Love Travels

Last updated
Love Travels
Lovetravels.jpg
Studio album by
Kathy Mattea
ReleasedFebruary 4, 1997 (1997-02-04)
RecordedJune–December 1996
StudioWoodland
Genre
Length47:17
Label Mercury Records Nashville
Producer
  • Kathy Mattea
  • Shane Tarleton
  • Ben Wisch
Kathy Mattea chronology
Walking Away a Winner
(1994)		Love Travels
(1997)		 The Innocent Years
(2000)
Singles from Love Travels
  1. "455 Rocket"
    Released: January 18, 1997
  2. "I'm on Your Side"
    Released: May 19, 1997
  3. "Love Travels"
    Released: August 1997
  4. "Patiently Waiting"
    Released: 1998

Love Travels is the tenth studio album by American country artist, Kathy Mattea. It was released on February 4, 1997, via Mercury Records Nashville. The disc contained a total of 11 tracks that blended a mixture of different musical styles. Love Travels spawned four singles, two of which made the North American country songs charts: "455 Rocket" and the title track. The album itself reached the top 20 of the American country albums chart and was reviewed positively by critics.

Contents

Background

Steve Huey of AllMusic described Kathy Mattea as "one of the most respected female country stars of her era" as well as "a commercially successful hitmaker". During the eighties and nineties, four of Mattea's singles topped the North American country charts: "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses", "Goin' Gone", "Burnin' Old Memories" and "Come from the Heart". Several more made the top ten and top 20 during those decades. By the mid nineties, Mattea had begun changing her artistic direction. [2] For her next album, Mattea explained that she wanted to "delver deeper" into what she was "feeling". "It's such a gift to be paid for being who you are as an artist. I'm so lucky to have a very loyal following of people who've stayed with me through all of my eclectic restlessness. They always want to see what I am going to do next," she explained in 1997. [3]

Recording and content

Love Travels was co-produced by Mattea, along with Ben Wisch and assistant production credits from Shane Tarleton. The album was recorded between June and December 1996 at Woodland Studios, located in Nashville, Tennessee. [4] It incorporated commercial country music with elements of country folk. Other genres explored in some selections included Celtic, Caribbean and New Orleans musical styles. Mattea told the Sun Sentinel that she wanted the songs to guide her musical direction for the album. [3]

Love Travels consisted of 11 tracks of material. One track featured writing credits from Mattea's husband (and songwriter), Jon Vezner. Titled "All Roads to the River" was composed with singer-songwriter, Janis Ian. [4] The fifth features vocals from country artist, Suzy Bogguss. Titled "Further and Further Away", the song discusses how parents age as their children develop into maturity. Mattea personally connected with the song as she was watching both her parents age at the time. [3] Other themes about romance are found on songs like "If That's What You Call Love". The sixth track, "455 Rocket", is a story song built around a man's love of an Oldsmobile 88 car. The final track, "Beautiful Fool", discusses how social leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. tried to solve problems without using physical violence. [5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg
Chicago Tribune Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg
Entertainment Weekly B+

Love Travels received a mostly positive critical reception. In their review, Entertainment Weekly gave the album a B+ rating. [6] Thom Owens of AllMusic rated the project three out of five stars. He found the album's production to evoke more polished sounds that her previous works, but nonetheless found it to be a strong collection of material. Owens further commented that it walks "the perfect middle-ground between country-folk and mainstream contemporary country." [1]

The Chicago Tribune gave the project three out of four stars, noting the blending the album's incorporation of various musical styles. "Mattea just keeps rolling along in her 11th studio album, another engaging effort highlighted by songs from Gillian Welch, Jim Lauderdale, Cheryl Wheeler and Janis Ian. Love and the human spirit reign triumphant in songs that urge listeners to find their muses and trust those pesky inner voices," the newspaper commented. [7] Robert Loy of Country Standard Time found the album to be more personal that previous works in his review: "For some time now, Kathy Mattea has managed to walk the line between commercialism and a more mature artistic vision. Her previous release Walking Away a Winner was radio friendly, but she's back on more personal, even spiritual ground on Love Travels. [5]

Release, chart performance and singles

Love Travels was released on February 4, 1997, on Mercury Records Nashville. It was originally offered as both a compact disc and a cassette. [4] It was later released to digital sites for downloading and streaming purposes. [8] The album entered the American Billboard Top Country Albums chart on February 22, 1997, and spent 28 weeks there. On April 12, 1997, it peaked at number 15 on the chart. [9] It also made the Billboard 200 all-genre chart, reaching number 121 on April 12, 1997, after 14 weeks on the chart. [10] It also became her second album to make the United Kingdom's Official Charts Company all-genre chart, reaching number 65. [11]

Four singles were spawned from Love Travels. The first was "455 Rocket", which was issued on January 18, 1997. [12] On April 19, 1997, the song peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. [13] It also reached the top 20 of Canada's RPM country chart, peaking at number 16 around the same time. [14] The next single issued from the album was the track, "I'm on Your Side", which was issued to radio on May 19, 1997. [15] The single did not chart on Billboard's country survey. [13] It was followed by the title track, which was released in August 1997. [16] The song later peaked at number 39 on the Billboard country chart after 16 weeks there. [13] It also reached number 79 on the RPM country songs chart. [14] The final single issued from Love Travels was the track, "Patiently Waiting", which not chart on Billboard. It was released in 1998. [17] [13]

Track listing

CD and digital versions [4] [8]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Love Travels"
5:31
2."Sending Me Angels"
4:16
3."Patiently Waiting" Gillian Welch 5:05
4."If That's What You Call Love" Lionel Cartwright 4:30
5."Further and Further Away" Cheryl Wheeler 4:32
6."455 Rocket"
4:09
7."I'm on Your Side" Jim Lauderdale 3:10
8."The Bridge"
3:26
9."All Roads to the River"
3:17
10."The End of the Line"
4:29
11."Beautiful Fool" Don Henry 4:52
Total length:47:17

Personnel

All credits are adapted from the liner notes of Love Travels. [4]

"Love Travels"
"Sending Me Angels"
  • Bob Bailey - background vocals
  • Kim Fleming - background vocals
  • Paul Franklin - pedal steel guitar
  • Vicki Hampton - background vocals
  • James "Hutch" Hutchinson - bass guitar, handclaps
  • Abe Laboriel Jr. - drums, handclaps
  • Duke Levine - electric guitar, handclaps
  • Kathy Mattea - handclaps
  • Louis Nunley - background vocals
  • Don Potter - acoustic guitar
  • Matt Rollings - piano, Hammond B-3 organ
  • Kirby Shelstad - percussion
"Patiently Waiting"
  • Jonatha Brooke - background vocals
  • Farrell Morris - congas, shaker, tambourine
  • James "Hutch" Hutchinson - bass guitar
  • Jim Keltner - drums
  • Duke Levine - electric guitar
  • Don Potter - acoustic guitar
  • Matt Rollings - piano, Hammond B-3 organ
  • Suzy Wills - background vocals
"If That's What You Call Love"
  • Lionel Cartwright - piano, background vocals
  • Kathy Chiavola - background vocals
  • Paul Franklin - pedal steel guitar
  • James "Hutch" Hutchinson - bass guitar
  • Abe Laboriel Jr. - drums
  • Tim Lauer - synthesizer
  • Duke Levine - acoustic guitar, electric guitar
  • Don Potter - acoustic guitar
  • Kirby Shelstad - percussion
"Further and Further Away"
"455 Rocket"
  • Pat Buchanan - electric guitar
  • Jerry Douglas - Dobro
  • Stuart Duncan - mandolin
  • Bob Halligan Jr. - background vocals
  • James "Hutch" Hutchinson - bass guitar, foot taps, knee slaps
  • Kirk "Jelly Roll" Johnson - harmonica
  • Jim Keltner - drums, maracas, foot taps, knee slaps
  • Kathy Mattea - foot taps, knee slaps
  • Don Potter - acoustic guitar
  • Kim Richey - background vocals
"I'm on Your Side"
  • Pat Bucahanan - electric guitar
  • James "Hutch" Hutchinson - bass guitar
  • Jim Keltner - drums, tambourine
  • Jim Lauderdale - acoustic guitar
  • George Marinelli - electric guitar
  • Kathy Mattea - background vocals
  • Kirby Shelstad - percussion
"The Bridge"
  • James "Hutch" Hutchinson - bass guitar
  • Mary Ann Kennedy - background vocals
  • Abe Laboriel Jr. - drums
  • Duke Levine - slide guitar
  • Michael McDonald - background vocals
  • Don Potter - acoustic guitar
  • Matt Rollings - Wurlitzer electric piano, Hammond B-3 organ
"All Roads to the River"
  • Jonatha Brooke - background vocals
  • James "Hutch" Hutchinson - bass guitar
  • John Jennings - baritone guitar
  • Abe Laboriel Jr. - drums
  • Hunter Lee - digeridoo
  • Duke Levine - mandola, slide guitar
  • Don Potter - acoustic guitar
  • Kirby Shelstad - percussion
  • Suzy Wills - background vocals
"The End of the Line"
  • James "Hutch" Hutchinson - bass guitar
  • Mary Ann Kennedy - background vocals
  • Abe Laboriel Jr. - drums, percussion
  • Duke Levine - electric guitar
  • Michael McDonald - background vocals
  • Don Potter - acoustic guitar, resonator guitar
  • Matt Rollings - Wurlitzer electric piano
  • Ben Wisch - synthesizer
  • Jonathan Yudkin - mandolin
"Beautiful Fool"
Technical personnel

Charts

Release history

Release history and formats for Love Travels
RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
North AmericaFebruary 4, 1997
  • CD
  • cassette
Mercury Records Nashville [4]
United KingdomCDMercury Records [22]
North America2000s–2010s
  • Music download
  • streaming
Mercury Nashville Records [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathy Mattea</span> American musician, activist (born 1959)

Kathleen Alice Mattea is an American country music and bluegrass singer. Active since 1984 as a recording artist, she has charted more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including four that reached No. 1: "Goin' Gone", "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses", "Come from the Heart", and "Burnin' Old Memories", plus 12 more that charted within the top ten. She has released 14 studio albums, two Christmas albums, and one greatest hits album. Most of her material was recorded for Universal Music Group Nashville's Mercury Records Nashville 8division between 1984 and 2000, with later albums being issued on Narada Productions, her own Captain Potato label, and Sugar Hill Records. Among her albums, she has received five gold certifications and one platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). She has collaborated with Dolly Parton, Michael McDonald, Tim O'Brien, and her husband, Jon Vezner. Mattea is also a two-time Grammy Award winner: in 1990 for "Where've You Been", and in 1993 for her Christmas album Good News. Her style is defined by traditional country, bluegrass, folk, and Celtic music influences.

<i>Undiscovered Soul</i> 1998 studio album by Richie Sambora

Undiscovered Soul is the second solo studio album from Richie Sambora the guitarist from New Jersey band Bon Jovi. The album was released on February 23, 1998, and is more experimental than his earlier release Stranger in This Town. The album was produced by Don Was.

<i>Red Hot + Country</i> 1994 compilation album by Red Hot AIDS Benefit Series , (Various Artists)

Red Hot + Country was the follow-up to No Alternative in the Red Hot Series of compilation albums, a series produced to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV as well as other related health and social issues. This compilation featured music from the classic country and classic rock genres performed by an assortment of seasoned old and new country music artists.

<i>Greatest Hits II</i> (Clint Black album) 2001 greatest hits album by Clint Black

Greatest Hits II is a 2001 compilation album by country singer Clint Black. It was his last release for RCA Nashville.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (Sara Evans album) 2007 greatest hits album by Sara Evans

Greatest Hits is a 2007 compilation album by American country music singer Sara Evans. It features ten of her greatest hits from her second through fifth albums, as well as four newly recorded tracks.

<i>Christmas with You</i> (Clint Black album) 2004 studio album by Clint Black

Christmas with You is the tenth studio album by American country music singer Clint Black. It is a reissue of his first Christmas album, 1995's Looking for Christmas, with two newly recorded songs, "Christmas with You" and "Santa's Holiday Song".

<i>Past the Point of Rescue</i> 1991 studio album by Hal Ketchum

Past the Point of Rescue is the second studio album by American country music artist Hal Ketchum. His first major-label album, it was released in 1991 on Curb Records and has been certified gold by the RIAA. The album produced four singles for him on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts between 1991 and 1992. In chronological order, these were "Small Town Saturday Night", "I Know Where Love Lives", "Past the Point of Rescue", and a cover of The Vogues' "Five O'Clock World"; respectively, these songs reached #2, #13, #2, and #16 on the country charts. "Past the Point of Rescue" has been recorded by several other artists, most notably the Dixie Chicks on their 1992 album Little Ol' Cowgirl.

<i>Kathy Mattea</i> (album) 1984 studio album by Kathy Mattea

Kathy Mattea is the debut studio album by the American country music singer of the same name. It was released in 1984 on Mercury Records. It includes the singles "Street Talk", "Someone Is Falling in Love", "You've Got a Soft Place to Fall", and "That's Easy for You to Say". The song "(Back to the) Heartbreak Kid" was later released in 1986 by Restless Heart from their self-titled debut album.

<i>Walk the Way the Wind Blows</i> 1986 studio album by Kathy Mattea

Walk the Way the Wind Blows is the third studio album by American country music singer Kathy Mattea. It was released in 1986 on Mercury Records. This album produced Mattea's first Top Ten country hit in "Love at the Five and Dime", which reached #3 on the Billboard country charts. Following this song were three more Top Ten hits: the title track at #10, "You're the Power" at #5, and "Train of Memories" at #6.

<i>Untasted Honey</i> 1987 studio album by Kathy Mattea

Untasted Honey is the fourth studio album by American country music artist Kathy Mattea. It was released in 1987 on Mercury Records. The album produced Mattea's first Number One hit on the Billboard country charts in its lead-off single "Goin' Gone". Following this song was another Number One hit, "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses", then "Untold Stories" and "Life as We Knew It", both of which reached #4. "The Battle Hymn of Love" was later released as a single from Mattea's 1990 album A Collection of Hits. Like Walk the Way the Wind Blows before it, this album includes a cut originally found on Nanci Griffith's 1986 album The Last of the True Believers, this time in the track "Goin' Gone". Untasted Honey was certified gold by the RIAA.

<i>Willow in the Wind</i> 1989 studio album by Kathy Mattea

Willow in the Wind is the fifth studio album by American country music artist Kathy Mattea. It was released in 1989 on Mercury Records. The album is her highest-peaking entry on the Top Country Albums charts, where it reached number 6. It was also certified gold by the RIAA. Four singles were released from it, and all four reached Top Ten on the Billboard country singles charts. First were the back-to-back number 1 hits "Come from the Heart" and "Burnin' Old Memories", followed by the number 10 "Where've You Been" and number 2 "She Came from Fort Worth". "Where've You Been" also charted on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts, peaking at number 25 there. This song also earned her the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

<i>Time Passes By</i> 1991 studio album by Kathy Mattea

Time Passes By is the sixth studio album by American country music artist Kathy Mattea. It was released in 1991 on Mercury Records. The album, like her last two studio albums before it, was certified gold by the RIAA. Singles released from it include the title track at #7, "Whole Lotta Holes" at #18, and "Asking Us to Dance" at #27. "From a Distance" was originally recorded by Nanci Griffith and later versions were released by Bette Midler and Judy Collins.

"455 Rocket" is a song written by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, and recorded by American country music artist Kathy Mattea. It was released in January 1997 as the first single from the album Love Travels. The song reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.

<i>21st Century Hits: Best of 2000–2012</i> 2013 compilation album by Dwight Yoakam

21st Century Hits: Best of 2000–2012 is the fourth greatest hits compilation album by American country music artist Dwight Yoakam. It was released by New West Records on October 1, 2013. It includes songs from the albums Tomorrow's Sounds Today, Population Me, Blame the Vain, Dwight Sings Buck and 3 Pears, as well as a previously unreleased duet with Michelle Branch and a cover of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" from his previous greatest hits collection, the 1999 Last Chance for a Thousand Years, that also appeared on the soundtrack to the 2006 film The Break-Up.

<i>Blame It All on My Roots: Five Decades of Influences</i> 2013 box set by Garth Brooks

Blame it All on My Roots: Five Decades of Influences is the fourth compilation box set by American country music artist Garth Brooks, released by Pearl Records on November 28, 2013.

<i>Fighter</i> (David Nail album) 2016 studio album by David Nail

Fighter is the fourth studio album by American country music artist David Nail. It was released on July 15, 2016, via MCA Nashville. It includes the singles "Night's on Fire" and "Good at Tonight", a duet with Brothers Osborne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Travels (song)</span> 1997 single by Kathy Mattea

"Love Travels" is a song originally recorded by American country artist, Kathy Mattea. It was released as a single in August 1997 via Mercury Records and PolyGram. It reached a top 40 position on the American country songs chart and was the title track to her 1997 studio album of the same name. The single received a positive review from Billboard in 1997.

<i>Love Life</i> (Brenda Russell album) 1981 studio album by Brenda Russell

Love Life is the second studio album by American singer/songwriter Brenda Russell, released in March 1981 by A&M Records.

<i>The Speed of Now Part 1</i> 2020 studio album by Keith Urban

The Speed of Now Part 1 is the eleventh studio album by New Zealand-born Australian country music singer Keith Urban. The album was released on 18 September 2020 via Hit Red and Capitol Records Nashville.

<i>Heart & Soul</i> (Eric Church album) 2021 studio album by Eric Church

Heart & Soul is the seventh studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Eric Church. The album was split into three separate albums: Heart, & and Soul. The album was released by EMI Nashville, who have been Church's label home since 2011's Chief. It was preceded by the singles "Stick That in Your Country Song", which received a nomination for Best Country Solo Performance at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, and "Hell of a View".

References

  1. 1 2 3 Owens, Thom. "Love Travels: Kathy Mattea: Songs, reviews, credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  2. ↑ Huey, Steve. "Kathy Mattea: Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 "LOVE TRAVELS ON MATTEA'S LATEST ALBUM". Sun-Sentinel . March 28, 1997. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mattea, Kathy (February 4, 1997). "Love Travels (Liner Notes and Album Information)". Mercury Records . 314-532 899-4 (Cassette), 314-532 899-2 (CD).
  5. 1 2 Loy, Robert. "Kathy Mattea -- Love Travels". Country Standard Time. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  6. ↑ "Love Travels album". Entertainment Weekly . 1997. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  7. ↑ "Nanci GriffithBlues Roses From the Moons (Elektra)..." Chicago Tribune . March 28, 1997. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 "Love Travels by Kathy Mattea". Apple Music . Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  9. ↑ "Kathy Mattea chart history (Country Albums)". Billboard . Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  10. ↑ "Kathy Mattea chart history (Billboard 200)". Billboard . Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  11. ↑ "Listings for Kathy Mattea". Official Charts. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  12. ↑ Mattea, Kathy (January 18, 1997). ""455 Rocket"/"All Roads to the River" (CD Single)". Mercury Records Nashville . 578 950-7.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "Kathy Mattea chart history (Country Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  14. 1 2 "Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada - Country Singles". RPM . Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
  15. ↑ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records : 55. May 19, 1997.
  16. ↑ Mattea, Kathy (August 1997). ""Love Travels" (CD single)". Mercury Records/PolyGram. MNCD-131.
  17. ↑ Mattea, Kathy (1998). ""Patiently Waiting" (Radio Edit) / "Patiently Waiting" (LP Version)". Mercury Records . MNCD-194.
  18. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Kathy Mattea Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Kathy Mattea Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1997". Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  22. ↑ Mattea, Kathy (February 4, 1997). "Love Travels (CD Information)". Mercury Records . 532 899-2 (United Kingdom).
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.