''Love Among the Ruins'' (1997) is the sixth studio album by American

alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...

band

10,000 Maniacs 10,000 Maniacs is an American alternative rock band that was founded in 1981. They have released nine studio albums, six EPs, and five live albums. They achieved their most significant success between 1987 and 1993, when they released four album ...

and the first to feature new lead singer

Mary Ramsey Mary Ramsey (born December 24, 1963) is a member of folk rock duo John & Mary and lead singer and violinist for the American alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs. Ramsey has also worked with other well-known artists such as Jackson Browne, Goo Go ...

, following

Natalie Merchant Natalie Anne Merchant (born October 26, 1963) is an American alternative rock singer-songwriter. She joined the band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and was lead vocalist and primary lyricist for the group. She remained with the group for their first se ...

's departure in 1993.

Background

The two singles from the album—a cover of

Roxy Music Roxy Music are an English rock music, rock band formed in 1970 by Bryan Ferry—who became the band's lead vocalist and principal songwriter—and bassist Graham Simpson (musician), Graham Simpson. The other longtime members are Phil Manzanera ...

's "More Than This" and the original "Rainy Day"—were not initially intended to be included on the album.

John Lombardo John Lombardo (born 30 September 1952) is one of the founding members of the American alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs and one of the band's most influential members, writing much of its early material. He is also a member of folk rock duo Joh ...

had just written "Rainy Day", which was deemed more radio-friendly than the other songs, and the record company insisted that the band record a cover song for inclusion. While Ramsey and Lombardo shared lyric writing duties, the band chose to credit the songs as group collaborations, so that all members would receive equal royalties. Ramsey wrote the music to "All That Never Happens". Guitarist

wrote "Rainy Day", "Even with My Eyes Closed", "Big Star", "Shining Light" and "Across the Fields" and shared a writing credit with drummer

Jerry Augustyniak Jerome Stanley Augustyniak (born September 2, 1958) is the drummer for the American alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs. Augustyniak joined the band in March 1983, two years after the group formed. Augustyniak continues to perform with the band ...

on "Girl on a Train". Guitarist

Rob Buck Robert Norman Buck (August 1, 1958 – December 19, 2000) was an American guitarist and founding member of the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs. Some of his compositions with Natalie Merchant are among the most popular songs recorded by 10, ...

wrote "Love Among the Ruins" and keyboardist

Dennis Drew Dennis Arnold Drew (born 8 August 1957) is the keyboardist for the American alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs. He has been with the band since its inception in 1981 and is one of three founding members along with Steve Gustafson and John Lomba ...

wrote "A Room for Everything". A live version of "Rainy Day" was also included on their 2016 album '' Playing Favorites''. The album title is adapted from

Robert Browning Robert Browning (7 May 1812 – 12 December 1889) was an English poet and playwright whose dramatic monologues put him high among the Victorian poets. He was noted for irony, characterization, dark humour, social commentary, historical settings ...

's poem of the same name.

Track listing

All songs written by

, except where noted. * On an earlier acetate version of the album, "Smallest Step", "Beyond the Blue" and "Time Turns" were also included. When all three were omitted, the following tracks were added: "More Than This", "Rainy Day" and "All That Never Happens". All three omitted songs were re-recorded, with "Beyond the Blue" and "Time Turns" made available on U.S. and European versions of the "More Than This" single and "Smallest Step" appearing on 1999's ''

The Earth Pressed Flat ''The Earth Pressed Flat'' is the seventh album by 10,000 Maniacs, released in 1999. The album contains nine songs that had been written for, but not used in, the band's previous album, '' Love Among the Ruins'': "The Earth Pressed Flat", "Once ...

''.

Release

''Love Among the Ruins'' sold 200,000 copies, 30,000 of those within three months of release. Despite this,

Geffen Records Geffen Records is an American record label established by David Geffen and owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M Records imprint. Founded in 1980, Geffen Records has been a part of Interscope Geffen A&M since 1999 and h ...

, according to Dennis Drew, "dropped us after the first three months."

Personnel

;10,000 Maniacs *

–

lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...

viola The viola ( , also , ) is a string instrument that is bow (music), bowed, plucked, or played with varying techniques. Slightly larger than a violin, it has a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of ...

* Robert Buck –

electric Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by ...

and acoustic guitars *

– acoustic and electric guitars *

–

Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated s ...

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

Steve Gustafson Steven E. "Steve" Gustafson (born April 10, 1957) is the bass guitarist for the American alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs. He, Dennis Drew and John Lombardo are the only remaining founding members of the group. Drummer Jerome Augustyniak has b ...

– bass *

Jerome Augustyniak Jerome Stanley Augustyniak (born September 2, 1958) is the drummer for the American alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs. Augustyniak joined the band in March 1983, two years after the group formed. Augustyniak continues to perform with the band ...

–

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are use ...

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 ...

;Additional Musicians * John Keane – guitar *

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 ...

– backing vocals *

Fred Maher Frederick J. Maher is an American drummer, music programmer and record producer. He was a member of the bands Massacre (1980–81), the Dance, Material, Scritti Politti, and has recorded and toured with Lou Reed. In 1984 he released ''Basic'', ...

– percussion ;Technical Staff *Billy Field – assistant engineer *

Chris Lord-Alge Chris Lord-Alge is an American mix engineer. He is the brother of both Tom Lord-Alge and Jeff Lord-Alge, both of whom are also audio engineers. Chris and Tom are known for their abundant use of dynamic compression for molding mixes that play wel ...

– mixing * John Keane – producer, engineer *

– producer *

Doug Sax Doug Lionel Sax (April 26, 1936 – April 2, 2015) was an American mastering engineer from Los Angeles, California. He mastered three of The Doors' albums, including their 1967 debut; six of Pink Floyd's albums, including ''The Wall''; Ray Charles ...

– mastering *

– cover design *Mike McLaughlin – photography * Lloyd Puckett – engineer * Paul Miletti – production manager

Singles

;More Than This (U.S.) #" More Than This" #" More Than This" (Tee's Radio Edit) #"Beyond the Blue" ;More Than This (Australia) #" More Than This" #" More Than This" (Tee's Radio Edit) #"Time Turns" ;Rainy Day (Radio Promo Only) #"Rainy Day (Radio Edit)" #"Rainy Day (Album Version)"

References

Liner notes from

album: ''Love Among the Ruins''. {{Authority control 10,000 Maniacs albums 1997 albums Geffen Records albums Albums produced by Fred Maher Albums produced by John Keane (record producer)