| The Brightest Smile in Town | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1983 | |||
| Label | Clean Cuts [1] | |||
| Producer | Ed Levine, Jack Heyrman | |||
| Dr. John chronology | ||||
| ||||
The Brightest Smile in Town is an album by the American musician Dr. John, released in 1983. [2] [3] It was his second solo piano album. [4] [5] It was reissued in 2006, along with Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack, Vol. 1 plus bonus tracks. [6]
The album was coproduced by Ed Levine. [7] Half of its songs are instrumentals. [8] "Waiting for a Train" is a cover of the Jimmie Rodgers song. [9] "Touro Infirmary", about a dead friend, was included on the album's reissue. [10]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [8] |
| Robert Christgau | B− [11] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [12] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | [1] |
| The Philadelphia Inquirer | [13] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [14] |
The Philadelphia Inquirer deemed the album "an uneven but charming record that peaks with his rowdy performances of 'Marie La Veau' and ... 'Average Kind of Guy'." [13] The Globe and Mail praised the "unassuming, easy-rolling vein of New Orleans' piano playing." [15] The Philadelphia Daily News called it "a joyous romp through various aspects of traditional and modern music from the Crescent City." [16]
Robert Christgau noted that "too often on his second unaccompanied mostly-instrumental album he's as pleasant and boring as any other session man doing his thing." [11] Goldmine determined that the album is "filled with glissandos, arpeggios and quiet, almost eerie, passages." [17]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Saddled the Cow" | |
| 2. | "Boxcar Boogie" | |
| 3. | "The Brightest Smile in Town" | |
| 4. | "Waiting for a Train" | |
| 5. | "Monkey Puzzle" | |
| 6. | "Your Average Kind of Guy" | |
| 7. | "Pretty Libby" | |
| 8. | "Marie la Veau" | |
| 9. | "Come Rain or Come Shine" | |
| 10. | "Suite Home New Orleans" |
Malcolm John Rebennack Jr., better known by his stage name Dr. John, was an American singer and songwriter. His music combined New Orleans blues, jazz, funk, and R&B.
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