Faithless Street
Encyclopedia
Faithless Street is the debut studio album by alternative country
band Whiskeytown
, released in 1995 on Mood Food Records. The album was re-issued by Outpost Recordings
in 1998 with several bonus tracks added, and the track "Oklahoma" omitted. Pitchfork Media
has called the album "an alt-country
touchstone".
, with Greg Woods and began tracking their debut album. According to the band's principal singer-songwriter Ryan Adams
, the band worked very fast and recorded the album in a week and a half. At least one song ("Hard Luck Story") was written in the studio and laid to tape just minutes later. As guitarist Phil Wandscher
noted: "Oh yeah, it was always, how much can you do in this little time? It’s all basically live recording, and then it’s like, 'Overdubs? We don’t have time to overdub, man!' And a lot of times, that worked out better, because you don’t have time to mill around and think about it and then fuck stuff up." Wandscher would be the de facto producer of the sessions, although he's not specifically listed as such in the album credits.
Despite the intensity of the sessions, the band still found time to goof off. Violinist Caitlin Cary
remembers getting drunk and riding a horse bareback across a nearby field, while other band members played around with firecrackers - which inspired Adams to later remark: "Out in the parking lot across the street... the Roman candles and Black Cats sounded a lot like I'd hope we'd one day sound - pretty little things all set on fire waiting to get destroyed."
. In what Adams later called a "turning point" for the band, Whiskeytown played to a packed Austin club where even festival badge holders were turned away at the door. During the band's (reportedly sloppy) set, Adams noticed record label representatives in the crowd. But when he tried to avoid the label reps by retreating to the band's van after the show, they simply followed him there and surrounded the van, some even placing their business cards on the windshield.
At almost every show after the SXSW gig, the band would be approached by someone from a record label. Finally, after playing an industry showcase at Spaceland
in Los Angeles
, the band signed with Outpost Recordings, a subsidiary of Geffen Records
. The contract allowed the young band almost total autonomy.
In a 1997 interview with The Austin Chronicle, Adams commented on the record industry hype surrounding the band following their appearance at SXSW: "After all was said and done, the labels wanting to sign us was probably more detrimental than it was positive." In the months following the SXSW show, the band's bassist, Steve Grothmann, and drummer, Skillet Gilmore, left Whiskeytown. Said Adams: "I think they [Grothmann and Gilmore] felt like it had gone to a place where they weren't comfortable... I know that at the time, Skillet didn't like the idea that it had turned into a lot of phone calls, managers, and lawyers. I can see how he felt that way, because we were hardly ever playing."
. "Faithless Street" is the figurative name that Adams gave a low-rent housing area of Raleigh where he once lived.
The opening guitar figure on the album's first track ("Midway Park") was inspired by the guitar playing of Peter Buck
.
The origin of the song "Lo-Fi Tennessee Mountain Angel (for Kathy Poindexter)" came from a conversation Adams had with Kathy Poindexter, who fronted a local Raleigh punk band named Picasso Trigger. Poindexter had recently written a song about Dolly Parton
called "Lo-Fi Tennessee Mountain Angel". Adams loved the idea of someone writing a punk song about Parton so much that he wrote his own song about Poindexter.
Adams' verdict on Faithless Street: "I think it’s a strong youth album. It’s crazy. It loves what it borrows from musically: It tips its hat to Gram Parsons
, it tips its hat to the Stones, it’s shaking hands with Uncle Tupelo
on some levels." The young songwriter, in fact, loved the album so much that he talked Geffen Records
into buying it from Mood Food Records so that it could be reissued on Outpost
three years later.
Alternative country
Alternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
band Whiskeytown
Whiskeytown
Whiskeytown was an alternative country band formed in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1994. Fronted by Ryan Adams, other members included Caitlin Cary, Phil Wandscher, Eric "Skillet" Gilmore, and Mike Daly. They disbanded in 2000, with Adams leaving to pursue his solo career...
, released in 1995 on Mood Food Records. The album was re-issued by Outpost Recordings
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
in 1998 with several bonus tracks added, and the track "Oklahoma" omitted. Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
has called the album "an alt-country
Alternative country
Alternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
touchstone".
Recording
In July of 1995, Whiskeytown convened at the Funny Farm in Apex, North CarolinaApex, North Carolina
Apex is a town in Wake County, North Carolina and a suburb of Raleigh. The population was 37,476 according to the 2010 census., wakegov.com-Geography:Apex is located at ....
, with Greg Woods and began tracking their debut album. According to the band's principal singer-songwriter Ryan Adams
Ryan Adams
David Ryan Adams is an American alt-country/rock singer-songwriter, from Jacksonville, North Carolina. Initially part of the group Whiskeytown, Adams left the band and released his first solo album Heartbreaker in 2000...
, the band worked very fast and recorded the album in a week and a half. At least one song ("Hard Luck Story") was written in the studio and laid to tape just minutes later. As guitarist Phil Wandscher
Phil Wandscher
Phil Wandscher is the former guitarist of the alt-country band Whiskeytown, and is currently a member of Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter.Wandscher appeared on Death Cab For Cutie's album Transatlanticism, singing backing vocals on the album's title track...
noted: "Oh yeah, it was always, how much can you do in this little time? It’s all basically live recording, and then it’s like, 'Overdubs? We don’t have time to overdub, man!' And a lot of times, that worked out better, because you don’t have time to mill around and think about it and then fuck stuff up." Wandscher would be the de facto producer of the sessions, although he's not specifically listed as such in the album credits.
Despite the intensity of the sessions, the band still found time to goof off. Violinist Caitlin Cary
Caitlin Cary
Caitlin Cary is an alt-country musician.Born to Hall Cary and Carol Campbell Thomas in East Cleveland, Caitlin Cary was raised with her half-brothers, Brian, Craig, and Keith Thomas, in East Cleveland and Cleveland Heights. She began playing the violin at age six. She attended the College of...
remembers getting drunk and riding a horse bareback across a nearby field, while other band members played around with firecrackers - which inspired Adams to later remark: "Out in the parking lot across the street... the Roman candles and Black Cats sounded a lot like I'd hope we'd one day sound - pretty little things all set on fire waiting to get destroyed."
Whiskeytown moves to a major label
Following the release of Faithless Street, the band was the subject of a record label bidding war, which came to a head at Whiskeytown's appearance at the 1996 SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TexasAustin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. In what Adams later called a "turning point" for the band, Whiskeytown played to a packed Austin club where even festival badge holders were turned away at the door. During the band's (reportedly sloppy) set, Adams noticed record label representatives in the crowd. But when he tried to avoid the label reps by retreating to the band's van after the show, they simply followed him there and surrounded the van, some even placing their business cards on the windshield.
At almost every show after the SXSW gig, the band would be approached by someone from a record label. Finally, after playing an industry showcase at Spaceland
Spaceland
Spaceland was an alternative rock/indie rock nightclub in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, that existed between 1995 and 2011. The club was formerly a gay disco called Dreams...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, the band signed with Outpost Recordings, a subsidiary of Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
. The contract allowed the young band almost total autonomy.
In a 1997 interview with The Austin Chronicle, Adams commented on the record industry hype surrounding the band following their appearance at SXSW: "After all was said and done, the labels wanting to sign us was probably more detrimental than it was positive." In the months following the SXSW show, the band's bassist, Steve Grothmann, and drummer, Skillet Gilmore, left Whiskeytown. Said Adams: "I think they [Grothmann and Gilmore] felt like it had gone to a place where they weren't comfortable... I know that at the time, Skillet didn't like the idea that it had turned into a lot of phone calls, managers, and lawyers. I can see how he felt that way, because we were hardly ever playing."
Music and lyrics
Unlike subsequent Whiskeytown releases, Faithless Street features other band members besides Adams on lead vocals - Wandscher sings two songs ("What May Seem Like Love" and "Top Dollar") and Cary sings one ("Matrimony"). Lyrically, a few of Adams' songs on the album were influenced by his hometown of Jacksonville, North CarolinaJacksonville, North Carolina
Jacksonville, North Carolina, is a city in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the population stood at 70,145, which makes Jacksonville the 14th largest city in North Carolina...
. "Faithless Street" is the figurative name that Adams gave a low-rent housing area of Raleigh where he once lived.
The opening guitar figure on the album's first track ("Midway Park") was inspired by the guitar playing of Peter Buck
Peter Buck
Peter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
.
The origin of the song "Lo-Fi Tennessee Mountain Angel (for Kathy Poindexter)" came from a conversation Adams had with Kathy Poindexter, who fronted a local Raleigh punk band named Picasso Trigger. Poindexter had recently written a song about Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
called "Lo-Fi Tennessee Mountain Angel". Adams loved the idea of someone writing a punk song about Parton so much that he wrote his own song about Poindexter.
Adams' verdict on Faithless Street: "I think it’s a strong youth album. It’s crazy. It loves what it borrows from musically: It tips its hat to Gram Parsons
Gram Parsons
Gram Parsons was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist. Parsons is best known for his work within the country genre; he also mixed blues, folk, and rock to create what he called "Cosmic American Music"...
, it tips its hat to the Stones, it’s shaking hands with Uncle Tupelo
Uncle Tupelo
Uncle Tupelo was an alternative country music group from Belleville, Illinois, active between 1987 and 1994. Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy, and Mike Heidorn formed the band after the lead singer of their previous band, The Primitives, left to attend college. The trio recorded three albums for Rockville...
on some levels." The young songwriter, in fact, loved the album so much that he talked Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
into buying it from Mood Food Records so that it could be reissued on Outpost
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
three years later.
Track listing
Personnel and production credits
- Ryan AdamsRyan AdamsDavid Ryan Adams is an American alt-country/rock singer-songwriter, from Jacksonville, North Carolina. Initially part of the group Whiskeytown, Adams left the band and released his first solo album Heartbreaker in 2000...
— guitar, vocals, producer, photography (trains, back cover) - Caitlin CaryCaitlin CaryCaitlin Cary is an alt-country musician.Born to Hall Cary and Carol Campbell Thomas in East Cleveland, Caitlin Cary was raised with her half-brothers, Brian, Craig, and Keith Thomas, in East Cleveland and Cleveland Heights. She began playing the violin at age six. She attended the College of...
— violin, vocals, producer, photography (small car) - Eric "Skillet" Gilmore — drums, producer
- Steve Grothmann — bass, producer
- Phil WandscherPhil WandscherPhil Wandscher is the former guitarist of the alt-country band Whiskeytown, and is currently a member of Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter.Wandscher appeared on Death Cab For Cutie's album Transatlanticism, singing backing vocals on the album's title track...
— guitar, vocals, producer - Bob Ricker — pedal steel ("Faithless Street")
- Chris StameyChris StameyChris Stamey is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. After a stint playing with Alex Chilton, and a brief partnering with Mitch Easter under the name Sneakers, he formed The dB's, whose stewardship he would share with Peter Holsapple.In 1977 in New York, Chris founded the...
— producer, mixing (1998 version) - Greg Woods — recording
- Tim Harper — mixing (1998 version), recording (Baseball Park Sessions)
- Nicholas Petti — accordion, banjo, pedal steel (Baseball Park Sessions)
- Greg Calbi — mastering
- Chris Billheimer — design
- Melanie Bryan — cover photography, angel photography
- Ray Duffy — band photography
- Faithless Street sessions: recorded at the Funny Farm, Apex, NC
- Baseball Park sessions: recorded at Captured Live!, Durham, NC
- Reissue mixed at Modern Recording, July 1998
- Mastered at Masterdisk