Dear 23

Last updated
Dear 23
Dear23.jpeg
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 25, 1990
RecordedMarch 17 – April 21, 1990
StudioCrow Studios, Seattle, Washington
Genre Alternative rock
Length48:03
Label DGC [1]
Producer John Leckie [2]
The Posies chronology
Failure
(1988)
Dear 23
(1990)
Frosting on the Beater
(1993)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Entertainment Weekly B+ [5]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]

Dear 23 is the second album by Seattle alternative rock/grunge/power pop band The Posies. [8] [9] The album was released in 1990 by DGC records and re-rereleased by Omnivore Recordings in 2018. [10]

Contents

The first single was "Golden Blunders," which was later covered by Ringo Starr. [11] "Apology" appears on Children of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the Second Psychedelic Era, 1976–1995 .

Critical reception

The Chicago Tribune called Dear 23 "one of the year`s most engaging albums," writing that it delivers "a contemporary edge to the mid-`60s British Invasion sound of groups such as the Hollies." [12] Entertainment Weekly wrote that group "avoids self- conscious revivalism with strong, intelligent songwriting and a solidly modern rock beat." [5] Spin praised the "harmony-laden power pop sound." [13] Paste wrote that "the sound, coaxed to life by English producer John Leckie, seemed to literally erupt from the speakers, brimming with hooks, harmonies and songs so captivating and effusive, repeated listens became all but mandatory." [2]

Track listing

All tracks by Jon Auer & Ken Stringfellow

No.TitleLength
1."My Big Mouth"2:27
2."Golden Blunders"4:28
3."Apology"5:16
4."Any Other Way"4:07
5."You Avoid Parties"4:49
6."Suddenly Mary"4:13
7."Help Yourself"4:29
8."Mrs. Green"5:52
9."Everyone Moves Away"4:15
10."Flood of Sunshine"8:22
Total length:48:18

Personnel

The Posies
Technical

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Star</span> American rock band

Big Star was an American rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee in 1971 by Alex Chilton, Chris Bell, Jody Stephens (drums), and Andy Hummel (bass). They have been described as the "quintessential American power pop band", and "one of the most mythic and influential cult acts in all of rock & roll". In its first era, the band's musical style drew influence from 1960s pop acts such as the Beatles and the Byrds, producing a style that foreshadowed the alternative rock of the 1980s and 1990s. Before they broke up, Big Star created a "seminal body of work that never stopped inspiring succeeding generations" according to Rolling Stone. Three of Big Star's studio albums are included in the Rolling Stone list of the Top 500 Albums of All-Time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Minus 5</span> American pop rock band

The Minus 5 is an American pop rock band headed by musician Scott McCaughey of Young Fresh Fellows, often in partnership with R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Game Theory (band)</span> 1980s power pop band founded by Scott Miller

Game Theory was an American power pop band, founded in 1982 by singer/songwriter Scott Miller, combining melodic jangle pop with dense experimental production and hyperliterate lyrics. MTV described their sound as "still visceral and vital" in 2013, with records "full of sweetly psychedelic-tinged, appealingly idiosyncratic gems" that continued "influencing a new generation of indie artists." Between 1982 and 1990, Game Theory released five studio albums and two EPs, which had long been out of print until 2014, when Omnivore Recordings began a series of remastered reissues of the entire Game Theory catalog. Miller's posthumously completed Game Theory album, Supercalifragile, was released in August 2017 in a limited first pressing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Posies</span> American band

The Posies were an American power pop group. The band was formed in 1986 in Bellingham, Washington, United States, by primary songwriters Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow.

The Orange Humble Band is an alternative rock band formed in early 1995, by Darryl Mather on guitar. He was joined by Anthony Bautovich, Mitch Easter on vocals, and Ken Stringfellow on lead vocals. The group issued two albums, Assorted Creams (1997) and Humblin' (2001) before disbanding later that year. They reformed in March 2012 and issued a third album, Depressing Beauty, in May 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Stringfellow</span> American musician

Kenneth Stuart Stringfellow is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and producer. Best known for his work with The Posies, R.E.M., and the re-formed Big Star, Stringfellow's discography includes more than 200 albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Auer</span> American musician

Jonathan Paul "Jon" Auer is an American musician who co-founded the power pop band The Posies, along with Ken Stringfellow. Auer and Stringfellow also participated in the rejuvenated Big Star and in 2003 released Private Sides, a six-song split EP. Auer played guitar on the 2004 William Shatner record Has Been which was produced and arranged by Ben Folds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sky Cries Mary</span>

Sky Cries Mary is an American psychedelic rock/trance musical group from Seattle, Washington, formed in the late 1980s by Roderick Wolgamott.

<i>Frosting on the Beater</i> 1993 studio album by The Posies

Frosting on the Beater is the third album by American rock band The Posies, released in 1993. It featured a darker sound than the band's prior works, in part due to production duties being handled by Don Fleming. "Dream All Day", "Solar Sister" and "Definite Door" were released as singles, with the first two getting moderate airplay and the third being the band's only single to break the UK top 75. Frosting on the Beater was the last album original drummer Mike Musburger appeared on.

<i>Failure</i> (The Posies album) 1988 studio album by The Posies

Failure is the debut album of The Posies. It was first released independently in 1988 on cassette only. In 1989 it was reissued on cassette, LP and CD on PopLlama Records.

<i>Amazing Disgrace</i> 1996 studio album by The Posies

Amazing Disgrace is the fourth album by the Seattle alternative rock band the Posies, released in 1996. It was their final release for DGC Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Miller (pop musician)</span> American songwriter

Scott Warren Miller was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known for his work as leader of the 1980s band Game Theory and 1990s band The Loud Family, and as the author of a 2010 book of music criticism. He was described by The New York Times as "a hyperintellectual singer and songwriter who liked to tinker with pop the way a born mathematician tinkers with numbers", having "a shimmery-sweet pop sensibility, in the tradition of Brian Wilson and Alex Chilton."

<i>Every Kind of Light</i> 2005 studio album by The Posies

Every Kind of Light is the sixth studio album by The Posies, released on June 28, 2005 by Rykodisc. This was the first full-length album release by the band since 1998's Success, after which they had disbanded. Starting in 2000, the band began performing numerous reunion shows, while principal songwriters Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer pursued solo recordings and tours. This is the first Posies album to feature bassist/guitarist Matt Harris and drummer Darius Minwalla.

<i>In Space</i> 2005 studio album by Big Star

In Space is the fourth and final studio album by American rock group Big Star, released in 2005. It was the first new Big Star studio album since Third/Sister Lovers, recorded in 1974 and released in 1978.

<i>Columbia: Live at Missouri University</i> 1993 live album by Big Star

Columbia: Live at Missouri University 4/25/93 is a reunion live album by the American power pop group Big Star, recorded and released in 1993 by the original Big Star members Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens together with The Posies' members Jonathan Auer and Ken Stringfellow. It was recorded at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri.

<i>Blood/Candy</i> 2010 studio album by The Posies

Blood/Candy is the seventh studio album by American alternative rock band The Posies, released on September 28, 2010, by Rykodisc. It was the band's first album release in five years, following Every Kind of Light.

<i>Success</i> (The Posies album) 1998 studio album by The Posies

Success is an album by the Seattle alternative rock band the Posies, released in 1998. The band broke up after the album's release; they regrouped in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omnivore Recordings</span> American independent record label founded 2010

Omnivore Recordings is an independent record label founded in 2010. It specializes in historical releases, reissues and previously unissued vintage recordings, as well as select releases of new music, on CD, vinyl and digital formats. Omnivore Recordings is a part of Omnivore Entertainment Group LLC, which also incorporates sister companies Omnivore Music Publishing and Omnivore Creative, which provides A&R and art direction/design consulting for recording artists, artist estates, and other record labels.

<i>Supercalifragile</i> 2017 studio album by Game Theory

Supercalifragile is the sixth and final studio album by Game Theory, a California power pop band founded in 1982 by guitarist and singer-songwriter Scott Miller. At the time of his death in 2013, Miller had started work on the recording, which was to be Game Theory's first new album since 1988. Producer Ken Stringfellow and executive producer Kristine Chambers Miller enlisted the participation of numerous past collaborators and friends of Miller to finish the album after Miller's death, using Miller's partially completed recordings and source material. Supercalifragile was released in August 2017.

<i>Solid States</i> 2016 studio album by The Posies

Solid States is the eighth and final studio album by American alternative rock band The Posies, released on 29 April 2016 by American label MyMusicEmpire. It was the band's first new album release in six years, and the first since the deaths of drummer Darius Minwalla and bass player Joe Skyward.

References

  1. "The Posies: Dear 23". PopMatters. December 1, 2002. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  2. 1 2 "The Posies: Dear 23/Frosting On The Beater/Amazing Disgrace Reissue Reviews". pastemagazine.com. December 20, 2018. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  3. "Dear 23 - The Posies | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". Archived from the original on 2021-07-13. Retrieved 2020-12-22 via www.allmusic.com.
  4. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 606.
  5. 1 2 "Dear 23". EW.com. Archived from the original on 2022-08-16. Retrieved 2020-12-22.
  6. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 887.
  7. "The Posies: Dear 23 : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone . April 21, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-04-21.
  8. "The Posies - Dear 23 Reissue (Omnivore Recordings)". The Big Takeover. Archived from the original on 2020-10-01. Retrieved 2020-12-22.
  9. "The Posies | Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2021-10-29. Retrieved 2020-12-22.
  10. "A Conversation With The Posies". January 22, 2018. Archived from the original on November 10, 2019. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  11. Thompson, Dave (December 22, 2000). Alternative Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN   9780879306076. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024 via Google Books.
  12. "PICKING 'POSIES'". chicagotribune.com. Archived from the original on 2024-06-28. Retrieved 2020-12-22.
  13. "30 Great Albums From 1990 That Deserve Their Own 30th Anniversary Pieces". Spin. June 12, 2020. Archived from the original on October 15, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2020.