VARIOUS ARTISTS
''BRACE YOURSELF!: A TRIBUTE TO OTIS BLACKWELL''
1993
42:19
1 - Graham Parker - Paralyzed/2:48
2 - Chrissie Hynde & Chris Spedding - Hey Little Boy (Little Girl)/3:19
3 - Paul Rodgers - Home In Your Heart/2:52
4 - Frank Black & The Stax Pistols - Breathless/2:45
5 - The Smithereens - Let's Talk About Us/3:17
6 - Tom Verlaine - Fever/3:28
7 - Joe Louis Walker - On That Power Line/4:14
8 - Deborah Harry - Don't Be Cruel/2:09
9 - Jon Spencer - All Shook Up/1:57
10 - Frank Black - Handyman/2:37
11 - Joe Ely & Sue Foley - Great Balls Of Fire/1:56
12 - Ronnie Spector - Brace Yourself/2:32
13 - Willie Deville - Daddy Rolling Stone/3:14
14 - Dave Edmunds - Return To Sender/2:31
15 - Kris Kristofferson - All Shook Up/2:02
Kenny Aaronson /Bass, Clapping, Vocals (Background)
Tim Alexander /Piano
Jim Babjak /Guitar, Vocals (Background)
Marcia Ball /Piano
Frank Black /Guitar, Guitar (Baritone), Guitar (Rhythm), Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background)
Sarah Brown /Guitar (Bass)
Richie Cannata /Sax (Tenor), Saxophone
Crispin Cioe /Horn Arrangements, Sax (Baritone)
Johnny Colla /Vocals (Background)
Steve Cropper /Guitar, Vocal Harmony
Jol Dantzig /Vocals (Background)
Jimmy Destri /Clapping, Finger Snaps, Organ, Piano, Snaps, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background)
Willy DeVille /Vocals
Dennis Diken /Clapping, Clarinet (Alto), Drums, Vocals (Background)
Pat DiNizio /Guitar (Rhythm), Vocals
Dave Edmunds /Multi Instruments, Producer, Vocals
Ira Elliot /Clarinet (Alto)
Joe Ely
Laurence Etkin /Trumpet
Steve Ferrone /Drums, Finger Snaps, Percussion, Snaps
Sue Foley /Guitar
Bob Funk Trombone
Randall Grass Finger Snaps, Snaps
Debbie Harry /Clapping, Clarinet (Alto), Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Arno Hecht /Sax (Tenor)
Chrissie Hynde /Vocals
Kris Kristofferson /Guitar (Acoustic), Harp, Vocal Harmony
Kenny Margolis /Clapping, Clarinet (Alto), Piano, Vocals (Background)
Glen Matlock /Vocal Harmony
Mike Mesaros /Bass
May Pang-Visconti /Clapping, Vocals (Background)
Graham Parker /Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Paul Rodgers /Vocals
Ronnie Spector /Vocals
Chris Spedding /Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
Jon Spencer /Guitar, Vocals
Jon Tiven /Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Rhythm), Organ, Producer, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background)
Sally Tiven /Clapping, Vocals (Background)
Uptown Horns /Ensemble, Horn Arrangements
Tom Verlaine /Guitar
Tony Visconti /Clapping, Finger Snaps, Producer, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background)
Joe Louis Walker /Fills, Guitar
Lyle Workman /Vocals (Background)
REVIEW
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Most tribute albums fail because the interpretations are too diverse to make the album consistent. Brace Yourself: A Tribute to Otis Blackwell sidesteps that problem by having the artists record with a house band well-versed in the material of the legendary rock & roll/R&B songwriter. Thankfully, the approach works; none of the artists turn in a bad performance, and the disc rocks (albeit rather gently) from start to finish. But then again, it wasn't that hard to make a good album when the artists included Dave Edmunds, Graham Parker, Chrissie Hynde, Frank Black, the Smithereens, and Kris Kristofferson.
''BRACE YOURSELF!: A TRIBUTE TO OTIS BLACKWELL''
1993
42:19
1 - Graham Parker - Paralyzed/2:48
2 - Chrissie Hynde & Chris Spedding - Hey Little Boy (Little Girl)/3:19
3 - Paul Rodgers - Home In Your Heart/2:52
4 - Frank Black & The Stax Pistols - Breathless/2:45
5 - The Smithereens - Let's Talk About Us/3:17
6 - Tom Verlaine - Fever/3:28
7 - Joe Louis Walker - On That Power Line/4:14
8 - Deborah Harry - Don't Be Cruel/2:09
9 - Jon Spencer - All Shook Up/1:57
10 - Frank Black - Handyman/2:37
11 - Joe Ely & Sue Foley - Great Balls Of Fire/1:56
12 - Ronnie Spector - Brace Yourself/2:32
13 - Willie Deville - Daddy Rolling Stone/3:14
14 - Dave Edmunds - Return To Sender/2:31
15 - Kris Kristofferson - All Shook Up/2:02
Kenny Aaronson /Bass, Clapping, Vocals (Background)
Tim Alexander /Piano
Jim Babjak /Guitar, Vocals (Background)
Marcia Ball /Piano
Frank Black /Guitar, Guitar (Baritone), Guitar (Rhythm), Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background)
Sarah Brown /Guitar (Bass)
Richie Cannata /Sax (Tenor), Saxophone
Crispin Cioe /Horn Arrangements, Sax (Baritone)
Johnny Colla /Vocals (Background)
Steve Cropper /Guitar, Vocal Harmony
Jol Dantzig /Vocals (Background)
Jimmy Destri /Clapping, Finger Snaps, Organ, Piano, Snaps, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background)
Willy DeVille /Vocals
Dennis Diken /Clapping, Clarinet (Alto), Drums, Vocals (Background)
Pat DiNizio /Guitar (Rhythm), Vocals
Dave Edmunds /Multi Instruments, Producer, Vocals
Ira Elliot /Clarinet (Alto)
Joe Ely
Laurence Etkin /Trumpet
Steve Ferrone /Drums, Finger Snaps, Percussion, Snaps
Sue Foley /Guitar
Bob Funk Trombone
Randall Grass Finger Snaps, Snaps
Debbie Harry /Clapping, Clarinet (Alto), Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Arno Hecht /Sax (Tenor)
Chrissie Hynde /Vocals
Kris Kristofferson /Guitar (Acoustic), Harp, Vocal Harmony
Kenny Margolis /Clapping, Clarinet (Alto), Piano, Vocals (Background)
Glen Matlock /Vocal Harmony
Mike Mesaros /Bass
May Pang-Visconti /Clapping, Vocals (Background)
Graham Parker /Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Paul Rodgers /Vocals
Ronnie Spector /Vocals
Chris Spedding /Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
Jon Spencer /Guitar, Vocals
Jon Tiven /Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Rhythm), Organ, Producer, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background)
Sally Tiven /Clapping, Vocals (Background)
Uptown Horns /Ensemble, Horn Arrangements
Tom Verlaine /Guitar
Tony Visconti /Clapping, Finger Snaps, Producer, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background)
Joe Louis Walker /Fills, Guitar
Lyle Workman /Vocals (Background)
REVIEW
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Most tribute albums fail because the interpretations are too diverse to make the album consistent. Brace Yourself: A Tribute to Otis Blackwell sidesteps that problem by having the artists record with a house band well-versed in the material of the legendary rock & roll/R&B songwriter. Thankfully, the approach works; none of the artists turn in a bad performance, and the disc rocks (albeit rather gently) from start to finish. But then again, it wasn't that hard to make a good album when the artists included Dave Edmunds, Graham Parker, Chrissie Hynde, Frank Black, the Smithereens, and Kris Kristofferson.
