''New Connection'' is the fifth album by the American musician

Todd Snider Todd Daniel Snider (born October 11, 1966) is an American singer-songwriter whose music incorporates elements of folk, rock, blues, alt country, and funk. Early career Todd Snider was born in Portland, Oregon, but was raised in nearby Beave ...

, released in 2002 on

Oh Boy Records Oh Boy Records is an independent American record label founded in 1981 by singer John Prine, his manager Al Bunetta, and their friend Dan Einstein. The label has released more than 40 audio and video recordings by singer-songwriters Prine, Kris ...

. Snider supported the album with a North American tour.

Production

Recorded at Home Depot Studios, in Nashville, the album was produced by R.S. Field. Snider wrote 30 songs for ''New Connection''. He delegated most of the music to his producer and the musicians.

Kim Richey Kimberly Richey (born December 1, 1956) is an American singer and songwriter. Career Kim Richey came onto the music scene in the 1990s and entered her first recording contract at the age of 37. Kim signed with Mercury Nashville. She spent the n ...

provided backing vocals.

Will Kimbrough William Adams Kimbrough (born May 1, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer based in Nashville, Tennessee. Biography Kimbrough was born in Mobile, Alabama, and started his musical career as a founding membe ...

played guitar. "Crooked Piece of Time" was written by

John Prine John Edward Prine (; October 10, 1946 – April 7, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. He was active as a composer, recording artist, live performer, and occasional actor from the early 1970s until his death. He ...

, who duetted with Snider. "Waco Moon" is a tribute to

Eddy Shaver John Edwin "Eddy" Shaver (June 20, 1962 - December 31, 2000) was an American country-rock guitar virtuoso, arranger, and songwriter. Biography The son of country artist Billy Joe Shaver, Eddy learned to play guitar at an early age, tutored by Allm ...

. "Vinyl Records" is about Snider's ever-expanding music collection. "Rose City" was inspired by Snider's

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

childhood. "Close Enough to You" and "Easy" are love songs.

Critical reception

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...

'' wrote: "Like his pile of records, Snider's ''New Connection'' is full of good listening and unlikely combinations." The ''

Hartford Courant The ''Hartford Courant'' is the largest daily newspaper in the U.S. state of Connecticut, and is considered to be the oldest continuously published newspaper in the United States. A morning newspaper serving most of the state north of New Haven ...

'' called the album "a cozy country-folk collection that nicely combines heartbreak, boozy tales and a few deep thoughts on life." ''

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 ...

'' considered the album to be "full of his typically ingratiating blend of smart-aleck wit and sensitive heart." The ''

Dayton Daily News The ''Dayton Daily News'' (''DDN'') is a daily newspaper published in Dayton, Ohio, United States. It is owned by Cox Enterprises, Inc., a privately held global conglomerate headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, with approximately ...

'' wrote that the album "features some of the same sorts of trenchant insight and dark comedy that make Prine songs remarkable." ''

The Post and Courier ''The Post and Courier'' is the main daily newspaper in Charleston, South Carolina. It traces its ancestry to three newspapers, the ''Charleston Courier'', founded in 1803, the ''Charleston Daily News'', founded 1865, and ''The Evening Post'', f ...

'' panned Snider's delivery, writing that "at times he almost sounds like he's dozing off at the microphone." ''

The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...

'' determined that "Snider is an original voice that pop fans should pay more attention to."

Track listing

References

{{reflist Todd Snider albums 2002 albums Oh Boy Records albums