] McDermott supported the album with a North American tour that included shows with the BoDeans. [6] [7]
The album was produced by Don Gehman and coproduced by Brian Koppelman, who had signed McDermott. [8] [9] [10] On many songs, McDermott's voice is supported only by his guitar and harmonica; McDermott wrote all of the songs. [11] [12] Bruce Hornsby contributed to 620 W. Surf. [13]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [14] |
| Chicago Sun-Times |  [11] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [13] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | [15] |
| The Republican | [16] |
The Austin American-Statesman wrote that "A Wall I Must Climb" "suggests that his most stirring songcraft also is the simplest, while much of the rest practically begs for McDermott to lighten up a little and submit to some judicious editing." [17] Newsday concluded that "McDermott squanders his feelings and insight on excessive verbiage." [18] The Republican opined that, "though far too musically derivative at this point, McDermott is a very capable lyric writer." [16]
The Philadelphia Inquirer stated that Gehman "unleashes a full-throttle rhythm section only where necessary (as on the rocking 'Sacred Ground'), which gives the album a sense of drama and development." [19] The Washington Post concluded that "it probably will take a couple of albums before McDermott sheds some of the stylistic affectations that occasionally get in the way of his storytelling." [20]
AllMusic noted that "the arrangements throughout the record are very effective, and are generally enhanced by McDermott's passionate vocals, though his occasional vocal excesses can become grating and interfere with the introspective tone of his songs." [14]
All tracks are written by Michael McDermott
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "A Wall I Must Climb" | 3:45 |
| 2. | "Fool's Avenue" | 4:53 |
| 3. | "Shadow of the Capitol" | 4:18 |
| 4. | "No. 49" | 3:28 |
| 5. | "Your Silence I Will Always Admire for Its Being" | 9:57 |
| 6. | "Sacred Ground" | 4:10 |
| 7. | "620 W. Surf" | 3:19 |
| 8. | "Murder in the First Degree" | 4:05 |
| 9. | "Death in the Autumn Air" | 4:28 |
| 10. | "Mr. Simmons' Arkansas Christmas Blues" | 3:33 |
| 11. | "Trembling Hour" | 7:17 |
Band
Additional Personnel
Instrumental rock is rock music that emphasizes instrumental performance and features very little or no singing. Examples of instrumental music in rock can be found in practically every subgenre of the style. Instrumental rock was most popular from the mid-1950s to mid-1960s, with artists such as Bill Doggett Combo, The Fireballs, The Shadows, The Ventures, Johnny and the Hurricanes and The Spotnicks. Surf music had many instrumental songs. Many instrumental hits had roots from the R&B genre. The Allman Brothers Band feature several instrumentals. Jeff Beck also recorded two instrumental albums in the 1970s. Progressive rock and art rock performers of the late 1960s and early 1970s did many virtuosic instrumental performances.
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