Mary Jean & 9 Others

Performer: Marshall Crenshaw
Producer: Don Dixon
Distributor: Bayside Record Dist.

Notes: Marshall Crenshaw's first three records, though each with their own distinct personality, were an irresistible combination of masterful pop and vibrant, timeless rock & roll. His fourth effort, Mary Jean & 9 Others, has many of these same ingredients, while at the same time lacking the impact of its predecessors. And though there isn't really a bad cut here, there isn't much that would make you think of Crenshaw as much more than a craftsman. Even the best of the originals, including the title track and "Somebody Crying," seem to lumber along, never really delivering on their promise. This may be partially due to Don Dixon's production that, though not out of place with Crenshaw's material, lacks the freshness of the first album, the allure and depth of Field Day, and the spirit of Downtown. Overall, it's the beautiful closer, "They Never Will Know," and Peter Case's "Steel Strings" that are most successful in this setting. Like the rest of Crenshaw's mid-'80s, early-'90s catalog, Mary Jean is difficult to find, but of this period, Downtown, which is also on Warner Bros., and Life's Too Short, his only release for MCA, are preferred. ~ Brett Hartenbach

It is entirely fitting that Marshall Crenshaw made his first big splash playing John Lennon in BEATLEMANIA. Although the affable singer-songwriter resembles Buddy Holly more than Lennon, his music harks back to the glory years of rock & roll, when all that rock required was good hooks and a beat you could dance to. His debut record in 1982 teemed with great melodies and simple-yet-sharp lyrics, and spawned "Someday Someway," a big hit for Robert Gordon. Since then, Crenshaw has seen his songs covered by a wide range of artists, from the Nitty Gritty Dirt band to Bette Midler, and he has continued to make high-quality records on his own terms.

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