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Party of One (George Thorogood album)

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Party of One
Studio album by
George Thorogood
ReleasedAugust 4, 2017
Recorded2016–2017
StudioAum Studio Productions, Bakersfield, CA
House Of Blues Studios, Encino, CA
Genre
Length43:00
46:43 (CD release)
LabelRounder
ProducerJim Gaines
Singles from Party of One
  1. "Wang Dang Doodle[1]"
    Released: June 23, 2017
  2. "No Expectations[2]"
    Released: July 7, 2017
  3. "Pictures from Life's Other Side[3]"
    Released: July 21, 2017

Party of One is the debut solo album by American blues rock artist George Thorogood. It was released August 4, 2017 by the label Rounder Records. Party of One is the first album Thorogood recorded and released without his long-time backing band "the Destroyers".

The album received positive reviews from critics and sold well on release.[4]

Background and recording

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George Thorogood intended to record a solo album since the early days of his career, but never got around to doing it.[5][6] In 2017, Thorogood returned to his label Rounder Records to release a solo album.[7][8] Thorogood said: "I guess it was long overdue. The record label (Rounder) had been on me for some time to put out a solo album."[9] It took Thorogood over a year to record the album.[10]

The album was recorded at the House Of Blues Studios, in California,[11] and produced by Jim Gaines.[9][12] Thorogood said that the process of recording the album was hard and challenging.[6][13]

Release and content

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Rounder Records released Party of One on August 4, 2017.[5][13][14]

The album is composed entirely of blues covers, from artists Thorogood said "really mean something to me,"[6] as such, it features covers of songs by the Rolling Stones, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, John Lee Hooker, and others.[15] The album also features a cover of "Soft Spot," written by Gary Nicholson and Allen Shamblin. "I live in the United States of America, that prides itself on being maybe the richest country in the world, and I can’t believe that there are adult people living in the streets here, thousands of them," says Thorogood, "I was thinking it’s up to us regular working-class people to help these people out, because the government's not helping. I was all about that anyway, before I heard the song. So I said: "I've gotta do this. Even though I don’t play it all that good – it’s a little out of my style. But the message isn't out of my style."[16] The album also contains a live version of "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" recorded live, at Rockline in 1999.[12] CD versions of the album also feature a bonus track, a cover of "Dynaflow Blues", written by John Ned Shines.[12]

Critical reception

[edit]

Party of One received positive reviews from critics on release.

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[17]
Classic Rock[7]
Record Collector[18]
Music Connection9/10[19]
The Philadelphia Inquirer[20]
Exclaim!7/10[21]
Paris Move[22]

AllMusic`s Mark Deming says "Party of One suggests Thorogood has had his greatest success playing rowdy electric blues-rock for a reason -- it's clearly his strong suit -- but 40 years after the release of his debut album, the guy is more than entitled to a change of pace."[17] Matt Bauer of Exclaim! wrote "So, while the all-covers Party of One's primarily acoustic instrumentation — performed entirely by Thorogood — may not what be long-term fans were expecting, there's a true reverence for the blues"[23] Writing for Record Collector, Terry Staunton says "In tandem with George giving the ol’ larynx room to breathe and impress, his guitar-playing takes on a different tone in the comparatively subdued setting. There’s less need for the powerhouse riffing of yore, paving the way for nimble fretwork aplenty on Bob Dylan’s Down The Highway and Willie Dixon’s Wang Dang Doodle."[24]

Track listing

[edit]
Party of One Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I'm a Steady Rollin' Man"Robert Johnson2:52
2."Soft Spot"Gary Nicholson, Allen Shamblin1:44
3."Tallahassee Women"Tallahassee Tight3:10
4."Wang Dang Doodle"Willie Dixon2:42
5."Boogie Chillen"Bernard Besman, John Lee Hooker3:20
6."No Expectations"Mick Jagger, Keith Richards3:57
7."Bad News"John D. Loudermilk3:03
8."Down the Highway"Bob Dylan3:27
9."Got to Move"Elmore James, Marshall Sehorn3:12
10."Born with the Blues"Brownie McGhee2:15
11."The Sky Is Crying"Elmore James, Clarence Lewis, Morgan Robinson4:11
12."The Hookers (If You Miss 'Im...I Got 'Im)"John Lee Hooker3:02
13."Pictures from Life's Other Side"Traditional2:48
14."One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" (live from Rockline)John Lee Hooker3:31
Total length:43:00
CD release bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
15."Dynaflow Blues"John Ned Shines3:43
Total length:46:43

Personnel

[edit]

Musicians

Technical

  • Jim Gaines – producer
  • Scott Billington – executive producer

References

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  1. ^ "Wang Dang Doodle - George Thorogood". AllMusic.
  2. ^ "No Expectations - George Thorogood". AllMusic.
  3. ^ "Pictures From Life's Other Side - George Thorogood". AllMusic.
  4. ^ McStea, Mark (December 16, 2022). "George Thorogood's Top Five Career-Defining Destroyers Tracks". Guitar Player.
  5. ^ a b Kocher, Chris (May 30, 2017). "George Thorogood reaches back to blues heroes on new album". Star-Gazette.
  6. ^ a b c Graff, Gary. "Hear George Thorogood Cover Rolling Stones' 'No Expectations' on First Solo Album". Billboard.
  7. ^ a b Jeffries, Neil (August 11, 2017). "George Thorogood - Party Of One album review". Classic Rock. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  8. ^ Thomas Erlewine, Stephen. "George Thorogood Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". AllMusic.
  9. ^ a b Sexton, Paul. "'Party Of One' For Blues-Rock Guitar Hero George Thorogood". uDiscoverMusic.
  10. ^ Walker, Jeff. "50 Years Later George Thorogood Still 'Bad to the Bone'". Charleston SC.
  11. ^ Boulay, Dominique. "George THOROGOOD - Party Of One - Paris Move". Paris Move.
  12. ^ a b c Colothan, Scott (June 28, 2017). "George Thorogood reveals full details of his debut solo album". Rayo.
  13. ^ a b Courter, Barry. "Bad to the Bone: Working solo is tough for George Thorogood". Times Free Press.
  14. ^ Gugala, Jon (July 20, 2017). "Hear George Thorogood's Solo Acoustic Cover of Hank Williams". Rolling Stone.
  15. ^ Jackson, Blair (June 28, 2017). "Album Review: George Thorogood's 'Party of One' (Rounder)". Acoustic Guitar.
  16. ^ Hasted, Nick (September 7, 2017). "Breaking bad: George Thorogood looks back over a tumultuous career". Classic Rock.
  17. ^ a b Deming, Mark. "Party of One Review". AllMusic. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  18. ^ Record Collector Review
  19. ^ Music Connection Review
  20. ^ The Philadelphia Inquirer Review
  21. ^ Exclaim! Review
  22. ^ Paris Move Review
  23. ^ Bauer, Matt (August 2, 2017). "George Thorogood | Exclaim!". Exclaim!.
  24. ^ Staunton, Terry (September 12, 2017). "Party Of One - Record Collector Magazine". Record Collector.
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