No Looking Back (Clarence Gatemouth Brown album)

No Looking Back is an album by the American musician Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, released in 1992.[3][4] Brown supported the album with a North American tour.[5]

No Looking Back
Studio album by
Released1992
GenreBlues, Texas blues[1]
LabelAlligator[2]
ProducerJim Bateman, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown chronology
The Original Peacock Recordings
(1990)
No Looking Back
(1992)
Just Got Lucky
(1993)

The album was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the "Best Traditional Blues Album" category.[6]

Production

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The album was produced by Jim Bateman and Brown.[7] Brown included four instrumental tracks and played fiddle as well as guitar.[8][9] Michelle Shocked duetted with Brown on "I Will Be Your Friend".[10] "Better Off With the Blues" is a cover of the Delbert McClinton song; "C-Jam Blues" is a version of the Duke Ellington composition.[11][12] "Alligator Eating Dog" is a novelty song that includes sound effects.[13]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [14]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music     [15]
Los Angeles Daily News    [8]
The Republican     [9]

The Chicago Tribune wrote: "Lively Texas jump blues (fleshed out by a hot big-band-styled horn section and Brown's delightfully idiosyncratic guitar and violin work) is at the heart of the album, but the always eclectic Brown mixes it up with some sweet slow blues, a bit of funk, even a country ballad."[16] The Telegram & Gazette stated that the album "features fleet-fingered jazzy blues solos and pungent country-flavored riffs over a swinging horn section."[17]

Guitar Player called Brown "a master arranger [who] writes horn parts that add texture, melody, and excitement."[18] The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette determined that Brown's "eclectic music is firmly planted in Texas swing blues, but still manages some magical meandering."[19]

AllMusic wrote that "Brown's vocals, which feature consistently intelligent lyrics ... are part of the music rather than the entire show; he even gives his obscure backup horns chances to solo."[14]

Track listing

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No.TitleLength
1."Better Off With the Blues" 
2."Digging New Ground" 
3."Dope" 
4."My Own Prison" 
5."Stop Time" 
6."C-Jam Blues" 
7."Straighten Up" 
8."The Peeper" 
9."Alligator Eating Dog" 
10."I Will Be Your Friend" 
11."We're Outta Here" 

References

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  1. ^ Govenar, Alan B. (October 9, 2008). "Texas Blues: The Rise of a Contemporary Sound". Texas A&M University Press – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Herzhaft, Gérard (January 1, 1997). "Encyclopedia of the Blues". University of Arkansas Press – via Google Books.
  3. ^ "Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, No Looking Back (Alligator Records)". OffBeat Magazine.
  4. ^ KRAMPERT, PETER (March 23, 2016). "The Encyclopedia of the Harmonica". Mel Bay Publications – via Google Books.
  5. ^ McNally, Owen (5 Mar 1992). "'Gatemouth' brings his flamboyancy to Hartford Jazz". Calendar. Hartford Courant. p. 5.
  6. ^ "Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown". Recording Academy. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  7. ^ "No Looking Back by Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown". Billboard. 104 (10): 46. Mar 7, 1992.
  8. ^ a b Shuster, Fred (February 7, 1992). "Blues". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L42.
  9. ^ a b O'Hare, Kevin (March 1, 1992). "Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown, 'No Looking Back'". The Republican. p. G10.
  10. ^ Lannert, John (7 Feb 1992). "ONLY THINGS CONSTANT FOR BROWN: BEING ON THE ROAD, MAKING CHANGES". FEATURES SHOWTIME. Sun-Sentinel. p. 35.
  11. ^ Gettelman, Parry (6 Mar 1992). "Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown, No Looking Back". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 9.
  12. ^ Nager, Larry (6 Mar 1992). "Rating The Records". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Scripps Howard. p. 4G.
  13. ^ Booth, Philip (February 7, 1992). "All over the map". FRIDAY EXTRA!. The Tampa Tribune. p. 20.
  14. ^ a b "Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown - No Looking Back Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  15. ^ Larkin, Colin (May 27, 2011). "The Encyclopedia of Popular Music". Omnibus Press – via Google Books.
  16. ^ Heim, Chris (24 Jan 1992). "'Gatemouth' Brown mixes it up on `No Looking Back'". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. P.
  17. ^ "'Gatemouth' Brown plays 'music' . . . every which way". Telegram & Gazette. 5 Mar 1992. p. D1.
  18. ^ "No Looking Back by Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown". Guitar Player. 26 (8): 124. Aug 1992.
  19. ^ White, Jim (March 15, 1992). "ENTERTAINMENT". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. J4.