Phantom Center
Phantom Center is a 1990 studio album by the Canadian female singer-songwriter Ferron.
Background and release
It was Ferron's first album in six years. It was later re-packaged and re-released by Warner Bros. Music in 1995.Critical reception
Robert Christgau rated this album "neither", meaning "may impress once or twice with consistent craft or an arresting track or two. Then it won't".Stephen Holden in the New York Times called the album 'captivating', noting "its quirky, archetypal imagery, and diction that swings between the conversational and the oracular". Steven Hochman of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the album "made modern self-analysis seem easy, and even fun."
Track listing
All songs written by Ferron.- "Stand Up "
- "The Cart"
- "Harmless Love"
- "Indian Dreams"
- "Sunken City"
- "White Wing Mercy"
- "Heart of Destruction"
- "Inside Track"
- "Phantom Center"
- "Higher Wisdom"
Personnel
Adapted from liner notesMusicians
- Ferron - lead vocals, acoustic guitar
- Denny Fongheiser - drums, percussion
- Tim Landers - bass
- Eric Williams - acoustic and electric guitar, ukulele, mandolin, melodica and E-Bow
- Jim Lang - keyboards
- Steve Reid - percussion
- Larry Tuttle - Chapman Stick
- Novi Novog - viola
- Barbara Higbie - violin
- Tori Amos - backing vocals
- Nanci Shanks - backing vocals
- Lauren Wood - backing vocals
Musicians (track 1, 1995 recording)
- Ferron - lead vocals, acoustic guitar
- Amy Ray - backing vocals, acoustic guitar
- Emily Saliers - backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitars
- Sara Lee - bass
- Jerry Marotta - drums, percussion
Others
- Joe Chiccarelli - producer
- Ferron - producer
- Susan Becker - assistant engineer
- Linda Cobb - art direction, design
- John Ewing, jr - assistant engineer, mixing assistant
- Chris Furman - engineering
- Brian Gardner - mastering
- Tim Harrigan - engineer
- Dan Marnien - engineering, mixing, remixing
- Raymond Meeks - photography
- David Skernick - photography
- Heidi Wills - hair stylist, make-up