''Never Home'' is the fourth album by singer-songwriter

Freedy Johnston Freedy Johnston (born Frederic John Fatzer in 1961) is a New York City–based singer-songwriter originally from Kinsley, Kansas. Johnston's songs are often about troubled loners, and cover topics like heartbreak, alienation, and disappointm ...

. It was released in 1997 on

Elektra Records Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the 1 ...

. Johnston credited producer Danny Kortchmar with imparting a more spontaneous, live-sounding feel to this album than its predecessor, ''

This Perfect World ''This Perfect World'' is the third album by singer-songwriter Freedy Johnston. It was released in 1994 on Elektra Records. It is an album steeped in regret and loss. The narrator of "Across the Avenue" is unable to get past the memory of seein ...

''. The leadoff track, "On the Way Out," is a wry song about shoplifting. It's a re-recorded version of a song that appeared on the soundtrack to the movie '' Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead''. (He had originally written it for the movie ''

Empire Records ''Empire Records'' is a 1995 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Allan Moyle, starring Anthony LaPaglia, Maxwell Caulfield, Debi Mazar, Rory Cochrane, Johnny Whitworth, Robin Tunney, Renée Zellweger, and Liv Tyler. The fil ...

'', but it was not accepted.) It and "One More Thing to Break" are the only two songs on the album that have much of a rock edge. "Western Sky" is about a man afraid to fly because of the death of his father in a crash. Johnston doesn't typically use events in the lives of friends as inspiration for his songs, but this is an exception. He was a little uncomfortable with the notion of having "exploited" a friend, although he noted that the friend had no problem with the song. Another highlight, "Gone to See the Fire," concerns a woman gradually working out a very disturbing secret about her boyfriend. "If It's True" wrestles with unplanned pregnancy. "Something's Out There," a fairly light song about

UFO abduction Alien abduction (also called abduction phenomenon, alien abduction syndrome, or UFO abduction) refers to the phenomenon of people reporting their experience of being kidnapped by extraterrestrial beings and subjected to physical and psychologic ...

, is a rare collaboration for Johnston. He wrote it with

Stan Lynch Stanley Joseph "Stan" Lynch (born May 21, 1955) is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. He was the original drummer for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers for 18 years until his departure in 1994. Early years Lynch was born in ...

, the album's drummer, who is best known for his work with

Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950October 2, 2017) was an American musician who was the lead vocalist and guitarist of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, formed in 1976. He previously led the band Mudcrutch, was a member of the lat ...

. Cellist

Jane Scarpantoni Jane Scarpantoni (born 1960)https://www.myheritage.com/names/jane_scarpantoni is a classically trained American cello player who has played on a number of alternative rock albums. She was a member of Hoboken, New Jersey's Tiny Lights in the mid-1 ...

, a frequent Johnston collaborator, appears on two tracks.

Track listing

All songs written by

, except where noted. #"On the Way Out" – 2:48 #"I'm Not Hypnotized" – 3:14 #"Western Sky" – 4:29 #"One More Thing to Break" – 3:42 #"He Wasn't Murdered" – 3:11 #"You Get Me Lost" – 4:31 #"Hotel Seventeen" – 3:36 #"Gone to See the Fire" – 3:12 #"Seventies Girl" – 4:05 #"If It's True" – 4:00 #"Something's Out There" (Johnston,

) – 3:31

Personnel

– vocals, guitar *

Danny Kortchmar Daniel "Danny Kootch" Kortchmar (born April 6, 1946) is an American guitarist, session musician, producer and songwriter. Kortchmar's work with singer-songwriters such as Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, David Crosby, Carole King, David Cassidy, ...

– guitar, keyboards, percussion *

Graham Maby Graham Maby (born 1 September 1952), is an English bass guitar player. He has recorded and toured with Joe Jackson since his first album, appearing on most of Jackson's albums and tours. He has continued to record and tour with Jackson even w ...

– bass *

– drums, percussion, guitar * Dave Schramm – guitar, lap steel *

– cello *

Mary Lee Kortes Mary Lee's Corvette is an American band led by Michigan-born singer-songwriter Mary Lee Kortes. The group has recorded five albums; four of which primarily feature songs written or co-written by Kortes. The band's third album, ''Blood on the Track ...

– background vocals

References

{{Authority control 1997 albums Freedy Johnston albums Albums produced by Danny Kortchmar Elektra Records albums