All Dressed Up and No Place to Go

All Dressed Up and No Place to Go is the fourth studio album by American singer Nicolette Larson. It was produced by Andrew Gold and released by Warner Bros. Records in 1982.

All Dressed Up and No Place to Go
Studio album by
Released1982
GenrePop
Length35:51
LabelWarner Bros. Records
ProducerAndrew Gold
Nicolette Larson chronology
Radioland
(1981)
All Dressed Up and No Place to Go
(1982)
...Say When
(1985)

Background

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]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Billboardfavorable[9]
Cash Boxfavorable[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]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I'll Fly Away (Without You)"Jackson Browne, Craig Doerge, Rosemary Butler4:02
2."I Only Want to Be with You"Mike Hawker, Ivor Raymonde3:18
3."Just Say I Love You"Andrew Kastner, Jim Lang4:04
4."Nathan Jones"Leonard Caston, Kathy Wakefield3:07
5."I Want You So Bad"Nicolette Larson, Andrew Gold3:33
6."Two Trains"Lowell George4:14
7."Love, Sweet, Love"Paul Barrere3:53
8."Say You Will"Leon Russell, Gary Ogan3:32
9."Talk to Me"Patrick Henderson, Allee Willis3:14
10."Still You Linger On"Gold2:54

Chart performance

Chart (1982) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart[11] 95
US Billboard 200[4] 75

Personnel

  • 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

References

  1. Michaels, Randolph (September 2005). Flashbacks to Happiness: Eighties Music Revisited - Randolph Michaels - Google Books. ISBN 9780595370078. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
  2. "Nicolette Larson - I Only Want To Be With You / How Can We Go On - Warner Bros. - USA - 7-29948". 45cat. 1982-07-31. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
  3. Billboard. "Nicolette Larson I Only Want To Be With You Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
  4. Billboard. "Nicolette Larson All Dressed Up And No Place To Go Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
  5. AllMusic Review by Bruce Eder. "All Dressed Up & No Place to Go - Nicolette Larson | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
  6. "Nicolette Larson - All Dressed Up And No Place To Go (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
  7. "Nicolette Larson - All Dressed Up And No Place To Go (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 2005-02-15. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
  8. "Nicolette Larson - All Dressed Up And No Place To Go (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
  9. Billboard magazine – Billboard's Top Album Picks: Pop – July 31, 1982 – page 50
  10. Cash Box newspaper – August 7, 1982 – Reviews: Albums – pages 7-8
  11. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St. Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 173. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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