Description
Big Town is the debut album by the American singer and songwriter Ashley Cleveland, released on Atlantic Records in 1991. The album was recorded between March 15 and May 15, 1990 by Niko Bolas at Digital Recorders (and as well at 16th Avenue Sound, House Of David, and Treasure Isle Recorders) in Nashville, Tennessee; with Bolas and Craig Krampf producing. Mixed May 18-23, 1990 by Bolas and Krampf at Digital Recorders. Both tracks and lead vocals were recorded live. All songs written or co-written by Ashley Cleveland.
Featuring Ashley Cleveland on acoustic guitar and vocals, her husband Kenny Greenberg on electric guitars, Bill Cuomo on keyboards, and a rhythm section consisting of Glenn Worf on bass and Craig Krampf on drums and percussion. Among the guest musicians are Wally Wilson (piano on track 3), Jim Horn (saxophone on track 4), Marianne Osiel (oboe on track 5), John Hiatt (piano and background vocals on track 8), Phil Madeira (Hammond B3 organ on track 10), and Russ Taff (background vocals on tracks 2, 7, and 8). Taff also co-wrote the music for “Love On The Mainline” with his long-time sideman, guitarist James Hollihan.
Ashley Cleveland is a singer-songwriter probably best known as a background vocalist and Grammy-winning gospel singer with contributions to over 300 albums. She is the first woman to ever be nominated for a Grammy in the Best Rock Gospel Album category and the only woman to ever win the award three times.
Question to ponder: What would ’60s rock queen Janis Joplin be like if she’d found God instead of drinking herself to death? And what if Russ Taff had had a twin sister, from whom he was separated at birth? The answer to these imponderables may just be Ashley Cleveland, as evidenced on her Atlantic debut.
The record company that launched the careers of everyone from Led Zeppelin to Crosby, Stills & Nash, and Debbie Gibson doesn’t sign just anybody, you know. But Ahmet Ertegun (an honest-to-goodness record mogul if there ever was one) flipped when he heard the voice of Ashley Cleveland, on a duet with John Hiatt. Signed her sight unseen, as it were. That’s not so amazing, considered the incendiary combination of her raw, impassioned vocal delivery (even on her ballads) and the way she woman-handles a guitar.
But what is truly remarkable is that the prized Atlantic deal was clinched on the strength of her intelligent songwriting, which unashamedly espouses a Christian world view. Don’t expect any tidy answers, though. Cleveland’s message is 100% platitude-free, so much that many Christians probably won’t like it. It’s too raw, too real. She doesn’t mince words – tearing her lyrical teeth into tough issues like unplanned pregnancy, marital infidelity, drug abuse and alcoholism.
Cleveland didn’t read this stuff in a magazine; it’s ripped from the pages of her own life. Like this from «Big Town», a song about heaven that opens the album like a blast of rock dynamite: “I gave a few years to fantasy/ A few more to drugs and drinking/ I give what’s left to some honesty/ In exchange for wishful thinking.” On the anthemic «Walk to the Well», inspired by her gut-wrenching journey through Dr. Larry Crabb’s book, ‘Inside Out’: “I asked to see what was hidden/ I saw the depth and the scope/ Of disappointment and longing/ I saw my sin and my hope/ Take a walk to the well/ Taste living water/ Live to tell of a faithful Father.”
Why should a major mainstream label promote a song like that? Any human, Christian or not, who struggles honestly with the existential reality of life can identify with Cleveland’s poetic vision. And musically, this artist delivers up truth about life and the inexplicable grace of God (“That’s a capital ‘G’, baby,” from «Angel») in a rock ‘n’ roll vehicle that takes you on a wild ride through Southern-style blues, backwoods gospel, and a smidgen of esoteric Bay Area folk. (Her childhood was split between Tennessee and the San Francicsco area.) At times, it sounds like the Stones or Tom Petty are taking a turn at the wheel, but co-producers Craig Krampf (Melissa Ethridge) let Cleveland rip on her first effort, and the result is one of the best rock debuts to come down the pike in a long time.
But don’t look for Ashley’s album in your local Bible bookstore. Though the truth comes through loud and clear, it’s not very safe, not necessarily pretty, and a little rough around the edges. Much like life itself. [Bernie Sheahan, CCM, April 1991]
‘Big Town’ is the much anticipated debut from the ubiquitous Ashley Cleveland, whose presence has been felt on a number of high visibility Christian and mainstream projects, most notably those of Russ Taff and John Hiatt. For once, all the pre-release hype has been more than fulfilled.
The tracks and lead vocals for ‘Big Town’ were cut live in the studio, lending an extra immediacy to a voice that’s sure to assert itself as one of the most distinctive in pop music. Sure, you’ll hear a touch of Allanah Myles here, a dash of Toni Childs or Tracy Chapman there, but Ashley sings with such abandon, holding absolutely nothing back, that any comparisons soon become moot.
Musically, for the most part, you’re treated to the 4/4 attack of a classic drums/bass/guitar line-up, with an occasional sax or keyboard to color things nicely. A few of the departures from the crackling rock approach are «Tentative Man», which features oboe and acoustic guitar and the closing «Rebecca», which spotlights Cleveland’s softer vocal approach.
But the real highlight of ‘Big Town’ is the terrific songwriting. I doubt you’ll hear another record this year where real life and faith are assimilated so intelligently into an artist’s lyrics. I could spend the rest of this space raving, but I’ll let Cleveland’s words speak for themselves. «Love On The Mainline» and «Willy» are both examples of how a soured relationship clouds one’s thinking, as Cleveland says in the former “He reminds me of a mistake I used to call Baby” and as for the philandering «Willy»: “Is it me you love?/ I think it’s just love that you love.” Cleveland wonders if she and her «Angel» will be able to maintain their explosive relationship, and realizes that “the things that confound mortal minds/ are not impossible to God – with a capital G, baby.”
Perhaps the best song on ‘Big Town’ is the introspective «Walk To The Well». While beating herself up over past mistakes, Cleveland admits she has “no grasp of grace/ I wonder why His blood was shed for me” and she later moves to “taste living water” and “live to tell of a faithful Father.” In my recent memory, only King’s X has done such a complete job of integrating its beliefs into its music. If “gospel” literally means “the truth,” then Ashley Cleveland has made, most likely without even trying, one of the best gospel records this year, one that is sure to reach far beyond the narrow confines of the ccm field. [Bruce A. Brown, Harvest Rock Syndicate, Issue 2, 1991 (Volume 6)]
Put very simply, this is by far my favourite album of the year to date. My poor mind’s incapable of imagining another 1991 release to get anywhere near it. Ashley’s in great demand as a backing singer on many superb albums, but steps into the front line here to spotlight her powerhouse rock voice, and to communicate her Christian faith, even though it’s on a secular label. In fact, the set kicks off with «Soon And Very Soon» which you’ve swayed along to in time-honoured fashion no doubt, then brings in the heavy artillery for a session of almost superhuman high energy rock music. Ashley’s own band is superb, especially Kenny Greenberg on guitar, but add to that some imported heavyweights such as John Hiatt, Russ Taff, sax maestro Jim Horn, Phil Madeira pumping out the Hammond, and a load besides. But import who you like it’s always going to cower before the authority and sheer expanse of a voice to make many “gospel stars” go white-faced and apologise for excessive claims made on their behalf. As I said the album’s liberally sprinkled with statements of faith brilliantly and relevantly expressed. You might have to scour the import specialists to find this, if there’s a problem it’s worth a walk to America. [Tony May, Cross Rhythms, August 1991]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/big-town/1436500539)
CD tracklist:
01. Soon And Very Soon/Big Town
02. Love On The Mainline
03. Willy
04. I Could Learn To Love You
05. Tentative Man
06. Angel
07. Up From The Ether
08. We Can Dance
09. I’ll Call You
10. Walk To The Well
11. Rebecca
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by Atlantic Records. “The Good Life”, a track recorded during the Big Town sessions but not included on the album, was later released on the multi-artist compilation Demonstrations of Love.
“Willy” (MUSIC VIDEO)
CREDITS. Produced by Craig Krampf and Niko Bolas. Recorded by Niko Bolas. Recording Information: 16th Avenue Sound (03/15/1990-05/15/1990); Digital Recorders, Nashville TN (03/15/1990-05/15/1990); House Of David (03/15/1990-05/15/1990); Treasure Isle Recorders (03/15/1990-05/15/1990). Mixed by Craig Krampf and Niko Bolas. Mastered at The Mastering Lab by Doug Sax. Art Direction by Bob Defrin. Photographer: Rusty Rust.
Musicians: Ashley Cleveland (Acoustic Guitar, Vocals), Bill Cuomo (Keyboards), Phil Madeira (Hammond B3 Organ on track 10), John Jarvis (Wurlitzer on track 9), John Hiatt (Piano on track 8), Wally Wilson (Piano on track 3), Jim Horn (Saxophone on track 4), Marianne Osiel (Oboe on track 5), Kenny Greenberg (Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar on track 2), Glenn Worf (Bass), Oteil Burbridge (Bass on track 7), Craig Krampf (Drums, Percussion). Background Vocals: Ashley Cleveland, Marianne Osiel, John Hiatt, Wally Wilson, Craig Krampf, Marsha Wilson, Kristen DeLauer, Sarah Baker, Windsor Cleveland Yellen, Tricia Walker, Karen Staley, Niko Bolas, Pam Tillis, Russ Taff, Tom Kimmel, Tommy Tutone, Vicki Hampton, Willie Blackwell.
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