The Shouting Stage

Last updated

The Shouting Stage
The Shouting Stage.jpg
Studio album by
Joan Armatrading
Released29 June 1988 (1988-06-29)
RecordedBumpkin Studios
Genre Pop
Length43:50
Label A&M
Producer Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading chronology
Sleight of Hand
(1986)		The Shouting Stage
(1988)		 Hearts and Flowers
(1990)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Christgau's Record Guide B [2]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]

The Shouting Stage is the 11th studio album by the British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading, released on 29 June 1988 by A&M Records. It was written, arranged and produced entirely by Armatrading herself, and recorded at her home studio (Bumpkin), with mixing done at Olympic Studios, London.

Contents

Background

Several of the musicians on the album – Phil Palmer on guitar, Wesley Magoogan on saxophone, Dave Mattacks and Jamie Lane on drums and Pino Palladino on bass – are stalwarts from previous Armatrading albums, though as is usual with Armatrading, the album also features a number of new musicians, including Dire Straits guitarist Mark Knopfler guesting on two of the tracks, Dire Straits keyboardist and pianist Alan Clark guesting on a further two, and drummer Mark Brzezicki of Big Country also guesting on two tracks.

Armatrading took a more relaxed approach to making this album than she had with previous ones. After her previous album, Sleight of Hand , and the tour following its release, she had collapsed with exhaustion and had taken a year away from music entirely. Her approach to making The Shouting Stage was to take much longer over the recording – she took several months over this album rather than her customary six weeks, beginning in September 1987 and not finishing the album until May 1988. The result was "a wonderful experience for all" with "a good atmosphere, friendly and relaxed", [4] and because of the extra time taken over the recording, Armatrading had more choice over the musicians she invited to take part.

The engineer for the album was Graham Dickson, who was recommended to Armatrading by Gus Dudgeon, who had produced her first album, Whatever's for Us . For this album, like her others, Armatrading supplied demos for the songs which she had recorded herself, with guide vocals already on them, since she was reluctant as always, because of her shyness, to sing in front of other musicians. She would write out chord charts for the musicians, though these were not always easy to follow since as Phil Palmer, who played on the album observed, she often used "eccentric guitar tunings". [5] For this album she listened to her demos more critically and tried to find ways to improve her songs. As is normal with Armatrading, her final vocals for the songs were recorded in seclusion. [6]

Phil Palmer observed about Armatrading during the making of the album: "she's a one-off, that's the bottom line. I don't know anybody else like her. I don't ever expect to meet anyone else like her." [6]

The songs

"Living For You" grew out of a suggestion by Jamie Lane that Armatrading should write songs based on rhythms generated by a drum machine. It features Guy Barker's laid back trumpet and some synthesised steel band sounds.

"Did I Make You Up" was based around a guitar riff improvised by Mark Knopfler. Armatrading had already written the song but Knopfler felt it could be improved by including a more up-tempo riff, which he then devised and which Armatrading agreed to include on the song.

"The Devil I Know" is a song about the double standards some men have about being faithful. [6] The song is unusual because Armatrading uses her own name in it, the only song in her catalogue where she does this.

"The Shouting Stage" was inspired by a heated argument between a couple that Armatrading witnessed in an Australian restaurant, along with an article in a London magazine she had read that said sooner or later every couple reaches a point called the shouting stage where they argue and might even come to blows. [7] [8] [9] Armatrading's biographer Sean Mayes described the song as "very atmospheric and classy … with Joan's vocals casting back to Nina Simone." [10]

"All A Woman Needs" grew out of a conversation Armatrading had with friends over dinner, with one of them relating a story about a man who gave a woman he liked anything she asked for, saying "love will come later". Armatrading felt that this message was "something to say to somebody". [10]

For the song "Dark Truths", Armatrading told Sean Mayes: "this is one song where the music came first … thinking very much of the arrangements." [10]

Three songs from the album ("The Shouting Stage", "Living For You" and "Stronger Love") were released as singles.

Critical reception

The album was critically well-received [ citation needed ] and reached number 28 in the UK album charts and number 100 in the US album charts. It was certified Silver by the BPI. As with her previous two albums, it failed to produce a genuine hit song; of the three singles drawn from the album, "Stronger Love" did not chart, "The Shouting Stage" peaked at no. 89 in the UK Singles Chart, and "Living for You" flickered into the chart for a single week at no. 98. [11]

Steve Hochman, writing in the Los Angeles Times in August 1988, drew attention to the album's "soulful phrasing and lyrics, sturdy rhythmic sense, [and] overall sense of contentedness". [12]

In The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Colin Larkin referred to the album as "her most impressive album in some time", but noted that it "failed to reach the heights achieved by many of its predecessors". [13]

AllMusic reviewer William Ruhlmann praised the "spare" sound and "tasteful" accompaniment, but said that "lyrically, Armatrading seems trapped in a romantic cul-de-sac – when she doesn't have the object of her affections, she longs for him, but when she does have him, she argues with him and suspects him of infidelity, not to mention emotional abuse". [14]

Armatrading's unofficial biographer Sean Mayes said of the album that it was Armatrading "re-examining old preoccupations" and that it "represents not just a mellowing, but a turning away from challenge" and that overall it was "a successful exercise in jazzy soul". [15]

Post-release

Armatrading did a small amount of promotion following the release of the album, including a radio interview with broadcaster Paul Gambaccini, and then embarked on a two-month tour. Armatrading's show at the Hammersmith Odeon in September 1988 was filmed for television. [16]

Phil Palmer, who played on the album, felt that the tour was a less than satisfying experience for Armatrading, with some shows not selling out, and put this down to "management cutting corners". He had been invited to join the tour but had declined when the record company only offered to pay half of what he wanted. He felt the band for the tour could have been much stronger had the record company agreed to recruit more experienced musicians and pay them appropriately. [17]

Track listing

All songs written and arranged by Joan Armatrading.

Side 1

  1. "The Devil I Know" – 4:13
  2. "Living for You" – 4:14
  3. "Did I Make You Up" – 3:45
  4. "Stronger Love" – 5:07
  5. "The Shouting Stage" – 5:27

Side 2

  1. "Words" – 3:46
  2. "Innocent Request" – 3:08
  3. "Straight Talk" – 4:02
  4. "Watch Your Step" – 3:58
  5. "All a Woman Needs" – 5:01
  6. "Dark Truths" – 2:09

Personnel

Notes

  1. ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "The Shouting Stage". AllMusic . Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  2. ↑ Christgau, Robert (1990). "A". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s . Pantheon Books. ISBN   0-679-73015-X . Retrieved 16 August 2020– via robertchristgau.com.
  3. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press.
  4. ↑ Mayes, p. 148
  5. ↑ Mayes, p. 150
  6. 1 2 3 Mayes, p. 153
  7. ↑ "Armatrading keeps fan guessing". AAP (via The West Australian ), 4 February 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  8. ↑ Holden, Stephen (24 August 1988). "The Pop Life". The New York Times . Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  9. ↑ McVeigh, Sarah (26 March 2013). "Joan Armatrading speaks to Richard Glover about music, love and affection". ABC Sydney, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Audio, from 04:30 to 06:06. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  10. 1 2 3 Mayes, p. 154
  11. ↑ "Official Charts: Joan Armatrading". Official Charts.com. Official Charts Company . Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  12. ↑ Hochman, Steve (29 August 1988). "Armatrading Has Old Grin, New Attitude". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  13. ↑ Larkin, p. 51
  14. ↑ "The Shouting Stage", AllMusic. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  15. ↑ Mayes, p. 155
  16. ↑ British Film Institute (Joan Armatrading – In Concert, 1988)
  17. ↑ Mayes, p. 156

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dire Straits</span> British rock band

Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler, David Knopfler, John Illsley and Pick Withers. They were active from 1977 to 1988 and again from 1990 to 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joan Armatrading</span> Kittitian-English musician

Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading, is a Kittitian-English singer-songwriter and guitarist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Clark (keyboardist)</span> English musician (born 1952)

Alan Clark is an English musician who was the first keyboardist and co-producer of the rock band Dire Straits. In 2018, Clark was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a significant member of Dire Straits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Palmer</span> English musician

Philip John Palmer is a British rock sideman and session guitarist who has toured, recorded, and worked with numerous artists. He is best known for his work with Eric Clapton and Dire Straits.

<i>Joan Armatrading</i> (album) 1976 studio album by Joan Armatrading

Joan Armatrading is the third studio album by British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading, released in 1976 by A&M Records. It was her first album to be recorded entirely in London, as her first two albums – Whatever's for Us and Back to the Night being partially recorded in France and Wales respectively in addition to London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Down to Zero</span> 1976 single by Joan Armatrading

"Down to Zero" is a 1976 song by British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading. It features pedal steel guitar by B. J. Cole and drums by Kenney Jones of the Faces.

Pamela Agatha Nestor is a former singer, songwriter and actress who was active in the entertainment industry in the 1960s and 1970s. She left the music industry in 1979 and in later life took to academic pursuits, gaining a doctorate in 2009 from Birkbeck College, University of London.

<i>Whatevers for Us</i> 1972 studio album by Joan Armatrading

Whatever's for Us is the debut album of British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading. The album was a collaboration between Armatrading and singer-songwriter Pam Nestor. At the time the two were musical partners and wrote over a hundred songs together. Armatrading sings lead vocals and plays piano and acoustic guitar, while Nestor co-wrote most of the songs.

<i>Back to the Night</i> 1975 studio album by Joan Armatrading

Back to the Night is the second studio album by the British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading. The album was released in April 1975 by A&M Records.

<i>To the Limit</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Joan Armatrading

To the Limit is the fifth studio album by British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading, released in September 1978 by A&M.

<i>The Key</i> (Joan Armatrading album) 1983 studio album by Joan Armatrading

The Key is the eighth studio album by the British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading, released on 28 February 1983 by A&M Records (AMLX64912). The album was recorded at Townhouse Studios in Shepherd's Bush, London; Polar Studios in Stockholm and also in New York.

<i>Steppin Out</i> (Joan Armatrading album) 1979 live album by Joan Armatrading

Steppin' Out is a live album by the British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading. The title is taken from her song of the same name which was first released in 1975 on her second studio album Back to the Night. A DVD with the same title, containing concerts recorded by WDR in 1979 and 1980, was released in 2004.

<i>Secret Secrets</i> 1985 studio album by Joan Armatrading

Secret Secrets is the ninth studio album by British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading, released on 4 February 1985 by A&M. The album was recorded and mixed at Battery Studios, in Willesden, London. It reached number 14 on the UK Album Chart and was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry for sales in excess of 60,000 copies. The album peaked at number 18 in Australia. The album had little success with singles, with its only charting hit, "Temptation", stalling at no.65 on the UK Singles Chart.

<i>Sleight of Hand</i> (album) 1986 studio album by Joan Armatrading

Sleight of Hand is the tenth studio album by British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading, released on 12 May 1986 by A&M Records. It was recorded and produced by Armatrading at Bumpkin Studio, her own purpose built studio in the grounds of her home. The album peaked at No. 34 on the UK Album Charts, No. 70 on the US Billboard 200, and No. 39 in Australia. It was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry for sales in excess of 60,000 copies.

<i>Hearts and Flowers</i> (album) 1990 studio album by Joan Armatrading

Hearts and Flowers is the twelfth studio album by British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading. The album was written, arranged and produced by Armatrading; recorded at Bumpkin Studios, her own studios in the grounds of her home; mixed at The Grey Room in Los Angeles and mastered at Sterling Sound, New York. Armatrading began writing the album in 1989 and finished it in April 1990. It was released on 4 June 1990 by A&M Records.

<i>Square the Circle</i> (Joan Armatrading album) 1992 studio album by Joan Armatrading

Square the Circle is the thirteenth studio album by British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading. It was released on 8 June 1992 by A&M Records and was Armatrading's last album for the company to whom she had been signed for almost 20 years. It includes her last entry in the UK Singles Chart to date, "Wrapped Around Her", which peaked at number 56.

<i>Whats Inside</i> 1995 studio album by Joan Armatrading

What's Inside is the fourteenth studio album by British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading. The album was written, arranged and produced by Armatrading, co-produced by David Tickle and recorded at the A&M Recording Studios in Hollywood. The strings were recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, with the Kronos Quartet's contribution recorded at The Plant Recording Studios, Sausalito, California and The Memphis Horns recorded at Kiva Recording Studio, Memphis, Tennessee. The album was released in 1995 by RCA and was Armatrading's only album for the label. She had left A&M in 1992 after an eighteen-year association with the company.

<i>Lovers Speak</i> 2003 studio album by Joan Armatrading

Lovers Speak is the fifteenth studio album by British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading, and was released on 25 March 2003. Three tracks from the album were released by Telstar on 10 March 2003 as a sampler.

<i>Into the Blues</i> 2007 studio album by Joan Armatrading

Into the Blues is the sixteenth studio album by British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading, released on 1 May 2007. The album was recorded by Armatrading at Bumpkin Studios, her own purpose-built studios. It was released on the 429 label (17625) and on the Hypertension label. The album was released in 2008 as a deluxe edition, with a DVD.

<i>Live: All the Way from America</i> 2004 live album by Joan Armatrading

Live: All the Way from America is a live album by the British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading. It was Armatrading's second live album, following the 1979 release of Steppin' Out, and was, therefore, the first live album she had released in twenty-five years. Armatrading was on tour following the release of her 2003 studio album Lovers Speak, and a concert from this tour was recorded on 25 June 2003 at the Lillian Fontaine Garden Theatre in Saratoga, California. The album takes its title from her 1980 song "All the Way from America", which originally appeared on the album Me Myself I. It was released in 2004 on digital format, CD and DVD by Savoy Records / SLG, and re-released in 2009 in CD format on the 429 Records label.

References

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.