Black Diamond (Stan Ridgway album)

Black Diamond
Studio album by Stan Ridgway
Released	January 20, 1996 (1996-01-20)
Recorded	Impala Studios and Living Presence Studios, CA
Genre	Folk rock, alternative rock
Length	50:52
Label	Birdcage [1]
Producer	Stan Ridgway
Stan Ridgway chronology
Songs That Made This Country Great (1992) Black Diamond (1996) Film Songs (1997)

Black Diamond is the fourth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Stan Ridgway, released in 1996. ^{[2] [3]}

Production

"As I Went Out One Morning" is a cover of the Bob Dylan song. ^[4] "Luther Played Guitar" is about the guitar player Luther Perkins. ^[5] "Gone the Distance" addresses the death of Kurt Cobain. ^[6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[7]
Calgary Herald	[4]
Uncut	[8]

The Washington Post determined that "the Dylan tune is one indication that Ridgway wants to be taken seriously, and he does tone down his arch vocal style on some of these songs." ^[9] The Boston Globe wrote that the album, "though quieter and more spare than much of Ridgway's work, continues his pattern of writing moody story-songs, restless character studies imbued with dark, spooky undertones." ^[10]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Stan Ridgway, except "As I Went Out One Morning", by Bob Dylan.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Big Dumb Town"	4:20
2.	"Gone the Distance"	3:03
3.	"Knife and Fork"	4:52
4.	"Down the Coast Hwy"	4:23
5.	"Luther Played Guitar"	4:20
6.	"Stranded"	4:51
7.	"Wild Bill Donovan"	2:54
8.	"Man of Stone"	3:47
9.	"Pink Parakeet"	4:58
10.	"Underneath the Big Green Tree"	3:21
11.	"As I Went Out One Morning"	3:13
12.	"Crystal Palace"	6:50

Personnel

Adapted from the Black Diamond liner notes. ^[11]

Musicians

• Stan Ridgway  – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, harmonica, recorder, Hammond organ, production
• Ted Andersen – drums, percussion
• Harlan Boddicker – bass guitar
• Larry Grennan – recording, mixing, percussion, backing vocals
• Bob Elmo – cello, violin, bass guitar
• Todd Sharp – saxophone, woodwind
• Pietra Wexstun – keyboards, backing vocals

Production and additional personnel

• Ed Colver – photography
• Fred Davis – design
• Doug Schwartz – mastering

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Format	Catalog
United States	1996	Birdcage	CD	11007
	2012		LP

References

1. Morris, Chris (February 3, 1996). "Flag Waving". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 5. p. 63.
2. "Stan Ridgway Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
3. Stolder, Steven (April 1996). "Rock-pop recordings — Black Diamond by Stan Ridgway". Audio. Vol. 80, no. 4. p. 84.
4. Muretich, James (March 24, 1996). "Stan Ridgway: Black Diamond". Calgary Herald. p. C2.
5. Rinaldi, Ray Mark (March 7, 1996). "Black Diamond Stan Ridgway". Get Out. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 9.
6. Shuster, Fred (February 17, 1996). "Reinventing Rocker Ridgway". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L7.
7. Adams, Greg. "Black Diamond". AllMusic. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
8. "Stan Ridgway – Black Diamond". Uncut. August 31, 2003.
9. "Ridgway Iso Style". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
10. Sullivan, Jim (June 14, 1996). "The novelty of Stan Ridgway". Arts & Film. The Boston Globe. p. 65.
11. Black Diamond (booklet). Stan Ridgway. Sierra Madre, California: Birdcage Records. 1996.

External links

• Black Diamond at Discogs (list of releases)