Cheater's Game
Cheater's Game is a 2013 studio album by American country musicians Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis, released on Robison's Premium Records label. The work was the second of four recordings released by the couple and received positive reviews from critics and commercial success on several Billboard charts.
Reception
Editors at AllMusic rated this album 3.5 out of 5 stars, with critic Thom Jurek writing that the musicians' "organic, relaxed, unforced approach is deceptively high in performance skill, yet resonates with an emotional depth that rings true throughout". Jim Caligiuri of The Austin Chronicle rated this album 3.5 out of 5 stars, writing that the singers "prove themselves greater together than apart on Cheater's Game". In No Depression, Jim Moulton praised the singing and song selection but criticized the mixing as being too loud. Steve Horowitz of PopMatters gave this release an 8 out of 10, stating that "the duo also have good taste in other people’s songs, which they make their own through their distinctive interpretations"; editors at the site named this the 10th best Americana album of the year. In The Washington Post, Jeff Wisser called Cheater's Game an album of "breezy harmonies, subtle shadings of acoustic sounds and Robison’s knowing story-songs blended with expertly chosen covers make for a winning country formula".Track listing
- "Cheater's Game" – 3:30
- "Border Radio" – 2:50
- "We're All the Way" – 3:48
- "Long Way Home" – 3:41
- "9,999,999 Tears" – 3:55
- "Leavin'" – 2:51
- "But I Do" – 3:29
- "No Kinda Dancer" – 3:24
- "Lifeline" – 4:17
- "Ordinary Fool" – 4:11
- "Born to Roll" – 3:08
- "Waterfall" – 3:02
- "Dreamin'" – 3:49
Personnel
- Bruce Robison – acoustic guitar, vocals
- Kelly Willis – vocals, package concept
- Mike Crowley – package concept
- Fred Eltringham – drums on "Cheater's Game", "Border Radio", "We're All the Way", "Long Home Way", "9,999,999 Tears", "Lifeline", "Ordinary Fool", "Born to Roll", "Waterfall", and "Dreamin'"
- Pete Finney – banjo on "Cheater's Game", "Border Radio", "We're All the Way", "Long Home Way", "9,999,999 Tears", "Lifeline", "Ordinary Fool", "Born to Roll", "Waterfall", and "Dreamin'"; steel guitar on "Cheater's Game", "Border Radio", "We're All the Way", "Long Home Way", "9,999,999 Tears", "Lifeline", "Ordinary Fool", "Born to Roll", "Waterfall", and "Dreamin'"
- Mickey Grimm – percussion on "Leavin'", "But I Do", and "No Kinda Danger"
- Cody Hamilton – photography
- Dave Jacques – bass guitar on "Leavin'", "But I Do", and "No Kinda Danger"; tuba "Leavin'", "But I Do", and "No Kinda Danger"
- Brad Jones – acoustic guitar, bass guitar on "We're All the Way", keyboards on "Leavin'", piano on "Leavin'", looping on "Leavin'", mixing; production
- Fats Kaplan – fiddle on "Leavin'", "But I Do", and "No Kinda Danger"; accordion on "Leavin'", "But I Do", and "No Kinda Danger"
- Chris Kro – graphic design, illustrations
- Eamon McLaughlin – cello on "Cheater's Game", "Border Radio", "We're All the Way", "Long Home Way", "Lifeline", "Ordinary Fool", "Born to Roll", "Waterfall", and "Dreamin'"; fiddle on "Cheater's Game","Border Radio", "We're All the Way", "Long Home Way", "Lifeline", "Ordinary Fool", "Born to Roll", "Waterfall", and "Dreamin'"; mandolin on "Cheater's Game", "Border Radio", "We're All the Way", "Long Home Way", "Lifeline", "Ordinary Fool", "Born to Roll", "Ordinary Fool", "Born to Roll", "Waterfall", and "Dreamin'"
- Al Perkins – steel guitar on "Leavin'", "But I Do", and "No Kinda Danger"
- Lex Price – bass guitar on "Cheater's Game", "Long Home Way", "9,999,999 Tears", "Lifeline", "Ordinary Fool", "Born to Roll", "Waterfall", and "Dreamin'"
- Chris Scruggs – drums on "Leavin'", "But I Do", and "No Kinda Danger"
- Yes Master – audio mastering