Description
Big Big Town is the solo debut album by the American singer and songwriter Riki Michele of Adam Again fame, released on Broken Records in 1989, a Brainstorm Artists International imprint manufactured and distributed by Word. The album was recorded by Gene Eugene of Adam Again and Ojo Taylor of Undercover at Neverland Studios in Los Alamitos, at Whitefield Studios in Santa Ana, and at The Mixing Lab in Garden Grove, California; with Eugene producing. Mixed by Eugene and Super C of S.F.C. fame at The Mixing Lab. Tony Palacios of hard rock band Guardian is featured on lead guitar on three tracks.
Riki Michele is the little lady with the elastic dance steps that you may have seen fronting Adam Again with husband Gene Eugene. Until now, she’s been known more for her terpsichorean talents than her vocal abilities, but that should change with ‘Big Big Town’.
Michele looks at the faith walk through the lyrics of partner Eugene, (The Choir‘s) Steve Hindalong and (DA/Eddie) Terry Taylor. Though the words are not her own, Riki certainly stamps a personal touch on each track. Adam Again fans will be most attracted to the funk-oriented numbers «Look At This, Look At That», «I Want To Talk About It Now», and «A Little Grace», which contains my vote for one of this year’s best couplets – “I’m less a liar than sincere/ My mother deems me ever dear.” Also of note are «Bride’s Song 1984» and «Bride’s Song 1989 (Another Day)». The former explores the anticipation and excitement of a newlywed, and the latter, while still ultimately upbeat, reveals the hardships involved in keeping a modern marriage going. Couples young and old will be able to identify with the line “with bills in a pile beside the door/ And half-done work and muscles going soft.”
One might think that in her usual role of competing to be heard in the context of Adam Again, Riki would have developed a more aggressive delivery. While that is not the case, her voice is a versatile instrument, capable of interpreting a gentle lullaby like «Secrets» or belting the blues-oriented title track. She’s also very impressive in the acapella number «Spirit, Father, Son» and the acoustic/rock tune «Ghost In The Rain». With very few women in Christian music singing anything approximating rock ‘n’ roll, ‘Big Big Town’ should be a welcome addition to any collection. [Bruce A. Brown, CCM, January 1990]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/big-big-town/999545521)
CD tracklist:
01. Spirit, Father, Son – 1:22
02. Big, Big Town – 3:50
03. Look At This, Look At That – 4:34
04. Bride’s Song 1984 – 1:26
05. I Want To Talk About It Now – 7:04
06. Home – 1:13
07. A Little Grace – 5:13
08. For The Blue – 3:41
09. Bride’s Song 1989 (Another Day) – 3:01
10. Ghost In The Rain – 5:02
11. Secrets – 3:49
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Broken Records.
CREDITS. Produced by Gene Eugene. Recorded by Gene Eugene and Ojo Taylor at Neverland, Whitefield, and The Mixing Lab. Mixed by Eugene, Taylor, and Super C at The Mixing Lab. Photography and Art Direction by Bruce Heavin. Additional Layout and Design by Timothy Wu. Music by Gene Eugene. Lyrics by Gene Eugene (tracks: 2 to 4, 6, 9), Steve Hindalong (tracks: 1, 5, 7, 8, 11), and Terry Taylor (tracks: 10).
Musicians: Riki Michele (Vocals, Percussion on track 3, Shaker on track 7), Gene Eugene (Guitar, Keyboards, Rhythms, Low Voices on track 1, Back-Up Voice on track 2, Backing Vocals on track 10 and 11). Additional musicians: Steve Hindalong (Cymbal Overdubs on track 2, 8, 9 and 11, Percussion on track 3 and 7, Harmonica and Acoustic Guitar on track 7), Tony Palacios (Lead Guitar on track 3, 5, and 7), Dan Michaels (Saxophone track 3), Ken Pendergrass (Trombone on track 3), J. Leonard Montgomery (Trumpet on track 3 and 5), Phil Meads (Percussion on track 3), Ojo Taylor (Bass on track 11).
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