Parlor James

Parlor James was a short-lived American alternative country duo active in the 1990s. The group's members were Amy Allison and Lone Justice's Ryan Hedgecock, who first met each other at a Mercury Lounge songwriter's night.[1] Allison came up with the name "Parlor James" on a whim, after spontaneously encountering the words in a dream.[2] Originally formed in 1994, they released their debut EP, Dreadful Sorry, on Discovery Records in 1996. It was produced by Malcolm Burn, primarily on home recording equipment.[2] Their full-length debut, Old Dreams, was released on Sire Records in 1998.[3] It was also produced by Burn.[4] By 2001, it was considered very unlikely that the duo would release any more music.[1]

Parlor James
OriginNew York City, New York
GenresAlternative country
Years active1994–1998
LabelsDiscovery, Sire
Past membersAmy Allison, Ryan Hedgecock

Reviews

In a favorable review of Dreadful Sorry in No Depression, Rob Bleetstein wrote that "Parlor James displays all the promise and passion Lone Justice lost after their first album, and the prospect of great musical growth is there for the taking."[5] The Chicago Tribune's Greg Dretzka gave Dreadful Sorry 3 out of 4 stars, writing that Parlor James' "...strange blend of vocal styles should interest the same folks who found Emmylou Harris' format-bending "Wrecking Ball" to their liking."[6] In his review of Old Dreams, Bill Friskics-Warren wrote that "When judiciously applied, the dots and loops on Old Dreams enable Parlor James to breathe new life into the mountain ballad tradition. And yet...the duo's close harmony singing, the thing that brought them together in the first place, is ultimately what makes their collaboration work."[7] Greg Jerrett gave Old Dreams 4 out of 5 stars, comparing the album to "a big old stew made out of influences from every conceivable source in modern music", adding, "...if you want something which represents the last few years of the millennium, "Old Dreams" will fit the bill, just you wait and see."[8]

Discography
  • Dreadful Sorry (Discovery, 1996)
  • Old Dreams (Sire, 1998)
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References
  1. Mazor, Barry (August 31, 2001). "Amy Allison - A walking contradiction". No Depression. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  2. Verna, Paul (August 10, 1996). "Parlor James' Country Vibe Takes Duo Into Discovery Records' Fold". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 11, 76. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  3. Ankeny, Jason. "Parlor James Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  4. Wildermuth, Kurt. "Amy Allison". Perfect Sound Forever. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  5. Bleetstein, Rob (August 31, 1996). "Parlor James - Dreadful Sorry". No Depression. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  6. Dretzka, Gary (October 3, 1996). "Parlor James Dreadful Sorry (Discovery)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  7. Friskics-Warren, Bill (April 30, 1998). "Parlor James - Heartbeats per minute". No Depression. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  8. Jerrett, Greg (July 9, 1998). "Five Easy Pieces and Eric Champion put listeners to sleep, Morrissey bores, and Parlor James soars". Iowa State Daily. Retrieved June 19, 2018.


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