Music for the Hard of Thinking

Music for the Hard of Thinking
Studio album by Doug and the Slugs
Released 1982 (1982)
Genre Pop
Length 34:58
Label Ritdong (Canada)
RCA (internationally)
Producer Ritchie Cordell
Glen Kolotkin

Music for the Hard of Thinking is the third studio album for Canadian pop music group Doug and the Slugs. It was released domestically in 1982 on Bennett's own record label Ritdong[1][2] and internationally in 1983 on RCA.[3] This recording helped get the band nominated for a 1983 Juno Award.[4][5]

The album produced three singles. The most successful, "Who Knows How to Make Love Stay", peaked at #25 on the Canadian Singles Chart.[6] "Making It Work", peaked at #29.[7][8] The third single "Nobody but Me" did not chart in Canada.[9] Canadian cheese brand, Tre Stelle, uses a sample of this song, substituting some lyrics to match their slogan.

Recording

The album was released on cassette (domestically)[10] and as an LP record (domestic & international).[3]

Reception

Critical response

Music critic Rudyard Kennedy of Allmusic stated:[11]

“ What makes this album a real keeper, though, is that if you dig a little deeper and get to the words hiding under the Slugs' peppy, poppy grooves, you'll find that the characters in singer/songwriter Doug Bennett's tunes are rarely as upbeat as the songs they inhabit. In fact, some of Bennett's narrators are cynical, sleazy misanthropes right out of Randy Newman (particularly the failed lotharios of "Operator" and "Take It or Leave It"), giving Music for the Hard of Thinking an unexpected depth that grows upon repeated listenings. ”

Chart performance

The album debuted at #86 on the Canadian RPM charts for the week of February 12, 1983.[12] The recording reached its highest position at #22 for the weeks of April 2 and 9, 1983[13][14] and stayed in the top 100 albums chart for a total of 30 weeks.[15]

The album was ranked at #90 by RPM for the year 1983 on their RPM Year-End chart.[16]

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."If You Don't Come"  Bennett4:00
2."No No No (Nobody But Me)"  Rudolph Isley, Ronald Isley, O'Kelly Isley3:18
3."Making It Work"  Bennett3:27
4."Take It or Leave It"  Bennett3:10
5."St. Laurent Summer"  Bennett4:30
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Who Knows How To Make Love Stay"  Jon Carroll, Bill Danoff4:00
7."Operator"  Bennett3:01
8."Cover of Love"  Bennett3:10
9."When the Doorbell Rings"  Bennett3:22
10."She's Looking At Me"  Bennett3:00
Total length:34:58

Personnel

References

  1. ↑ "Artist: Bennett, Doug". jam.canoe.ca. Jam!. 27 November 2004. Retrieved 11 March 2012. External link in |work= (help)
  2. ↑ "Doug and the Slugs". The Encyclopedia of Music in Canada. The Historica Dominion Institute. thecanadianencyclopedia.com. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  3. 1 2 ""Music for the Hard of Thinking" (sound recording) / Doug and the Slugs", collectionscanada.gc.ca, Ottawa: Library and Archives Canada, 1982, OCLC 9514563, AMICUS No. 32567176, retrieved 11 March 2012, KKL1-0480 RCA Victor External link in |work= (help)
  4. ↑ "Artist: Doug And The Slugs". jam.canoe.ca. Jam!. 1 December 2004. Retrieved 11 March 2012. External link in |work= (help)
  5. ↑ "Juno Awards Database". junoawards.ca. Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 11 March 2012. External link in |work= (help)
  6. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  7. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  8. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  9. ↑ "Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  10. ↑ ""Music for the Hard of Thinking" (sound recording) / Doug and the Slugs", collectionscanada.gc.ca, Ottawa: Library and Archives Canada, 1982, AMICUS No. 5592539, retrieved 11 March 2012, KKK1-0480 RCA Victor External link in |work= (help)
  11. ↑ Kennedy, Rudyard. "Music for the Hard of Thinking » Review". allmusic.com. Allmusic. Retrieved 11 March 2012. External link in |work= (help)
  12. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  13. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  14. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  15. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  16. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2015-06-10.
  17. 1 2 "Music for the Hard of Thinking » Credits". allmusic.com. Allmusic. Retrieved 11 March 2012. External link in |work= (help)
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/9/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.