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New Miserable Experience

 
Album Review: New Miserable Experience

  • Artist: Gin Blossoms
  • Rating: StarStarStarStar
  • Release Date: August 04, 1992
  • Total Time: 46:02
  • Type: Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Rock

Review

The Gin Blossoms were one of the more truly damned rock & roll bands to grace the pop charts in the 1990s. The group was founded and spiritually led by singer-guitarist Doug Hopkins, who also wrote the band's best songs; however, by the time New Miserable Experience marked the band's major-label debut in 1992, Hopkins had been kicked out (his bandmates had apparently tired of dealing with his alcoholism). Hopkins killed himself shortly thereafter, and the band later enjoyed the biggest hit of its career with "'Til I Hear It From You" (which, perversely, never appeared on a Gin Blossoms album, but only on the Empire Records soundtrack -- and was written by outside writer Marshall Crenshaw to boot). The band dropped from sight not long after.

Released during the heyday of grunge music, New Miserable Experience remains the best and most representative document of the group's existence, a tight and lean collection of brilliant, edgy pop music that was markedly different from the bulk of 1992's modern rock albums. "Hey Jealousy" and "Until I Fall Away" are the two songs that leave the deepest impression -- and, appropriatedly, both were successful singles -- but the crunchy melodicism and lyrical desperation of "Hold Me Down" is similarly notable. Two dilettantish genre pieces -- "Cajun Song" and a country weeper called "Cheatin'" (as in "you can't call it cheatin' 'cause she reminds me of you") -- provide the program's two low points, but even those aren't completely without charm. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Lost Horizons (Lyrics) Doug Hopkins Gin Blossoms (3:20)
Hey Jealousy (Lyrics) Doug Hopkins Gin Blossoms (3:56)
Mrs. Rita (Lyrics) Jesse Valenzuela Gin Blossoms (4:25)
Until I Fall Away (Lyrics) Jesse Valenzuela, Robin Wilson Gin Blossoms (3:51)
Hold Me Down (Lyrics) Doug Hopkins, Robin Wilson Gin Blossoms (4:50)
Cajun Song (Lyrics) Jesse Valenzuela Gin Blossoms (2:56)
Hands Are Tied (Lyrics) Jesse Valenzuela Gin Blossoms (3:17)
Found Out About You (Lyrics) Doug Hopkins Gin Blossoms (3:53)
Allison Road (Lyrics) Robin Wilson Gin Blossoms (3:18)
29 (Lyrics) Jesse Valenzuela Gin Blossoms (4:18)
Pieces of the Night (Lyrics) Doug Hopkins Gin Blossoms (4:33)
Cheatin' (Lyrics) Doug Hopkins, Jesse Valenzuela Gin Blossoms (3:25)

Credits

Robert Becker (Piano), Gin Blossoms (Producer), Gin Blossoms (Main Performer), C.J. Chenier (Accordion), John Hampton (Producer), John Hampton (Engineer), John Hampton (Mixing), Doug Hopkins (Guitar), George Marino (Mastering), Robby Turner (Guitar (Steel)), Phillip Rhodes (Percussion), Phillip Rhodes (Drums), Jesse Valenzuela (Guitar), Jesse Valenzuela (Mandolin), Jesse Valenzuela (Vocals), Bill Leen (Bass), Robin Wilson (Guitar (Acoustic)), Robin Wilson (Vocals), Robin Wilson (Photography), Barrie Goshko (Art Direction), Barrie Goshko (Design), Jay Blakesberg (Photography), Scott A. Johnson (?)
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Wikipedia: New Miserable Experience
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New Miserable Experience
Studio album by Gin Blossoms
Released August 4, 1992
Recorded Ardent Studios,
Memphis, TN
Genre Alternative rock
Length 45:02
Label A&M Records
Producer Gin Blossoms,
John Hampton
Professional reviews
Gin Blossoms chronology
Up and Crumbling (EP)
(1991)
New Miserable Experience
(1992)
Shut Up And Smoke (EP)
(1996)
Alternate cover
Original 1992 cover

New Miserable Experience is the breakthrough album by pop-rock band the Gin Blossoms, released on August 4, 1992 (see 1992 in music). The album was released to little fanfare and relatively lackluster reviews. However, nearly a year after its release, lead single "Hey Jealousy" ascended into the top 40, with "Found Out About You" following a few months later. The album eventually reached multi-platinum status.

Guitarist Doug Hopkins, the band's primary songwriter, was fired near the conclusion of the recording sessions for the album, ostensibly for his persistent alcohol problems. (His replacement, Scott Johnson, is listed as a member of the band in the liner notes, but did not play on the album.) Just as the album was becoming a success at the end of 1993, Hopkins committed suicide.

New Miserable Experience's initial release contained completely different packaging. The album's original cover artwork depicted the Arizona desert, the background behind which the band began. Songs on the album, such as "Mrs. Rita," a song about a local psychic from the Gin Blossoms' hometown of Tempe, Arizona, were also written with references to the area, people, and events surrounding the band at the time. The majority of songs rely on a melody-driven alternative rock style while the final track, "Cheatin'," leans into country. The album was re-released in its current form in the late summer of 1993, in conjunction with A&M's newfound support of the album.

Contents

Track listing

  1. "Lost Horizons" (Hopkins) – 3:20
  2. "Hey Jealousy" (Hopkins) – 3:56
  3. "Mrs. Rita" (Swafford, Valenzuela) – 4:25
  4. "Until I Fall Away" (Valenzuela, Wilson) – 3:51
  5. "Hold Me Down" (Hopkins, Wilson) – 4:50
  6. "Cajun Song" (Valenzuela) – 2:56
  7. "Hands Are Tied" (Valenzuela) – 3:17
  8. "Found Out About You" (Hopkins) – 3:53
  9. "Allison Road" (Wilson) – 3:18
  10. "29" (Valenzuela) – 4:18
  11. "Pieces of the Night" (Hopkins) – 4:33
  12. "Cheatin'" (Hopkins, Valenzuela) – 3:25

Reception

Critical

Rolling Stone highly praised the album, saying it "sounds both fresh and highly personal."[1] Allmusic called the album " a tight and lean collection of brilliant, edgy pop music."[2]

Chart performance

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1993 Heatseekers 1
1993 The Billboard 200 30

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position
1993 "Hey Jealousy" Mainstream Rock Tracks 4
1993 "Hey Jealousy" The Billboard Hot 100 25
1993 "Hey Jealousy" Top 40 Mainstream 20
1993 "Found Out About You" Mainstream Rock Tracks 5
1993 "Found Out About You" Modern Rock Tracks 1
1993 "Found Out About You" The Billboard Hot 100 25
1993 "Found Out About You" Top 40 Mainstream 6
1993 "Mrs. Rita" Mainstream Rock Tracks 36
1994 "Until I Fall Away" Adult Contemporary 23
1994 "Until I Fall Away" Mainstream Rock Tracks 40
1994 "Until I Fall Away" Modern Rock Tracks 13
1994 "Until I Fall Away" Top 40 Mainstream 13
1994 "Allison Road" Modern Rock Tracks 39
1995 "Found Out About You" Adult Top 40 38
1996 "Hold Me Down" Modern Rock Tracks 8

Personnel

Production

  • Producers: Gin Blossoms, John Hampton
  • Engineer: John Hampton
  • Assistant Engineer: James "Left Of" Senter
  • Mixing: John Hampton
  • Mastering: George Marino
  • Art direction: Barrie Goshko
  • Design: Barrie Goshko
  • Photography: Jay Blakesberg, Robin Wilson
  • Crew: Jim Coleman, Scott Guess, Mike Chappell

Original 1992 release:

  • Art direction & design: Rowan Moore
  • Photography: Dennis Keeley
  • Radiator: Kelly Ray

References

  1. ^ Evans, Paul 1993-12-23-1994-01-06, "1993 the year in recordings". Rolling Stone (672/673):146
  2. ^ Anderson, Rick (undated), "New Miserable Experience: Critic's Review". MSN.com. Retrieved on 2008-06-06

 
 

 

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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
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