Drive (Robert Palmer album)
Drive is a 2003 album by British musician Robert Palmer, his fourteenth solo studio album, and his last album before his death. Critics hailed it as the grittiest and most heartfelt album of Palmer's career.[2]
Drive | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 12, 2003 | |||
Genre | Blues | |||
Length | 42:57 | |||
Label | Compendia | |||
Producer | Robert Palmer | |||
Robert Palmer chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
The Independent | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Background
Initially approached by guitarist Carl Carlton to contribute to the 2001 Robert Johnson tribute album Hellhound on My Trail, for which Palmer recorded "Milk Cow's Calf Blues" with Carlton on guitars, Palmer was then invited by Faye Dunaway to provide the soundtrack to her 2001 directorial debut The Yellow Bird, set in Mississippi and New Orleans during the 1940s and 1950s. Palmer took both signs as a good omen, and the impetus for Drive was born.
After more thoroughly researching this particular genre of music, Palmer assembled a list of fifty possible tracks, and then began the arduous task of whittling that list down to a manageable set of twelve. The selections from Drive can best be described as a loose collection of both standard and contemporary blues compositions (Robert Johnson, Little Willie John, Keb' Mo'), with a smattering of other genres, including folk (Nicolai Dunger) and calypso (Mighty Sparrow), prompting Palmer to call the end result "a gut-buckety swamp thing."
Recording and charts
The recording and mixing of Drive took place in both Logic Studios (Milan, Italy) and Palmer's home studio (Lugano, Switzerland). Because of the satisfaction and enthusiasm having recorded the initial twelve songs, Palmer decided to cut three more tracks ("29 Ways [To My Baby's Door]," "It Hurts Me Too," "Stupid Cupid"), this time at the Sphere in London.
The album peaked at No. 10 on the US Blues albums chart.[3]
Track listing
- "Mama Talk To Your Daughter" (J. B. Lenoir, Alex Atkins) (2:27)
- "Why Get Up?" (Bill Carter, Ruth Ellsworth) (3:01)
- "Who's Fooling Who?" (Steve Barri, Michael Omartian, Harvey Price, Daniel Walsh) (2:49)
- "Am I Wrong?" (Kevin R. Moore, a.k.a. Keb' Mo') (2:04)
- "TV Dinners" (Frank Beard, Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill) (3:24)
- "Lucky" (Carl Carlton, Robert Palmer) (2:22)
- "Stella" (Slinger Francisco) (3:59)
- "Dr Zhivago's Train" (Nicolai Dunger) (3:58)
- "Ain't That Just Like A Woman" (Claude Demetrius, Fleecy Moore) (1:59)
- "Hound Dog" (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) (2:03)
- "Crazy Cajun Cake Walk Band" (Jim Ford, Lolly Vegas, Pat Vegas) (3:08)
- "Need Your Love So Bad" (Little Willie John, Mertis John Jr.) (2:14)
Personnel
- Robert Palmer – lead and backing vocals, bass (1-6, 8-12)
- Dr. Gabs – pianos, Hammond organ, synthesizers, bass (7)
- Carl Carlton – guitars
- Mauro Spina – drums (1-7, 9-12), percussion (1-7, 9-12)
- James Palmer – drums (8), percussion (8)
- Franco Limido – harmonica
- Mary Ambrose – backing vocals
Production
- Robert Palmer – producer
- Pino Pischetola – recording, mixing
- Michael Frank – photography
References
- Adam Sweeting (May 10, 2003). "CD: Robert Palmer: Drive | Music | The Guardian". London: Arts.guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
- "Robert Palmer". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-01-05.