Protect the Innocent (Rachel Sweet album)
{{Infobox album
| name = Protect the Innocent
| type = studio
| artist = Rachel Sweet
| cover = Rachel Sweet Protect the Innocent.jpg
| border = yes
| alt =
| released = {{start date|1980|02|15}}
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio = {{hlist|Morgan (London)|Rushent's Mansion (Streatley)|T.W. (London)}}
| genre = New wave
| length = {{duration|m=36|s=13}}
| label = {{hlist|Stiff|Columbia}}
| producer = {{hlist|Martin Rushent|Alan Winstanley}}
| prev_title = Fool Around
| prev_year = 1978
| next_title = ...And Then He Kissed Me
| next_year = 1981
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Protect the Innocent
| type = studio
| single1 = Baby, Let's Play House
| single1date = November 1979{{cite book|editor-last=Thomson|editor-first=Liz|chapter=Rachel Sweet|title=New Women in Rock|publisher=Delilah/Putnam|year=1982|isbn=0-399-41003-1|page=96}}
| single2 = Fool's Gold
| single3 = Lovers' Lane
| single3date = 1980{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1980/BB-1980-04-12.pdf|title=Rachel Sweet: Lovers' Lane|magazine=Billboard|volume=92|issue=15|date=April 12, 1980|access-date=May 3, 2021|page=54|via=World Radio History}}
| single4 = Spellbound
| single4date = 1980{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1980/BB-1980-05-17.pdf|title=Rachel Sweet: Spellbound|magazine=Billboard|volume=92|issue=20|date=May 17, 1980|access-date=May 3, 2021|page=68|via=World Radio History}}
}}
}}
Protect the Innocent is the second album by American singer Rachel Sweet. It was released on February 15, 1980, and was issued by Stiff Records and Columbia Records.{{cite magazine|title=Releases|magazine=Record Mirror|date=February 16, 1980|page=5}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Fool Around: The Best of Rachel Sweet|others=Rachel Sweet|publisher=Rhino Records|year=1992|id=R2 70313|type=liner notes}} The album was produced by Martin Rushent and Alan Winstanley, with the latter also handling engineering.{{cite AV media notes|title=Protect the Innocent|others=Rachel Sweet|publisher=Stiff Records / Columbia Records|year=1980|id=JC 36337|type=liner notes}}
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|last=Deming|first=Mark|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/protect-the-innocent-mw0000542687|title=Protect the Innocent – Rachel Sweet|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=December 6, 2020}}
| rev2 = Christgau's Record Guide
| rev2score = C+{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|chapter=Rachel Sweet: Protect the Innocent|chapter-url=https://robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=8465|access-date=December 6, 2020|title=Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s|title-link=Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s|publisher=Pantheon Books|year=1990|isbn=0-679-73015-X|page=393}}
| rev3 = Record Mirror
| rev3score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Ludgate|first=Simon|title=Sweet Dull Music|magazine=Record Mirror|date=February 23, 1980|page=14}}
| rev4 = Smash Hits
| rev4score = 7/10{{cite magazine|last=Starr|first=Red|title=Albums|magazine=Smash Hits|volume=2|issue=5|date=March 6–19, 1980|pages=30–31}}
}}
In a 1980 review, Billboard noted the "good production and musicianship" on Protect the Innocent and found that the album shows that Sweet "has possibilities beyond the new wave audience."{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1980/BB-1980-03-08.pdf|title=Rachel Sweet: Protect the Innocent|magazine=Billboard|volume=92|issue=10|date=March 8, 1980|access-date=May 31, 2020|page=55|via=World Radio History}} Critic Robert Christgau likened her to "a new-wave Linda Ronstadt" and was less receptive, citing Sweet's self-penned "Tonight Ricky" as the album's only interesting song.
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = Side one
| title1 = Tonight
| writer1 = {{hlist|Rachel Sweet|Graham Edwards}}
| length1 = 3:10
| title2 = Jealous
| writer2 = Jo Allen
| length2 = 2:45
| title3 = I've Got a Reason
| writer3 = Moon Martin
| length3 = 2:53
| title4 = New Age
| writer4 = Lou Reed
| length4 = 4:14
| title5 = Baby, Let's Play House
| writer5 = Arthur Gunter
| length5 = 1:59
| title6 = New Rose
| writer6 = Brian James
| length6 = 2:14
| total_length = 17:15
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Side two
| title1 = Fool's Gold
| writer1 = Graham Parker
| length1 = 3:02
| title2 = Take Good Care of Me
| writer2 = {{hlist|Sweet|Steve Everitt}}
| length2 = 2:46
| title3 = Spellbound
| writer3 = Jimme O'Neill
| length3 = 3:20
| title4 = Lovers' Lane
| writer4 = Sweet
| length4 = 3:33
| title5 = Foul Play
| writer5 = {{hlist|Gary Sulsh|Stuart Leathwood}}
| length5 = 2:59
| title6 = Tonight Ricky
| writer6 = Sweet
| length6 = 3:18
| total_length = 18:58
}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
!scope="col"| Chart (1980) !scope="col"| Peak |
| scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report){{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|publisher=Australian Chart Book|edition=illustrated|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=302}}
|style="text-align:center;"| 91 |
|---|
| {{Album chart|Canada|77|chartid=0149b|access-date=December 6, 2020|rowheader=true}} |
| {{Album chart|Billboard200|123|M|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/1980-04-19|title=Billboard 200|work=Billboard|date=April 19, 1980|access-date=December 6, 2020|rowheader=true}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs master|106000|Protect the Innocent}}
- {{MusicBrainz release group|mbid=a9a44a27-a638-3154-9f61-96a9cdea0d64|name=Protect the Innocent}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Albums produced by Martin Rushent
Category:Albums produced by Alan Winstanley