Taking the World by Donkey

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Taking the World by Donkey
Studio album by
the Rugburns
Released1995
LabelPriority[1]
ProducerRobert Duffey, The Rugburns
The Rugburns chronology
Mommy I'm Sorry EP
(1995) 		Taking the World by Donkey
(1995)

Taking the World by Donkey is an album by the American band the Rugburns, released in 1995.[2][3] It was their final album, due to Steve Poltz's decision to pursue a solo career.[4][5] It was a commercial failure.[6]

The album's first single was "War".[7] The album title is a reference to the 13-year journey it took the band to sign with a major label.[8]

Production[edit]

Jewel cowrote "Old Lover's House", on which she also sang.[5][9] The album contains two unlisted tracks.[10]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[11]
The Indianapolis Star[12]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[13]

The Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph deemed the album " jangly, twangy, hook-filled and quite compelling."[14] The Los Angeles Times concluded that "Poltz is one of the few rock writers who can be funny and sad in the same song... Most compelling, however, is 'The Ballad of Tommy & Marla', a song about a couple of speed freaks who lived unhappily ever after."[15] The Tulsa World labeled Taking the World by Donkey "the Knack with a sharper sense of humor, cooler guitar licks and no hope of success."[16]

The Dayton Daily News noted that "Suburbia" and "War" "filter social commentary through sarcastic humor."[17] The Indianapolis Star concluded that, "obscured in the humor and silliness is that the Rugburns actually are a talented, tight band capable of many styles... 'War' is a rough rocker, like Country Joe and the Fish gone to hell."[12] The San Diego Union-Tribune complained that "their folk-based alternative rock and Poltz's nasal vocals display limited range."[18]

AllMusic wrote that "each tune feels upbeat and drenched in California sunshine, but the subject matter underneath the pop exterior usually revolves around the themes of uncaring women and disillusionment along the same vein that Too Much Joy experimented with in the '80s."[9]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleLength
1."'til the Next Day Comes" 
2."War" 
3."The Ballad of Tommy & Marla" 
4."Now's Not the Right Time for Love" 
5."You're So Busy (La la La)" 
6."Better Be Careful" 
7."Old Lover's House" 
8."Tree Hugger" 
9."The Girl with the Wandering Eye" 
10."Mama" 
11."Lockjaw" 
12."Suburbia" 
13."Pile On the Hangover" 
14."Dirty" 
15."Morning Song" 

References[edit]

  1. ^ Stewart, Allison (Jan 1996). "Reviews". CMJ New Music Monthly. No. 29. p. 40.
  2. ^ Mansfield, Hap (Jan 1996). "Music — Taking the World by Donkey by the Rugburns". Utne Reader. No. 73. p. 112.
  3. ^ Herb, Peter (Mar 1996). "Street cred — Taking the World by Donkey by the Rugburns". Wired. Vol. 4, no. 3. p. 168.
  4. ^ "Rugburns Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  5. ^ a b Borzillo, Carrie (Feb 14, 1998). "Mercury wants Steve Poltz's name as familiar as his face". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 7. pp. 12, 15.
  6. ^ Zekas, Rita (6 Aug 1997). "How Was He to Know?". Toronto Star. p. D2.
  7. ^ Roos, John (14 Feb 1996). "Zany Rugburns Shake, Rattle and Cajole". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 2.
  8. ^ Layman, John (October 5, 1995). "The Rugburns' club crawl". Entertainment. The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. 34.
  9. ^ a b c "Taking the World by Donkey". AllMusic.
  10. ^ Varga, George (August 16, 1995). "Rugburns have taken on a new Priority". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. E6.
  11. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7. MUZE. p. 183.
  12. ^ a b Allan, Marc (9 Jan 1996). "Funny you should ask: Two comedy discs are out". The Indianapolis Star. p. C1.
  13. ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. pp. 961–962.
  14. ^ Arnest, Mark (19 July 1996). "Rugburns crack a smile at life's more serious side". Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. p. AA15.
  15. ^ Locey, Bill (3 Oct 1996). "Two Bands Will Blend Their Irreverent Styles". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 13.
  16. ^ "CD Reviews". Entertainment. Tulsa World. December 8, 1995. p. 12.
  17. ^ Larsen, Dave (8 Mar 1996). "A Rug Burnin' Love". Go!. Dayton Daily News. p. 16.
  18. ^ Niesel, Jeff (November 2, 1995). "Taking the World by Donkey The Rugburns". Entertainment. The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. 16.
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