Things Happen That Way

Last updated

Things Happen That Way
Things Happen That Way cover.jpg
Studio album by
Dr. John
ReleasedSeptember 23, 2022 (2022-09-23)
Studio
  • Esplanade Studios (New Orleans, LA)
  • The Music Shed (New Orleans, LA)
  • Dirty Power Studios
  • Chateau Oblivion
Genre Blues rock
Length38:58
Label Rounder
Producer
Dr. John chronology
Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit of Satch
(2014)		Things Happen That Way
(2022)

Things Happen That Way is the final studio album by American musician Dr. John. It was released on September 23, 2022, through Rounder Records, making it his only posthumous release after he died of a heart attack on June 6, 2019, at the age of 77. The recording sessions took place at Esplanade Studios and at The Music Shed in New Orleans, at Dirty Power Studios and at Chateau Oblivion. The album was produced by Shane Theriot and Dr. John, except for the song "I Walk on Guilded Splinters", which was produced with Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real. It features guest appearances from Aaron Neville, Lukas Nelson, and Willie Nelson. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Americana Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, but lost to Brandi Carlile's In These Silent Days .

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 78/100 [1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Robert Christgau A− [3]
Classic Rock Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Record Collector Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Spectrum Culture75/100% [7]
SpillStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Uncut 7/10 [9]

Things Happen That Way was met with generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 78, based on five reviews. [1]

James McNair of Mojo wrote that "with Willie, his son Lukas's band and Neville helping out elsewhere, there is audible love in the room. Three final, reflective and intimately presented Rebennack originals shine, but best of all, perhaps, is his take on The Traveling Wilburys' End of the Line". [5] AllMusic's Thom Jurek found the album "solid, fun, and a bit sad, but a fitting, heartfelt sign-off from an American treasure. It's quite beautiful". [2] Max Bell of Classic Rock said that "Dr. John sounds in tip-top form here". [4] Sharon O'Connell of Uncut called it "an exemplar of his style, nor (clearly) is it a late-career blooming, but it is a richly resonant farewell from a maverick veteran". [9] Robert Christgau praised the album, naming it "the most committed album hard-hustling New Orleans piano maestro Mac Rebennack recorded in his last two decades on earth". [3] Tom Hull wrote: "on this material his voice is his calling card".[ citation needed ]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Funny How Time Slips Away" Willie Nelson 4:37
2."Ramblin' Man" Hank Williams 3:52
3."Gimme That Old Time Religion" (featuring Willie Nelson) 3:24
4."I Walk on Guilded Splinters" (featuring Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real) Malcolm John Rebennack, Jr. 4:53
5."I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"Williams2:59
6."End of the Line" (featuring Aaron Neville)
4:12
7."Holy Water"
3:24
8."Sleeping Dogs Best Left Alone"
  • Rebennack, Jr.
  • Theriot
3:59
9."Give Myself a Good Talkin' To"
  • Rebennack, Jr.
  • Theriot
3:54
10."Guess Things Happen That Way" Jack Henderson Clement 3:44
Total length:38:58

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2022)Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [10] 137
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [11] 65
Scottish Albums (OCC) [12] 82
UK Country Albums (OCC) [13] 3
US Top Album Sales (Billboard) [14] 86

References

  1. 1 2 "Critic Reviews for Things Happen That Way - Metacritic". Metacritic . Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Jurek, Thom. "Dr. John - Things Happen That Way Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (November 9, 2022). "Robert Christgau: CG: Dr. John". www.robertchristgau.com. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Bell, Max (September 23, 2022). "Dr. John is in tip-top form on posthumous album Things Happen That Way". Classic Rock . Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  5. 1 2 McNair, James (October 2022). "Filter Albums". MOJO . p. 90.
  6. ↑ Waring, Charles (October 2022). "New Albums". Record Collector . p. 125.
  7. ↑ Fish, Bob (September 28, 2022). "Dr. John: Things Happen That Way". Spectrum Culture. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  8. ↑ Badgley, Aaron (September 23, 2022). "SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DR. JOHN - THINGS HAPPEN THAT WAY". The Spill Magazine. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  9. 1 2 O'Connell, Sharon (October 2022). "New Albums". UNCUT . p. 32.
  10. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Dr. John – Things Happen That Way" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Dr. John – Things Happen That Way". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Official Country Artists Albums Chart Top 20". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Dr John Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
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