All Dressed Up and No Place to Go

All Dressed Up and No Place to Go was produced by Andrew Gold, who at the time was in a serious relationship with Larson. The pair broke up shortly after the album's recording sessions had finished. In a circa 2005 interview for Randolph Michaels's book Flashbacks to Happiness: Eighties Music Revisited, Andrew Gold recalled of the album: "She and I had a blast making the record [and] we had some great players doing the album with us. To me, the album was one of her best, yet it was somehow overlooked by many of her fans."[1]

The album's only single was "I Only Want to Be with You", a cover of the 1963 Dusty Springfield song. Larson's version was released in July 1982,[2] and reached No. 53 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was Larson's last appearance on the chart.[3] All Dressed Up and No Place to Go, released in July, peaked at No. 75 on the Billboard 200.[4] It was her final release for Warner Bros.[5]

The album received its first release on CD, in Japan only, during 1991.[6] Wounded Bird Records later released a remastered CD version in the US in 2005,[7] followed by a UK release from BGO Records in 2018.[8]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[5]
Billboard	favorable[9]
Cash Box	favorable[10]

Upon release, Billboard described the album was "more economical pop/rock" compared to Larson's earlier work, adding: "While she still flexes the laid-back charm of her earliest records, Larson's overall vocal attack is more urgent here. The results could restore broad radio acceptance for the singer."[9] Cash Box felt the album was a "strong showing", with a collection of "laid-back love songs folk-rock listeners should relish". They added that the cover art acted as a "perfect metaphor for [Larson's] innocent, beguiling vocal manner".[10]

In a retrospective review, Bruce Eder of AllMusic felt the album was Larson's attempt to "jump from country singer to pop diva", but "somehow it didn't take". He added: "The album isn't as strong as it might've been, and part of the problem involves the production, which mixes '80s-style electric drumming with country-pop sounds."[5]

• Nicolette Larson - lead vocals (all tracks), backing vocals (tracks 1-6, 8)
• Andrew Gold - acoustic guitar (track 1), piano (tracks 1, 4, 6), percussion (tracks 1-6, 8-9), soloist (track 1), backing vocals (tracks 1-3, 5-6, 8), electric guitar (tracks 2, 5), slide guitar (tracks 4, 6), synthesizer (tracks 4, 6-9), keyboards (track 5), mandolin (track 7), harmony vocals (track 7), guitar (tracks 8-10)
• Fred Tackett - electric guitar (tracks 1, 4, 6-7), acoustic guitar (track 2), guitar (track 3)
• Mark Jordan - organ (track 1), electric piano (tracks 1, 3-4), keyboards (track 2), Wurtlitzer organ (track 6), piano (tracks 7-8)
• Scott Chambers - bass (tracks 1-4, 6-9)
• Rick Shlosser - drums (tracks 1-4, 6-9)
• Arno Lucas - congas (tracks 1, 3, 6, 9), timbales (track 1), tambourine (track 7)
• Andrew Kastner - guitar (track 3)
• Jim Horn - saxophone (tracks 4-5, 9)
• Bobby LaKind - congas (tracks 4, 6, 8)
• Julia Tillman, Maxine Willard - backing vocals (track 4)
• Valerie Carter - backing vocals (track 5)
• John McFee - electric guitar (track 5)
• Bob Glaub - bass (track 5)
• Michael Botts - drums (track 5)
• Billy Payne - synthesizer (tracks 6, 10), piano (track 10)
• Linda Ronstadt, Wendy Waldman - backing vocals (track 8)
• Lee Thornberg - trumpet (track 8)
• Richard Feldman - electric guitar (track 9)
• Patrick Henderson - electric piano (track 9)
• Maureen McDonald - backing vocals (track 9)

Production

• Andrew Gold - producer
• Jim Isaacson - engineer
• Steve McManus - second engineer
• Bobby Hata - mastering
• Ted Templeman - executive producer

Other

• Jodie Lunine - production co-ordinator
• Jimmy Watchel - artwork design
• Randee St. Nicholas - photography
• Derek Sutton - management, direction