Maria McKee (album)

Maria McKee is the self-titled debut album by American singer-songwriter Maria McKee, released in 1989.[5][6]

Maria McKee
Studio album by Maria McKee
Released	June 1989
Genre	Country rock
Length	44:43
Label	Geffen[1]
Producer	Mitchell Froom
Maria McKee chronology
Maria McKee (1989) You Gotta Sin to Get Saved (1993)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[1]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide	[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[4]

Production

The songwriting was inspired in part by books about the history of vaudeville, as well as by Tennessee Williams plays.[7]

Critical reception

Trouser Press wrote that McKee's "lyrics don’t reveal any clear artistic mission and Mitchell Froom’s overstylized production ... drowns and/or drains her personality out of the album, leaving characterless elegance instead of a strong statement."[8] The Washington Post called the album "stunning," writing that "aside from her luminous singing, the real success story of McKee's solo album is her songwriting, highly developed and ambitious, full of melodic and rhythmic variety."[9] NME placed the album at #9 on its 1989 albums of the year list.[10] The Los Angeles Times wrote that the album "presents Maria McKee the person as something of an introspective, even introverted loner reeling from a romantic split."[11]

Track listing

All songs by Maria McKee, except where noted

1. "I've Forgotten What It Was in You (That Put the Need in Me)" – 3:41
2. "To Miss Someone" – 3:52
3. "Am I the Only One (Who's Ever Felt This Way?)" – 2:56
4. "Nobody's Child" (McKee, Robbie Robertson) – 3:58
5. "Panic Beach" – 5:55
6. "Can't Pull the Wool Down (Over the Little Lamb's Eyes)" – 3:45
7. "More Than a Heart Can Hold" (Bruce Brody, McKee) – 4:29
8. "This Property Is Condemned" (Brody, McKee, Patrick Sugg, Gregg Sutton) – 4:44
9. "Breathe" (McKee, Sutton) – 4:39
10. "Has He Got a Friend for Me?" (Richard Thompson) – 3:32
11. "Drinkin' in My Sunday Dress" – 3:27

Personnel

• Maria McKee – acoustic guitar, guitar, piano, vocals
• Alex Acuña – percussion
• Bruce Brody – conductor, keyboard, Hammond organ
• Shane Fontayne – guitar
• Mitchell Froom – keyboard
• Heart Attack Horns – horn
• Jim Keltner – drums
• Tony Levin – bass guitar
• Jerry Marotta – drums
• Sid Page – concert master
• Philip Pickett – recorder, crumhorn
• James Ralston – guitar
• Marc Ribot – guitar
• Jerry Scheff – bass
• Greg Sutton – vocals
• Richard Thompson – guitar, mandolin
• Steve Wickham – fiddle

Production

• Producer: Mitchell Froom
• Executive producer: Gary Gersh
• Associate producer: Bruce Brody
• Engineer: Tchad Blake
• Assistant engineers: Ed Goodreau, Mike Kloster, Randy Staub, Randy Wine, Scott Woodman
• Mastering: Bob Ludwig
• Arranger: Bruce Brody
• Art direction: Gabrielle Raumberger
• Design: Maria DeGrassi
• Photography: Deborah Frankel

Charts

Album – Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
1989	The Billboard 200	120[12]

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1989	"I've Forgotten What It Was in You (That Put the Need in Me)"	Modern Rock Tracks	29

References

1. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Volume 5: MUZE. p. 652.CS1 maint: location (link)
2. Maria McKee at AllMusic
3. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 685.
4. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 463.
5. "Maria McKee | Biography & History". AllMusic.
6. Schoemer, Karen (Jan 1990). "Lonesome Dove". SPIN: 23.
7. Buckley, Peter (November 16, 2003). "The Rough Guide to Rock". Rough Guides – via Google Books.
8. "Maria McKee". Trouser Press. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
9. Brown, Joe (August 30, 1989). "PIOUS, PAGAN MARIA MCKEE" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
10. "1989 | NME". October 10, 2016.
11. "POP MUSIC REVIEW : A Calmer but Strong McKee". Los Angeles Times. July 31, 1989.
12. "Maria McKee". Billboard.