Obadiah
Studio album by
Frazey Ford
ReleasedJuly 20, 2010 (2010-07-20)
GenreFolk
Length58:33
LabelNettwerk
ProducerJohn Raham

Obadiah is the 2010 debut album by Canadian musician Frazey Ford, who is also a member of the Be Good Tanyas.

Background

Obadiah is recorded in the style of soul music, a departure from the folk sound of the Be Good Tanyas.[1] The album takes its title from Ford's middle name, "Obadiah". When she was born, her parents asked her brothers to choose her middle name; they decided to name her after their pet cat Obadiah that had recently run away.[2]

Recording

Ford recorded the album with guitarist Trish Klein, also of the Be Good Tanyas. Klein's partner, John Raham, played drums and produced the record. Ford's mother, neighbour, and landlord also appear on the album.[3][4]

Themes

Ford has said that the album relates to an emotional time she had with her family.[1][5] The record, according to Ford, also allowed her to bring together "a soul rhythm section...[and]....folk style writing", two of her great loves in music that had previously been "divided in [her] musicality".[6]

Reception

Ben Ratliff of the New York Times gave the album a favourable review and commended Ford's blending of soul and country influences.[7] He compared her singing to a diverse group of artists, including Dolly Parton, Ann Peebles, and Feist.[7]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
The New York TimesFavorable[7]
Pitchfork Media7.1[9]

Track listing

Track number Song Writer(s) Length
1 "Firecracker" Ford 3:45
2 "Lay Down with You" Ford 4:32
3 "Bird of Paradise" Ford 5:17
4 "If You Gonna Go" Ford 3:56
5 "Blue Streak Mama" Ford 3:46
6 "Lost Together" Ford 4:31
7 "I Like You Better" Ford 4:36
8 "Hey Little Mama" Ford 4:24
9 "The Gospel Song" Ford 5:42
10 "Going Over" Ford 3:13
11 "Half In" Ford 5:05
12 "One More Cup of Coffee" Bob Dylan 4:19
13 "Mimi Song" Ford 5:27
14 "Lovers in a Dangerous Time" † Bruce Cockburn 4:37

† Bonus track on some editions of the album.

References

  1. ^ a b Yeoman, Paula (September 19, 2010). "Album helped grieving process". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved October 8, 2010.
  2. ^ Ross, Rick. "Another Country with Rick Ross". BBC Radio Scotland. Retrieved October 8, 2010.
  3. ^ Adams, Rob. "Frazey Ford – finding therapy in music" (First published: The Herald Scotland, October 6, 2010). Rob Adams Journalist. Archived from the original on September 18, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  4. ^ Adams, Rob (October 6, 2010). "A talent for healing folk". Herald Scotland. Retrieved October 8, 2010.
  5. ^ Honigmann, David. "Frazey Ford, Purcell Room, London". Financial Times. Retrieved February 17, 2011.
  6. ^ Gummeson, Shelly (2010). "The Soulful Side of Frazey Ford". earshot. Archived from the original on September 26, 2010. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c Ratliff, Ben (July 19, 2010). "Obadiah". The New York Times. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
  8. ^ Allen, J. "Obadiah > Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
  9. ^ Deusner, Stephen. "Obadiah". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
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