''Harbor'' is the seventh studio album by
American folk rock
Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk music, folk and rock music, rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the American fo ...
trio
America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territor ...
, released by
Warner Bros. Records in February
1977
Events January
* January 8 – Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group.
* January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (now the Democrati ...
. It was the last to feature
Dan Peek
Daniel Milton Peek () was an American musician best known as a member of the folk rock band America from 1970 to 1977, together with Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell. He has been called a "pioneer in contemporary Christian music".
Early life
Pe ...
, who embarked on a solo Christian career shortly after the album's release. The album was produced by longtime
Beatles producer
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the " Fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the B ...
, the fifth of seven consecutive albums he produced with America.
Though a major commercial disappointment compared to America's six previous albums, the album did reach number 21 on the
''Billboard'' album chart.
''Harbor'' USA chart history
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 dat ...
. Retrieved September 19, 2012. Three singles ("God of the Sun", "Don't Cry Baby" and the disco song "Slow Down") were released from the album but all failed to chart, although "God of the Sun" and "Now She's Gone" did receive some airplay.
Despite the serene tone of the title and artwork, ''Harbor'' is more brooding and pessimistic than most of America's previous albums.
Track listing
Side One
Side Two
Personnel
;America
* Dewey Bunnell
Lee Merton "Dewey" Bunnell (born 19 January 1952) is a British-American musician, singer, guitarist, and songwriter, best known as a member of the folk rock band America.
Biography
Bunnell was born in Harrogate, Yorkshire, England, to an Americ ...
- lead and backing vocals, guitars
* Gerry Beckley
Gerald Linford Beckley (born September 12, 1952), better known as Gerry Beckley, is an American singer, songwriter, and musician, and a founding member of the band America.
Early life
Beckley was born to an American father and an English mothe ...
- lead and backing vocals, guitars, pianos, synthesizers
* Dan Peek
Daniel Milton Peek () was an American musician best known as a member of the folk rock band America from 1970 to 1977, together with Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell. He has been called a "pioneer in contemporary Christian music".
Early life
Pe ...
- lead and backing vocals, guitars, pianos, synthesizers
with:
* David Dickey - bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and s ...
* Willie Leacox - drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair of matching drumsticks ...
, percussion
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
* Jim Calire - saxophone
* Tom Walsh - percussion
* Larry Carlton
Larry Eugene Carlton (born March 2, 1948) is an American guitarist who built his career as a studio musician in the 1970s and 1980s for acts such as Steely Dan and Joni Mitchell. He has participated in thousands of recording sessions, recorded ...
- electric sitar
The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in medieval India, flourished in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form i ...
;Technical
* George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the " Fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the B ...
- producer
* Henry Diltz
Henry Stanford Diltz (born September 6, 1938, in Kansas City, Missouri) is an American folk musician and photographer who has been active since the 1960s.
Career
Among the bands Diltz played with was the Modern Folk Quartet. While a member o ...
- photographer
* Philip Hartmann - cover design
* Vivien Bunnell, Lexie Hartmann and Jim Hoskins - additional poster photography
Charts
References
1977 albums
America (band) albums
Albums produced by George Martin
Warner Records albums
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