A Promise Is a Promise

Last updated
A Promise Is a Promise
A Promise Is a Promise - Lyres.jpg
Studio album by
Lyres
Released1988
Genre Garage rock
Label Ace of Hearts [1]
Producer Richard W. Harte
Lyres chronology
Live at Cantones!
(1987)		A Promise Is a Promise
(1988)		Live
(1989)

A Promise Is a Promise is an album by the American band Lyres, released in 1988. [2] [3] A band timeline constructed by Pete Frame that was included in the gatefold claimed that the album was recorded by the 13th lineup of the Lyres. [4] [5] The cassette and CD versions of the album added seven songs. [5]

Contents

The Lyres supported the album with a North American tour. [6] The band broke up briefly after finishing the tour. [7] A Promise Is a Promise was reissued by Matador Records in 1998. [8]

Production

The album was produced by Richard W. Harte. [9] Some of the songs were recorded live during a European tour. [10] Stiv Bators sang on "Here's a Heart". [11] "Witch" is a cover of the Sonics song. [12]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Southport Visiter 3/10 [13]
Martin C. Strong 5/10 [14]

Trouser Press stated: "Dispensing with most of the dated stylization for about as modern a sound as a group with prominent Vox organ can get, the energy-spewing album drags in spots but blasts off in others." [4] The Boston Globe concluded that the album "plays as a set of important throwaways, which, let's face it, is a rather central premise of disposable pop music ... [singer Jeff] Conolly's idea is to bash out the fury—or the occasional hope—and move on to the next slab-of-life dilemma." [5]

The Washington Post determined that "the singer/keyboardist's passion is both the appeal and the point of bluesy stompers like 'Sicked and Tired'—and it's swaggeringly infectious." [6] The Orlando Sentinel noted that, "with wheezing, cheesy organ riffs and grinding guitar chords, the Lyres from Boston embrace the style of '60s garage rock with an '80s twist." [15] The Telegram & Gazette thought that the Lyres give "down-home garage melodies a punk soul." [16]

AllMusic wrote that "despite the crazy quilt impression, it all hangs together surprisingly well as the performances are universally tight and energetic." [11] MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide panned the "lo-fi" live tracks. [9]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Here's a Heart" 
2."On Fyre" 
3."Every Man for Himself" 
4."Feel Good" 
5."I'll Try You Anyway" 
6."Worried About Nothing" 
7."Touch" 
8."Running Through the Night" 
9."She's Got Eyes That Tell Lies" 
10."Jagged Time Lapse" 
11."Knock My Socks Off" 
12."Sick and Tired" 
13."Trying Just to Please You" 
14."Witch" 

Related Research Articles

Lyres are a Boston-area garage rock band led by Jeff Conolly, founded in 1979 following the breakup of DMZ. Their most popular songs include "Don't Give It Up Now," "She Pays The Rent" and "Help You Ann".

<i>The Dirt of Luck</i> 1995 studio album by Helium

The Dirt of Luck is the first full-length album from American indie rock band Helium. It was released in April 1995 on Matador Records and was produced by Adam Lasus.

<i>Boylan Heights</i> (album) 1987 studio album by the Connells

Boylan Heights is the second album by the American pop/rock band the Connells. It was released in 1987, and was their first for TVT Records. The title of the album references the historic Boylan Heights neighborhood of Raleigh, North Carolina.

<i>Outpost</i> (The Samples album) 1996 studio album by The Samples

Outpost is an album by the Boulder, Colorado-based band the Samples, released in 1996. The first single was "The Lost Children ". The band promoted Outpost by playing the H.O.R.D.E. Festival.

<i>On Fyre</i> 1984 studio album by Lyres

On Fyre is the first full-length studio album by American garage rock band Lyres. It was released in 1984 by the label Ace of Hearts and reissued in 1998 by Matador Records. It features "Help You Ann," arguably the band's signature song and the best-known song of the 1980s garage revival, which a commentator at KQED radio in San Francisco called "one of the greatest singles ever made."

<i>Blast Off!</i> (Stray Cats album) 1989 studio album by Stray Cats

Blast Off! is an album by the American rockabilly revivalist band Stray Cats, released in 1989. It marked a reunion of the band, after three years of solo endeavors; the band's previous album, 1986's Rock Therapy, was produced to fulfill a record contract.

<i>Lived to Tell</i> 1991 studio album by Eleventh Dream Day

Lived to Tell is an album by the American alternative rock band Eleventh Dream Day, released in 1991. Like the band's other two Atlantic Records albums, Lived to Tell was a commercial disappointment. The band supported the album with a North American tour.

<i>Ruby Red</i> (Dambuilders album) 1995 studio album by the Dambuilders

Ruby Red is an album by the American band the Dambuilders, released in 1995. It was the band's first major label album of completely new material.

<i>Go Go Harlem Baby</i> 1991 studio album by Flat Duo Jets

Go Go Harlem Baby is an album by the American punkabilly band Flat Duo Jets. It was released via Sky in 1991. The band supported the album with a North American tour.

<i>Banda Macho</i> 1996 studio album by the Figgs

Banda Macho is an album by the American band the Figgs, released in 1996. The Figgs supported the album by touring with Graham Parker, opening his shows and serving as the backing band for his set. They also played Warped Tour 1996.

<i>Massive Blur</i> 1993 studio album by Melissa Ferrick

Massive Blur is the debut album by the American musician Melissa Ferrick, released in 1993. Ferrick supported the album by opening for Marc Cohn on a North American tour.

<i>Old Wives Tales</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Exene Cervenka

Old Wives' Tales is an album by the American musician Exene Cervenka, released in 1989. Cervenka told the Los Angeles Times that she considered the album to be "for and about women."

<i>Beautiful Light</i> 1994 studio album by the Fleshtones

Beautiful Light is an album by the American band the Fleshtones, released in 1994. It was regarded as a comeback album.

<i>Every Dog Has His Day</i> 1988 studio album by Lets Active

Every Dog Has His Day is an album by the American band Let's Active, released in 1988. It was the band's final album.

<i>Whereabouts Unknown</i> 1995 studio album by Mojo Nixon

Whereabouts Unknown is an album by the American musician Mojo Nixon, released in 1995. Nixon supported the album by touring with his band, the Toadliquors.

<i>Surrender to Jonathan!</i> 1996 studio album by Jonathan Richman

Surrender to Jonathan! is an album by the American musician Jonathan Richman, released in 1996. Richman was the first musician signed to Neil Young's Vapor Records. Richman supported the album by touring with a full band.

<i>You Must Ask the Heart</i> 1995 studio album by Jonathan Richman

You Must Ask the Heart is an album by the American musician Jonathan Richman, released in 1995. Richman supported the album with a North American tour. He included a more up-tempo version of "To Hide a Little Thought" on 1996's Surrender to Jonathan!

<i>The Silos</i> (album) 1990 studio album by the Silos

The Silos is an album by the American band the Silos, released in 1990. A commercial disappointment, it was the band's only album for RCA Records. The Silos peaked at No. 141 on the Billboard 200. The band supported the album with a North American tour that included shows with the Jayhawks.

<i>Son of Sam I Am</i> 1988 studio album by Too Much Joy

Son of Sam I Am is an album by the American band Too Much Joy, released in 1988. The first single was "Making Fun of Bums". The band supported the album with a North American tour that included shows with Love Tractor. Giant Records released a resequenced version of Son of Sam I Am in 1990. While promoting the rerelease, the band was arrested on obscenity charges for covering 2 Live Crew songs at a show in Broward County. Proceeds from the show were directed to retailers who had been arrested for selling As Nasty as They Wanna Be.

<i>Town & Country</i> (Webb Wilder album) 1995 studio album by Webb Wilder

Town & Country is an album by the American musician Webb Wilder, released in 1995. He is credited with the NashVegans. Town & Country was Wilder's first album for Watermelon Records. Wilder supported the album with a North American tour that included shows with Jason and the Scorchers.

References

  1. ↑ Righi, Len (19 February 1988). "Lyres Promise to Tie Up Loose Ends at 'berg". The Morning Call . p. D3. Archived from the original on 28 September 2024.
  2. ↑ Deming, Mark. "Lyres Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  3. ↑ Mackie, John (15 September 1988). "Boston cult band Lyres bring their solid rock to town". Vancouver Sun . p. D3.
  4. 1 2 Schinder, Scott; Lamey, Charles P.; Robbins, Ira. "Lyres". Trouser Press . Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 Sullivan, Jim (3 July 1988). "Lyres' 'A Promise ...'Delivers the Goods". The Boston Globe. p. A5.
  6. 1 2 Jenkins, Mark (15 July 1988). "Lyres Still Making 'Elevator' Music". The Washington Post. p. N23. Archived from the original on 28 September 2024.
  7. ↑ Smith, Andy (February 15, 1991). "The Critics Choice: The Lyres". The Providence Journal . p. D3.
  8. ↑ "Lyres' Crucial Garage-Rock Albums Reissued". MTV News. Archived from the original on December 16, 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. pp. 701–702.
  10. ↑ Moon, Tom (22 July 1988). "The Lyres". Features Weekend. The Philadelphia Inquirer . p. 32.
  11. 1 2 3 "Lyres A Promise Is a Promise". AllMusic.
  12. ↑ Milano, Brett (June 26 – July 3, 1998). "Don't give it up now: The Lyres are still on fire". Worcester Phoenix. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  13. ↑ "Garbage—not garage music". Southport Visiter. Jul 22, 1988. p. 14.
  14. ↑ Strong, M.C. (2003). The Great Indie Discography (2nd ed.). Canongate. p. 405.
  15. ↑ Duffy, Thom (9 October 1988). "Best Patrol bets". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 22. Archived from the original on 28 September 2024.
  16. ↑ McLennan, Scott (April 18, 1993). "The Lyres Stay True to Their School". Datebook. Telegram & Gazette. p. 11.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.