Ballads (Derek Bailey album)

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Ballads
Ballads (Derek Bailey album).jpg
Studio album by
Derek Bailey
Released23 April 2002 (2002-04-23)
Length41:31
Label Tzadik
Producer Derek Bailey
Derek Bailey chronology
String Theory
(2000)		Ballads
(2002)		Pieces for Guitar
(2002)

Ballads is a solo studio album by English guitarist Derek Bailey. [1] It was released on 23 April 2002, [2] through Tzadik. [3] In 2007, The Guardian included the album in their list of "1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die". [4]

Contents

Background

The album contains Derek Bailey's 14 solo guitar renditions of standard songs. [1] It was recorded by Toby Hrycek-Robinson and mastered by Scott Hull. [5] It was released through John Zorn's American record label Tzadik. [3] Marc Ribot wrote the album's liner notes. [6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [2]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Pitchfork 8.1/10 [6]

Brian Olewnick of AllMusic stated, "Ballads is stunningly gorgeous, lovely melodies like 'Laura' being passionately stroked even as they abut against Bailey's questioning angularities and brusque, impolite commentary." [2] He added, "Whether one is glad or distressed that he chose to dip his toes into these waters, Ballads is a singularly lovely recording, one that certainly stands out in Bailey's oeuvre and one that is nigh impossible not to smile about and linger over." [2] Dominique Leone of Pitchfork commented that "Bailey's improvisations here are at once impenetrable and immediately familiar." [6] He called the album "a fine entryway to the appreciation of Bailey's art." [6]

In 2007, The Guardian included the album in their list of "1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die". [4]

Accolades

Year-end lists for Ballads
PublicationListRankRef.
Pitchfork Top 50 Albums of 2002
40
[7]
The Wire 2002 Rewind: 50 Records of the Year
—
[8]

Track listing

Ballads track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Laura" David Raksin 2:58
2."What's New"
1:40
3."When Your Lover Has Gone" E. A. Swan 3:18
4."Stella by Starlight"
7:21
5."My Melancholy Baby"Ernie Burnett3:13
6."My Buddy" Walter Donaldson 1:13
7."Gone with the Wind"
2:07
8."Rockin' Chair" Hoagy Carmichael 1:56
9."Body and Soul" John Green 5:34
10."Gone with the Wind"
  • Magidson
  • Wrubel
2:29
11."Rockin' Chair"Carmichael2:04
12."You Go to My Head" J. Fred Coots 1:47
13."Georgia on My Mind"Carmichael4:58
14."Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone"
0:50
Total length:41:31

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes. [9]

References

  1. 1 2 Fordham, John (29 December 2005). "Derek Bailey". The Guardian . Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Olewnick, Brian. "Ballads - Derek Bailey". AllMusic . Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 Fordham, John (10 May 2002). "Shock tactics". The Guardian . Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Artists beginning with B (part 1)". The Guardian . 17 November 2007. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  5. ↑ Watson, Ben (2004). Derek Bailey and the Story of Free Improvisation. Verso. pp. 364–365. ISBN   1844670031.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Leone, Dominique (26 June 2002). "Derek Bailey: Ballads". Pitchfork . Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  7. ↑ "Top 50 Albums of 2002". Pitchfork . 31 December 2002. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  8. ↑ "2002 Rewind". The Wire . December 2007. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  9. ↑ Derek Bailey (2002). Ballads (CD booklet). Tzadik.
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