Welcome, Convalescence

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Welcome, Convalescence
South San Gabriel-Welcome Convalescence.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 2003
RecordedJanuary 2002
StudioBrent Best's house, Denton, Texas
Genre Rock
Label Munich/Undertow

Welcome, Convalescence is the second album by South San Gabriel, recorded at Slobberbone singer Brent Best's Denton house in January 2002 and released in April 2003 by Munich Records. [1]

Contents

The album features all of the members of singer Will Johnson's main band, Centro-Matic, as well as Best on guitars and Joe Butcher of Pleasant Grove on pedal steel guitar. [2]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]

Allmusic reviewer John Schacht gave it a 4-star review, calling it "one of those brilliantly despondent records so gorgeously executed it lifts your spirit just to be able to feel its sadness", and "a melancholic masterpiece". [2] No Depression commented on its "beautifully languid melodies that exert a subtle, hypnotic pull", stating "Quiet desperation rarely sounds this enchanting." [1] The Austin Chronicle's Michael Chamy gave it three and a half stars, stating "all eight tracks are winners" and describing it as "the summer album you want to hear while nestled up to the air-conditioner after coming in from the 100-degree heat. The definition of cool." [3]

The Manchester Evening News gave it a more mixed review, stating "like the eponymous river, too much of this album just flows by murkily". [4] The Chicago Tribune was similarly ambivalent, stating "Will Johnson's songs are undeniably pretty, but the slow pace and his affected, sleepy drawl can be distracting." [5]

Track listing

  1. "New Brookland"
  2. "Saint Augustine"
  3. "Smelling Medicinal"
  4. "Everglades"
  5. "Like a Madman"
  6. "Evangline"
  7. "Ariza/284"
  8. "The Splinter Angelic"

Personnel

References

  1. 1 2 "South San Gabriel - Welcome, Convalescence", No Depression , April 30, 2003. Retrieved September 23, 2017
  2. 1 2 3 Schacht, John "Welcome, Convalescence Review", Allmusic. Retrieved September 23, 2017
  3. Chamy, Michael (2003) "South San Gabriel: Texas Platters", Austin Chronicle , May 9, 2003. Retrieved September 23, 2017
  4. "South San Gabriel - Welcome Convalescence (Munich)", Manchester Evening News , August 11, 2004. Retrieved September 23, 2017
  5. Klein, Joshua (2003) "South San Gabriel Welcome, Convalescence", Chicago Tribune , July 3, 2003. Retrieved September 23, 2017