The Trouble Tree

The Trouble Tree
Studio album by Freedy Johnston
Released	1990
Recorded	April 1989 (1989-04)–June 1989 (1989-06) at Water Music Recorders, Hoboken, NJ
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	64:29
Label	Bar/None [1]
Producer	Chris Butler [2]
Freedy Johnston chronology
The Trouble Tree (1990) Can You Fly (1992)

The Trouble Tree is the debut album by Freedy Johnston, released in 1990 through Bar/None Records. ^{[3] [4]}

Production

The album was recorded in Hoboken, New Jersey. ^[5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[6]
Robert Christgau	[7]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[2]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide	[8]
(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide	[9]
Sounds	[10]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	6/10 [11]

Trouser Press wrote that the album "captures Johnston’s wheedling and whiny voice in extreme close-up, forcing listeners to seek refuge in overextended wordplay and spare guitar-based arrangements." ^[12] The Spin Alternative Record Guide called it "raw-sounding, infatuated with dangerous sorts, and a bit unformed lyrically." ^[11]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Freedy Johnston.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Innocent"	2:26
2.	"Down on the Moon No. 1"	3:24
3.	"No Violins"	3:45
4.	"That's What You Get"	3:38
5.	"Fun Ride"	5:20
6.	"Gina"	3:42
7.	"Nature Boy"	4:46
8.	"Bad Girl"	3:08
9.	"After My Shocks"	2:54
10.	"Tucumcari"	2:17
11.	"Down on the Moon No. 2"	3:52
12.	"Little Red Haired Girl"	4:33
13.	"[untitled]"	20:39

Personnel

Musicians

• Alan Bezozi – drums
• David Hamburger – guitar
• Freedy Johnston  – vocals, guitar
• James MacMillan – bass guitar, engineering
• Doug Snodgrass – bass guitar

Production and additional personnel

• Chris Butler  – production, guitar on "Fun Ride" and "After My Shocks"
• Andy Burton – keyboards on "Fun Ride"
• B. Woody Giessmann – drums on "Little Red Haired Girl"
• John Halpern – photography
• Jody Harris  – guitar on "Fun Ride"

References

1. "Freedy Johnston". Bar/None Records.
2. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 4. MUZE. p. 668.
3. "Freedy Johnston | Biography & History". AllMusic.
4. "Freedy Johnston On World Cafe". NPR.org.
5. "Sounds". New York Magazine. New York Media, LLC. September 24, 1990 – via Google Books.
6. Ankeny, Jason. "Trouble Tree". AllMusic. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
7. Christgau, Robert. "Freedy Johnston: The Trouble Tree". Robert Christgau.com. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
8. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 612.
9. Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (October 27, 2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   9780743201698 – via Google Books.
10. Harris, John (March 30, 1991). "Freedy Johnston: The Trouble Tree". Sounds . p. 39.
11. Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 201–202.
12. "Freedy Johnston". Trouser Press. Retrieved October 27, 2020.

External links

• The Trouble Tree at Discogs (list of releases)