10604 - STEVE FORBERT - COMPROMISED (2015)
STEVE FORBERT
''COMPROMISED''
2015
58:04
**********
1 Compromised 03:19
2 A Big Comeuppance 03:49
3 When I Get To California 03:14
4 Drink Red Wine 03:07
5 Welcome The Rolling Stones 03:11
6 Rollin' Home To Someone You Love 03:04
7 Send In The Clowns 04:02
8 I Don't Know If You Know It 03:31
9 Devil (Here She Comes Now 03:31
10 Time Seemed So Free 03:20
11 Whatever, Man 03:52
12 You'd See The Things That I See 03:38
13 Devil (Here She Comes Now) 03:28
14 When I Get To California 03:27
15 Whatever, Man 03:47
16 Rain And Sleet And Snow 03:09
17 Katherine 02:26
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ABOUT THE ALBUM
Singer-songwriter Steve Forbert is set to release his 16th studio album, Compromised, on November 6, 2015, via Rock Ridge Music (with distribution through ADA). Recorded in Woodstock and Cape Cod and produced by Forbert along with John Simon (who helmed Forbert's breakthrough sophomore album, 1979's Jackrabbit Slim), Compromised is anything but what its title suggests. Its aggressive, roots-rock stylings are reminiscent of Forbert's 1992 album The American in Me.
From the rambling piano and horn-driven swing in "Big Comeuppance" to the seductive twang in "Devil (Here She Comes Now)" to the ironic romanticizing of Altamont in "Welcome the Rolling Stones," Forbert has followed his muse to the hilt. "It's all about the songs," Forbert acknowledges, "and the songs are about the inspiration. For me, if you have the inspiration, then you have to make the commitment to getting the song as good as you know it should be. Then making an album-a finished product-is your next challenge."
Compromised collaborators include bassist Joey Spampinato (NRBQ), drummer Lou Cataldo (The Freeze), pianist/trumpeter Kami Lyle, and keyboardist Robbie Kondor, the latter of whom played on Forbert's classic 1978 debut, Alive on Arrival. "I recorded with the band that did the Arrival and Jackrabbit anniversary tours with me in 2013 and 2014," Forbert says, "where we played those albums in their entireties. It just seemed natural to say, 'Okay, we're going to rehearse for this tour - but let's record an album together, too.' And it was great reconnecting with John Simon again after all this time."
Compromised seems to be a fairly ironic title, given the nature of its contents. "If people ask me why it's called Compromised, well, that's the first song on the record, and it's pretty true to my style," Forbert admits. "But to put it simply, I've been dealing with the changes we've all been going through and what we live with in life today. Clearly, we're going through something new because of the digital revolution. We have so much intensity in the air now - that cliché of too much information."
In today's overload-of-information age, Forbert recognizes the value of having a "calling card" song in his arsenal - "Romeo's Tune," his indelible pop hit that reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1980. "That song took on a life of its own," he says. "Did I become a household name? No. But you write the songs, and you record the songs. As long as you have the inspiration, you keep on going." A testament to his songwriting prowess, Forbert's songs have been recorded by several artists, such as Keith Urban, Marty Stuart, and Rosanne Cash. His 2002 tribute album to Jimmie Rodgers (entitled Any Old Time) was nominated for a Grammy in the best traditional folk category in 2004. Born in Meridian, Mississippi, Forbert was inducted into the Mississippi Music Hall of Fame in 2006.
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BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Jason Ankeny
Anointed "the new Dylan" upon his recording debut, folk-rock singer/songwriter Steve Forbert was born in Meridian, MS, in 1954. After learning guitar at age 11, he spent his high school years playing in a variety of local bands before quitting his job as a truck driver and moving to New York City at the age of 21. There, he performed for spare change in Grand Central Station before working his way up to the Manhattan club circuit. After signing to Nemperor, Forbert debuted in 1978 with Alive on Arrival, which earned critical acclaim for its taut, poetic lyrics. The follow-up, 1979's Jackrabbit Slim, was his most successful outing, reaching the Top 20 on the strength of the hit single "Romeo's Tune" (allegedly inspired by the late Supreme Florence Ballard). However, both 1980's Little Stevie Orbit and a self-titled 1982 effort fared poorly, and Forbert was dropped by his label. He spent much of the decade in Nashville, where he continued honing his songwriting skills and performed regularly throughout the South. In 1988, he signed to Geffen, where the E Street Band's Garry Tallent produced his comeback album, Streets of This Town. Pete Anderson took over the production reins for 1992's The American in Me, but Forbert's continued lack of chart success prompted the label to cut him loose. A deal with the Warner Bros.-affiliated Giant label resulted in two more studio albums, 1995's Mission of the Crossroad Palms and 1996's Rocking Horse Head, but in 1998 Forbert moved into independent territory for his next album, the rollicking live set Here's Your Pizza. Forbert signed with Koch Records for his next studio disc, 2000's Evergreen Boy, where he also released Any Old Time (a tribute to country music legend Jimmie Rodgers) in 2002 and Just Like There's Nothin' to It (a collection of new songs) in 2004. During this period, Forbert also released two compilations of rare and unreleased material, Young, Guitar Days and More Young, Guitar Days, as well as several live recordings. On Stage at World Cafe Live appeared in 2007 from Decca Vision as well as a new studio set, Strange Names and New Sensations, from 429 Records that same year. The Place and the Time arrived in 2009. The Chris Goldsmith-produced Over with You, a sparse song cycle that shows Forbert's fine songwriting skills, appeared in 2012.
**********
WEBSITE
**********
TO THE TOP
**********
''COMPROMISED''
2015
58:04
**********
1 Compromised 03:19
2 A Big Comeuppance 03:49
3 When I Get To California 03:14
4 Drink Red Wine 03:07
5 Welcome The Rolling Stones 03:11
6 Rollin' Home To Someone You Love 03:04
7 Send In The Clowns 04:02
8 I Don't Know If You Know It 03:31
9 Devil (Here She Comes Now 03:31
10 Time Seemed So Free 03:20
11 Whatever, Man 03:52
12 You'd See The Things That I See 03:38
13 Devil (Here She Comes Now) 03:28
14 When I Get To California 03:27
15 Whatever, Man 03:47
16 Rain And Sleet And Snow 03:09
17 Katherine 02:26
**********
ABOUT THE ALBUM
Singer-songwriter Steve Forbert is set to release his 16th studio album, Compromised, on November 6, 2015, via Rock Ridge Music (with distribution through ADA). Recorded in Woodstock and Cape Cod and produced by Forbert along with John Simon (who helmed Forbert's breakthrough sophomore album, 1979's Jackrabbit Slim), Compromised is anything but what its title suggests. Its aggressive, roots-rock stylings are reminiscent of Forbert's 1992 album The American in Me.
From the rambling piano and horn-driven swing in "Big Comeuppance" to the seductive twang in "Devil (Here She Comes Now)" to the ironic romanticizing of Altamont in "Welcome the Rolling Stones," Forbert has followed his muse to the hilt. "It's all about the songs," Forbert acknowledges, "and the songs are about the inspiration. For me, if you have the inspiration, then you have to make the commitment to getting the song as good as you know it should be. Then making an album-a finished product-is your next challenge."
Compromised collaborators include bassist Joey Spampinato (NRBQ), drummer Lou Cataldo (The Freeze), pianist/trumpeter Kami Lyle, and keyboardist Robbie Kondor, the latter of whom played on Forbert's classic 1978 debut, Alive on Arrival. "I recorded with the band that did the Arrival and Jackrabbit anniversary tours with me in 2013 and 2014," Forbert says, "where we played those albums in their entireties. It just seemed natural to say, 'Okay, we're going to rehearse for this tour - but let's record an album together, too.' And it was great reconnecting with John Simon again after all this time."
Compromised seems to be a fairly ironic title, given the nature of its contents. "If people ask me why it's called Compromised, well, that's the first song on the record, and it's pretty true to my style," Forbert admits. "But to put it simply, I've been dealing with the changes we've all been going through and what we live with in life today. Clearly, we're going through something new because of the digital revolution. We have so much intensity in the air now - that cliché of too much information."
In today's overload-of-information age, Forbert recognizes the value of having a "calling card" song in his arsenal - "Romeo's Tune," his indelible pop hit that reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1980. "That song took on a life of its own," he says. "Did I become a household name? No. But you write the songs, and you record the songs. As long as you have the inspiration, you keep on going." A testament to his songwriting prowess, Forbert's songs have been recorded by several artists, such as Keith Urban, Marty Stuart, and Rosanne Cash. His 2002 tribute album to Jimmie Rodgers (entitled Any Old Time) was nominated for a Grammy in the best traditional folk category in 2004. Born in Meridian, Mississippi, Forbert was inducted into the Mississippi Music Hall of Fame in 2006.
**********
BIOGRAPHY/AMG
Jason Ankeny
Anointed "the new Dylan" upon his recording debut, folk-rock singer/songwriter Steve Forbert was born in Meridian, MS, in 1954. After learning guitar at age 11, he spent his high school years playing in a variety of local bands before quitting his job as a truck driver and moving to New York City at the age of 21. There, he performed for spare change in Grand Central Station before working his way up to the Manhattan club circuit. After signing to Nemperor, Forbert debuted in 1978 with Alive on Arrival, which earned critical acclaim for its taut, poetic lyrics. The follow-up, 1979's Jackrabbit Slim, was his most successful outing, reaching the Top 20 on the strength of the hit single "Romeo's Tune" (allegedly inspired by the late Supreme Florence Ballard). However, both 1980's Little Stevie Orbit and a self-titled 1982 effort fared poorly, and Forbert was dropped by his label. He spent much of the decade in Nashville, where he continued honing his songwriting skills and performed regularly throughout the South. In 1988, he signed to Geffen, where the E Street Band's Garry Tallent produced his comeback album, Streets of This Town. Pete Anderson took over the production reins for 1992's The American in Me, but Forbert's continued lack of chart success prompted the label to cut him loose. A deal with the Warner Bros.-affiliated Giant label resulted in two more studio albums, 1995's Mission of the Crossroad Palms and 1996's Rocking Horse Head, but in 1998 Forbert moved into independent territory for his next album, the rollicking live set Here's Your Pizza. Forbert signed with Koch Records for his next studio disc, 2000's Evergreen Boy, where he also released Any Old Time (a tribute to country music legend Jimmie Rodgers) in 2002 and Just Like There's Nothin' to It (a collection of new songs) in 2004. During this period, Forbert also released two compilations of rare and unreleased material, Young, Guitar Days and More Young, Guitar Days, as well as several live recordings. On Stage at World Cafe Live appeared in 2007 from Decca Vision as well as a new studio set, Strange Names and New Sensations, from 429 Records that same year. The Place and the Time arrived in 2009. The Chris Goldsmith-produced Over with You, a sparse song cycle that shows Forbert's fine songwriting skills, appeared in 2012.
**********
WEBSITE
**********
TO THE TOP
**********