Welcome, Convalescence

Welcome, Convalescence is the second album by South San Gabriel, recorded at Slobberbone singer Brent Best's Denton house in January 2002 and released in April 2003 by Munich Records.[1]

Welcome, Convalescence
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 2003
RecordedJanuary 2002
StudioBrent Best's house, Denton, Texas
GenreRock
LabelMunich/Undertow

The album features all of the members of singer Will Johnson's main band, Centro-Matic, as well as Best on guitars and Joe Butcher of Pleasant Grove on pedal steel guitar.[2]

Reception

edit
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic      [2]

Allmusic reviewer John Schacht gave it a 4-star review, calling it "one of those brilliantly despondent records so gorgeously executed it lifts your spirit just to be able to feel its sadness", and "a melancholic masterpiece".[2] No Depression commented on its "beautifully languid melodies that exert a subtle, hypnotic pull", stating "Quiet desperation rarely sounds this enchanting."[1] The Austin Chronicle's Michael Chamy gave it three and a half stars, stating "all eight tracks are winners" and describing it as "the summer album you want to hear while nestled up to the air-conditioner after coming in from the 100-degree heat. The definition of cool."[3]

The Manchester Evening News gave it a more mixed review, stating "like the eponymous river, too much of this album just flows by murkily".[4] The Chicago Tribune was similarly ambivalent, stating "Will Johnson's songs are undeniably pretty, but the slow pace and his affected, sleepy drawl can be distracting."[5]

Track listing

edit
  1. "New Brookland"
  2. "Saint Augustine"
  3. "Smelling Medicinal"
  4. "Everglades"
  5. "Like a Madman"
  6. "Evangline"
  7. "Ariza/284"
  8. "The Splinter Angelic"

Personnel

edit
  • Will Johnson - vocals, guitars
  • Scott Danbom - vocals, keyboards, violin
  • Mark Hedman - bass, guitars
  • Matt Pence - drums, keyboards
  • Brent Best - guitars
  • Bryan Vandivier - guitars
  • Joe Butcher - pedal steel guitar, organ, mellotron

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "South San Gabriel - Welcome, Convalescence", No Depression, April 30, 2003. Retrieved September 23, 2017
  2. ^ a b c Schacht, John "Welcome, Convalescence Review", Allmusic. Retrieved September 23, 2017
  3. ^ Chamy, Michael (2003) "South San Gabriel: Texas Platters", Austin Chronicle, May 9, 2003. Retrieved September 23, 2017
  4. ^ "South San Gabriel - Welcome Convalescence (Munich)", Manchester Evening News, August 11, 2004. Retrieved September 23, 2017
  5. ^ Klein, Joshua (2003) "South San Gabriel Welcome, Convalescence", Chicago Tribune, July 3, 2003. Retrieved September 23, 2017