''Life Down Here on Earth'' is the third studio album by

Kevin Welch Kevin Stephen Welch (August 17, 1955) is an American country music artist. He has charted five singles on the '' Billboard'' Hot Country Songs charts and released eight studio albums. He is also one of the cofounders of the Dead Reckoning Reco ...

. This album marks his debut on the artist-owned-and-operated

Dead Reckoning Records Dead Reckoning Records is an American independent record label specializing in country music. The label was established in 1994 by musicians Kevin Welch, Kieran Kane, Mike Henderson, Tammy Rogers, and Harry Stinson produce their records withou ...

, which he co-founded in 1994 with fellow musicians

Kieran Kane Kieran Kane (born October 7, 1949) is an American country music artist, as well as the owner of Dead Reckoning Records, an independent record label. Between 1986 and 1990, he and Jamie O'Hara comprised The O'Kanes, a duo which charted seven si ...

Mike Henderson Mike Henderson (born in Independence, Missouri) is an American singer-songwriter. Career Early career Henderson was an original member of blues group the Bel Airs when they formed in Missouri in 1981. They released an album, ''Need Me a Car'' ...

Tammy Rogers Tammy may refer to: *Tam o' Shanter (cap), a Scottish hat * ''Tammy'' (film series), a series of four films **''Tammy and the Bachelor'', the first film in the series ** "Tammy" (song), a popular song from ''Tammy and the Bachelor'' ** ''Tammy'' (T ...

, and

Harry Stinson Harry Stinson (born June 3, 1953 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian real estate developer from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He is president of Stinson Properties, Inc. He has been called Toronto's "condo king". Biography Stinson's most significant ...

Critical reception

William Ruhlmann 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 ...

'' says, "Kevin Welch is a card-carrying member of the Texas school of songwriting." Jana Pendragon of ''Country Standard Time'' concludes her review by saying, "A special highlight is the fast-paced and provocative "One Way Rider," written with Kostas and the title cut, which ends the disc on a high, bluesy note." ''Fitzgerald's Night Club'' writes, "Kevin's first release for DR, ''Life Down Here on Earth'', was greeted with rave reviews." John Kenyon of ''Pop Matters'' writes of Welch and this album, "He formed the Dead Reckoning label in 1995 with like-minded fence-straddlers

, and

. His first album for that label, ''Life Down Here On Earth'', got notice if for no other reason than for the fact that it was among the first batch of releases from this high-profile band of renegades. It found Welch tapping into his roots a bit, sounding more like a Guy Clark acolyte than a possible contributor (to) the country charts." Peter Margasak of ''The Chicago Reader'' comments that, "Welch's ''Life Down Here on Earth'' is an exuberant, literate collection that opens country up, stretching it from Steve Earle-ish twang to Bob Dylan-esque narratives" Gerry Galipaul of ''Pause&Play'' writes, "The business at hand is “Life Down Here On Earth,” an authentic country-soul-gospel stew filled with fresh writing and a keen wit. The reviews for a truly Americana album free of big-label hype and manipulation have been overwhelming." Rick Ellis of ''All Your Screens'' writes of the title track on this album, "There are a lot of great Kevin Welch songs to fall in love with and there isn't a better place to start than "Life Down Here On Earth." Richard Skanse of ''Lone Star Magazine'' notes of the album's opening number, "Incidentally, Welch opened ''Life Down Here on Earth'' with a song he co-wrote with (John) Hadley called "Pushing Up Daisies." Six years later, the song quietly popped up again on a record called ''

Scarecrow A scarecrow is a decoy or mannequin, often in the shape of a human. Humanoid scarecrows are usually dressed in old clothes and placed in open fields to discourage birds from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops.Lesley B ...

'' by another

Okie An Okie is a person identified with the state of Oklahoma. This connection may be residential, ethnic, historical or cultural. For most Okies, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being Oklahoman. ...

of some renown:

Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is an American country music singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him popularity, particularly in the United States with success on the co ...

." Lee Nichols of ''The Austin Chronicle'' writes, "Welch's new ''Life Down Here on Earth'', his third album, and the first since leaving the corporate giant

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

label

Reprise In music, a reprise ( , ; from the verb 'to resume') is the repetition or reiteration of the opening material later in a composition as occurs in the recapitulation of sonata form, though—originally in the 18th century—was simply any repea ...

. Despite his newfound label independence, this new disc doesn't really offer any changes from previous works - meaning it's his usual great collection of well-written songs, surrounded by extremely skilled sidemen. As always, Welch takes country onto an intellectual plane, exhibiting a Joe Ely-ish zest for life and a

Gram Parsons Ingram Cecil Connor III (November 5, 1946 – September 19, 1973) who was known professionally as Gram Parsons, was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist who recorded as a solo artist and with the International Submarine Band, ...

-like high and lonesome. It's an impressive first

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

release for the fledgling label, and it will probably satisfy Welch's goal, which is to just make a decent living writing and singing songs." *See original reviews for full articles. Links can be found in the references section of this article.

Track listing

Musicians

: Acoustic guitar *

: Drums & harmony vocals *

Glenn Worf Glenn Worf is an American bassist known mainly for his work as a session musician. He has recorded with many major country music acts and also tours with Mark Knopfler. Early life and education Worf was born in Dayton, Ohio, and grew up in Madis ...

: Bass & left hand piano *

: Mandolin, octave mandolin & harmony vocals *

: Electric & national * Al Anderson: Electric guitar & (acoustic guitar on "Life Down Here On Earth") *

Fats Kaplin Fats Kaplin is an American musician, born in New York City. He is best known as a fiddler. He also plays guitar, button accordion, banjo, mandolin, steel guitar, an Arab oud, and a Turkish cümbüş, among others. He has worked with artists such a ...

: Accordion, pedal steel, fiddle & penny whistle *

: Fiddle, viola, mandolin, tenor banjo & harmony vocals *

The Fairfield Four The Fairfield Four is an American gospel group that has existed for over 100 years, starting as a trio in the Fairfield Baptist Church, Nashville, Tennessee, in 1921. They were designated as National Heritage Fellows in 1989 by the National End ...

: Vocals on "Life Down Here On Earth" *

Reese Wynans Reese Wynans (born November 28, 1947) is an American keyboard player, who has done session work and has been a member of Double Trouble and progressive rock band Captain Beyond. In 2015, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a ...

: Piano on "Life Down Here On Earth" & "Troublesome Times"

Live recordings

*2/29/94, tracks 1, 3 & 6 recorded & mixed live to DAT by the Rough Sextet at Treasure Isle by Peter Coleman. *

: String bass *

: Mandolin *

: Fiddle & viola *

: Fiddle & accordion *

: Acoustic guitar *

: Drums

Production

*Jim Herrington: Photography *John Hadley: Illustration *B. Middleworth: Design All track information and credits were taken from the CD liner notes.Welch, Kevin. “Life Down Here on Earth”. Dead Reckoning. 1995.

External links

Kevin Welch Official SiteDead Reckoning Records Official Site

References

{{Authority control 1995 albums Dead Reckoning Records albums