Stone (Crash Vegas album)

Last updated

Stone
Stone (Crash Vegas album).jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 9, 1993
Genre Rock, folk rock, country rock
Label London
Producer John Porter
Crash Vegas chronology
Red Earth
(1990)
Stone
(1993)
Aurora
(1995)

Stone is the second album by the Canadian band Crash Vegas, released on March 9, 1993. [1] [2] They supported it with a Canadian tour that was followed by a tour of the United States, opening for the Tragically Hip. [3] [4] The first single was "You and Me". [5] The album peaked at No. 50 on the RPM 100. [6]

Contents

Production

Recorded in Los Angeles, the album was produced by John Porter. [7] The band wanted a heavier sound, as they felt that their skills had improved while touring in support of their debut, and were also interested in not repeating themselves. [8] [9] The songs were written primarily by Michelle McAdorey, Greg Keelor, and Colin Cripps; McAdorey was chiefly influenced by Gram Parsons and the freedom found in punk music. [10] "September Morning" is about Parsons. [11] Darren Watson joined the band on bass, replacing Jocelyne Lanois. [12] Cripps played a mando-guitar on some of the tracks. [13] Ian McLagan contributed on electric organ. [14] "One Way Conversation" was written by Dave Pirner; the band discovered it on a demo and decided to record it with Pirner while he was in Toronto. [8] "Nothing Ever Happened" was mixed by Butch Vig. [15]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [16]
Calgary Herald A [17]

The Calgary Herald said that "Crash Vegas is now filled with a subtle, powerful passion that rages even in its quietest moments". [17] The Kitchener-Waterloo Record opined that "McAdorey's voice has become one of the most intriguing in the folk-rock/rock-folk business." [18] The Ottawa Citizen concluded, "The disc finds a good balance between rock, country and a touch of punk, with solid songwriting and musicianship. It could use some more variety in tempos; a few tunes find a nice groove, but it always seems to find its way back to that languishing country-style beat." [14] The Morning Call called Stone "tuneful yet forgettable cow-pop". [19]

The Vancouver Sun stated that "Cripps turns out to be a monster, reeling off a mind-blowing assortment of licks and leading the band through some fairly wild shifts in dynamics." [20] The Washington Post said that "most of Stone is slow and twangy ... characterized by lonesome pedal steel and doleful lyrics." [21] The Hamilton Spectator opined that Crash Vegas "has successfully combined taste with tragedy and created some mesmerizing music." [22] Robert Christgau selected "You and Me" as a "Choice Cut". [23] Trouser Press labeled Stone "listenable but uninspired", noting that "Please Don't Ask" has "a mournful lilt that arrives as a relief from the album's oppressive moments". [24]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."You and Me" 
2."One Way Conversation" 
3."Keep It to Myself" 
4."Stone" 
5."My City Has a Place" 
6."Nothing Ever Happened" 
7."Gold & Silver" 
8."September Morning" 
9."1800 Days" 
10."Please Don't Ask" 

References

  1. Howell, David (March 5, 1993). "Stone, the long-awaited...". Edmonton Journal. p. F3.
  2. Howell, Peter (January 2, 1993). "Canadian Rock/Pop/Country". Toronto Star. p. E12.
  3. MacDonald, Sandy (April 3, 1993). "Endless road trip brings Crash Vegas to the Bird". Entertainment. Daily News. Halifax. p. 22.
  4. Alston, Kim (May 15, 1993). "Too cool". The Record. Hackensack. p. C8.
  5. Howell, David (April 12, 1993). "Second album worth the wait". Edmonton Journal. p. B5.
  6. "RPM 100". RPM. Vol. 57, no. 15. April 24, 1993. p. 11.
  7. Howell, Peter (March 18, 1993). "Crash Vegas finds new grit in L.A. rubble". Toronto Star. p. C6.
  8. 1 2 Harrison, Tom (March 3, 1993). "Crash Starts All Over". The Province. p. B3.
  9. Kendle, John (March 11, 1993). "Launch into Raunch". Winnipeg Sun. p. 26.
  10. Muretich, James (March 7, 1993). "Crash Vegas". Calgary Herald. p. C2.
  11. Lannert, John (May 2, 1993). "Back to the Roots of Rock". Sun Sentinel. p. 3D.
  12. "Crash Vegas gets wheels back on the road". The Kitchener-Waterloo Record. March 18, 1993. p. C5.
  13. Cochrane, Alan (March 27, 1993). "Crash Vegas guitarist hunts for instruments". Leisure Living. The Times-Transcript. No. 11. p. 6.
  14. 1 2 Saxbery, Lynn (March 20, 1993). "Crash Vegas Stone". The Ottawa Citizen. p. H3.
  15. Howell, Peter (March 13, 1993). "Crash Vegas Stone". Toronto Star. p. K10.
  16. "Stone Review by Roch Parisien". AllMusic. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  17. 1 2 Muretich, James (March 7, 1993). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald. p. C2.
  18. "Stone Crash Vegas". The Kitchener-Waterloo Record. March 18, 1993. p. C9.
  19. Valania, Jonathan (May 8, 1993). "Records". The Morning Call. p. A70.
  20. Mackie, John (April 15, 1993). "Crash Vegas Stone". The Vancouver Sun. p. D8.
  21. Jenkins, Mark (May 15, 1993). "Canada's Semi-Hip, Plus Potent Country". Weekend. The Washington Post. p. 18.
  22. Krewen, Nick (March 4, 1993). "'Exciting, thrilling, fulfilling'". Ego. The Hamilton Spectator. p. 20.
  23. "Crash Vegas". Robert Christgau. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  24. "Crash Vegas". Trouser Press. Retrieved July 4, 2025.