The Further Adventures of Charles Westover
| The Further Adventures of Charles Westover | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 1968 | |||
| Recorded | November 13 - December 5, 1967 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 42:40 | |||
| Label | Liberty | |||
| Producer | Dan Bourgoise, Dugg Brown | |||
| Del Shannon chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Further Adventures of Charles Westover | ||||
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The Further Adventures of Charles Westover is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Del Shannon, released in March 1968 by Liberty Records. His final album for the label, it features the singles "Thinkin' It Over" and "Gemini". The album failed to reach the charts.
Background and composition[edit]
The album's title included Shannon's birth name, following the example of other artists like Bobby Vee. It was the first album on which Shannon wrote or co-wrote each song.[1] The recording sessions included Shannon on vocals and rhythm guitar, Dugg Brown as leader, Charles Wright and Al McKay (later of Earth, Wind & Fire) on guitars, Melvin Dunlap on bass, Bob Evans on drums, and Malcom "Mac" Rebennack (aka "Dr. John") on keyboards.[2] The album's composition was noted for being progressive and experimental.[3] It was produced by Magic Penny.[4]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [5] |
Critical reception[edit]
The album was well received by critics at the time of its release. Chris Martin of the Los Angeles Times praised the vocals and composition of the album.[6] Billboard described it as "a hip Shannon with something to say and saying it musically well."[7]
It has also received positive retrospective reviews, with Donald A. Guarisco of AllMusic writing that Shannon "uses the cinematic quality of psychedelic pop to provide a vivid backdrop for his songwriting."[8] In The Rough Guide to Cult Pop, Paul Simpson describes the album as "underrated".[9]
Track listing[edit]
Side one[edit]
All tracks are written by Del Shannon, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Thinkin' It Over" | Beau James | 2:59 |
| 2. | "Be My Friend" | Doug Brown | 2:29 |
| 3. | "Silver Birch" | 4:21 | |
| 4. | "I Think I Love You" | 3:24 | |
| 5. | "River Cool" | 3:54 | |
| 6. | "Colour Flashing Hair" | 2:49 |
Side two[edit]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Gemini" | 3:25 | |
| 2. | "Runnin' On Back" | Sharon Sheeley | 3:41 |
| 3. | "Conquer" | 3:15 | |
| 4. | "Been So Long" | Brian Hyland | 3:04 |
| 5. | "Magical Musical Box" | 3:42 | |
| 6. | "New Orleans (Mardi Gras)" | Jim Pulte | 5:19 |
Recording dates[edit]
- November 13, 1967 – "River Cool", "Colour Flashing Hair", "Conquer", "New Orleans (Mardi Gras)"[2]
- December 5, 1967 – "Be My Friend", "Sliver Birch", "I Think I Love You", "Gemini", "Runnin' On Back", "Been So Long" and "Magical Musical Box"
References[edit]
- ^ Magazine, Goldmine (1999). Goldmine Roots of Rock Digest. Krause Publications. p. 231. ISBN 978-0-87341-775-4.
- ^ a b Young, Brian C. (30 June 2023). RUNAWAY - The Del Shannon Story. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 9798369401477.
- ^ Blue Suede News. Blue Suede News. 1986. p. 11.
- ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1968-02-24. p. 3.
- ^ ""The Further Adventures of Charles Westover" - Album Rating". Allmusic. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
- ^ "Del Shannon's River Still Flows". Los Angeles Times. December 23, 1973. p. H-51.
- ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1968-03-09. p. 58.
- ^ "Del Shannon - "The Further Adventures of Charles Westover" Album Reviews". AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
- ^ Simpson, Paul (2003). The Rough Guide to Cult Pop. Rough Guides. p. 161. ISBN 978-1-84353-229-3.
