Old Wives' Tales
Studio album by
Exene Cervenka
Released1989
GenreFolk, folk rock
LabelRhino Records[1]
ProducerTony Gilkyson
Exene Cervenka chronology
Old Wives' Tales
(1989)		 Running Sacred
(1990)

Old Wives' Tales is an album by the American musician Exene Cervenka, released in 1989.[2][3] Cervenka told the Los Angeles Times that she considered the album to be "for and about women."[4]

"He's Got a She" peaked at No. 17 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart.[5] Cervenka promoted the album by touring with the Oyster Band.[6]

Production

The album was produced by the former X guitarist Tony Gilkyson.[7] Unlike in X, Cervenka contributed to both the album's music and lyrics; Cervenka had to reacquaint herself with playing the guitar.[4][8] The songs were written in northern Idaho.[9]

"Gravel" and "Famous Barmaid" include poetry recitations.[10] Gilkyson's sister, Eliza, provided backing vocals on the album.[11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[12]
Chicago Tribune[10]
Robert ChristgauB[13]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[1]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[14]
Orlando Sentinel[15]
Ottawa Citizen[7]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[16]

The Chicago Reader called the album "a surpassingly melodic manifesto on what can only be called post-postpunk feminism and romanticism."[17] The New York Times thought that "as in X, Ms. Cervenka's lyrics conjure an American panorama of prosaic hopes and romantic friction."[18] The Globe and Mail wrote that it is the "casual musical eclecticism, along with Exene's ability to toss off lines like 'She believes in a God who's all thumbs,' that make Old Wives' Tales interesting."[19]

Robert Christgau stated: "Always a notebook-toter, she goes for the roots and poetry you'd expect—in other words, folk-rock."[13] Trouser Press determined that "the tasteful and varied mixture of folk, country, recitation and sturdy rock isn’t that great a stylistic leap from the essence of X."[20] The Orlando Sentinel concluded that if Cervenka "didn't have a punk-rock past, her solo debut might win her a place among country-Western New Traditionalists such as Lyle Lovett and K.D. Lang."[15] The Toronto Star opined that while Cervenka "doggedly wrestles with the empty romance of poverty-stricken America," the album "comes replete with suspect vocals and arrangements."[21]

AllMusic called Old Wives' Tales "a charming, timeless album of mostly quiet, quirky folk music."[12] The Rolling Stone Album Guide deemed the songs "wordy and pretentious."[16]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."She Wanted" 
2."Biggest Memory" 
3."Here Come the Crucifiers" 
4."Cocktail Trees" 
5."Famous Barmaid" 
6."Leave Heaven Alone" 
7."Good Luck" 
8."White Trash Wife" 
9."He's Got a She" 
10."Gravel" 
11."Coyote on the Town" 

References

  1. 1 2 Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 2. MUZE. pp. 272–273.
  2. ↑ "Exene Cervenka Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  3. ↑ "EX-PUNK STAR FINDS COUNTRY MUSIC MORE TO HER LIKING". Deseret News. November 10, 1989.
  4. 1 2 McKenna, Kristine (7 Oct 1989). "Cervenka's New Life as an Old Wife". Los Angeles Times. Calendar. p. 1.
  5. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (December 19, 2008). "Joel Whitburn Presents Rock Tracks 1981-2008". Hal Leonard Corporation – via Google Books.
  6. ↑ Brodeur, Scott (19 Oct 1989). "FORMER PUNK OFFERS TUNES WITH TWANG". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. D7.
  7. 1 2 Erskine, Evelyn (15 Dec 1989). "Punk still lurking in move to poetry in rock". Ottawa Citizen. p. D6.
  8. ↑ Sullivan, Jim (7 Dec 1990). "X STILL MARKS A SPOT IN HER HEART". The Boston Globe. ARTS AND FILM. p. 66.
  9. ↑ Righi, Len (14 Oct 1989). "EXENE MARKS SOLO SPOT WITH ALBUM, TOUR". The Morning Call. p. A63.
  10. 1 2 Kot, Greg (5 Oct 1989). "Recordings". Chicago Tribune. p. 15F.
  11. ↑ Brown, Joe (15 Oct 1989). "Singer-Songwriters With Studio'd Grace". The Washington Post. p. G6.
  12. 1 2 "Old Wives' Tales - Exene Cervenka | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  13. 1 2 "Robert Christgau: CG: Exene Cervenka". www.robertchristgau.com.
  14. ↑ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 1252.
  15. 1 2 Gettelman, Parry (1 Dec 1989). "Exene Cervenka, Old Wives' Tales". Orlando Sentinel. Calendar. p. 20.
  16. 1 2 The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 120.
  17. ↑ Wyman, Bill (November 2, 1989). "Exene Cervenka". Chicago Reader.
  18. ↑ Pareles, Jon (October 29, 1989). "Reviews/Music; Half of X Equals Cervenka" – via NYTimes.com.
  19. ↑ Dafoe, Chris (23 Nov 1989). "Old Wives Tales Exene Cervenka". The Globe and Mail. p. C12.
  20. ↑ "X". Trouser Press. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  21. ↑ "Exene Cervenka Old Wives Tales". Toronto Star. 20 Oct 1989. p. D18.
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