The Touch (Johnny Heartsman album)

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The Touch
Studio album by
Johnny Heartsman
Released1991
Genre Blues
Label Alligator
Producer Dick Shurman
Johnny Heartsman chronology
Sacramento
(1987)		The Touch
(1991)		Made in Germany
(1995)

The Touch is an album by the American musician Johnny Heartsman, released in 1991. [1] [2] He supported it with a European tour. [3]

Contents

Production

Recorded in Sacramento, the album was produced by Dick Shurman. [4] [5] Heartsman wrote the majority of its songs. [4] He played guitar, flute, and organ, and also arranged the songs. [6] "Walkin' Blues" is a version of the Amos Milburn song. [7] Although credited to Heartsman, "Paint My Mailbox Blue", was written by Taj Mahal. [7] Heartsman's guitar solo on "Please Don't Be Scared of My Love" lifts a musical passage from the popular song "Lonely Avenue". [8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
All Music Guide to the Blues Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [9]
Chicago Tribune Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
The Grove Press Guide to the Blues on CD Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [11]
MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [12]
North County Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [7]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [13]
Syracuse Herald American Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [14]
The Union Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [15]
The Virgin Encyclopedia of the Blues Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [16]
The Windsor Star A [17]

The Chicago Tribune noted that "Heartsman is an exponent of the Bay area style of blues, a style with a jazzier, more 'uptown' sound than Chicago blues." [10] The Windsor Star said that Heartsman's "singing often comes across like Mose Allison with more energy, never forcing emotion on the listener, but providing subtle shadings that are just as effective." [17] The Washington Post opined, "Moving from exuberant jump tunes to breathy flute instrumentals to gritty soul ballads, he's a master of mood, and though his lyrics sometimes fall flat, he nearly always has something colorful and unexpected up his sleeve." [18]

The Montgomery Advertiser called The Touch "an excellent piece of musicianship, but only a mediocre blues album." [19] The Syracuse Herald American concluded that "his songwriting is hit or miss". [14] The Morning Call noted Heartsman's "polished and seductive" vocals and said that the album "reinforces the legend". [20]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Serpent's Touch" 
2."Paint My Mailbox Blue" 
3."You're So Fine" 
4."Tongue" 
5."Attitude" 
6."Got to Find My Baby" 
7."The Butler Did It" 
8."Please Don't Be Scared of My Love" 
9."Oops" 
10."Walkin' Blues" 
11."Let Me Love You, Baby" 
12."Heartburn" 
13."Endless" 
14."Tongue" (unexpurgated version) 

References

  1. ↑ Miller, Dennis (November 28, 1991). "Music". Time Out. Star-Gazette. p. 4.
  2. ↑ Herzhaft, Gérard (1997). Encyclopedia of the Blues (2nd ed.). University of Arkansas Press. p. 82.
  3. ↑ Lasica, J.D. (July 17, 1992). "On the blues front". Ticket. The Sacramento Bee. p. 19.
  4. 1 2 Wilson, Lana (September 12, 1991). "They've got the blues". The Union. Sacramento. p. C5.
  5. ↑ "Album Reviews". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 40. October 5, 1991. p. 92.
  6. ↑ Rosen, Steven (November 22, 1991). "Blues artist rewards in new album". The Denver Post. p. 26F.
  7. 1 2 3 Gallo, Mark (September 27, 1991). "Heartsman offers soulful blues with 'Touch'". North County Times. p. 19A.
  8. ↑ Whiteis, David (May 7, 1992). "Johnny Heartsman The Touch". Music. Chicago Reader.
  9. ↑ All Music Guide to the Blues (3rd ed.). Backbeat Books. 2003. p. 230.
  10. 1 2 Kening, Dan (September 26, 1991). "Johnny Heartsman The Touch". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
  11. ↑ Hadley, Frank-John (1993). The Grove Press Guide to the Blues on CD. Grove Press. p. 89.
  12. ↑ MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 174.
  13. ↑ The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books. 2006. p. 249.
  14. 1 2 Bourke, Brian G. (December 1, 1991). "Blues musicians returning to the limelight". Stars. Syracuse Herald American. p. 27.
  15. ↑ Martin, Mick (October 7, 1991). "On the record". The Union. Sacramento. p. B3.
  16. ↑ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of the Blues. Virgin Books. p. 155.
  17. 1 2 Jones, Owen (October 19, 1991). "Record Review". The Windsor Star. p. C2.
  18. ↑ Joyce, Mike (February 7, 1992). "Picking Up Legacy of Blues Masters". Weekend. The Washington Post. p. 14.
  19. ↑ Harmon, Rick (September 6, 1991). "Review". The Montgomery Advertiser. p. 4D.
  20. ↑ Goff, Paula H. (January 4, 1992). "Records". The Morning Call. p. A25.
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