Triage (David Baerwald album)
| Triage | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1993 | |||
| Genre | Rock, pop rock[1] | |||
| Length | 51:57 | |||
| Label | A&M | |||
| Producer | Bill Bottrell, David Baerwald, Dan Schwartz | |||
| David Baerwald chronology | ||||
| ||||
Triage is the second solo album by David Baerwald, formerly of the two-man group David & David.[2][3] It was released in 1993 on A&M Records.[4] Baerwald had wanted the album to come out before the 1992 United States presidential election, but it was pushed back several months.[5]
Baerwald supported the album by participating in the "In Their Own Words" tour, along with Lisa Germano, Freedy Johnston, Johnny Clegg, and Michael Barabas.[6]
Production
The album was produced by Bill Bottrell, Baerwald, and Dan Schwartz.[7] Baerwald was open to different musical styles and tried not to limit the music to any specific genre.[8] Many of its songs were influenced by politics and conspiracy theories.[9] The album is dedicated to politicians and government officials disliked by Baerwald.[5] The album cover is a photograph of bloody hands on top of the American flag; the liner notes contain photos of the FBI file on Baerwald's father.[10][11]
Herb Alpert played trumpet on "A Secret Silken World"; due to its theme of sadism, Joni Mitchell allegedly counseled against recording the song.[12][13] "Nobody" was written after Baerwald tagged along with members of the LAPD gang division.[14] "A Bitter Tree" addresses adultery.[1] The voices of Jim Jones and George Herbert Walker Bush are sampled on "The Postman".[15] The closing two songs incorporate more optimistic sentiments.[16]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Calgary Herald | B+[17] |
| Chicago Sun-Times | [5] |
| Chicago Tribune | [18] |
| Los Angeles Times | [19] |
| USA Today | [20] |
| The Virginian-Pilot | [16] |
The New York Times wrote that the album "leavens its juicy dollops of depravity and paranoia with just enough humor to keep from being an apocalyptic bore."[21] The Calgary Herald noted that Baerwald's "voice—singing, mumbling and shouting those powerful lyrics—carries Triage, with the music pushed down to a subtle supporting role."[17]
The Chicago Tribune concluded that "it's an ambitious work, but heavy-handedness has often been Baerwald's bane."[18] The Los Angeles Times opined that, "like Roger Waters' recent work, Baerwald's well-crafted sonics fail to clothe his ambitious lyrical ideas in sufficient pop appeal."[19] The Philadelphia Inquirer considered Triage to be "ponderous, self-obsessed singer-songwriter indulgence."[22]
AllMusic rated Triage 4.5 out of 5 stars, deeming it "a bumpy ride."[23]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "A Secret Silken World" | Baerwald, Ricketts | 7:42 |
| 2. | "The Got No Shotgun HydraHead Octopus Blues" | Baerwald | 4:27 |
| 3. | "Nobody" | Baerwald, Bottrell | 4:33 |
| 4. | "The Waiter" | Baerwald, Bottrell | 5:03 |
| 5. | "AIDS & Armageddon" | Baerwald | 5:33 |
| 6. | "The Postman" | Baerwald | 5:33 |
| 7. | "A Bitter Tree" | Baerwald | 3:28 |
| 8. | "China Lake" | Baerwald, Ricketts | 4:37 |
| 9. | "A Brand New Morning" | Baerwald | 4:39 |
| 10. | "Born For Love" | Baerwald | 6:22 |
| Total length: | 51:57 | ||
Personnel
- David Baerwald – vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass
- Bill Bottrell – guitars, keyboards, vocals, loops
- Greg Arreguin – guitar
- Dan Schwartz – bass, guitar
- David Kemper – drums
- Brian MacLeod – drums
- Kevin Gilbert – piano, drums
- Herb Alpert – trumpet on "A Secret Silken World"
References
- ^ a b "Triage by David Baerwald". Stereo Review. 58 (8): 82. August 1993.
- ^ Brown, Mark (December 31, 1992). "New albums from old pals". Onward. Austin American-Statesman. p. 23.
- ^ "Everyday Armageddons". Time. Vol. 141, no. 13. March 29, 1993. p. 59.
- ^ Heim, Chris (March 12, 1993). "Other rock releases...". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. P.
- ^ a b c Sachs, Lloyd (March 21, 1993). "Baerwald's Sonic Blast at Political Corruption". Show. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 5.
- ^ Mackie, John (May 29, 1993). "Baerwald uses society to hone pop's cutting edge". Vancouver Sun. p. E6.
- ^ "Triage by David Baerwald". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 12. March 20, 1993. p. 64.
- ^ Haymes, Greg (May 13, 1993). "Four Songwriters Talk About the World and Their Songs". Times Union. Albany. p. P12.
- ^ Willman, Chris (April 11, 1993). "Sing a Song of Paranoia". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 57.
- ^ Grobaty, Tim (April 10, 1993). "Word from our Music Industry Mole...". Press-Telegram. p. B1.
- ^ Rasmussen, Eric (July 8, 1993). "David Baerwald 'Triage'". The Capital Times. p. 1F.
- ^ Wright, Christian (April 1, 1993). "Triage by David Baerwald". Rolling Stone. No. 653. p. 54.
- ^ Gill, Andy (March 4, 1993). "Records". Arts. The Independent. p. 22.
- ^ Harrison, Tom (May 28, 1993). "Songwriter tries bridging L.A. gap". The Province. p. B11.
- ^ Hawkins, Robert J. (April 8, 1993). "Artists' second solo albums peer into the dark side". Entertainment. The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. 27.
- ^ a b Wright, Rickey (April 30, 1993). "David Baerwald 'Triage'". The Virginian-Pilot. p. P8.
- ^ a b Obee, Dave (March 28, 1993). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald. p. C2.
- ^ a b Kampert, Patrick (April 1, 1993). "Recordings". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
- ^ a b Boehm, Mike (April 11, 1993). "David Baerwald 'Triage'". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 61.
- ^ Gundersen, Edna (June 21, 1993). "Four by Four". USA Today. p. 6D.
- ^ Holden, Stephen (March 14, 1993). "For a Chronicler of Bad Vibes, a Lighter Touch". The New York Times. p. A23.
- ^ Moon, Tom (May 14, 1993). "Tonight's In Their Own Words...". Features Weekend. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 20.
- ^ Hayes, Kevin. "Triage". AllMusic. Retrieved June 4, 2016.