Can You Fly
| Can You Fly | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 14, 1992 | |||
| Recorded | January–December 1991 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 49:42 | |||
| Label | Bar/None | |||
| Producer | Graham Maby, Knut Bohn | |||
| Freedy Johnston chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Chicago Tribune | [3] |
| Christgau's Consumer Guide | A+[4] |
| Q |  [5] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [6] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 10/10[7] |
Can You Fly is the second album by singer-songwriter Freedy Johnston released in 1992 on Bar/None Records.[8]
Overview
[edit]In order to finance the recording of the album, Johnston sold some farmland that he inherited from his grandfather. This decision is mentioned in the opening lines of the first track, "Trying to Tell You I Don't Know".[9]
"California Thing" appeared on the soundtrack of the film Heavy, starring Liv Tyler and Deborah Harry.
"The Lucky One" was also covered by Mary Lou Lord on her 1998 album Got No Shadow.
Critical reception
[edit]Kristi Coulter of Allmusic wrote, "A giant step forward from his likeable but ragged debut, Freedy Johnston's Can You Fly is a stunningly accomplished and coherent album that recalls the raw lyricism of such quintessentially American writers as Raymond Carver and Richard Hugo."[2]
Andy Gill of the Independent hailed the album saying, "Can You Fly is full of Costelloid little depictions of uncertainty. He has a gift, too, for odd verbal juxtapositions, searching for new expression rather than employing the re- arrangement of old cliches. A small gem."[10]
Track listing
[edit]All songs written by Freedy Johnston.
- "Trying to Tell You I Don't Know" – 4:24
- "In the New Sunshine" – 2:45
- "Tearing Down This Place" – 4:10
- "Remember Me" – 2:54
- "Wheels" – 3:18
- "The Lucky One" – 3:09
- "Can You Fly" – 4:34
- "Responsible" – 5:28
- "The Mortician's Daughter" – 3:56
- "Sincere" – 4:18
- "Down in Love" – 3:04
- "California Thing" – 3:03
- "We Will Shine" – 4:39
Personnel
[edit]- Freedy Johnston – vocals, guitar, bass
- Graham Maby – bass, electric guitar, background vocals
- Brian Doherty – drums, percussion
- Alan Bezozi – drums, tambourine, wind chimes, percussion, keyboard
- Knut Bohn – guitar, organ, percussion, background vocals
- Kevin Salem – guitar, background vocals
- Jared Michael Nickerson – bass
- Bob Rupe – guitar
- Jimmy Lee – guitar
- Marshall Crenshaw – guitar, bass
- Chris Stamey – electric guitar
- Dave Schramm – lap steel
- James MacMillan – bass
- Jane Scarpantoni – cello
- Kenny Margolis – accordion
- Syd Straw - vocals
References
[edit]- ^ Blender Staff (May 2003). "500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die!". Blender. New York: Dennis Publishing Ltd. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ a b Coulter, Kristi. "Can You Fly – Freedy Johnston". AllMusic. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
- ^ Kot, Greg (April 30, 1992). "Freedy Johnston: Can You Fly (Bar/None)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (2000). "Freedy Johnston: Can You Fly". Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-24560-2. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
- ^ "Freedy Johnston: Can You Fly". Q (85): 120. October 1993.
- ^ Randall, Mac (2004). "Freedy Johnston". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 437. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig, eds. (1995). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
- ^ Freedy Johnston (1992). Can You Fly (album). Bar/None Records.
- ^ O'Dair, Barbara (July 14, 1994). "Freedy Johnston: This Perfect World". Rolling Stone: 102. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
- ^ Gill, Andy (September 16, 1993). "ALBUMS/ Return of the vox Pop: Andy Gill on Iggy Pop and the week's new releases". The Independent. p. 31. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
