Cuts to the Chase

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Cuts to the Chase
Studio album by
Richie Havens
Released1994
GenreFolk, rock
LabelForward
Richie Havens chronology
Résumé: The Best of Richie Havens
(1993) 		Cuts to the Chase
(1994) 		Classics
(1995)

Cuts to the Chase is an album by the American musician Richie Havens, released in 1994.[1][2] It was distributed by Rhino Records.[3]

Havens intended to support the album by playing the Bethel '94 Woodstock reunion.[4] After it was canceled, Havens played shows with, among others, Pete Seeger and Don McLean, in addition to touring the United Kingdom.[5][6][7] "Old Love" was a minor radio hit.[8]

Production[edit]

Havens added more rock elements to his folk sound.[9] The album contains two parts.[10] The first seven songs are listed under "The Declaration"; the remaining six fall under "Independence".[11] "Old Love" is a cover of the Eric Clapton song.[12] "Comin' Back to Me" is a version of the Jefferson Airplane song; Havens had wanted to record it for decades.[13] "They Dance Alone" was written by Sting.[14] "Darkness, Darkness" was composed by Jesse Colin Young.[15] The only Havens-penned song on the album, "Young Boy", encourages urban young people to advocate for change.[16] Billy Perry played guitar on the album.[17]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[17]
Calgary HeraldC[11]
Chicago Tribune[18]
MusicHound Folk: The Essential Album Guide[19]

The Hartford Courant wrote that Havens's "guitar playing is enthusiastic and powerful and his lyric presentation often gives new shades of meanings to familiar songs."[6] The Boston Globe concluded that "this is a fine new album that restores luster to his career and proves his voice is still among the most stately, dignified vehicles in the field."[12] The Calgary Herald opined: "While the occasional song rises above the haze of decades passed ... Havens—even when backed by a band—remains, alas, more of a relic rather than a singer relevant to today."[11]

The Chicago Tribune stated that "Havens' heartfelt, distinctive vocal style and forceful guitar playing serve him well throughout."[11] The St. Petersburg Times deemed the album "a complex, compelling work that breaks away from the traditional, folk-heavy Havens."[9] The Christian Science Monitor called Cuts to the Chase "his best work in years," praising the "deep, sandpaper voice [and] propulsive guitar strumming."[20]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleLength
1."Lives in the Balance" 
2."They Dance Alone" 
3."My Father's Shoes" 
4."Darkness, Darkness" 
5."The Hawk" 
6."Young Boy" 
7."The Times They Are a-Changin'" 
8."Fade to Blue" 
9."Intro/Old Love" 
10."How The Nights Can Fly" 
11."Comin' Back to Me" 
12."Don't Pass It Up" 
13."At a Glance" 

References[edit]

  1. ^ Takiff, Jonathan (5 June 1994). "Summer's beginning heralds arrival of new discs". Orange County Register. Knight Ridder. p. F27.
  2. ^ Bledsoe, Wayne (17 July 1994). "Music News". Knoxville News Sentinel. p. 2.
  3. ^ "'Married' visit brings Havens new audience". The Philadelphia Tribune. 7 Apr 1995. p. 9E.
  4. ^ Bird, Rick (23 June 1994). "Havens hasn't forgotten the message of Woodstock". The Cincinnati Post. p. 1.2.
  5. ^ Sell, Jill (19 Aug 1994). "Music Legends Take Stage at Valley Festival". Friday. The Plain Dealer. p. 3.
  6. ^ a b Larcen, Donna (11 Aug 1994). "Cuts to the Chase Richie Havens". Calendar. Hartford Courant. p. 4.
  7. ^ Denselow, Robin (18 Feb 1995). "Mud-caked survivor". The Guardian. p. 28.
  8. ^ Weatherford, Mike (14 Apr 1995). "Politically active folk singer Richie Havens...". Las Vegas Review-Journal. p. 2E.
  9. ^ a b Zucco, Tom (12 Aug 1994). "Prime 'Cuts'". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 13.
  10. ^ Geisel, Ellen (Sep 1996). "Richie Havens: Seeker of Change". Dirty Linen.
  11. ^ a b c d Muretich, James (17 July 1994). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald. p. E2.
  12. ^ a b Morse, Steve (16 June 1994). "Richie Havens Cuts to the Chase". Calendar. The Boston Globe. p. 19.
  13. ^ Harris, Paul (19 Sep 1996). "Woodstock Roots". Get Out. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 13.
  14. ^ The Rough Guide to Rock (2nd ed.). Rough Guides. 1999. p. 449.
  15. ^ McLennan, Scott (10 Dec 1995). "Havens' message evolves with the times". Datebook. Telegram & Gazette. p. 8.
  16. ^ Honey, Charles (14 Aug 1994). "Havens still on road, still a child of Woodstock". The Grand Rapids Press. p. G1.
  17. ^ a b "Cuts to the Chase Review by Ron Wynn". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  18. ^ Van Matre, Lynn (4 Aug 1994). "Richie Havens Cuts to the Chase". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 8.
  19. ^ MusicHound Folk: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 352.
  20. ^ "Folk". Music. The Christian Science Monitor. 23 Sep 1994.
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