The Sleeve:
The Liner/Sleeve Notes:
None.
Personal Review:
So, after purchasing the Northern Lights single, and stuff – I began to see Burton Cummings everywhere I went, every record store, every thrift store – even at my work – but it was just in an advertisement for something Canadian – nonetheless, after much, much, much… much debate, I bought this album.
The album opens with the song “Break It to Them Gently” and well, it’s a little slower, but Burton has that certain folk sound that I really love to hear on albums, this song is a pretty good way to open the album, can’t really complain much about it. I’m not really sure what it’s about though. After that comes the song “Hold On, I’m Comin’” and well, it goes from that folk sound to this pop rock sound, and Burton definitely does exercise every trick up his sleeve on this album. Another great track. I’m definitely digging all these songs. That one was pretty great. Next comes “I Will Play a Rhapsody” – and you know, rhapsody is a word that really angers me, long story short, I don’t like the word, but I do like this song, so it’s all good in the end, right? Right. “Wait By the Water” comes next, and we go from that classic folk sound to that pop rock song again, but hey, Burton is really good, I’m actually really enjoying this song. Hell, it even has that choir vocals going in the back! After that comes Burton’s take on a classic song, “When a Man Loves a Woman” comes next, and it’s delivered so beautifully by such a talented man. After that comes “Shiny Stockings” and well, the album was already a five star album, then this track came… and like, it’s pretty bad. Like, it’s like a Michael Buble song, and it’s really bad. Like, I can’t stand it.
The B-Side opens with “Guns, Guns, Guns” and it kind of has that country folk sound it, it seems to be a step up from that song the A-Side ended with. “Takes a Fool to Love a Fool” comes next, and it’s a pretty great country folk song with some pretty nice steel guitar playing in it. After that comes the track “Meanin’ So Much” which oddly reminds me of a Bruce Springsteen song, and it’s pretty good, this album has not really let me down much so far. It’s definitely a good album. “It All Comes Together” comes next, and it’s a pretty good song, this album is surprisingly a lot better than I had initially expected, I’ve quite enjoyed it this far in. Then comes “Roll With the Punches” and it starts with a pretty different spoken word intro, but then it goes into the song and it’s pretty great! Then comes the title track, and closing track of the album “Dream of a Child” and it’s a slower song, but it’s a good ending track, I definitely love the musicianship on this album.
Interesting Facts:
None.
Track Listing:
A1 – Break It to Them Gently
A2 – Hold On, I’m Comin’
A3 – I Will Play a Rhapsody
A4 – Wait By the Water
A5 – When a Man Loves a Woman
A6 – Shiny Stockings
B1 – Guns, Guns, Guns
B2 – Takes a Fool to Love a Fool
B3 – Meanin’ So Much
B4 – It All Comes Together
B5 – Roll With the Punches
B6 – Dream of a Child
Label:
Portrait
Catalog Number:
35481
Studio Musicians & Other Album Credits:
Produced by Burton Cummings
Production Coordinator – Jim Martin
Recorded at Studio 55 and Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles
Recording Engineer at 55 – Howard Steele
Second Engineers at 55 – Gabe Veltri & Tim Dennen
Recording Engineer at Cherokee – Bruce Robb
Second Engineer at Cherokee – Larry Rebhun
Mixed at Studio 55
Mixing Engineer – Howard Steele
Mastering – Allan Zentz
Cover Concept & Design – Pacific Eye & Ear
Photography – Alan Dockery
Grand Piano, Vocal, Fender Rhodes, Oberheims & Clavinet – Burton Cummings
Guitar – Dick Wagner, Steve Cropper, Randy Bachman & Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter
Electric & Rhythm Guitar – Randy Bachman
Electric Bass – Ian Gardiner
Electric Guitar – Norman McPherson
Drums – Jim Gordon, Rick Schlosser & Jeff Porcaro
Percussion – Phyllis St. James, Burton Cummings & Randy Bachman
Horns Arranged & Conducted by Steve Mandaio
Background Vocals – Becky Lopez, Vinetta Field & Shirlee Matthews
Saxophone – Plas Johnson
Hammond Organ – Jimmy Phillips
Pedal Steel Guitar – Tom Brumley
Acoustic Guitar – Trevor Veitch
Alto Sax – Jim Horn
Hand Claps & Contemporary Happiness – The Cherokee Studio All-Stars
Oberheim Arrangement & Execution – Bill Payne
Other Albums I Own by Burton Cummings:
None.
Other Albums I Own that Burton Cummings Appears On:
Northern Lights – “Tears Are Not Enough”
Released:
1978
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