''Big Shot in the Dark'' is the fourth album by the American band

Timbuk 3 Timbuk 3 was an American rock band which released six original studio albums between 1986 and 1995. They are best known for their Top 20 single "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades". The band's music has been featured on more than 20 com ...

, released in 1991. "Mudflap Girl" was released as a single.

Production

'' Big Shot in the Dark'' was Timbuk 3's first album as a four-piece band.

Courtney Audain Courtney Audain is an American bass guitarist and musician. He is best known as a member of the band Timbuk 3 Timbuk 3 was an American rock band which released six original studio albums between 1986 and 1995. They are best known for their Top ...

played bass and steel drums, and

Wally Ingram Wally Ingram is an American drummer and musician. He is most famous as a member of the band, Timbuk 3. In recent years, he has toured with the multi-instrumentalist David Lindley, and released several records with him: * 2000 : ''Twango Bango D ...

served as the drummer/percussionist. "The Border Crossing" was inspired by the fall of the

Berlin Wall The Berlin Wall (german: Berliner Mauer, ) was a guarded concrete barrier that encircled West Berlin from 1961 to 1989, separating it from East Berlin and East Germany (GDR). Construction of the Berlin Wall was commenced by the government ...

Evan Johns Evan Johns (July 12, 1956 – March 11, 2017) was an American guitarist specializing in a variety of music, including rockabilly. Early life Johns was born and raised in McLean, Virginia. His mother worked for the National Symphony Orchestra. Joh ...

played guitar on "Mudflap Girl".

Critical reception

The ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

'' called Timbuk 3 "a distinctly American band both in its spare, rootsy rock sound and its thematic obsession with the American dream gone awry." The ''

Calgary Herald The ''Calgary Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Publication began in 1883 as ''The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate, and General Advertiser''. It is owned by the Postmedia Network. History ''The ...

'' deemed the album "Timbuk 3 at its twangy, idiosyncratic best." Kenneth Bays of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

wrote: "On their fourth album, Timbuk 3 officially became a foursome ... there's a newfound sense of instrumental adventurousness all around. ('49 Plymouth' employs a lute, while an instrumental version of 'Sunshine' is played on steel drums)... ''Big Shot in the Dark'' has a bluesy, droning quality throughout, a vibe that would be amplified further on Timbuk 3's 1994 EP ''Looks Like Dark to Me''."

Track listing

*All songs written by Pat MacDonald, except where noted. # God Made an Angel # Sunshine # Two Medicines (Barbara K. MacDonald) # The Border Crossing (Barbara K. MacDonald) # Big Shot in the Dark # Mudflap Girl # Dis•••land (Was Made for You & Me) # Wake Up Little Darlin' # '49 Plymouth # The Little Things # Sunshine (Instrumental)

Personnel

;Timbuk 3 *Pat MacDonald: Vocals, Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Harmonica,

Lute A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted. More specifically, the term "lute" can ref ...

, Sampler *Barbara K. MacDonald: Vocals, Electric Guitars, Violin, Percussion, Keyboards and Programming *Courtney Audain: Bass, Keyboards, Steel Drums, Various Other Percussion *Wally Ingram: Drums, Percussion, Handclaps ;Additional Personnel *Liz Harrah: Organ on track 1 *

: Lead and Slide Guitar on track 6 *Gary Moon: Hand claps *John Treanor: Washboard on tracks 3, 4, and 9 ;Production *Arranged and produced by Pat and Barbara K. MacDonald *Recording by Gary Moon; technical assistance by David Roach *Mixed by

David Tickle David Tickle (born 6 September 1959) is a British record producer and engineer. As a producer, he is noted for his work with Split Enz, and in Canada, for his mid-1980s work with Red Rider, Platinum Blonde and Gowan. He later produced Joe Cocke ...

(The Bunker, Malibu) *Mastered by Alan Yoshida at The Mastering Lab

References

{{Authority control Timbuk 3 albums 1991 albums I.R.S. Records albums