| Love and Danger | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1992 | |||
| Label | MCA | |||
| Producer | Tony Brown, Joe Ely | |||
| Joe Ely chronology | ||||
| ||||
Love and Danger is an album by the American musician Joe Ely, released in 1992. [1] [2] It marked Ely's return to MCA Records. [3] He supported the album with a North American tour. [4]
Recorded in Nashville, the album was produced by Tony Brown and Ely. [5] [6] Ely and Brown wanted to place emphasis on the songs and Ely's voice, rather than a band sound. [7] Ely had written between 40 and 50 songs over nine months, some inspired by his Texas road travels. [8] David Grissom played guitar on the album. [9] "Every Night About This Time" is a cover of the Dave Alvin song. [10] "The Road Goes On Forever" and "Whenever Kindness Fails" were written by Robert Earl Keen. [11] [12]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [13] |
| Calgary Herald | B [10] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [14] |
| The Indianapolis Star | [15] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | [6] |
| Orlando Sentinel | [16] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 4/10 [17] |
The Chicago Tribune wrote that the album, "bursting with a crazed and dangerous sexual energy, rocks as hard as anything Ely has ever recorded, yet that rootsy Texas twang is never far away, nor is his startling poetic flair." [18] The Guardian noted that "Whenever Kindness Fails" "meshes perfectly with Ely's gruff but ironic delivery." [19] The Los Angeles Times determined that "Ely is taking the outsider/loner's view of love and life, spinning witty, frequently brilliant metaphors ... and setting them to melodies that seem at once familiar and fresh." [20]
The Calgary Herald opined that Ely's "delivery is too intense, like he's trying to be heard over a roadhouse crowd." [10] Stereo Review concluded that "it's got the dynamic locomotion of rock, the righteous sassiness of the blues, the narrative twang of country, and the hook-filled, melodic sheen of pop." [21] The Indianapolis Star wrote that "Ely's America entails bawdy romances, squelched ambitions and lonesome highways." [15] The Orlando Sentinel stated that "the ultra-crisp, hard-rock drum sound here is downright annoying on otherwise worthy songs." [16]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sleepless in Love" | 4:04 |
| 2. | "Pins and Needles" | 4:16 |
| 3. | "Love Is the Beating of Hearts" | 4:22 |
| 4. | "Slow You Down" | 4:27 |
| 5. | "The Road Goes On Forever" | 4:33 |
| 6. | "Settle for Love" | 4:25 |
| 7. | "Highways and Heartaches" | 4:14 |
| 8. | "Whenever Kindness Fails" | 4:05 |
| 9. | "She Collected" | 3:42 |
| 10. | "Every Night About This Time" | 4:11 |
Robert Earl Keen is an American country singer-songwriter and entertainer. Debuting with 1984's No Kinda Dancer, the Houston native has recorded 20 full-length albums for both independent and major record labels. His songs have had cover versions recorded by many musicians, including George Strait, Joe Ely, Lyle Lovett, The Highwaymen and Nanci Griffith. Keen has toured extensively in the US and abroad throughout his career.
Screw It! is the second album by the American band Danger Danger, released in 1991. "Monkey Business" peaked at No. 42 on the UK Singles Chart.
Umbrella is the second album by the American band the Innocence Mission, released in 1991. The band supported the album with a North American tour.
Joe Ely is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He was "one of the main movers" of Austin, Texas's progressive country scene in the 1970s and '80s.
Semi Crazy is an album by the American musician Junior Brown, released in 1996. It contains the crossover hit "Surf Medley", featuring three popular surf rock songs.
Red Heaven is a studio album by the American band Throwing Muses, released in 1992. It peaked at number 13 on the UK Albums Chart. Throwing Muses promoted the album by touring with the Flaming Lips. "Firepile" was released as a single.
Never Been Rocked Enough is a studio album by the American musician Delbert McClinton. It was released in 1992 by Curb Records. The first single was "Every Time I Roll the Dice". McClinton supported the album with a North American tour.
There Is Always One More Time is an album by the American musician B.B. King, released in 1991. It is dedicated to Doc Pomus, who cowrote the title song. The first single was "Back in L.A."
Rock On! is an album by the American musician Del Shannon, released posthumously in 1991.
Freedom's Child is an album by the American musician Billy Joe Shaver, released in 2002. Shaver supported the album with a North American tour. It was a hit on Americana radio stations.
Adequate Desire is an album by the American alternative rock musician Michael Hall, released in 1994. The album title comes from a line in an Emily Dickinson poem.
Old Wives' Tales is an album by the American musician Exene Cervenka, released in 1989. Cervenka told the Los Angeles Times that she considered the album to be "for and about women."
Kindness of the World is an album by the American musician Joe Henry, released in 1993.
Why We Fight is an album by the English musician John Wesley Harding, released in 1992. As with many of Harding's albums, the title is a reference to Frank Capra's work; Harding had considered using the Kinks homage Give the People What I Want as the title. Harding described the album's sound as "folk noir".
Rockit Fuel Only is an album by the American musician Evan Johns, released in 1991. He is credited with his backing band, the H-Bombs.
Texas Sugar/Strat Magik is an album by the American musician Chris Duarte, credited to the Chris Duarte Group. It was released in 1994. Duarte promoted the album by playing shows with the Radiators, Bad Company, and Neil Zaza, among others; the Chris Duarte Group also toured Australia, Europe, and Japan.
Destiny's Gate is an album by the American musician Tish Hinojosa, released in 1994. Hinojosa intended the album to incorporate "polished" country and pop, while retaining her Rounder Records contract for music that was in the traditional Tex-Mex border style.
Day Dreaming at Midnight is an album by the American band the Sir Douglas Quintet, released in 1994. Doug Sahm was motivated to reform the band due to his son Shawn's musicianship and the encouragement from Metallica's manager Cliff Burnstein.
Outward Bound is an album by the American musician Sonny Landreth, released in 1992. Landreth supported the album by playing the Montreal International Jazz Festival.
A Blazing Grace is an album by the American band Jason & the Scorchers, released in 1995 on Mammoth Records. The initial album title was Men and Women, War and Peace. The band supported the album with a North American tour. The first single, "Take Me Home, Country Roads", was a modest radio hit.