If You Didn't Laugh, You'd Cry | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 18, 2005 | |||
Recorded | January to May 2005 | |||
Studio | Magic Shop, New York City
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Genre | Rock, Country, Folk, Punk | |||
Length | 41:28 | |||
Label | Yep Roc Records | |||
Producer | Marah | |||
Marah chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Pitchfork Media | [2] |
PopMatters | [3] |
If You Didn't Laugh, You'd Cry is an album by Marah, released on Yep Roc Records in the United States and Munich Records in Europe on October 18, 2005.
Marah, during yet another period of personnel transition (a constant theme over the career of mercurial band leaders Dave and Serge Bielanko), recorded the majority of IYDLYC over nine studio days at The Magic Shop recording studio in New York City. Additional tracking and overdubs were recorded by bass guitarist/keyboardist/engineer Kirk Henderson at the band's project studio in Brooklyn, NY. Basic tracking for this, Marah's fifth studio release, began with departing band members Jon Wurster on drums and Mike "Slo-Mo" Brenner on dobro, bass, and electric guitar, and finished with new members Dave Petersen on drums and Adam Garbinski (both formerly of the band Squad Five-O) on electric guitar. No song went past a second take.
The resulting disc, If You Didn't Laugh, You'd Cry(IYDLYC), met with near universal critical acclaim. Stephen King, writing in Entertainment Weekly, hailed IYDLYC as the best record of 2005.
If You Didn't Laugh, You'd Cry is an apt enough title, when you consider that this is probably the best rock band in America that nobody knows. Am I being an elitist here, trying to one-up my audience? Nope. Marah is great in the scat, bop, and jive way Springsteen was great on The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle. One listen to songs like The Closer and Fat Boy on this amazing record and I think you'll agree. These guys are either the American U2 or close enough for government work.
Shouldn't a Told You That is the third studio album by American country band Dixie Chicks, under the name the Dixie Chicks Cowgirl Band, released in 1993. It was their third and final album for the Crystal Clear Sound label, and last to feature singer-bassist Laura Lynch. Four years later, Natalie Maines joined, and the group released their 1998 breakthrough album Wide Open Spaces.
Shakin' Things Up is the sixth studio album by American country music artist Lorrie Morgan, released in 1997 via BNA Records.
Kids in Philly is the second studio album by the band Marah, released in 2000. The songs draw from musical influences including Bruce Springsteen, Mummer string bands, Phil Spector and roots rock, while the album's lyrics are rooted in the band's Philadelphia home. Kids in Philly garnered widespread critical praise for its energetic abandon, lyrical sincerity and depth, and unabashed pilfering of numerous musical influences.
Marah is an American rock and roll band that formed in the early 1990s and is closely associated with the cities of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Brooklyn, New York. The band is known for its intense live performances, classic rock production style, and association with authors Nick Hornby and Sarah Vowell and musicians Bruce Springsteen and Steve Earle.
A Christmas Kind of Town is a Christmas album released by the band Marah in 2005.
Float Away With the Friday Night Gods (FAWTFNG) is an album by the band Marah, released in 2002. The Bielanko Brothers were joined by Jamie Mahon and Jon Kois of The Three 4 Tens.
20,000 Streets Under the Sky is an album by the band Marah, released in 2004.
Have You Forgotten? is the first compilation album by American country music singer Darryl Worley. It was released on April 15, 2003 via DreamWorks Records Nashville. The album contains select tracks from his first two albums, including four new songs, the title track, "I Will Hold My Ground", "I Need a Breather" and "Shiloh". The title track spent seven weeks at number one on the Hot Country Songs charts in 2003. Also released from this album were "Tennessee River Run" and "I Will Hold My Ground", the latter of which failed to make top 40. This album was certified gold by the RIAA. This CD is in HDCD format, providing improved audio quality on compatible players.
Freedom is the second studio album by American country music singer Andy Griggs. Released in 2002 on RCA Records Nashville, it features the singles "How Cool Is That", "Tonight I Wanna Be Your Man", and "Practice Life", a duet with Martina McBride; respectively, these reached No. 22, No. 7, and No. 33 on the Hot Country Songs chart in 2002.
RhineStoned is the ninth studio album recorded by country music artist Pam Tillis. It is her first album for her own Stellar Cat label. The tracks "Band in the Window" and "The Hard Way" were both released as singles, although neither charted.
From The Heart is the third studio album by American country music singer Doug Stone. It was released on August 11, 1992 on Epic Records Nashville.
Phil Stacey is the debut studio album by American country music singer Phil Stacey, released on April 29, 2008 on Lyric Street Records.
Times Like These is the fourth studio album by American country music singer Buddy Jewell. The album was released on April 26, 2005 by Columbia Records. Two singles were released from the project, "If She Were Any Other Woman" and "So Gone." While the former peaked in the Top 30 of Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, the latter failed to chart entirely.
Angels of Destruction! is an album by the band Marah. It was released by Yep Roc Records on January 8, 2008.
Shenandoah is the debut studio album by American country music band Shenandoah. Released in 1987 on Columbia Records, it includes three singles: "They Don't Make Love Like We Used To" and "Stop the Rain." "Stop the Rain" was the band's first Top 40 country hit, peaking at #28 on Billboard Hot Country Singles. "She Doesn't Cry Anymore" carried over to the band's 1989 album The Road Not Taken, being released as a single from it.
Real Man is the sixth studio album by American country music singer Billy Dean. It was released August 25, 1998, via Capitol Records Nashville. The album includes two singles: the title track and "Innocent Bystander", which respectively reached #33 and #68 on the U.S. Billboard country singles charts. Dean co-produced the album with David Gates, formerly of Bread, and co-wrote several of its songs with him. "Voices Singing," features the St. Nicholas School Children's Choir of Chattanooga, as well as Dean's son, Eli.
Hits Alive is the first compilation album by American country music artist Brad Paisley. This album contains two CDs of a collection of Paisley's greatest hits spanning his entire career. The first disc contains studio versions, and the second disc contains live versions. It was released on November 2, 2010, on Arista Nashville. It sold 31,000 copies in its first week. As of the chart dated April 16, 2011, the album has sold 235,881 copies in the US.
More Than Ever is the ninth album by the band Blood, Sweat & Tears, released in July 1976. This was the band's ninth studio album and their last for Columbia Records. The album peaked at number 165 on the Billboard albums chart. It contained one charting single, "You're the One".
The Music Is You: A Tribute To John Denver is an album consisting of songs originally performed by country and folk singer-songwriter John Denver. It was released on April 2, 2013 by ATO Records. Denver died in October 1997 when the single engine plane he was piloting crashed off the coast of California. The album has been praised by some as a way to help Denver's catalogue reach a new, younger audience.
Life is a Problem is an album by Marah, released in 2010.