Brightside (Viva Saturn album)

Brightside is an album by the American band Viva Saturn, released in 1995.[2][3] It was the band's final album, as Restless Records chose not to release 1998's Ships of Heaven.[4]

Brightside
Studio album by
Released1995
GenreAlternative rock
LabelRestless[1]
ProducerMatt Piucci, Steven Roback
Viva Saturn chronology
Soundmind
(1992)
Brightside
(1995)
Ships of Heaven
(1998, unreleased)

Production

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The album was produced by Matt Piucci and Steven Roback, former bandmates in the Rain Parade.[5] It closes with a cover of "One for My Baby", a song made popular by Frank Sinatra; the cover first appeared on the Sinatra tribute album, Chairman of the Board: Interpretations of Songs Made Famous by Frank Sinatra.[6][7] Roback wrote or cowrote nine of the 11 songs.[8]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [9]
The Province     [5]

Trouser Press thought that "the somber 'String Me Out a Line' conveys aching loneliness with haunting clarity, its gentle acoustic instrumentation and quiet vocal harmonies making it Brightside's most memorable track."[10] Stereo Review called the album "a well-crafted slice of retro-psychedelic pop-rock."[11] The Stafford Post noted the "road-friendly rockers" and "drowsy psychedelia."[12]

The Province opined that, "as Piucci and Roback were members of Rain Parade, a major player in L.A.'s Paisley Underground scene of the mid-'80s, Viva Saturn could also be seen by both as a chance to resolve some unfinished aspects of their past... Unfortunately, Brightside, while attractive, is less substantial than any of their other projects."[5] Billboard concluded that Piucci "is especially impressive; his stint backing Neil Young in Crazy Horse is noticeable in his taut, laconic lead work."[6]

AllMusic wrote that "Roback's detached, nasal twang blends nicely into an atmospheric backdrop of textured guitars, piano accents and feedback."[9] The Rough Guide to Rock determined that the album "continued [the Rain Parade's] journey, rediscovering the plaintive melodicism mislaid in their 1988 comeback."[13]

Track listing

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No.TitleLength
1."Send a Message" 
2."Black Cloud" 
3."Brightside" 
4."Here Comes April" 
5."Abandoned Car" 
6."String Me Out a Line" 
7."Mourn the Light" 
8."Distracted" 
9."Nothing Helps" 
10."Heart of You" 
11."One for My Baby" 

References

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  1. ^ Thompson, Dave (November 2, 2000). Alternative Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation.
  2. ^ Snyder, Michael (April 23, 1995). "Ringing Saturn". Sunday Datebook. San Francisco Chronicle. p. 42.
  3. ^ Takiff, Jonathan (July 10, 1995). "Dog days don't apply here". Florida/Metro. The Tampa Tribune. Knight Ridder. p. 3.
  4. ^ "Artist Biography by Tracy Frey". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Harrison, Tom (19 Oct 1995). "Some disturbing conclusions". The Province. p. B6.
  6. ^ a b Mirkin, Steven (Jun 3, 1995). "Restless' Viva Saturn more than a spinoff". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 22. p. 11.
  7. ^ DeRogatis, Jim (January 30, 1994). "Various artists, 'Chairman of the Board: Interpretations of Songs Made Famous by Frank Sinatra'". Show. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 8.
  8. ^ Lipton, Michael (Sep 28, 1995). "Viva Saturn Brightside". LA Weekly. p. 81.
  9. ^ a b "Brightside - Viva Saturn". AllMusic – via www.allmusic.com.
  10. ^ "Viva Saturn". Trouser Press. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  11. ^ Simels, Steve (Nov 1995). "Viva Saturn - Brightside". Stereo Review. Vol. 60, no. 11. p. 126.
  12. ^ Evans, Chris (Aug 3, 1995). "Viva Saturn: Brightside". Stafford Post. p. 25.
  13. ^ Tighe, Chris (1999). The Rough Guide to Rock (2nd ed.). Rough Guides Ltd. p. 798.