Growing, Pains
Growing, Pains is the debut album by British singer-songwriter Billie Myers, released in 1997 by Universal Records. It includes the worldwide hit single "Kiss the Rain", which reached number four in the UK singles chart and number 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100, plus the follow-up single "Tell Me".
In addition to the regular CD, a DTS CD version was released, featuring a 5.1 surround sound mix of the entire album and an unplugged version of "Kiss the Rain" as a bonus track.
Critical reception
In a review for AllMusic, Alex Henderson wrote that "despite its excessive slickness and commercial leanings, this is an often impressive album that has a lot of heart" and that " passion and soulfulness come through loud and clear". He described Myers' "vocal style" as "a combination of Chrissie Hynde and Tracy Chapman with traces of Joan Armatrading and Joni Mitchell", and that it "never fails to be attractive."Track listing
Note- The duration of the bonus track is 5 minutes long according to the CD's back cover, but the actual track features ~5 more minutes of a recorded thunderstorm after the song, bringing its entire running time to 9:55. Also, the DTS version of "Mother, Daughter, Sister, Lover" is ~30 seconds longer than the stereo version.
Personnel
Musicians
- Billie Myers – vocals, backing vocals
- Mercedes Abal – flute, machete
- Kenny Aronoff – drums & percussion
- Eric Bazilian – guitar, bass guitar, drum programming, backing vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin
- Catherine Browning – violin
- Randy Cantor – organ
- Ramesh Chandra – sitar
- Desmond Child – backing vocals, keyboards
- Don Coffman – double bass
- Jane Dobbins – backing vocals, backing vocal arrangement, string programming
- Alison Dodds – violin
- Richard Drummie – electric guitar, acoustic guitar
- Charles Dye – backing vocals
- Doug Emery – keyboards, organ
- Pete Q. Harris – piano, string programming & arrangement, string arrangement
- George Hutchison – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin, guitar
- Hugh McDonald – bass guitar
- Tom McWilliams – drum & percussion programming
- Andrea Morris – violin
- Eddie Montilla – keyboards, synth bass
- Clare Raybould – violin
- Lazaro Rodriguez – electric guitar
- Arturo Sandoval – flugelhorn
- Eliot Sloan – backing vocals
- JR Swingha – drum programming
- Peter Vale – acoustic guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, backing vocal arrangement, electric guitar, guitar
- Betty Wright – backing vocals
Technical
- Desmond Child – producer
- Brian Coleman – production manager
- Charles Dye – recording
- Andy Roshberg – additional recording
- Peter Vale – additional recording
- Pete Q. Harris – additional recording, programming
- J. C. Ulloa – additional recording
- Cage Gondor – additional recording, assistant engineer
- Alex Marcou – additional recording
- Robert Valdez – assistant engineer
- Chris Carroll – assistant engineer
- David Flower – assistant engineer
- Alex Burak – assistant engineer
- Michael Brauer – mixing
- Ryan Hewitt – assistant mix engineer
- Greg Calbi – mastering
- Kathy Baylor – A&R
- Sandie Lee Drake – art direction
- Susan Bibeau – design
- Michael Halsband – photography
- Recorded at The Gentlemen's Club
- Additional recording at Criteria, Deep River & Abbey Road
Charts