Dirty Side Down
Encyclopedia
Dirty Side Down is the eleventh studio album by the Athens, Georgia
based band Widespread Panic
. The album contains 12 songs that incorporate Panic's unique blend of rock, jazz and blues inspired textures into songs flowing with melody, rhythm and emotion.
Songs, such as the dark, multi-layered opener "Saint Ex," the boogie blues of "Jaded Tourist" or the laid back Southern nature of "When You Comin' Home" showcase Widespread Panic's dynamic range as songwriters and musicians.
One of the highlights of Dirty Side Down is the hauntingly beautiful cover of "This Cruel Thing" written by the late Vic Chesnutt
whose songs the band has recorded and performed for years. Widespread Panic has previously collaborated with Chesnutt on two albums under the name Brute. "I guess Widespread Panic and Vic aren't quite done with each other yet," says Panic lead singer John Bell.
Widespread Panic’s John Bell on “Saint Ex”: My wife Laura and I are great fans of “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint Exupery. It’s thought of as a children’s book but conveys some pretty heavy messages on many levels. A couple of years ago, my father sent me a New York Times article about an eighty-five year old German WWII pilot who realized he was the guy that shot down Saint Ex (a French pilot) in 1944. The plane Saint Ex was flying had been identified in 2004, ending the sixty year old mystery surrounding the author’s disappearance. Both pilots were on simple reconnaissance missions, and it was kind of a fluke that they happened upon each other. What I found intriguing about the situation is that the German pilot said Saint Ex was one of his favorite authors, and claimed if he was aware of who was flying the French aircraft, he wouldn’t have opened fire. I began reading more of Saint Uxupery’s works, and even though they’re translations, his insights about “Life During Wartime” are really profound and heartfelt – simultaneously caring about all humanity, while feeling compelled to fight for his country. Anyway, that’s what the song is about. One side note: Laura had always said “The Little Prince” story would be a good subject for a song…and it only took twenty years for the Band to put it together.
Dirty Side Down was produced John Keane along with Widespread Panic. Keane also engineered, mixed and mastered the album, as well as contributed pedal steel and acoustic guitar. The album is being offered in three variations; a regular CD release, a digital release, and a vinyl record release (May 25, 2010).
Guest performers
Personnel
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
based band Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring...
. The album contains 12 songs that incorporate Panic's unique blend of rock, jazz and blues inspired textures into songs flowing with melody, rhythm and emotion.
Songs, such as the dark, multi-layered opener "Saint Ex," the boogie blues of "Jaded Tourist" or the laid back Southern nature of "When You Comin' Home" showcase Widespread Panic's dynamic range as songwriters and musicians.
One of the highlights of Dirty Side Down is the hauntingly beautiful cover of "This Cruel Thing" written by the late Vic Chesnutt
Vic Chesnutt
James Victor "Vic" Chesnutt was an American singer-songwriter from Athens, Georgia. His first album, Little, was released in 1990, but his breakthrough to commercial success didn't come until 1996 with the release of Sweet Relief II: Gravity of the Situation, a tribute album of mainstream artists...
whose songs the band has recorded and performed for years. Widespread Panic has previously collaborated with Chesnutt on two albums under the name Brute. "I guess Widespread Panic and Vic aren't quite done with each other yet," says Panic lead singer John Bell.
Widespread Panic’s John Bell on “Saint Ex”: My wife Laura and I are great fans of “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint Exupery. It’s thought of as a children’s book but conveys some pretty heavy messages on many levels. A couple of years ago, my father sent me a New York Times article about an eighty-five year old German WWII pilot who realized he was the guy that shot down Saint Ex (a French pilot) in 1944. The plane Saint Ex was flying had been identified in 2004, ending the sixty year old mystery surrounding the author’s disappearance. Both pilots were on simple reconnaissance missions, and it was kind of a fluke that they happened upon each other. What I found intriguing about the situation is that the German pilot said Saint Ex was one of his favorite authors, and claimed if he was aware of who was flying the French aircraft, he wouldn’t have opened fire. I began reading more of Saint Uxupery’s works, and even though they’re translations, his insights about “Life During Wartime” are really profound and heartfelt – simultaneously caring about all humanity, while feeling compelled to fight for his country. Anyway, that’s what the song is about. One side note: Laura had always said “The Little Prince” story would be a good subject for a song…and it only took twenty years for the Band to put it together.
Dirty Side Down was produced John Keane along with Widespread Panic. Keane also engineered, mixed and mastered the album, as well as contributed pedal steel and acoustic guitar. The album is being offered in three variations; a regular CD release, a digital release, and a vinyl record release (May 25, 2010).
Track listing
- "Saint Ex"
- "North"
- "Dirty Side Down"
- "This Cruel Thing"
- "Visiting Day"
- "Clinic Cynic"
- "St. Louis"
- "Shut Up And Drive"
- "True To My Nature"
- "When You Coming Home"
- "Jaded Tourist"
- "Cotton Was King"
Personnel
Widespread PanicWidespread Panic
Widespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring...
- John Bell - vocals, guitar
- John Hermann - keyboards, vocals
- Jimmy Herring - lead guitar
- Todd Nance - drums, vocals
- Domingo S. Ortiz - percussion
- Dave Schools - bass, vocals
Guest performers
- Pedal Steel and Acoustic Guitar
- John KeaneJohn Keane (record producer)John Keane is an American record producer based in Athens, Georgia, who has worked extensively with R.E.M., Indigo Girls and Widespread Panic. He owns and operates John Keane Studios in Athens, which opened in 1981....
- John Keane
Personnel
- John KeaneJohn Keane (record producer)John Keane is an American record producer based in Athens, Georgia, who has worked extensively with R.E.M., Indigo Girls and Widespread Panic. He owns and operates John Keane Studios in Athens, which opened in 1981....
- Producer, Engineer, Mastering