''Songs for the Daily Planet'' is the 1994 debut album of American

alternative country Alternative country, or alternative country rock (sometimes alt-country, insurgent country, Americana, or y'allternative), is a loosely defined subgenre of country music and/or country rock that includes acts that differ significantly in style ...

artist Todd Snider. It was released in 1994 via

MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group. Pre-history MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 wit ...

Content

The album contains 12 songs, all written or co-written by Snider. "Talkin' Seattle Grunge Rock Blues", a

hidden track In the field of recorded music, a hidden track (sometimes called a ghost track, secret track or unlisted track) is a song or a piece of audio that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, LP record, or other recorded medium, in such a way as t ...

on the album, was a minor radio hit.

Mark Chesnutt Mark Nelson Chesnutt (born September 6, 1963) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Between 1990 and 1999, he had his greatest chart success recording for Universal Music Group Nashville's MCA and Decca branches, with a total of ei ...

covered "Trouble" on his 1995 album '' Wings'', and Gary Allan covered "Alright Guy" on his 2001 album ''

Alright Guy ''Alright Guy'' is the fourth studio album by American country music singer Gary Allan. It was released in October 2001 via MCA Records Nashville. It produced three singles. The album's first single, "Man of Me", reached number 18 on the US '' Bi ...

'', both of which were also produced by Tony Brown.

Critical reception

Jack Leaver 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 ...

wrote that it was "A rootsy record that combines country and folk elements with a genuine rock & roll sensibility", rating the album 4.5 out of 5 stars. Dan Kening of 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 ...

'' rated it 3.5 out of 4 stars, comparing Snider's sound to Billy Joe Shaver and

Steve Earle Stephen Fain Earle (; born January 17, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, author, and actor. Earle began his career as a songwriter in Nashville and released his first EP in 1982. Initially working in the country music g ...

while noting "deft lyrical insights" on songs such as "This Land Is Our Land" and "You Think You Know Somebody". Rating it "A−", Bob Cannon of ''

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 ...

'' compared Snider's sound to R&B music and

Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originat ...

, while noting that "You Think You Know Somebody" was "movingthe last thing you'd expect from a wiseass."

Track listing

All songs written by Todd Snider except where noted. #"My Generation (Part 2)" - 3:09 #"Easy Money" - 5:16 #"That Was Me" - 3:15 #"This Land Is Our Land" - 4:31 #"Alright Guy" - 4:30 #"I Spoke as a Child" - 4:16 #"Turn It Up" - 4:31 #"

Trouble Trouble may refer to: Film and television * ''Trouble'' (1922 film), an American silent comedy-drama film directed by Albert Austin * ''Trouble'' (1933 film), a British comedy film * ''Trouble'' (1977 film), a Soviet drama film * ''Trouble'' ...

" - 3:42 #"Alot More" - 4:52 #"You Think You Know Somebody" - 4:26 #"Somebody's Coming" (Snider, Mark Marchetti, Shannon Hills) - 4:05 #"Joe's Blues" (Snider, Joe Mariencheck) - 8:43 #*includes

"Talkin' Seattle Grunge Rock Blues"

Personnel

Compiled from liner notes. ;Musicians *

Marshall Chapman Marshall Chapman (born January 7, 1949) is an American singer-songwriter and author. Biography Early life Marshall Chapman was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States. She was the daughter of a cotton mill owner. After she attended ...

- background vocals * Ashley Cleveland - background vocals *Peter Hyrka - violin, mandolin, acoustic guitar, squeeze box, finger snaps *

Doug Lancio Doug Lancio is a guitarist and record producer, based in Nashville, Tennessee. He has worked with a wide range of artists including John Hiatt, Nanci Griffith, Patty Griffin and Bob Dylan. Biography Questionnaires Lancio was a member of the 1980 ...

- additional electric guitar on "This Land Is Our Land" *Tom Littlefield - background vocals *Mark "Hoot" Marchetti - finger snaps, vibraphone *Joe Mariencheck - bass guitar, finger snaps, background vocals *Joe McLeary - drums * Terry McMillan - percussion * Edgar Meyer - double bass * Eddy Shaver - electric guitar *Todd Snider - vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica *

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 ...

- background vocals * Michael Utley - piano, organ ;Technical *

Chuck Ainlay Chuck Ainlay is an American record producer and audio engineer. He has worked with Mark Knopfler on much of Knopfler's solo work, in addition to some Dire Straits material. He has 4 Grammy Awards and 5 nominations. Along with Knopfler and Bob Ludw ...

- overdubbing * Tony Brown - production *Jim Demain - overdubbing *Richard Dodd - overdubbing, mixing *Lee Groitzsch - recording *Steve Hall - mastering *Roger Nichols - recording, overdubbing *Steven B. Schnoor - engineering *Brian Tankersley - recording *John Thomas II - engineering *Michael Utley - production

References

{{Authority control 1994 debut albums Todd Snider albums MCA Records albums Albums produced by Tony Brown (record producer) Albums produced by Michael Utley