Orleans (album)
| Orleans | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1973 | |||
| Studio | Muscle Shoals[1] | |||
| Genre | Soft rock | |||
| Length | 45:14 | |||
| Label | ABC[2] | |||
| Producer | Barry Beckett and Roger Hawkins[2] | |||
| Orleans chronology | ||||
| ||||
Orleans is the debut album from the soft rock band Orleans. Formed in 1972 by multi-instrumentalists/vocalists John Hall, Larry Hoppen, and Wells Kelly, the group had been playing at bars in upstate New York as a trio for several months before Hoppen's then 18-year-old brother Lance was added to take up the position of bassist.[3]
Track info
The song "Half Moon" originally appeared on Janis Joplin's final studio album Pearl, released in 1971.[4] It was subsequently included as part of a suite on John Hall's third solo album Power, released in 1979.[5]
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| Christgau's Record Guide | C+[6] |
AllMusic rated the album two and a half stars, describing it as not "a blockbuster...but the soft rock fans who acquired the LP could hear Orleans' potential."[7]
Music critic Robert Christgau wrote a brief review of the album, describing it as "pleasant", but opining that "John Hall doesn't sing as tasty as he plays. The only impressive song is 'Half Moon.'"[6]
Track listing
All songs written by John Hall and Johanna Hall except noted. All lead vocals by John Hall unless otherwise specified.[2]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Please Be There" | 3:48 |
| 2. | "If" | 5:02 |
| 3. | "Two-Faced World" | 4:30 |
| 4. | "Turn Out the Light" | 5:18 |
| 5. | "Tongue-Tied" | 4:19 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Half-Moon (Seven Song)" | John Hall, Larry Hoppen | 3:38 | |
| 7. | "Mountain" | Wells Kelly | Kelly | 3:21 |
| 8. | "Wanderlust" | 4:25 | ||
| 9. | "Ticonderoga Moon" | 3:07 | ||
| 10. | "Stoned" | Larry Hoppen | Larry Hoppen | 3:10 |
| 11. | "It All Comes Back Again" | 4:35 | ||
| Total length: | 45:14 | |||
Personnel
- Orleans[2]
- John Hall – Lead vocals (1–6, 8, 9, 11), Vocals (7), Lead guitar (2, 3, 6, 7, 8), Guitar (2, 5, 8), Acoustic guitar (9), Electric guitar (1, 3, 4, 9, 11), Dobrolin (11), Rhythm Guitar (6, 7), Steel drums (2), Organ (8), Drums (10)
- Wells Kelly – Lead vocals (7), Vocals (1–5, 8, 9, 11), Piano (4, 7, 9), Drums (1–9, 11), Timbales (2), Cowbell (5)
- Larry Hoppen – Lead vocals (6, 10), Vocals (1–5, 7–11), Lead guitar (2, 5, 6–8), Guitar (2, 5, 8), Electric guitar (3, 10), Rhythm guitar (6), Slide guitar (10), Piano (1, 9), Electric Piano (7, 11), Organ (1, 3, 4, 6, 11)
- Lance Hoppen – Vocals, Bass
- Additional personnel
- Barry Beckett – Piano (4)
- Roger Hawkins – Tambourine (2), Congas (3, 6), Cowbell (10), Jew's harp (10)
- Marilyn Mason – Backing vocals (4)
References
- ^ "Billboard". Billboard. Vol. 85, no. 33. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. August 18, 1973. p. 48. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ a b c d Orleans (album). Orleans. New York City: ABC Records. 1973. ABCX-795
- ^ "Orleans & Orleans 2 (1973–74) – Orleans". orleansonline.net. November 22, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
- ^ Pearl (album). Janis Joplin. New York, New York: Columbia Records. 1971. KC-30322
- ^ Power (album). John Hall. Beverly Hills, California/New York, New York: ARC/Columbia Records. 1979. JC-35790
- ^ a b https://robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=orleans
- ^ Henderson, Alex. "Orleans [1973] – Orleans". AllMusic. Retrieved May 21, 2025.