''What's Inside'' is the fourteenth studio album by British singer-songwriter

Joan Armatrading Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading, (, born 9 December 1950) is a Kittitian-English singer-songwriter and guitarist. A three-time Grammy Award nominee, Armatrading has also been nominated twice for BRIT Awards as Best Female Artist. She receive ...

. The album was written, arranged and produced by Armatrading, co-produced by

David Tickle David Tickle (born 6 September 1959) is a British record producer and engineer. As a producer, he is noted for his work with Split Enz, and in Canada, for his mid-1980s work with Red Rider, Platinum Blonde and Gowan. He later produced Joe Cocker ...

and recorded at the A&M Recording Studios in Hollywood. The strings were recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, with the

Kronos Quartet The Kronos Quartet is an American string quartet based in San Francisco. It has been in existence with a rotating membership of musicians for almost 50 years. The quartet covers a very broad range of musical genres, including contemporary class ...

's contribution recorded at The Plant Recording Studios,

Sausalito, California Sausalito ( Spanish for "small willow grove") is a city in Marin County, California, United States, located southeast of Marin City, south-southeast of San Rafael, and about north of San Francisco from the Golden Gate Bridge. Sausalito's ...

and

The Memphis Horns The Memphis Horns were an American horn section, made famous by their many appearances on Stax Records. The duo consisted of Wayne Jackson (November 24, 1941 – June 21, 2016) on trumpet and Andrew Love (November 21, 1941 - April 12, 2012) on ...

recorded at Kiva Recording Studio,

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the County seat, seat of Shelby County, Tennessee, Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 Uni ...

. The album was released in 1995 by

RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent pool, patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Westin ...

and was Armatrading's only album for the label. She had left A&M in 1992 after an eighteen-year association with the company.

Background

Armatrading used a string orchestra on several tracks. She used the London Metropolitan Orchestra, along with the Kronos Quartet on one track and The Memphis Horns on two songs. Because of this, the album had several arrangers (see Personnel list) including Armatrading herself.

B. J. Cole Brian John Cole is an English pedal steel guitarist, who has long been active as a session and solo musician. Coming to prominence in the early 1970s with the band Cochise, Cole has played in many styles, ranging from mainstream pop and rock to ...

returned to play slide guitar, the first time he had played on an Armatrading album since 1976, when he played on the track "

Down to Zero "Down to Zero" is a 1976 song by British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading. It features pedal steel guitar by B. J. Cole and drums by Kenney Jones of the Faces. History The song first appeared on Armatrading's 1976 album ''Joan Armatrading'', ...

" from the eponymous ''

'' album; and

Manu Katché Manu Katché (born 27 October 1958) is a French drummer and songwriter of Ivorian descent. He has worked extensively as a session musician, notably with Sting and Peter Gabriel, and his solo albums as a bandleader are largely in the jazz fusio ...

once more returned to play drums. After a twelve-year gap,

Tony Levin Anthony Frederick Levin (born June 6, 1946) is an American musician and composer, specializing in electric bass, Chapman Stick and upright bass. He also sings and plays synthesizer. Levin is best known for his work with King Crimson (since ...

reprised his role as one of the album's bass guitarists – he had previously played on ''

Walk Under Ladders ''Walk Under Ladders'' is the seventh studio album by British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading, released on 4 September 1981 by A&M Records. The album peaked at No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart and was certified Gold by the British Phonographic I ...

'' in 1981 and '' The Key'' in 1983. Other than those, Armatrading and her co-producer David Tickle worked with a new set of musicians for the album, including some very experienced artists guesting on several tracks, such as

Darryl Jones Darryl Jones (born December 11, 1961) is an American bass guitarist. He has been recording and touring with the Rolling Stones since 1993. He has also played in bands with Miles Davis and Sting, among others. Career Darryl Jones was born on ...

, who had worked with

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of musi ...

and Eric Clapton, among others, and who went on to join the

Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...

;

Greg Phillinganes Gregory Arthur Phillinganes (born May 12, 1956) is an American keyboardist, singer-songwriter, and musical director based in Los Angeles, California. A prolific session musician, Phillinganes has contributed the role of keyboards to numerous alb ...

, a keyboardist who had worked with

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, pop, sou ...

, Eric Clapton,

Donna Summer LaDonna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the "Honorific nicknames in popular m ...

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the "Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...

and many others, and

Benmont Tench Benjamin Montmorency "Benmont" Tench III (born September 7, 1953) is an American musician and singer, and a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Early years Tench was born in Gainesville, Florida, the second child of Benjamin M ...

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were an American Rock music, rock band from Gainesville, Florida. Formed in 1976, the band originally comprised lead singer and rhythm guitarist Tom Petty, lead guitarist Mike Campbell (musician), Mike Campbell, ...

Songs

In an interview in December 1995 in the

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...

, Armatrading stated that the album's songs represent "things that have touched me". The song "In Your Eyes" is one of several songs with jazz influences.Roos, John (4 December 1995).
Armatrading's Range and Masterful Poise Combine in Triumph
. ''

The Los Angeles Times ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in ...

''. Retrieved 31 December 2013. "Everyday Boy" was inspired by an acquaintance of Armatrading's who had AIDS. "Shapes and Sizes", which contains the line "Obituary columns are filled with love", was inspired by the death of British journalist and broadcaster

Brian Redhead Brian Leonard Redhead (28 December 1929 – 23 January 1994) was a British author, journalist and broadcaster. He was a co-presenter of the Today (BBC Radio 4), ''Today'' programme on BBC Radio 4 from 1975 until 1993, shortly before his death. ...

. "Back On The Road" and "Lost The Love" are blues numbers and prefigure her 2007 album ''Into The Blues''. "Trouble" is a "heartwarming salute" to Armatrading's mother, whom she had always regarded as a strong woman whom she wished to emulate. The tracks "Everyday Boy", "Recommend My Love" and "Shapes and Sizes" were released as singles.

Reception

The album was positively reviewed by most critics and reached number 48 in the

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...

, and number 91 in Australia, but did not chart in the US.

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...

's Thom Jurek said that the album was: "a solid, sweeping, elegant, and heart breaking album" that "proved beyond any doubt that Armatrading sa viable, profound songwriter capable of offering striking, imagistic portraits of complex emotional terrain", that there was "not a weak song" among the tracks and that in his opinion the album is "highly recommended". He singled out "Merchant of Love", "Everyday Boy", and "Recommend My Love" as the "finest songs" on the album. William Ruhlmann of AllMusic commented: "the album is an interesting mixture of the styles Armatrading has employed at various times in her career, from the spare, intimate approach associated with her "Love And Affection" phase to the pop-rock of "Me Myself I". He singled out the track "Can't Stop Loving You" as the song that "coulda-been-a-hit". The album received a rating of 4 out of 5 stars on that site. John Roos of the Los Angeles Times called the album a "strong collection" with some "outstanding" songs, and particularly praised "Trouble". Steve Appleford of the Los Angeles Times praised the album's "subtle emotional ambience" and "raw, smoky intensity". A. D. Amorosi, writing in the ''

Philadelphia City Paper ''Philadelphia City Paper'' was an alternative weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The independently owned paper was free and published every Thursday in print and daily online at citypaper.net. Staff reporters focused on labor issues ...

'', praised Armatrading's vocals as being "espresso dark, cigar smoky, hearty and passionate", and said that the album "contains deceptively simple melodies trimmed with ornate baubles, including the laconic blues of "Lost the Love" and the ominously catchy "Shapes & Sizes".Amorosi, A.D. (20–27 June 1996).
Joan Armatrading/Richard Thompson
. ''

''. Retrieved 5 January 2014.

Track listing

All songs written and arranged by Joan Armatrading. Additional arrangements by other personnel as noted below. # "In Your Eyes" – 2:43 # "Everyday Boy" – 4:37 # "Merchant of Love" – 4:49 # "Shapes and Sizes" – 3:15 # "Back on the Road" – 2:43 # "Lost The Love" – 3:43 # "Songs" – 3:49 # "Would You Like to Dance" – 4:01 # "Recommend My Love" – 4:30 # "Beyond The Blue" – 3:52 # "Can't Stop Loving You" – 3:26 # "Shape of a Pony" – 4:43 # "Trouble" – 4:06

Personnel

Musicians

*Joan Armatrading – vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, e-bow guitar *Hojah Farah – acoustic guitar (track 4) *

– slide guitar (track 10) *

– bass (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 13) *

– bass (tracks 2, 8, 9, 10) *

– keyboards (tracks 1, 7, 9) *

– keyboards (tracks 2, 3, 5, 10, 11, 12) *Todd Cochran – keyboards (tracks 4, 6, 13) *

Peter Robinson Peter Robinson may refer to: Entertainment * Peter Robinson (sideshow artist) (1873–1947), American actor and sideshow performer, known for his appearance in film ''Freaks'' (1932) * J. Peter Robinson (born 1945), British musician and film score ...

– keyboards (track 8) *

– drums (all tracks) *

Alex Acuña Alejandro Neciosup Acuña (born December 12, 1944), known professionally as Alex Acuña, is a Peruvian-American drummer and percussionist. Background Born in Pativilca, Peru, Acuña played in local bands such as La Orquesta de los Hermanos Neci ...

– percussion (tracks 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12,13) *The London Metropolitan Orchestra – strings (all tracks except track 4) *

– strings (track 4) * Boz Burrell – tin whistle (track 12) *

Memphis Horns The Memphis Horns were an American horn section, made famous by their many appearances on Stax Records. The duo consisted of Wayne Jackson (November 24, 1941 – June 21, 2016) on trumpet and Andrew Love (November 21, 1941 - April 12, 2012) on ...

– horns (tracks 8, 11) *K. La – backing vocals (tracks 3, 6, 8, 9, 11) *Ray Williams – backing vocals (tracks 3, 6, 8, 9, 11) * Terry Evans – backing vocals (tracks 3, 6, 8, 9, 11) *Willie Green, Jr. – backing vocals (tracks 3, 6, 8, 9, 11)

Production Team

*Producer: Joan Armatrading *Co-producer: David Tickle *Engineer: Wolfgang Amadeus *Second engineer: Chad Munsey *Engineer (horns):

Malcolm Springer Malcolm, Malcom, Máel Coluim, or Maol Choluim may refer to: People * Malcolm (given name), includes a list of people and fictional characters * Clan Malcolm * Maol Choluim de Innerpeffray, 14th-century bishop-elect of Dunkeld Nobility * Máel C ...

*Engineer (quartet): Tom Luekens *Engineer (strings): Simon Rhodes *Mixed by David Tickle,

Shelly Yakus Sheldon Gershon "Shelly" Yakus (born November 1945) is an American music engineer and mixer. Formerly chief engineer and vice president of A&M Records, he was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. Yakus is reference ...

*Musical director: Andy Brown *Songs arranged by: Joan Armatrading *Strings arranged by: Joan Armatrading (tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,13) *Strings arranged by: Caroline Dale (track 1) *Strings arranged by: Dana Brayton (track 4) *Orchestration by: Caroline Dale *Strings written by: Joan Armatrading (tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,13) *Strings written by: Caroline Dale (track 1) *Design & illustration: Sherri Maxwell *Distribution: Bertelsmann Music Group *Songs published by Polygram Music *Management: Running Dog Management/Mike Noble

Notes

References

*Sleeve notes: What’s Inside, 1995, RCA *Larkin, Colin (1997) ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music'', Virgin Books, London. {{Authority control 1995 albums Joan Armatrading albums RCA Records albums Albums recorded at A&M Studios Albums produced by David Tickle