Midnight Rose's

Last updated

Midnight Rose's
Midnight Rose's.jpg
Studio album by
Released1991
Genre Funk, punk funk, [1] funk rock [2]
Label Sire
Producer Eric Calvi
Royal Crescent Mob chronology
Spin the World
(1989)
Midnight Rose's
(1991)
13 Destruction
(1992)

Midnight Rose's is an album by the American band Royal Crescent Mob, released in 1991. [3] [4] The first single was "Konk". [1] The band supported the album with a North American tour. [5] Royal Crescent Mob was dropped from Sire Records after the release of Midnight Rose's. [6]

Contents

Production

The album was produced by Eric Calvi. [7] As on previous albums, the band was influenced by fellow Ohioans the Ohio Players. [8] "Pretty Good Life" is an examination of the yuppie lifestyle. [9] "I'm Sayin'" is about a marriage proposal. [1] "Mt. Everest" is about a romantic relationship with an extremely tall woman. [10] "Timebomb" contains a rap verse. [11] Singer David Ellison played harmonica on the album. [12]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [13]
The Buffalo News Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [14]
Robert Christgau Rating-Christgau-neither.png [15]
The Cincinnati Post Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Dayton Daily News Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Orlando Sentinel Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [16]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [17]

Newsday stated: "In the tradition of the Ohio Players and the other '70s funkateers they grew up listening to, Royal Crescent Mob takes a conscious stand against the notion of significance... As long as Royal Crescent Mob persists with this bizarre modesty, they'll be one of rock's best kept secrets." [18] The Orlando Sentinel wrote that on the album's best track "the group ... abandons its funkateering and comes up with some delightfully loopy rock. 'Drunkard's Nose' combines a New Orleans rhythmic feel and swampy horns with country-flavored licks and one of the most original subjects ever for a rock song—the nose of the title and alcoholic's deteriorating looks." [16] Trouser Press determined that guitarist Mr. B "colors the songs in with cogent flashes of aptly aimed guitar as the rhythm section sets the rhythmic clock in motion." [9]

The Philadelphia Inquirer noted that "the only chink in the Mob's armor is that some of its songs exist only as one-dimensional grooves, with Ellison wisecracking over them." [19] The Houston Chronicle opined that, "where the [Red Hot Chili] Peppers thrash and bash and peel their clothes off in concert, the Mob layers melody, lyrical wit and subtle grooves to the attack, never more evident on Midnight Rose's." [20] The Austin American-Statesman concluded that, "where so many bands with similar influences ... seem to think that establishing a style is mainly a matter of extending cliches toward the point of parody, the Mob has real songs to go with its real grooves." [21]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Ramblin'" 
2."Big Mistake" 
3."Apples" 
4."Konk" 
5."Mt. Everest" 
6."I'm Sayin'" 
7."Pretty Good Life" 
8."Woodsnake" 
9."Timebomb" 
10."Drunkard's Nose" 

References

  1. 1 2 3 Browne, David (March 22, 1991). "Midnight Rose's". Entertainment Weekly.
  2. Heim, Chris (December 27, 1991). "Royal Crescent Mob and Urge". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. Q.
  3. "Funky rockers have a winner in 'Midnight Rose's'". The Grand Rapids Press. March 13, 1991. p. E7.
  4. Wright, Rickey (April 29, 1991). "Mob Turns Up the Heat with Funky Review". Art & Travel. Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. 20.
  5. Kim, Jae-Ha (December 27, 1991). "Royal flush: Label gives Crescent Mob the heave-ho". Weekend Plus. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 3.
  6. "Royal Crescent Mob Biography by Uncle Dave Lewis". AllMusic. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  7. 1 2 MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1996. p. 579.
  8. Jenkins, Mark (August 30, 1991). "Groovy Rut for Royal Crescent Mob". The Washington Post. p. N17.
  9. 1 2 "Royal Crescent Mob". Trouser Press. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  10. Terrell, Steve (March 8, 1991). "The Mob turning into contenders". Pasatiempo. The Santa Fe New Mexican. p. 13.
  11. 1 2 Larsen, Dave (March 8, 1991). "Recordings on Review". Go!. Dayton Daily News. p. 17.
  12. 1 2 Nager, Larry (February 16, 1991). "RC Mob returns to its roots". The Cincinnati Post. p. 5C.
  13. "Midnight Rose's Review by Steven McDonald". AllMusic. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  14. Anderson, Dale (March 8, 1991). "Pop". Gusto. The Buffalo News. p. 32.
  15. "Royal Crescent Mob". Robert Christgau. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  16. 1 2 Gettelman, Parry (April 12, 1991). "Royal Crescent Mob, Midnight Rose's". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 18.
  17. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 608.
  18. Tannenbaum, Rob (March 17, 1991). "Disinheriting the Meek". Part II. Newsday. p. 15.
  19. DeLuca, Dan (May 3, 1991). "Royal Crescent Mob". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. D3.
  20. Racine, Marty (May 12, 1991). "Ohio funk group plays with style". Zest. Houston Chronicle. p. 11.
  21. McLeese, Don (June 25, 1991). "In terms of musical style, there's an extensive gulf separating...". Austin American-Statesman. p. C5.