River of Souls | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 28, 1993 | |||
Recorded | c.1993 | |||
Studio |
| |||
Genre | Soft rock, folk, pop rock | |||
Length | 52:28 | |||
Label | Full Moon | |||
Producer | Dan Fogelberg | |||
Dan Fogelberg chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from River of Souls | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
River of Souls is the twelfth album by American singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg, released in September 1993. The album features a variety of genres ranging from Celtic, Brazilian, country, and African soft rock. It received mostly positive reviews from fans and critics alike, praising the instrumentation and vocals. However, some of the song's topics, which included war and politics, were not well received.
In a 1994 interview, Fogelberg remarked that "some people have said this album is really different from what I've done before, but to me it's just songwriting. I didn't set out to do world-beat music or anything like that. These songs just demanded a different treatment." [2]
Fogelberg described the album as "pessimism tempered with deeper spiritual optimism" [3] and "eclectic," and said his songwriting influences were Canadian singer Bruce Cockburn and South African Johnny Clegg, both of whom incorporated political concerns into their works. River of Souls addresses concerns about the environment in "Holy Road", and the homeless in "Faces of America", and war in "A Voice for Peace". [4]
Fogelberg said he tried to make it a "real musical album," and that for "The Minstrel," a song about sailing, he brought in penny whistles and a Celtic harp to give the song a British folk feel. He also noted that he wrote "Serengeti Moon" about 10 years ago, before Paul Simon's "Graceland" came out, and "thought, what am I going to do with this?" [4]
Fogelberg said he worked on the album for three years. [5] He recorded the album at Mountain Bird Studios in Colorado, and Sunset Sound Recorders in California. [2]
All songs written by Dan Fogelberg.
Chart (1993) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard 200 | 164 |
Souvenirs is the second studio solo album by the American rock singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg. The album was released in late 1974, on the label Epic Records. The album reached No. 17 on the Billboard 200 in March 1975 and was certified double platinum by the RIAA. Joe Walsh produced the album and played on ten of the eleven tracks.
Nether Lands is the fourth album by American singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg, released in 1977. The album title is a play on Nederland, Colorado, the location of one of the studios used to record the album.
The Innocent Age is an album by American singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg, released in 1981. It was one of his most successful albums: three of his four Top 10 singles on the Billboard pop chart were from this album, as well as another Top 20 single in "Run for the Roses". All four also reached the Top 10 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart, with "Leader of the Band" reaching number 1 on that chart.
Exiles is an album by the American musician Dan Fogelberg, released in 1987. It includes the A/C hits "Lonely in Love" and “Seeing You Again” and the pop hit "She Don't Look Back". Fogelberg supported the album by touring with Wendy Waldman.
No Resemblance Whatsoever is a collaboration album by American singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg and jazz flutist Tim Weisberg, released in 1995. The cover art was a current picture of the two in a pose similar to that on the cover of their 1978 collaboration Twin Sons of Different Mothers. The album title was a comedic reference to the pair who once looked somewhat like brothers, but now not so much with their clean-shaven faces and the passage of 17 years. This particular album, according to Fogelberg, only took 10 days to record. Weisberg sued Fogelberg in 1997 claiming fraud and breach of contract over money Weisberg claimed was owed to him from the album sales and the subsequent tour.
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.
Junction Seven is the seventh solo studio album by English musician and songwriter Steve Winwood, released in June 1997. The album broke the Top 40 in the UK but did not sell well in the US, and Winwood took a six-year break from making solo albums. This album was co-produced with Narada Michael Walden, while Winwood's wife Eugenia co-wrote several songs. Des'ree provided vocals on 'Plenty Lovin'.
On a Wing & a Prayer is the seventh studio album by Gerry Rafferty. The album includes three tracks co-written with Rafferty’s brother Jim, also a singer-songwriter, who had been signed to Decca Records in the 1970s. The music was heavily influenced by Rafferty's divorce from his wife Carla Ventilla in 1990. They were married for 20 years.
Rhythm of Love is the fifth album by American R&B/soul singer Anita Baker, released in 1994. The album peaked at #3 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and #1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop chart and was certified double platinum, giving Baker her fourth platinum selling album.
Aretha is the thirty-first studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, originally released on October 27, 1986, by Arista Records. It is the third album with the Aretha title to be released by Franklin, following her 1961 album and 1980 album.
The Hunter is the seventh studio album by Jennifer Warnes, released in 1992.
Roberta is Roberta Flack's fourteenth album, released in 1994. It consists of cover versions of jazz and soul standards. It was also her final album for Atlantic Records after twenty five years with the label since her debut. As an album Roberta was bestowed with a Grammy nomination in the category of Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.
On Arrival is the eighth studio album by American country music artist Dan Seals. The album reached #13 on the Top Country Albums chart. "Love on Arrival" and "Good Times" were the first two singles which both reached #1 while the last two singles, "Bordertown" and "Water Under the Bridge" only reached #49 and #57, respectively. "Good Times", which was his last #1 single and last Top 40 hit, was originally performed by Sam Cooke. "Made for Lovin' You" was also recorded by Clinton Gregory on his 1990 debut album Music 'n Me, and would later be a Top Ten hit for Doug Stone who released it from his 1992 album From the Heart.
Be Yourself is the ninth solo album by American singer-songwriter Patti LaBelle. It was released by MCA Records on June 26, 1989 in the United States. Her second album with the company following her 1986 platinum album Winner in You, it features the single, "If You Asked Me To" which was also featured on the soundtrack to the James Bond movie, Licence to Kill (1989), and the R&B top ten Prince-written hit "Yo Mister." The album marked LaBelle's foray into new jack swing music with the tracks "I Got It Like That", produced by Full Force, and "Love 89", another Prince contribution.
West Side Stories is the eleventh studio album by the six-time Grammy Award-nominated, one-time Grammy winning composer, keyboardist and pioneer of the smooth jazz genre, Jeff Lorber, released on Verve Forecast in 1994. After six previous nominations, Lorber won his first Grammy Award on January 28, 2018 for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for Prototype by his band The Jeff Lorber Fusion.
Seduction is the third album by jazz saxophonist Boney James, released in 1995.
Blink of an Eye is the fourth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Michael McDonald, released on August 3, 1993, by Reprise Records, three years after his previous studio album, Take It to Heart (1990).
The Crossing is the fifth studio album by English singer Paul Young. Released in 1993, the album peaked at No. 27 on the UK Albums Chart.
Soulful Strut is a studio album by American saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. The album was released in 1996 on Columbia Records label.
Soul Talkin' is an album by the American musician Brenda Russell, released in 1993. Disappointed with how the album was handled, Russell took a break from solo recording to travel and work on other projects.