''Holy Smokes'' is the debut solo album by the American musician
Suzzy Roche, released in 1997. It was the first solo album by a member of
the Roches. Roche supported the album by embarking on a tour, playing solo with just a guitar.
Production
The album was produced by
Stewart Lerman
Stewart Lerman is a Bronx born, New York-based, 2x Grammy winning music producer(3x nominated), recording engineer, who has worked with The Roches, Elvis Costello, Neko Case, Patti Smith, Antony and the Johnsons, Angelique Kidjo, Shawn Colv ...
and Roche.
Roche wrote 11 of the album's 12 songs; the final track is based on poem written by her mother.
The vocals were often multitracked, to reproduce the harmony sound of the Roches;
Jules Shear
Jules Mark Shear (born March 7, 1952) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He wrote the Cyndi Lauper hit single " All Through the Night" and The Bangles' hit "If She Knew What She Wants", and charted a hit as a performer with "Stead ...
and
Maggie Roche
The Roches were an American vocal trio of sisters Maggie, Terre and Suzzy Roche, from Park Ridge, New Jersey.
Career
In the late 1960s, eldest sister Maggie (October 26, 1951 – January 21, 2017) and middle sister Terre (pronounced "Terry", ...
also contributed vocals.
[
Roche spent close to two years working on ''Holy Smokes''.]
Critical reception
''The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' wrote that the songs "occupy that broad middle ground of somewhat amusing, somewhat touching songs about the trials and joys of growing up a smart, middle-class American woman."[ '']Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' deemed the album "a deceptively placid-sounding solo effort whose surface calm belies its emotional turbulence."The Philadelphia Inquirer
''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...
'' thought that "Roche's inherent ethereal charm belies the unrelieved heartbreak that colors much of ''Holy Smokes''."[
'']New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
'' concluded that Roche's "lyric are more personal than the Roches', and her melodic sense is as vivid." 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 ...
'' thought that "Roche sets one warm, folky melody after another amid cozy piano-acoustic guitar textures, creating a relaxed and intimate work."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 ...
called the album "an oddly tentative premiere for such a seasoned performer, and not as much fun as it should have been."
Track listing
# "My My Broken Heart"
# "Crash"
# "Eggshell"
# "Holy Smokes"
# "Rules"
# "The Second Coming of Eli"
# "Losing"
# "Lightning Storm"
# "ABC's"
# "Pink Ballet Slippers"
# "Breathing"
# "Two Bumps on a Log"
References
{{Authority control
1997 albums
Red House Records albums