Friction, Baby | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 13, 1996 | |||
Recorded | March 25–April 27, 1996 | |||
Genre | Alternative rock, post-grunge | |||
Length | 51:44 | |||
Label | Swell/Elektra [1] | |||
Producer | Don Gehman | |||
Better Than Ezra chronology | ||||
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Singles from Friction, Baby | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Spin | 6/10 [3] |
Friction, Baby is the third studio album by Better Than Ezra, released in 1996. [4] [5]
The album's title comes from a television interview with Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. When asked how he and Mick Jagger stayed together for so long, Richards took a long drag from his cigarette and said "friction, baby." This may also be a reference to the fact that the band had replaced its original drummer, Cary Bonnecaze, between the recording of their previous album and this one.
The album produced two hits on the Billboard modern rock charts: "King of New Orleans" and "Desperately Wanting." "Desperately Wanting" also narrowly missed the Billboard Top 40, peaking at #48. The third and fourth singles, "Long Lost" and "Normal Town," failed to chart.
In its review, The A.V. Club called Friction, Baby "a batch of low-impact pop cheese that's too mindlessly catchy not to be likable." [6]
On early copies of the album, the hidden track "Mejor de Ezra" is contained in the pregap. Later copies of the album tack this secret track onto the end of the album.
All songs were composed by Kevin Griffin.
Better Than Ezra is an American alternative rock band based in New Orleans, Louisiana, and signed with The End Records. The band formed in 1988 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and consists of Kevin Griffin, Tom Drummond, Michael Jerome (drums), and James Arthur Payne Jr.. The band has released eight studio albums, most recently 2014's All Together Now. They are best known for their 1993 multi-platinum album Deluxe and the 1995 single "Good," which reached number 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
Bread was an American soft rock band from Los Angeles, California. They had 13 songs chart on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1970 and 1977.
Kevin Michael Griffin (born October 1, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Better Than Ezra.
Black and Blue is a studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 23 April 1976 by Rolling Stones Records.
Deluxe is a studio album by the alternative rock band Better Than Ezra. It has been released by two labels: the original version in 1993 by Swell Records, and the 1995 version by Elektra Records. This is the group's best known album and contains their biggest single, "Good". It is also their debut major label record, as Surprise was entirely self-released and sold.
Frampton Comes Alive! is the first double live album by English musician and songwriter Peter Frampton, released in 1976 by A&M Records. Frampton Comes Alive! is one of the best-selling live albums of all time. "Show Me the Way", "Baby, I Love Your Way", and "Do You Feel Like We Do" were released as singles; all three reached the top 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and frequently receive airplay on classic rock radio stations. Following four studio albums with no success and sales, Frampton Comes Alive! was a breakthrough for Frampton.
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Closer is the fifth studio album by the New Orleans-based rock trio Better Than Ezra. It was released on August 7, 2001 by Beyond Records. Closer initially performed better than its predecessor, How Does Your Garden Grow?, peaking at #110 on the Billboard charts. The first single off the album, "Extra Ordinary," placed on both the Billboard Modern Rock and Adult Top 40 charts. A second single, "Misunderstood," was planned, but Beyond Records declared bankruptcy before it could be released.
Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album by Better Than Ezra. It was released in 2005 via Rhino Records.
How Does Your Garden Grow? is an album by the American alternative rock trio Better Than Ezra, released in 1998 via Elektra Records. It was the band's second album with drummer Travis Aaron McNabb.
Bridges to Babylon is a studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released by Virgin Records on 29 September 1997. Released as a double album on vinyl and as a single CD, it was supported by the year-long worldwide Bridges to Babylon Tour that was met with much success.
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Live at House of Blues New Orleans is a live album and DVD released by the band Better Than Ezra on September 28, 2004 as their sixth album, first of two live albums, and their only on Sanctuary Records. The album and DVD were recorded and filmed at two separate shows at the House of Blues in New Orleans during the summer of 2004 and have different track listings. The DVD is longer as it has eight tracks not available on the CD. Additionally, there are two studio tracks featured on the CD that are not on the DVD.
Paper Empire is the seventh studio album by the New Orleans-based rock trio Better Than Ezra, released on May 12, 2009, through Red Distribution. It is the first album to feature new drummer Michael Jerome following the departure of former drummer Travis McNabb in February 2009 after 13 years with Better Than Ezra. Album art and packaging were designed by Lorin Brown at One & Done Studio.
"Desperately Wanting" is a song by American alternative rock group Better Than Ezra. It was released in December 1996 as the second single from their third studio album, Friction, Baby, and became a chart hit in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Travis Aaron McNabb is an American drummer and percussionist. McNabb is perhaps best known as a longtime member of the band Better Than Ezra, although he has performed session and touring work with many acts during his career. Prior to joining Better Than Ezra in January 1996, McNabb toured with acts such as Vigilantes of Love, Beggars, and seminal Oregon-based punk rock band The Wipers. Since mid-2007, he has been the full-time touring drummer with Grammy-award winning Country/Bluegrass act Sugarland.
"King of New Orleans" is the lead single from the 1996 Better Than Ezra studio album Friction, Baby. It was released as a commercial single in 1996.
This is a comprehensive discography of official recordings by Better Than Ezra, an American alternative rock band from New Orleans, Louisiana.
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