The Best of Marshall Crenshaw: This Is Easy

Performer: Marshall Crenshaw
Artist: Mitch Easter; Don Dixon; Rosie Flores; David Lindley; T-Bone Burnett; Peter Case; Sonny Landreth
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Personnel includes: Marshall Crenshaw (vocals, various instruments, guitar, mandoguitar, keyboards, 6-string bass, percussion); Sonny Landreth (slide guitar); Steve Fishell, David Lindley (steel guitar); Peter Case (harmonica); Mitch Easter (piano); Bob Marlette (organ); Mitchell Froom (keyboards); Chris Donato (bass, background vocals); Fernando Saunders, Faye Hunter, Graham Maby, Tony Levin, David Miner (bass); Kenny Aronoff (drums, percussion); Robert Crenshaw (drums, background vocals); Mickey Curry, Jerry Marotta (drums); T-Bone Burnett (programming, background vocals); Rosie Flores, Don Dixon, Brad Jones, Andy York, The BoDeans, Tom Teeley, Steven Soles (background vocals). Producers include: Marshall Crenshaw, Alan Betrock, T-Bone Burnett, Ed Stasium, Mitch Easter. Compilation producers: Gary Stewart, Marshall Crenshaw. Engineers include: Thom Panunzio, Bill Jackson, Suzy Pink. Recorded between 1982 & 1996. Includes liner notes by Cub Koda, Gary Stewart, David Gorman & Marshall Crenshaw. Digitally remastered by Greg Calibi. Personnel: Marshall Crenshaw (vocals, guitar, tambourine, percussion); T Bone Burnett (vocals, drum programming); Don Dixon, Tom Teeley, Andy York, Rosie Flores, Steven Soles, Chris Donato (vocals); Sonny Landreth (slide guitar); David Lindley (steel guitar); Warren Klein (tamboura); Peter Case (harmonica); Mitch Easter (piano); Bob Marlette (organ); Mitchell Froom (keyboards); Jerry Marotta, Mickey Curry (drums); Ed Stasium, Michael Osborn, Richard Gottehrer (percussion). Audio Mixers: Ed Stasium; Larry Hirsch; Paul McKenna; Will Schillinger. Liner Note Authors: Cub Koda; David Gorman. Recording information: 17 5th Avenue, Apt. 15-B, Pelham, NY; 39th Street Music, New York, NY; A & M Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA; Alex The Great Studio, Nashville, TN; Bearsville Sound Studios, Bearsville, NY; Blue Canyon Recorders, Studio City, CA; BMG Studios, New York, NY; Dreamland Recording, Kingston, NY; Knock-It-Off Studios, New York, NY; Media Sound Studios, New York, NY; Ocean Way, Hollywood, CA; Pilot Recording Studios, New York, NY; Power Station, New York, NY; Power Trax, Los Angeles, CA; Record Plant, Hollywood, CA; Reflection Sound Studio, Charlotte, NC; Right Track Recording, New York, NY; Rumbo Recorders, Canoga Park, CA; Sunset Sound Recordings, Hollywood, CA; The Grey Room, North Hollywood, CA. Photographers: Lynn Goldsmith; Greg Allen. Prior to the release of his 1982 debut album, Marshall Crenshaw had been in the cast of BEATLEMANIA (playing the part of John Lennon). Full of pop smarts, that album was a breath of fresh air, drawing on '60s sources without being a bit retro. Millions of others also cut their teeth on British Invasion bands, but for Crenshaw, it became part of his musical foundation, which is why it doesn't sound like he's aping his idols. A first class songwriter, this compilation is a wonder tour through nearly two decades of Crenshaw's recordings. He's a topflight songwriter, graced with a friendly voice, wise producers, and energetic accompaniment. This is an essential title, a keystone in any collection of exuberant rock music. In a better world all of these songs would have been hits. Also recommended are his self-titled debut and #447 from 1999.

Spin (10/00, p.178) - 9 out of 10 - "...Deceptively simple, tightly edited, and irrationally fulfilling....his pop outlasts time." Entertainment Weekly (9/1/00, pp.78-9) - "...[A] welcome and overdue compilation....guitar pop imbued with joy and song craft....and strangely quaint..." - Rating: A- Q (11/00, p.123) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...Laden with catchy minor masterpieces such as 'Cynical Girl' and 'mary Anne'....Crenshaw's best work and a neat precis of his much overlooked talent." No Depression (11-12/00, pp.105-6) - "...A fitting testament to the unaffected pleasures of a music that continues to surprise and delight...this stuff is timeless."

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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