The Trouble Tree

The Trouble Tree is the debut album by Freedy Johnston, released in 1990 through Bar/None Records.[8][9]

The Trouble Tree
Studio album by Freedy Johnston
Released	1990
Recorded	April 1989–June 1989 at Water Music Recorders, Hoboken, NJ
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	64:29
Label	Bar/None[1]
Producer	Chris Butler[2]
Freedy Johnston chronology
The Trouble Tree (1990) Can You Fly (1992)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
Robert Christgau	[4]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[2]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide	[5]
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide	[6]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	6/10[7]

Production

The album was recorded in Hoboken, New Jersey.[10]

Critical reception

Trouser Press wrote that the album "captures Johnston’s wheedling and whiny voice in extreme close-up, forcing listeners to seek refuge in overextended wordplay and spare guitar-based arrangements."[11] The Spin Alternative Record Guide called it "raw-sounding, infatuated with dangerous sorts, and a bit unformed lyrically."[7]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Freedy Johnston.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Innocent"	2:26
2.	"Down on the Moon #1"	3:24
3.	"No Violins"	3:45
4.	"That's What You Get"	3:38
5.	"Fun Ride"	5:20
6.	"Gina"	3:42
7.	"Nature Boy"	4:46
8.	"Bad Girl"	3:08
9.	"After My Shocks"	2:54
10.	"Tucumcari"	2:17
11.	"Down on the Moon #2"	3:52
12.	"Little Red Haired Girl"	4:33
13.	"[untitled]"	20:39

Personnel

Musicians

• Alan Bezozi – drums
• David Hamburger – guitar
• Freedy Johnston – vocals, guitar
• James MacMillan – bass guitar, engineering
• Doug Snodgrass – bass guitar

Production and additional personnel

• Chris Butler – production, guitar on "Fun Ride" and "After My Shocks"
• Andy Burton – keyboards on "Fun Ride"
• B. Woody Giessmann – drums on "Little Red Haired Girl"
• John Halpern – photography
• Jody Harris – guitar on "Fun Ride"

References

1. "Freedy Johnston". Bar/None Records.
2. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Volume 4: MUZE. p. 668.CS1 maint: location (link)
3. Ankeny, Jason. "Trouble Tree". Allmusic. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
4. Christgau, Robert. "Freedy Johnston: The Trouble Tree". Robert Christgau.com. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
5. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 612.
6. Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (October 27, 2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9780743201698 – via Google Books.
7. Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 201–202.
8. "Freedy Johnston | Biography & History". AllMusic.
9. "Freedy Johnston On World Cafe". NPR.org.
10. "Sounds". New York Magazine. New York Media, LLC. September 24, 1990 – via Google Books.
11. "Freedy Johnston". Trouser Press. Retrieved 27 October 2020.

External links

• The Trouble Tree at Discogs (list of releases)