Crooked Line is an album by the American musician Nils Lofgren, released in 1992.[1][2] It was his second album for Rykodisc.[3] The cover art is by Ralph Steadman.[4]
| Crooked Line | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1992 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 55:05 | |||
| Label | Rykodisc | |||
| Producer | Eric Ambel | |||
| Nils Lofgren chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editFor the most part recorded live in the studio, the album was produced by Eric Ambel.[5][6] Johnny "Bee" Badanjek played drums on Crooked Line.[7] Neil Young contributed to three of the tracks.[8] Jason & the Scorchers' Andy York played bass.[9] "Just a Little" is a cover of the Beau Brummels song, which Lofgren had performed as part of Ringo Starr's All-Starr tour; the song was the album's first single.[10][11][12] The lyrics to many songs engage with social issues.[13]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [14] |
| Boston Herald | B [13] |
| Calgary Herald | C [15] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [16] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |  [17] |
| The State | [18] |
| Toronto Sun | [19] |
The Boston Globe deemed the album "a touchingly personal, commerce-be-damned, low-key masterpiece," writing that "many songs also have a loose, easy feel."[11] The Calgary Herald labeled it "competent enough, if a tad predictable ... Lofgren's been the bridesmaid of rock since 1971, and that's not going to change."[15] Stereo Review determined that Crooked Line is "another album full of guitar doodling and good intentions [that] never quite hitting the mark with the sort of sharp, power-pop material Lofgren turned out with such accomplished ease way back when."[20]
The Austin American-Statesman noted that it boasted "some of his hardest rock and his best band to date."[21] The Kitchener-Waterloo Record opined that "most of this collection is solid rock hopefulness."[22] The Toronto Sun labeled "Drunken Driver" "as scary and disturbing a song as you're likely to hear all year."[19] The State concluded that "the real strengths lie in the meaty material and the bare-bones production and chunky rhythm guitar work of Eric Ambel."[18] The San Antonio Express-News listed the album as the 10th best of 1992.[23]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "A Child Could Tell" | 4:20 |
| 2. | "Blue Skies" | 3:58 |
| 3. | "Misery" | 6:45 |
| 4. | "You" | 3:30 |
| 5. | "Shot at You" | 5:47 |
| 6. | "Crooked Line" | 4:54 |
| 7. | "Walk on Me" | 4:05 |
| 8. | "Someday" | 5:30 |
| 9. | "New Kind of Freedom" | 3:40 |
| 10. | "Just a Little" | 3:22 |
| 11. | "Drunken Driver" | 6:27 |
| 12. | "I'll Fight for You" | 2:47 |
| Total length: | 55:05 | |
References
edit- ^ Gundersen, Edna (June 2, 1992). "A group with Starr quality". USA Today. p. 6D.
- ^ Krewen, Nick (September 24, 1992). "Nils Lofgren Crooked Line". Ego. The Hamilton Spectator. p. 4.
- ^ Futch, Michael (August 28, 1992). "Walking a 'Crooked Line'". Entertainment. The Fayetteville Observer.
- ^ Mackie, John (October 31, 1992). "Pop/Rock". Vancouver Sun. p. D19.
- ^ Morrison, Jim (September 11, 1992). "Nils Lofgren Crooked Line". Preview. The Virginian-Pilot. p. 10.
- ^ "New This Week". Part II. Newsday. July 20, 1992. p. 38.
- ^ "Album Reviews — Crooked Line by Nils Lofgren". Billboard. Vol. 104, no. 30. July 25, 1992. p. 45.
- ^ Morse, Steve (September 25, 1992). "Nils Lofgren". Arts & Film. The Boston Globe. p. 42.
- ^ Cristiano, Nick (August 21, 1992). "Sound Check". Los Angeles Daily News. Knight Ridder. p. L32.
- ^ Landis, David (July 9, 1992). "Line on Lofgren". USA Today. p. 1D.
- ^ a b Morse, Steve (July 16, 1992). "Nils Lofgren Crooked Line". Calendar. The Boston Globe. p. 7.
- ^ O'Hare, Kevin (June 24, 1992). "Ringo, star-filled cast shine". Arts & Entertainment. The Republican. Springfield. p. 32.
- ^ a b Katz, Larry (August 21, 1992). "Crooked Line". Boston Herald. p. S12.
- ^ "Crooked Line Review by Roch Parisien". AllMusic. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
- ^ a b Obee, Dave (August 9, 1992). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald. p. C2.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. volume 5. MUZE. p. 296.
- ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 683.
- ^ a b Miller, Michael (August 7, 1992). "Pop and Rock Music Keep Rolling On". The State. p. 10D.
- ^ a b Sakamoto, John (August 2, 1992). "Nils Lofgren, Crooked Line". Toronto Sun. p. S14.
- ^ "Popular Music — Crooked Line by Nils Lofgren". Stereo Review. Vol. 57, no. 10. October 1992. p. 86.
- ^ McLeese, Don (July 21, 1992). "In a related vein of muscular melodicism, the 1972 issue of Nils Lofgren's 1 1 album...". Austin American-Statesman. p. D5.
- ^ "Crooked Line". The Kitchener-Waterloo Record. July 30, 1992. p. C8.
- ^ Johnson, Robert (December 27, 1992). "Year-End". San Antonio Express-News. p. 6J.