The Outsider (Walter Trout album)

Last updated
The Outsider
WalterTroutTheOutsider.jpg
Studio album by
Walter Trout
ReleasedMay 26, 2008 (2008-05-26)
RecordedFebruary 4–17, 2008
Studio
Genre
Length68:25
Label Provogue
Producer John Porter
Walter Trout chronology
Hardcore
(2007)		The Outsider
(2008)		 Unspoiled by Progress: 20 Years of Hardcore Blues
(2009)
Singles from The Outsider
  1. "All My Life"
    Released: 2008 (2008)

The Outsider is the tenth studio album by American blues rock musician Walter Trout. Recorded in February 2008 at Mad Dog Studios in Burbank, California, it was produced by John Porter and released on May 26, 2008, by Provogue Records. Credited solely to Walter Trout, The Outsider features a range of performers alongside the eponymous vocalist and guitarist, including his bandmates Sammy Avila and Rick Knapp, as well as session contributors Kenny Aronoff and James "Hutch" Hutchinson. The album reached number 3 on the US Billboard Blues Albums chart, number 6 on the UK Jazz & Blues Albums Chart and number 24 on the UK Independent Albums Chart.

Contents

Background

After spending several years with Ruf Records, in October 2007 it was announced that Walter Trout had re-signed with Provogue Records (with which he had previously worked throughout much of the 1990s), in the label's first worldwide distribution deal. [2] After completing the Full Circle touring cycle at the end of 2007, Trout and his band announced the addition of drummer Michael Leasure to the lineup in January 2008, replacing Joey Pafumi. [3] Due to the timing of the change in personnel, Trout worked with session drummer Kenny Aronoff for The Outsider, with Leasure appearing as a backing vocalist on two tracks. [4] Bassist Rick Knapp and keyboardist Sammy Avila, the other two members of Walter Trout and the Radicals, are also featured on select tracks, although the majority feature James "Hutch" Hutchinson in place of Knapp. [4]

Recording for The Outsider took place between February 4 and February 17, 2008. [1] Aronoff's drums tracks were recorded within the first four days of sessions. [4] A press release for the album outlined the themes of the album: "As the title implies, The Outsider is a thought-provoking collection of songs that shows [Trout's] true diversity. Often being pegged "too blues for rock" and "too rock for blues", Trout stays true to his belief that genres exists only for the critics." [5] Speaking about whether the record is a concept album, Trout conceded that "I guess so, though it didn't start off that way", agreeing that the songs are about "characters, people, and different eras". [4]

Reception

Commercial

The Outsider was Trout's second album to reach the top five of the US Billboard Blues Albums chart, peaking at number 3. [6] Outside the US, the album reached number 6 on the UK Jazz & Blues Albums Chart and number 24 on the UK Independent Albums Chart. [7]

Critical

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]

Media response to The Outsider was positive. In a four-star review published by AllMusic, Ronnie D. Lankford Jr. praised the album for its "eclecticism within the blues-rock tradition", which he suggested "shows Trout's range ... [and] prevents one musical style from becoming too dominant". [1] Pete Feenstra of Get Ready to Rock! praised the quality of Trout's songwriting on the album, as well as the sequencing and production, concluding his five-star review by stating that "He may seem himself as an 'outsider' but this album offers further evidence that Walter Trout is very much at the centre of the best blues rock out there." [8] In a retrospective feature titled "The Walter Trout albums you should definitely own" for Classic Rock magazine, Henry Yates selected The Outsider as one of Trout's nine best albums. [9]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Walter Trout; track 13 co-written by Rick Knapp

The Outsider track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Welcome to the Human Race"5:56
2."The Next Big Thing"4:29
3."All My Life"4:00
4."The Love Song of J. Alfred Bluesrock"6:15
5."Don't Wanna Fall"5:36
6."Child of Another Day"6:25
7."Turn Your Eyes to Heaven"4:08
8."The Restless Age"4:11
9."Gone Too Long"5:53
10."A Matter of the Heart"5:41
11."Can't Have It All"6:09
12."Sanjay"4:34
13."The Outsider"5:08
Total length:68:25

Personnel

Notes

  1. ↑ Trout is also credited under the alias "Wally Bass" with performing backing vocals. [10]

Charts

Chart performance for The Outsider
Chart (2008)Peak
position
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts) [11] 81
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [7] 24
UK Jazz & Blues Albums (OCC) [7] 6
US Blues Albums ( Billboard ) [6] 3

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Healey</span> Canadian singer, guitarist and songwriter (1966–2008)

Norman Jeffrey Healey was a Canadian blues, rock and jazz guitarist, singer and songwriter who attained popularity in the 1980s and 1990s. He reached No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart with "Angel Eyes" and reached the Top 10 in Canada with the songs "I Think I Love You Too Much" and "How Long Can a Man Be Strong".

Mascot Label Group is an independently owned record label. Founded in 1989 in The Netherlands under the name Mascot Records, the company was renamed Mascot-Provogue in 1999 and since 2010 has been known as the Mascot Label Group. The company is based in the Netherlands and has offices in New York, Cologne, Stockholm, Milan, Paris and London. It was distributed by ADA and Warner Music Group until 2022; it is now digitally distributed by FUGA internationally and physically distributed by AMPED in the United States. Mascot Label Group is the parent company of the following labels: Mascot Records, Provogue Records, Music Theories Recordings, Cool Green Recordings, The Funk Garage, and The Players Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danielle Nicole</span> Musical artist

Danielle Nicole is an American blues/soul musician from Kansas City, Missouri, United States. Her self-titled solo debut EP was released March 10, 2015, on Concord Records. The self-titled EP features Grammy Award-winning producer and guitarist Anders Osborne, Galactic's co-founding drummer Stanton Moore, and keyboardist Mike Sedovic. On February 25, 2015, American Blues Scene premiered the track "Didn't Do You No Good" off the EP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supersonic Blues Machine</span> American band

Supersonic Blues Machine is an American, California-based trio, consisting of drummer Kenny Aronoff, producer/bass player Fabrizio Grossi and singer/guitarist Kris Barras, currently signed to Provogue Records. Their sound is predominantly based on American roots music, but stretches out to reach different styles of the genre, such as contemporary blues, funk R&B, rock 'n' soul, and alternative. Their "claim to fame" is to always enlist a noticeable line up of guests and sidemen, both on their records as on their live shows. They have recorded two albums, West of Flushing, South of Frisco (2016), Californisoul (2017), both of which reached the Top 15 of the Billboard Blues Albums chart, and released their first live record Road Chronicles - LIVE! in July 2019. Their third studio album VooDoo Nation was released in June 2022.

Lance Lopez is an American blues rock and Texas blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Lopez has been influenced by Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Jeff Beck has described Lopez as "a very exciting and intense blues guitarist". Lopez has spoken over the years about being mentored by both Billy Gibbons and Johnny Winter. Lopez was aged 16 at the time he met Gibbons, and they have remained friends throughout.

<i>Life in the Jungle</i> (Walter Trout album) 1989 studio album by the Walter Trout Band

Life in the Jungle is the first solo album by American blues rock musician Walter Trout, credited to the Walter Trout Band. Recorded in the summer of 1989 following Trout's departure from John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers after four years, it was originally released that year in Scandinavia by Bozz, a sub-division of Swedish record label Electra. A full release across wider Europe and the UK followed in 1990, after Trout signed with Dutch record label Provogue Records.

<i>Prisoner of a Dream</i> 1990 studio album by the Walter Trout Band

Prisoner of a Dream is the second solo studio album by American blues rock musician Walter Trout, credited to the Walter Trout Band. Recorded at Sun Studio in Copenhagen, Denmark with producer Dave Anderson, it was released in 1990 by Provogue Records. The album reached the top 20 of the Dutch Albums Chart and was supported by the release of two singles: "Say Goodbye to the Blues" and "The Love That We Once Knew".

<i>Transition</i> (Walter Trout album) 1992 studio album by the Walter Trout Band

Transition is the third solo studio album by American blues rock musician Walter Trout, credited to the Walter Trout Band. Recorded between May and June 1992 at Front Page Recorders in Costa Mesa, California, it was produced by Kevin Beamish and released on October 9, 1992, by Provogue Records. The album reached number 46 on the Dutch Albums Chart and was supported by the release of two singles: "Running in Place" and "Motivation of Love".

<i>Live: No More Fish Jokes</i> 1993 live album by the Walter Trout Band

Live: No More Fish Jokes is the first solo live album by American blues rock musician Walter Trout, credited to the Walter Trout Band. Released on May 17, 1993, by Provogue Records, it features nine tracks recorded in 1991 at the Skanderborg Festival in Denmark and three recorded in 1992 at De Hanehof in Geleen, Netherlands.

<i>Tellin Stories</i> (Walter Trout album) 1994 studio album by the Walter Trout Band

Tellin' Stories is the fourth solo studio album by American blues rock musician Walter Trout, credited to the Walter Trout Band. Recorded between August and September 1993 at Battery Studios in London, England, it was produced by Tony Platt and released on June 28, 1994, as Trout's only album for Silvertone Records. The album reached number 66 on the Dutch Albums Chart, number 84 on the UK Albums Chart and number 4 on the UK Jazz & Blues Albums Chart.

<i>Breaking the Rules</i> (album) 1995 studio album by the Walter Trout Band

Breaking the Rules is the fifth solo studio album by American blues rock musician Walter Trout, credited to the Walter Trout Band. Recorded from January 15 to February 28, 1995, at Soundcastle in Los Angeles, California, it was Trout's first album to be self-produced, and was released on June 6, 1995, by Provogue Records. The album reached number 58 on the Dutch Albums Chart and number 4 on the UK Jazz & Blues Albums Chart.

<i>Positively Beale St.</i> 1997 studio album by the Walter Trout Band

Positively Beale St. is the sixth solo studio album by American blues rock musician Walter Trout, the last to be credited to the Walter Trout Band. Recorded between February and March 1997 at 315 Beale St. Recording in Memphis, Tennessee, it was produced by Jim Gaines and released on May 19, 1997, by Provogue Records. The album charted at number 65 on the Dutch Albums Chart and number 9 on the UK Jazz & Blues Albums Chart. Following its initial release in Europe, Positively Beale St. was issued in North America by Ruf Records under the title Walter Trout, credited to Trout as a solo artist.

<i>Face the Music</i> (Live on Tour) 2000 live album by Walter Trout and the Free Radicals

Face the Music (Live on Tour) is the second solo live album by American blues rock musician Walter Trout, credited to Walter Trout and the Free Radicals. Released in Europe only on January 31, 2000, by Provogue Records, it features recordings from the group's 1999 worldwide concert tour in promotion of Livin' Every Day, including performances at both European and North American shows. The album was later reissued to mark the 25th anniversary of Trout's solo career in 2014.

<i>Go the Distance</i> (album) 2001 studio album by Walter Trout and the Radicals

Go the Distance is the eighth solo studio album by American blues rock musician Walter Trout, credited to Walter Trout and the Radicals. Recorded between February and March 2001 at Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, it was produced by Jim Gaines and released on May 22, 2001, by Ruf Records.

<i>Relentless</i> (Walter Trout album) 2003 live album by Walter Trout and the Radicals

Relentless is the fourth solo live album and the first official video album by American blues rock musician Walter Trout, credited to Walter Trout and the Radicals. Released on August 12, 2003, by Ruf Records, it features a recording of the group's performance at the Paradiso in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on May 14, 2003. The video version, titled Relentless: The Concert, features additional tracks, including two recorded at a show the night before at the same venue.

<i>Deep Trout: The Early Years of Walter Trout</i> 2005 compilation album by Walter Trout

Deep Trout: The Early Years of Walter Trout is the first compilation album by American blues rock musician Walter Trout. Initially released in Europe by Provogue Records on January 31, 2005, it features tracks from several of Trout's early solo albums, in addition to three previously unreleased recordings. The album was later issued in North America by Ruf Records with an amended track listing, when it reached number 13 on the US Billboard Blues Albums chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter Trout discography</span>

Walter Trout is an American blues rock musician from Ocean City, New Jersey. After spells in Canned Heat and John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers in the 1980s, he started a solo career in 1989 and signed to Dutch label Provogue Records. His first three albums – Life in the Jungle, Prisoner of a Dream and Transition – all charted in the Netherlands, reaching numbers 51, 20 and 46, respectively, on the Dutch Albums Chart. Tellin' Stories was issued worldwide by Silvertone Records in 1994, registering at number 84 on the UK Albums Chart. Trout subsequently returned to Provogue and his albums continued to chart in the Netherlands.

<i>Full Circle</i> (Walter Trout album) 2006 studio album by Walter Trout and Friends

Full Circle is the ninth studio album by American blues rock musician Walter Trout, credited to Walter Trout and Friends. Recorded between January and March 2006 in Canada and California, it was self-produced by Trout and released on June 20, 2006, by Ruf Records and Provogue Records. Alongside the main lineup of Trout, bassist Rick Knapp and drummer Richie Hayward, the album features guest performers on every track, including Trout's former bandmates John Mayall and Coco Montoya. Full Circle reached number 2 on the US Billboard Blues Albums chart and number 16 on the UK Jazz & Blues Albums Chart.

<i>Hardcore</i> (Walter Trout album) 2007 live album by the Walter Trout Power Trio

Hardcore is the fifth live album by American blues rock musician Walter Trout, credited to the Walter Trout Power Trio. Recorded over four shows on the Hard Core Blues Rock Tour in the UK and the Netherlands between March and April 2007, it was self-produced by Trout and released independently on July 6, 2007.

<i>Unspoiled by Progress: 20 Years of Hardcore Blues</i> 2009 compilation album by Walter Trout

Unspoiled by Progress: 20 Years of Hardcore Blues is the second compilation album by American blues rock musician Walter Trout. Released on June 23, 2009, by Provogue Records, it features previously unreleased recordings from across Trout's solo career, including live tracks and radio recordings, as well as three new studio tracks. The album reached number 5 on the US Billboard Blues Albums chart and number 10 on the UK Jazz & Blues Albums Chart.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Lankford, Jr., Ronnie D. "The Outsider – Walter Trout". AllMusic . Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Guitar Great Walter Trout Signs With Provogue Records". Fishnet Productions. October 16, 2007. Archived from the original on January 11, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  3. ↑ "New Drummer Joins Walter Trout and the Radicals". Fishnet Productions. January 29, 2008. Archived from the original on February 11, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Feenstra, Pete (October 2008). "Interview: Walter Trout". Get Ready to Rock!. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Walter Trout, The Outsider". STLBlues. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Blues Albums". Billboard charts . Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 "Walter Trout songs and albums". Official Charts Company . Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  8. ↑ Feenstra, Pete (2008). "Walter Trout: The Outsider review". Get Ready to Rock!. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  9. ↑ Yates, Henry (January 1, 2024). "The Walter Trout albums you should definitely own". Classic Rock . Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  10. ↑ The Outsider (Media notes). Walter Trout. Provogue Records. 2008. Retrieved July 17, 2024.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ↑ "Discografie Walter Trout". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved July 16, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.