Something Real (Phoebe Snow Album)
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''Something Real'' is the seventh studio album by the American musician
Phoebe Snow Phoebe Snow (born Phoebe Ann Laub; July 17, 1950 – April 26, 2011) was an American roots music singer-songwriter and guitarist, known for her hit 1974 and 1975 songs "Poetry Man" and "Harpo's Blues", and her credited guest vocals on Paul Simo ...
, released in 1989 by
Elektra Records Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the ...
. It was her first album in eight years. While caring for her disabled daughter, Snow spent five years making demo tapes and mailing them to labels. The album peaked at No. 75 on the ''Billboard'' 200.


Background

According to music executive Charles Koppelman, who had headed
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
music publishing department at the time Snow was on the Columbia roster, his interest in Snow was captured after he recognized her voice singing the
jingle A jingle is a short song or tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. Jingles are a form of sound branding. A jingle contains one or more hooks and meanings that explicitly promote the product or service being advertised, usually ...
for a
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television commercial. Koppelman attended Snow's
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gig in July 1986 and—deeming her performance a "knockout"—he began to champion Snow's return to recording. With Koppelman's support, Snow was signed to Elektra by the year's end:


Production

The album was produced by Rob Fraboni and
Ricky Fataar Ricky Fataar (born 5 September 1952) is a South African musician of Malay descent who has performed as both a drummer and a guitarist. He gained fame as an actor in ''The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash'', a spoof on the Beatles, in which he per ...
;
Russ Titelman Russ Titelman (born August 16, 1944, Los Angeles, California, United States) is an American record producer and songwriter. He has to date won three Grammy Awards. He earned his first producing the Steve Winwood song " Higher Love", and his se ...
also worked on the album.
Mick Taylor Michael Kevin Taylor (born 17 January 1949) is an English guitarist, best known as a former member of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1967–1969) and the Rolling Stones (1969–1974). As a member of the Stones, h ...
played guitar on "Cardiac Arrest".
Lou Marini Louis Eugene Marini Jr. (born May 13, 1945), known as "Blue Lou" Marini, is an American saxophonist, arranger, and composer. He is best known for his work in jazz, rock, blues, and soul music, as well as his association with The Blues Brother ...
and Tom Scott led the horn section. Snow shot a video, her first, for the album's first single, "If I Can Just Get Through the Night". The track "Something Real", which served as the second single and video, was hailed by ''
Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' music critic Joe Brown as "'Poetry Man' revisited... he earliersong's ingenuously adulterous protagonist has wised up in a decade. This time around, she wants—quoting the lyrics of "Something Real"—''something real - something I don't have to steal."'' Snow would state her vision for the song was "not sa vulnerable fragile song...I thought it could be a more powerful R&B ballad like something
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...
might sing But everybody who heard my homemade demo thought hat acoustic versionwas too good to change."''Miami Herald'' August 25, 1989 "New Power Charges Phoebe Snow's Welcome Return" by Doug Adrianson p.168


Critical reception

The ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' thought that, "while this album is classy and polished, there isn't much that approaches classic Snow territory, aside from 'We Might Never Feel This Way Again', with its touching, grab-the-moment romanticism, and the softly tender 'I'm Your Girl', which Snow wrote for her late mother." ''
The Buffalo News ''The Buffalo News'' is the daily newspaper of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area, located in downtown Buffalo, New York. It was for decades the only paper fully owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. On January 29, 2020, th ...
'' wrote that the singer "still has trouble resisting instrumental sucrose in the background, but the sound of Phoebe Snow singing 'I'm Your Girl' or 'If I Can Just Get Through the Night' is the essence of pop authenticity." ''
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...
'' concluded that ''Something Real'' "has a couple of slick, poorly chosen cover songs, but her four original songs on the album are sparkling." The ''
Vancouver Sun The ''Vancouver Sun'', also known as the ''Sun'', is a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The newspaper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network, and is the larg ...
'' opined that "the highly produced musical packaging feels too slick and hip for conveying truly honest emotions." ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' declared: "With a voice that's equally suited to pop, R&B and gospel, she has no difficulty reviving the old Emotions' hit 'Best of My Love' or emulating James Taylor's tuneful insouciance on 'Soothin', but other song choices don't pan out nearly as well." ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' deemed ''Something Real'' Snow's "most coherent album," writing that her "excesses are reined in just enough to make her sound bighearted and benevolent rather than overwrought."
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
called the album "a sturdy, respectable set," writing that Snow "tends to de-emphasize the more unusual aspects of her voice, although not so much that you'd confuse it with anybody else's."


Aftermath

At the time of the album's release, Snow would say of ''Something Real'': “We’ve made our statement on this record: it's got the right amount of everything. But I want my next lbumto reduce the margin for error - o havestrong powerful music...that expresses how I envision myself." Snow would abandon the recording of her second Elektra album after cutting six tracks which (Phoebe Snow quote:) "were just wrong. They weren't who I am. I was like the gal singer who phoned her part in." Snow asked for release from her contract, recording what would be her final two studio albums: '' I Can't Complain'' (1998) and ''Natural Wonder'' (2003), for indie labels.''Star Tribune'' 23 August 1998 "Where is the Phoebe Snow of Yesteryear? She's back on track album and a 'turned-around life'" by Michael Anthony p.85


Track listing


Personnel

* Phoebe Snow – vocals, acoustic guitar (1, 3), backing vocals (2, 8), harmony vocals (2, 6, 10) Session players/ singers *
Robbie Kondor Robbie Kondor is an American composer, session musician, and arranger. He has worked as a composer on '' The Significant Other'', '' Ball In The House'', ''Sally Jessy Raphael'', ''Happiness'' (1998), '' The Suburbans'' (1999), '' Forever Fabul ...
– keyboards (1, 6, 8), synth string arrangements (2) * Joy Askew – keyboards (2, 6–8), acoustic piano (2) *
Jeff Bova Jeff Bova (born Jeffrey Bova in 1953) is an American musician. He has been active in the music industry since the mid-1970s, contributing to recordings by significant mainstream artists like Celine Dion, Michael Jackson, Blondie, Eric Clapton, ...
– keyboards (3, 5) * Robbie Kilgore – keyboards (3, 5) * Rob Mounsey – keyboards (3, 5) * Eric Rehl – keyboards (4), drums (4) *
Ivan Neville Ivan Neville (born August 19, 1959) is an American multi-instrumentalist musician, singer, and songwriter. He is the son of Aaron Neville and nephew to the other members of The Neville Brothers. Career Neville has released four solo albums and ...
– keyboards (8), acoustic piano (10),
Hammond B3 organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert, first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, sound was created ...
(10) * David Frank – keyboards (9), arrangements (9) *
Pat Thrall Patrick Thrall is an American rock guitarist. Thrall has worked with former Deep Purple bassist Glenn Hughes on the Hughes/Thrall project. Discography Cookin Mama * ''New Day'' (guitar, vocals, percussion; 1972) Stomu Yamashta * Go (guita ...
– guitars (2, 6–8) * John McCurry – guitars (4) *
Mick Taylor Michael Kevin Taylor (born 17 January 1949) is an English guitarist, best known as a former member of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1967–1969) and the Rolling Stones (1969–1974). As a member of the Stones, h ...
– guitars (5, 7, 10) * Larry DeBari – guitars (6) *
Shane Fontayne Michael Barakan (born 29 April 1954), known as Shane Fontayne, is an English rock guitarist. Active since the 1970s, he was the guitarist for Bruce Springsteen during the 1992–1993 "Other Band" Tour, as Springsteen had disbanded his own E St ...
– guitars (10) *
Ricky Fataar Ricky Fataar (born 5 September 1952) is a South African musician of Malay descent who has performed as both a drummer and a guitarist. He gained fame as an actor in ''The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash'', a spoof on the Beatles, in which he per ...
– bass (1), percussion (1, 2, 7, 10), drums (2, 5–8, 10), additional drums (3), acoustic guitar (7), guitars (8), backing vocals (8) * Anthony Jackson – bass (2, 6–8) * Jimmy Bralower – drum machine programming (3, 5) * Errol "Crusher" Bennett – percussion (8) * Carol Steele – percussion (9) * Paul McGovern – saxophone (2) * Tom Scott – alto saxophone (9) *
Lou Marini Louis Eugene Marini Jr. (born May 13, 1945), known as "Blue Lou" Marini, is an American saxophonist, arranger, and composer. He is best known for his work in jazz, rock, blues, and soul music, as well as his association with The Blues Brother ...
– saxophones (9) *
Bob Mintzer Robert Alan Mintzer (born January 27, 1953) is an American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, and big band leader. Early life Mintzer was born and raised in a Jewish family in New Rochelle, New York, on January 27, 1953. He attended the Inte ...
– saxophones (9) *
Dave Bargeron David Wayne Bargeron (September 6, 1942 – January 18, 2025) was an American trombonist and tuba player who was a member of the jazz-rock group Blood, Sweat & Tears. Life and career Bargeron was born on September 6, 1942. He was lead trombon ...
– trombone (9) *
Randy Brecker Randal Edward Brecker (born November 27, 1945) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. His versatility has made him a popular studio musician who has recorded with acts in jazz, rock music, rock, and R&B. Early life Brecker was ...
– trumpet (9) *
Jon Faddis Jon Faddis (born July 24, 1953) is an American jazz trumpet player, conductor, composer, and educator, renowned for both his playing and for his expertise in the field of music education. Upon his first appearance on the scene, he became known ...
– trumpet (9) * Darryl Johnson – backing vocals (6, 7, 10), bass (10) Session players/ singers (cont.) *
Blondie Chaplin Terrence William "Blondie" Chaplin (born 7 July 1951) is a South African singer and guitarist from Durban, where he played in the band the Flames in the mid to late 1960s. From 1972 to 1973, he was a member of the Beach Boys and contributed ...
– backing vocals (8) * Lani Groves – backing vocals (9) * Brenda King – backing vocals (9) *
Vaneese Thomas Vaneese Yseult Thomas (born August 24, 1952) is an American R&B, jazz and soul blues singer, best known for her 1987 US ''Billboard'' R&B chart hit single, "Let's Talk It Over". In addition, in more recent times, she has supplied backing vocal ...
– backing vocals (9) Production * Phoebe Snow – pre-production * Ricky Fataar – producer (1, 2, 6–8, 10) * Rob Fraboni – producer (1, 2, 6–8, 10) * Russ Titelman – producer (3, 5, 9) * Phil Ramone – producer (4) * Steve Boyer – recording (1, 2, 6–8, 10), mixing (1, 2, 6–8, 10) * Steve Rinkoff – recording (3, 5, 9), mixing (3, 5, 9) * Jay Healy – recording (4), mixing (4) * Joe Pirrera – recording (4), mixing (4) * Bruce Calder – additional engineer (1, 2, 6–8, 10), assistant engineer (1, 2, 6–8, 10) * Dan Gellert – assistant engineer (3, 5, 9) *
Bob Ludwig Robert Carl Ludwig (born December 11, 1944), is a retired American mastering engineer. He mastered recordings on all the major recording formats for all the major record labels, and on projects by more than 1,300 artists, including Led Zeppeli ...
– mastering at
Masterdisk Masterdisk is an American multimedia company in New York, located at 8 John Walsh Boulevard in Peekskill. They provide production services such as audio mastering, vinyl cutting and enhanced CD and DVD production. Their clients include such n ...
(New York City, New York) * Karen Fine – production coordinator (1, 2, 6–8, 10) * Jill Dell'Abate – production coordinator (3, 5, 9) * Alexandra Saraspe-Conomos – production assistant (3, 5, 9) * Carol Bobolts – art direction * Michele Clement – photography


References

{{Authority control Phoebe Snow albums 1989 albums Elektra Records albums Albums produced by Rob Fraboni Albums produced by Ricky Fataar