Customer Reviews

Fat City

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first heard "Round of Blues" on modern rock radio (Philadelphia's now defunct WDRE 103.9)soon after the album's release date (late 1992/early 1993.)I only heard it a few times before it was dropped from the station's playlist.

Right around this time I began my career as a DJ at clubs & weddings. I had added the songs to my list of most wanted songs to purchase.

None of the big retail chains carried this CD initially. A year or so later, the song received more airplay.

"Round of Blues" was included on the Nicolas Cage/Bridget Fonda movie soundtrack for "It Can Happen To You".

Eventually the "Fat City" CD began to appear at retail some two years after it's release.

From the first time I heard the entire CD it instantly became one of my favorites.

You'll be on an emotional rollercoaster with your journey through the tracks on this hidden gem.

On your first listen you too will be ready for a second ride as you feel Colvin's voice break on the final track "I Don't Know Why" Prepare for that second ride well in advance. Hit the repeat button right away!

... This is a wonderful album that strikes many emotional chords. "Monopoly" is a simple, heart-rending tale of lost love; "Set the Prairie on Fire" is one of the sexiest songs I've ever heard. I also love the complexity and mystery of "Kill the Messenger". Colvin's lyrics are so crisp: "Sometimes the beuaty of life Hits like lightning wahsing everything clear/And gthe dimmers of doubt flicker/Fade out and disappear." Hasn't everyone experienced those moments of clarity expressed so beautifully in Colvin's song? She articulates feelings the rest of us could never say so eloquently.

For a lot of people, Shawn Colvin is famous because of "Sunny Comes Home" from her "A Few Small Repairs" album. They probably don't realize that Shawn has a couple of albums prior to her break out album. I'm not exactly a big fan of Shawn Colvin, especially after hearing "Sunny Comes Home" a few million times on the radio. I find her music a bit too mellow and polished for my tastes. Still I do like some of her music and most of it comes from her second album "Fat City". I bought the cassette version of "Fat City" back in high school (or I think I was a freshman in college) because a local radio station played a few cuts off the cd and I liked what I heard. I particularly enjoyed the opening song "Polaroids", a poignant song about reminiscing about the good ol' days. The next two tracks I am not too wild about. I just didn't care for the melodies on those two songs. "Round of Blues" as is "Climb On (Back That's Strong)" is another great song off "Fat Song" but I think I have to say that "Orion in the Sky" is by far my favorite Shawn Colvin song. While there are a few hits and misses on "Fat City", it is still a solid album. Too bad that it was overlooked by the critics and music listeners.

I like this album a lot. It opens with Polaroids, a song that I memorized within the first week of buying the CD, I'd listened to it that many times. Most of the other songs are great, but some struck me much harder than others. Tenderness On The Block is catchy with wonderful support from The Subdudes. Climb On is upbeat without falling into the category of kitch-pop thanks to some thoughful lyrics. Kill The Messenger is musically beautiful and lyrically intriguing (I'm still trying to figure out what it's about, and that's not a bad thing). Overall, this is a beautiful collection of songs wrapped with Shawns remarkable delivery.

The drawbacks: Sorry, I just can't get into Set The Prairie On Fire. The words are fine, but the tune just doesn't take me anywhere. I Don't Know Why is a good song, but it really is total schmaltz. Then there is the production. The collection was released in 1992, so I have the feeling that the thought was to hitch it on to the country bandwagon that was rolling along at the time. Though I wouldn't classify it as a country CD, there are definite elements. That's not all bad, but at times it doesn't quite work and it detracts from the mood set by the lyrics.

That said, I highly recommend this CD. It's a beautiful folk-pop collection, something to listen to again and again.

I heard this record sometime in 1992 while driving to work in the dark early one winters morning and thought it was Joni Mitchell returning to form after 15 years. Sadly, it was not Joni, but after hunting for a few months I found out it was Shawn Colving, and on the strength of this record I have bought most of her other records. None satisfy like this one does - - the clear emotional voice behind Polaroids, the gentle rock of Tennessee, the sexy plaint of Tenderness on the Block, the singalong of Round of Blues, which I find myself singing to myself every now and then (so wherever you go, you better take care of me etc.), the anthemic Climb On a Back That's Strong, the sexy We set the Prarie on Fire, the happy Object of My Affection, and the haunting I don't know why.

This disc has made it into my CD player at least three or four times a year, for the past 11 years, and usually gets a lot more play than that. For my money, it's far better than her later records which are much more message oriented (A Few Small Repairs) or unfocused (Cover Girl). I can't think of an album of this genre (women singer-ongwriters from Canada who sound like Joni Mitchell) other than Joni Mitchell's Blue and Court and Spark which is better.

Although "A Few Small Repairs" drew the attention, this gem of an album is Shawn's finest work. Intimate songwriting, perfect production, backup by the now-defunct Subdudes, Bruce Hornsby, and the lovely Valerie Carter, and Colvin's sweet, crystalline voice hit the nadir with "Fat City." Standout songs are "Kill the Messenger," "Climb On (A Back That's Strong," and "Polaroids." Colvin's cover of Warren Zevon's "Tenderness On The Block" is fabulous!