Boylan Heights (album)

{{Infobox album||||

| name = Boylan Heights

| type = studio

| artist = the Connells

| cover = Connellsboylan.png

| alt =

| released = 1987

| recorded = 1986–87

| studio = Drive-In Studio, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

| genre = Alternative rock, jangle pop

| length = 39:19

| label = TVT

| producer = Mitch Easter

| prev_title = Darker Days

| prev_year = 1985

| next_title = Fun & Games

| next_year = 1989

}}

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r4422|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic Review]

|rev2 = Chicago Tribune

|rev2score = {{rating|2.5|4}}{{cite web |title=DANCE-POP, FUNK - AND THE BLOB |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-11-13-8703250636-story.html |website=Chicago Tribune |access-date=29 March 2021}}

|rev3 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music

|rev3score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2006 |publisher=MUZE |volume=2 |page=515}}

|rev4 = MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide

|rev4score = {{rating|4.5|5}}{{cite book |title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |date=1999 |publisher=Visible Ink Press |page=265}}

|rev5 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

|rev5score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite book |title=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |date=1992 |publisher=Random House |pages=157-158}}

}}

Boylan Heights is the second album by the American pop/rock band the Connells.{{cite journal |last1=Jenkins |first1=Mark |title=A R.E.M.inder By the Connells |journal=The Washington Post |date=20 Nov 1987 |page=N21}}{{cite journal |last1=Worrell |first1=Kris |title=THE CATCHY CONNELLS POWER POP GROUP LETS THE MUSIC DO THE TALKING |journal=Daily Press |date=7 Feb 1992 |page=13}} It was released in 1987, and was their first for TVT Records.{{cite web |title=Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-connells-mn0000078741/biography |website=AllMusic |access-date=29 March 2021}} The title of the album references the historic Boylan Heights neighborhood of Raleigh, North Carolina.

Production

The album was recorded at Drive-In Studio, and was produced by Mitch Easter.{{cite book |last1=Menconi |first1=David |title=Step It Up and Go: The Story of North Carolina Popular Music, from Blind Boy Fuller and Doc Watson to Nina Simone and Superchunk |date=2020 |publisher=UNC Press Books |page=144}}

Critical reception

AllMusic praised the album as an improvement on the previous effort, noting the influences of Southern rock and Celtic rock. Trouser Press wrote that "the band has matured into a distinctive enough unit to do justice to Michael’s yearning collegiate considerations of love, war and alienation."{{cite web |title=Connells |url=https://trouserpress.com/reviews/connells/ |website=Trouser Press |access-date=29 March 2021}} MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide deemed Boylan Heights "one of the most distinctive college rock albums of the '80s." The Orlando Sentinel called it "a collection of warmly energetic and melodic rockers."{{cite web |title=Best Patrol bets |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1989-01-08-8901080175-story.html |website=Orlando Sentinel |access-date=29 March 2021}}

Track listing

All songs by Mike Connell, except "Home Today" by George Huntley.

  1. "Scotty's Lament" - 3:24
  2. "Choose A Side" - 3:44
  3. "Try" - 3:17
  4. "Just Like Us"- 3:28
  5. "If It Crumbles" - 3:43
  6. "Pawns" - 3:24
  7. "Over There" - 3:29
  8. "Elegance" - 3:40
  9. "Home Today" - 3:28
  10. "OT² (Instrumental)" - 2:52
  11. "I Suppose" - 4:50

Personnel

;The Connells

  • Doug MacMillan - lead vocals
  • Mike Connell - guitar, backing vocals
  • George Huntley - guitar, backing vocals, keyboards; lead vocals on "Home Today"
  • David Connell - bass
  • Peele Wimberley - drums

;Additional personnel

  • Mitch Easter - producer
  • Bill Spencer - trumpet
  • Angie Carlson - Hammond organ
  • Molly Leach - design
  • Lane Smith - illustration
  • Steve Wilson - photography

References