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You Need to Live a Little

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You Need to Live a Little
Studio album by
Larry Garner
Released1995
RecordedMarch 1994
Genre
Length63:33
Label
ProducerJohn Snyder
Larry Garner chronology
Too Blues
(1994) 		You Need to Live a Little
(1995) 		Baton Rouge
(1995)

You Need to Live a Little is an album by the American musician Larry Garner, released in 1995.[1][2] Garner's contract with Gitanes/Verve Records allowed him to quit his day job in order to promote the album.[3] He supported it with United Kingdom and North American tours.[4][5]

Production

[edit]

Garner was signed to Gitanes/Verve after successful shows at the Parisian nightclub New Morning.[6] You Need to Live a Little was produced by John Snyder.[7] Willie Weeks played bass on the album.[8] David "Fathead" Newman played a saxophone solo on "Miracles of Time"; Garner wrote a letter to Gladys Knight, his favorite singer, to ask if she had listened to the song as he wanted her to cover it.[8][9] The Legendary White Trash Horns contributed to a few tracks.[10] Garner considered his lyrics to be of an observational nature, touching on problems in his own life that were also universal.[11] "Four Cars Running" describes the financial burden of supporting grown children.[12] "Rats and Roaches in My Kitchen" is a cover of the Silas Hogan song, on which Sonny Landreth played slide guitar.[13] The album is dedicated to Hogan.[8]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide[7]

The Times Colonist wrote that "Garner's gifts for songwriting, singing, guitar playing, and arranging shine through the recording's unpretentious stance."[8] OffBeat determined that "the moody urgings of the title track open with a minor-key arrangement that recalls the jazzy 1eanings of the Allman Brothers classic instrumental 'In Memory of Elizabeth Reed'."[15] The Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph noted that "although his roots are in Louisiana swamp blues—characterized by bleak guitar grooves and shuffled backbeats—Garner's music is surprisingly fresh and soulful."[16] The Home News & Tribune listed You Need to Live a Little among the best blues albums of 1995.[17]

The Chicago Tribune said that You Need to Live a Little "showcases a witty, innovative writer and tasty guitarist who refuses to limit himself to standard 12-bar forms."[18] The Michigan Chronicle opined that "Miracles of Time" "may be among the decade's most enduring songs."[19] The Record labeled Garner "a wittier version of Albert Collins."[20] The Miami New Times stated that "Garner's guitar playing services the song, rather than vice versa, although he squeezes off some clean B.B. King-like solos."[10]

AllMusic called Garner "a witty, imaginative songwriter, crisply concise guitarist, and convincing singer".[14] MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide considered the title track, "Nobody's Special", and "Another Bad Day" to be "moody, minor-key masterpieces".[7]

Track listing

[edit]
  1. "Another Bad Day" – 4:59
  2. "Someone New" – 3:20
  3. "Miracles of Time" – 4:51
  4. "Four Cars Running" – 5:01
  5. "Live a Little" – 6:16
  6. "The Preacher Man" – 7:37
  7. "Shak Bully" – 5:18
  8. "Rats and Roaches in My Kitchen" – 5:52
  9. "Don't Run Talking" – 4:56
  10. "Keep Playing the Blues" – 6:14
  11. "Had to Quit Drinking" – 3:50
  12. "Nobody's Special" – 5:19

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Scheck, Frank (August 17, 1995). "Record labels rediscover the blues". The Christian Science Monitor. p. 12.
  2. ^ Herzhaft, Gerard (1997). Encyclopedia of the Blues (2nd ed.). University of Arkansas Press. p. 74.
  3. ^ "Blues". The Times-Picayune. November 10, 1995. p. L8.
  4. ^ Scrivens, Maria (March 30, 1995). "Larry plays 'live' a little". The Advertiser. p. 16.
  5. ^ Holston, Noel (March 1, 1996). "Music". Star Tribune. p. 1E.
  6. ^ "Garner plays swamp blues at Mad Daddy's". Coeur d'Alene Press. October 17, 1997. p. A28.
  7. ^ a b c MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 137.
  8. ^ a b c d Blake, Joseph (January 12, 1995). "Blues triumphs on record". News. Times Colonist. p. 1.
  9. ^ McGuinness, Jim (February 16, 1996). "True to the Blues". Lifestyle/Previews. The Record. Bergen County. p. 27.
  10. ^ a b Weinberg, Bob (November 9, 1995). "Rotations". Music. Miami New Times.
  11. ^ Hood-Adams, Rebecca (September 20, 2001). "Get ready for Garner and the Cajun blues". The Clarksdale Press Register. p. 3.
  12. ^ Rosen, Steve (December 22, 1995). "Larry Garner, the Louisiana singer-guitarist...". The Denver Post. p. F15.
  13. ^ Wirt, John (December 30, 1994). "Baton Rouge blues man is major label triple threat". Fun. The Advocate. Baton Rouge. p. 6.
  14. ^ a b "You Need to Live a Little Review by Bill Dahl". AllMusic. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  15. ^ Jordan, Scott (Aug 1995). "Larry Garner, You Need to Live a Little". Reviews. OffBeat.
  16. ^ Pensinger, Matt (February 2, 1996). "Bluesman Garner proves 'You Need to Live a Little'". Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. p. AA16.
  17. ^ Skelly, Richard (December 15, 1995). "Blue Christmas". The Home News & Tribune. p. 10.
  18. ^ Dahl, Bill (February 16, 1996). "Garner Shrugs Off 'Too Blues' Label and Laughs Last". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 6.
  19. ^ Seedorff, George (July 23, 1997). "Louisiana bluesman's smart lyrics and fine musicianship are unique". Michigan Chronicle. p. 10C.
  20. ^ McGuinness, Jim (September 19, 1997). "Larry Garner has emerged as the logical heir". Lifestyle/Previews. The Record. p. 30.
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