Name: The Complete MCA Studio Recordings
Brand: Universal Music Distribution
SKU: 10854
Price: 21.16 USD
Availability: InStock

The Complete MCA Studio Recordings

Rating

Album: The Complete MCA Studio Recordings
#	Song Title		Time
	Disc 1
1)	Tumble And Fall Album Version	More Info...	2:41
2)	Lone Star State Of Mind Album Version	More Info...	3:58
3)	Cold Hearts / Closed Minds Album Version	More Info...	2:42
4)	From A Distance Album Version	More Info...	4:12
5)	Beacon Street Album Version	More Info...	2:52
6)	Nickel Dreams Album Version	More Info...	2:50
7)	Sing One For Sister Album Version	More Info...	3:22
8)	Ford Econoline Album Version	More Info...	2:13
9)	Trouble In The Fields Album Version	More Info...	3:20
10)	Love In A Memory Album Version	More Info...	3:19
11)	Let It Shine On Me Album Version	More Info...	3:01
12)	There's A Light Beyond These Woods (Mary Margaret) Album Version	More Info...	4:23
13)	Anyone Can Be Somebody's Fool Album Version	More Info...	2:40
14)	I Knew Love Album Version	More Info...	3:17
15)	Never Mind Album Version	More Info...	3:42
16)	Love Wore A Halo (Back Before The War) Album Version	More Info...	3:23
17)	So Long Ago Album Version	More Info...	4:09
18)	Gulf Coast Highway Duet with Mac McAnally	More Info...	3:06
19)	Little Love Affairs Album Version	More Info...	3:09
20)	I Wish It Would Rain Album Version	More Info...	2:39
21)	Outbound Plane Album Version	More Info...	2:40
22)	I Would Change My Life Album Version	More Info...	3:08
23)	Sweet Dreams Will Come Duet with John Stewart	More Info...	4:26
24)	Wooden Heart Album Version	More Info...	2:28
	Disc 2
1)	I Don't Wanna Talk About Love Album Version	More Info...	4:07
2)	Drive-In Movies And Dashboard Lights Album Version	More Info...	3:13
3)	You Made This Love A Teardrop Album Version	More Info...	3:11
4)	Brave Companion Of The Road Album Version	More Info...	3:19
5)	Storms Album Version	More Info...	3:11
6)	It's A Hard Life Wherever You Go Album Version	More Info...	4:01
7)	If Wishes Were Changes Album Version	More Info...	3:44
8)	Listen To The Radio Album Version	More Info...	3:48
9)	Leaving The Harbor Album Version	More Info...	3:28
10)	Radio Fragile Album Version	More Info...	5:34
11)	It's Just Another Morning Here Album Version	More Info...	4:23
12)	Late Night Grande Hotel Album Version	More Info...	3:35
13)	It's Too Late Album Version	More Info...	2:18
14)	Fields Of Summer Album Version	More Info...	4:19
15)	Heaven Album Version	More Info...	3:29
16)	The Power Lines Album Version	More Info...	2:38
17)	Hometown Streets Album Version	More Info...	4:11
18)	Down 'N' Outer Album Version	More Info...	2:46
19)	One Blade Shy Of A Sharp Edge Album Version	More Info...	2:59
20)	The Sun, Moon And Stars Album Version	More Info...	4:24
21)	San Diego Serenade Album Version	More Info...	3:27
22)	Stand Your Ground Album Version	More Info...	3:51
3)	Cold Hearts/Closed Minds	More Info...	0:02
4)	From a Distance	More Info...	0:04
5)	Beacon Street	More Info...	0:03
6)	Nickel Dreams	More Info...	0:02
7)	Sing One for Sister	More Info...	0:03
8)	Ford Econoline	More Info...	0:02
9)	Trouble in the Fields	More Info...	0:03
10)	Love in a Memory	More Info...	0:03
11)	Let It Shine On Me	More Info...	0:03
12)	There's a Light Beyond These Woods (Mary Margaret)	More Info...	0:04
13)	Anyone Can Be Somebody's Fool	More Info...	0:02
14)	I Knew Love	More Info...	0:03
15)	Never Mind	More Info...	0:03
16)	Love Wore a Halo (Back Before the War)	More Info...	0:03
17)	So Long Ago	More Info...	0:04
18)	Gulf Coast Highway	More Info...	0:03
19)	Little Love Affairs	More Info...	0:03
20)	I Wish It Would Rain	More Info...	0:02
21)	Outbound Plane	More Info...	0:02
22)	I Would Change My Life	More Info...	0:03
23)	Sweet Dreams Will Come	More Info...	0:04
24)	Wooden Heart (Previously Unreleased Commercially in the U.S.)	More Info...	0:02

Album: The Complete MCA Studio Recordings
#	Song Title		Time
	Disc 1
1)	Tumble And Fall Album Version	More Info...	2:41
2)	Lone Star State Of Mind Album Version	More Info...	3:58
3)	Cold Hearts / Closed Minds Album Version	More Info...	2:42
4)	From A Distance Album Version	More Info...	4:12
5)	Beacon Street Album Version	More Info...	2:52
6)	Nickel Dreams Album Version	More Info...	2:50
7)	Sing One For Sister Album Version	More Info...	3:22
8)	Ford Econoline Album Version	More Info...	2:13
9)	Trouble In The Fields Album Version	More Info...	3:20
10)	Love In A Memory Album Version	More Info...	3:19
11)	Let It Shine On Me Album Version	More Info...	3:01
12)	There's A Light Beyond These Woods (Mary Margaret) Album Version	More Info...	4:23
13)	Anyone Can Be Somebody's Fool Album Version	More Info...	2:40
14)	I Knew Love Album Version	More Info...	3:17
15)	Never Mind Album Version	More Info...	3:42
16)	Love Wore A Halo (Back Before The War) Album Version	More Info...	3:23
17)	So Long Ago Album Version	More Info...	4:09
18)	Gulf Coast Highway Duet with Mac McAnally	More Info...	3:06
19)	Little Love Affairs Album Version	More Info...	3:09
20)	I Wish It Would Rain Album Version	More Info...	2:39
21)	Outbound Plane Album Version	More Info...	2:40
22)	I Would Change My Life Album Version	More Info...	3:08
23)	Sweet Dreams Will Come Duet with John Stewart	More Info...	4:26
24)	Wooden Heart Album Version	More Info...	2:28
	Disc 2
1)	I Don't Wanna Talk About Love Album Version	More Info...	4:07
2)	Drive-In Movies And Dashboard Lights Album Version	More Info...	3:13
3)	You Made This Love A Teardrop Album Version	More Info...	3:11
4)	Brave Companion Of The Road Album Version	More Info...	3:19
5)	Storms Album Version	More Info...	3:11
6)	It's A Hard Life Wherever You Go Album Version	More Info...	4:01
7)	If Wishes Were Changes Album Version	More Info...	3:44
8)	Listen To The Radio Album Version	More Info...	3:48
9)	Leaving The Harbor Album Version	More Info...	3:28
10)	Radio Fragile Album Version	More Info...	5:34
11)	It's Just Another Morning Here Album Version	More Info...	4:23
12)	Late Night Grande Hotel Album Version	More Info...	3:35
13)	It's Too Late Album Version	More Info...	2:18
14)	Fields Of Summer Album Version	More Info...	4:19
15)	Heaven Album Version	More Info...	3:29
16)	The Power Lines Album Version	More Info...	2:38
17)	Hometown Streets Album Version	More Info...	4:11
18)	Down 'N' Outer Album Version	More Info...	2:46
19)	One Blade Shy Of A Sharp Edge Album Version	More Info...	2:59
20)	The Sun, Moon And Stars Album Version	More Info...	4:24
21)	San Diego Serenade Album Version	More Info...	3:27
22)	Stand Your Ground Album Version	More Info...	3:51
3)	Cold Hearts/Closed Minds	More Info...	0:02
4)	From a Distance	More Info...	0:04
5)	Beacon Street	More Info...	0:03
6)	Nickel Dreams	More Info...	0:02
7)	Sing One for Sister	More Info...	0:03
8)	Ford Econoline	More Info...	0:02
9)	Trouble in the Fields	More Info...	0:03
10)	Love in a Memory	More Info...	0:03
11)	Let It Shine On Me	More Info...	0:03
12)	There's a Light Beyond These Woods (Mary Margaret)	More Info...	0:04
13)	Anyone Can Be Somebody's Fool	More Info...	0:02
14)	I Knew Love	More Info...	0:03
15)	Never Mind	More Info...	0:03
16)	Love Wore a Halo (Back Before the War)	More Info...	0:03
17)	So Long Ago	More Info...	0:04
18)	Gulf Coast Highway	More Info...	0:03
19)	Little Love Affairs	More Info...	0:03
20)	I Wish It Would Rain	More Info...	0:02
21)	Outbound Plane	More Info...	0:02
22)	I Would Change My Life	More Info...	0:03
23)	Sweet Dreams Will Come	More Info...	0:04
24)	Wooden Heart (Previously Unreleased Commercially in the U.S.)	More Info...	0:02

Tracks

Performer Notes

Personnel: Nanci Griffith (vocals, acoustic guitar); Mark O'Connor (acoustic guitar, mandolin, violin, viola); Byrd Burton (acoustic & electric guitars); Mac McAnally (acoustic guitar, background vocals); Billy Joe Walker, Jr.
Rick West (acoustic guitar); Phillip Donnelly (electric guitar); Jerry Donahue (electric guitar); Pat Alger (guitar); Lloyd Green (pedal steel guitar, dobro); Bela Fleck (banjo); Emory Gordy (mandolin, electric bass); John Catchings (cello); James Hooker (piano, Hammond B-3 organ, synthesizer); John Jarvis (piano); Roy Huskey, Jr. (upright bass); Mo Foster (electric bass); Russ Kunkel (drums, percussion); Fran Breen (drums); Albert Lee, Tanita Tikaram (background vocals).
Producers include: Tony Brown, Nanci Griffith, Glyn Johns, Peter Van Hooke, Rod Argent.
Compilation producer: Mike Ragogna.
Recorded between 1987 & 1991. Includes liner notes by Scott Schinder.
The standard line on Nanci Griffith's five-year sojourn at MCA Records is that Griffith, a Texas-born singer/songwriter, earned a major-label Nashville contract after four independent folkie releases on the basis of Kathy Mattea's Top Ten country recording of her song "Love at the Five and Dime," at a time when country music seemed more open to new sounds and MCA's Tony Brown was also signing such mavericks as Steve Earle and Lyle Lovett. But after two albums, Lone Star State of Mind (1987) and Little Love Affairs (1988), met resistance, failing to produce a major country hit, Griffith was transferred to the label's pop division, where Storms (1989) showed promise but Late Night Grande Hotel (1991) turned out to be too much of a pop move and turned off her existing fan base without attracting a new one. Then MCA dropped her. After a sojourn at Elektra Records, Griffith returned to indie status with Rounder in 2002, which oddly landed her back at MCA, since the major had a distribution deal with Rounder. MCA has also reissued Griffith's early albums, which gives the label a considerable stake in her catalog. So, there is a full-priced one-disc compilation of her actual MCA recordings (From a Distance: The Very Best of Nanci Griffith), a discount-priced Millennium Collection best-of, and now this two-disc package combining all four MCA albums with a few rarities. And when you listen to it from beginning to end, the standard line no longer seems to hold. The first two albums are no more country than Griffith's early "folk" albums, and the last two are not so "pop." The distinctions have more to do with production approaches, which pale before the dominant aspects of the music -- Griffith's sweet and sour voice with its distinctive twang and the terrific songs. Maybe there was something to the notion that Griffith, who delighted in showing listeners what novel she was reading on her album covers, was a bit too erudite for a Nashville thrush, but the result is a set of songs, written by her and some well-chosen others, that stand up well a decade later and are likely to sound just as good many decades hence. ~ William Ruhlmann

Professional Reviews

Q (11/03, p.130) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Here's a handy reminder of her enduring strengths: literate, characterful songs; unshakeable humanity; wonderfully sparkling voice. She remains a breath of fresh air..."