The Hard Way (Owsley album)

Infobox Album
Name = The Hard Way
Type = studio
Artist = Owsley


Released = start date|2004|02|24
Recorded =
Genre = Rock, power pop
Length =
Label = Lakeview
Producer = Owsley
Reviews = Allmusic - rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:gbfexqyaldhe link]
Last album = "Owsley"
(1999)
This album = "The Hard Way"
(2004)
Next album =

"The Hard Way" is the second studio album released by American rock musician Owsley.

It was released in 2004 on the independent Lakeview label, five years after his debut album. Some of the delay was attributed to legal difficulties with his former label, Giant Records. [cite news| last =Bumgardner| first =Ed| title =Owsley: The Hard Way| page =9| publisher ="Winston-Salem Journal"| date =2004-07-22| ]

Critics have described the album as having a "heavier"cite journal| last =Young| first =Clive| title =Owsley Records the 'Hard Way'| journal =Pro Sound News| volume =26| issue =06| publisher =United Entertainment Media| location =New York| date =June 2004| issn =0164-6338| pages =25 ] and "more mature" sound compared to his debut album, and note musical influences of Big Star, Todd Rundgren, Tom Petty and Paul McCartney and Wings. [cite news| last =Printz| first =Larry| title =Owsley 'The Hard Way'| page =D6| publisher ="The Morning Call"| date =2004-03-20| ] Critic Susanne Ault of "Billboard" wrote, "The music straddles indie and pop sensibilities without ever stepping one foot clearly onto one side or the other. While "The Hard Way" rolls along competently, the midtempo guitar hooks and straightahead vocals lack the necessary punch to reach mainstream consciousness." [cite news| last =Ault| first =Susanne| title =Owsley: The Hard Way| page =35| publisher ="Billboard"| date =2004-03-06| ]

The album was recorded over the span of three years, at different studios in Tennessee—as well as at his home recording studio in Anniston, Alabama—in various recording formats.

The lead single is "Be with You". [cite news| last =Harris| first =David L| title =Owsley: The Hard Way| page =C13| publisher ="Boston Globe"| date =2004-03-12| ]

Track listing

#"Be with You" – 4:37
#"Rise" – 5:22
#"She's the One" – 3:55
#"Dude" – 3:41
#"Down" – 3:25
#"Matriarch" – 3:56
#"Undone" – 3:26
#"The Hard Way" – 4:07
#"Dirty Bird" – 3:46
#"Rainy Day People" – 11:13

Hidden track

The album also features a cover of Paul McCartney and Wings' "Band on the Run" as a hidden track. [ [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/23967/owsley-hardway2/ Owsley: The Hard Way - PopMatters Music Review ] ]

Personnel

* Will Owsley – vocals; backing vocals; electric guitars; acoustic guitar on tracks 3, 8; piano on tracks 6, 7; bass guitar on tracks 5, 6, 8
* Chris McHugh – drums and percussion
* Michael Rhodes – bass guitar on tracks 3, 9, 10
* Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass guitar on tracks 1, 7
* Millard Powers – bass guitar on track 4
* Jonathon Hamby – Hammond B3 organ; piano on track 4; Chamberlin strings on track 2
* Keith Thomas – strings on tracks 1, 6
* John Painter – Chamberlin strings on track 2
* Gordon Kennedy – electric guitar and BGVs on track 7
* Tom Bukovac – electric and acoustic guitar on track 1, bass guitar on track 2
* Rebecca Walker – backing vocals on track 10
* Simon Petty – harmonica on track 8
* James Michael – vocal production on track 8
* Paul David Hager – mixing
* Mark Ralston – mixing assistant

Engineers

* F. Reid Shippen, Dan Shike, J. B., Shane Wilson, J. R. Mcneely, Billy Whittington, Paul David Hager, Will Owsley

References