Daniel Lanois For The Beauty Of Wynona CD

All songs written by Daniel Lanois, except "Still Learning How To Crawl" (Daniel Lanois/Daryl Johnson) and "Indian Red" (George Landry).

Superproducer Daniel Lanois took a rare turn on center stage as a performer on his second solo release, For the Beauty of Wynona. Released in 1993, the album follows his earlier release, Acadie. Unlike that album, which had some superstar appearances, For the Beauty of Wynona is a more low-key affair and has a more subtle impact. Lanois has a limited range as a vocalist, but he possesses a warmth that draws in the listener. Producing himself, Lanois also is an accomplished guitarist, although his protégé, Malcolm Burn, also adds some guitar as well as keyboards. The music is often moody and watercolored, but there are some more upbeat moments like the jaunty melody of "Sleeping in the Devil's Bed," which has a country feel, and the single "Lotta Love to Give," which is wispy but anchored by twang guitar and has a catchy chorus and serrated guitar solo. For the Beauty of Wynona is not an immediately striking album but rather one that slowly grows on the listener. It also proves that Lanois has something to say on his own. ~ Tom Demalon

Sean Devitt (drum programming).

Live Recording

Recorded at Real World, Bath, England; TakLab, Paris, France; Dog Town, Dublin, Ireland; Grant Avenue, Canada; Kingsway, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Personnel: Daniel Lanois (guitar); Darryl Johnson (vocals, drums, percussion); Bill Dillon (guitar, mandolin); Malcolm Burn (guitar, keyboards); Nicholas Payton (trumpet); Ronald Jones (drums).

Recording information: Dog Town Dublin; Grant Avenue Studios, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Kingsway Studio, New Orleans, LA; Real World Studios, Bath, Somerset, England; Taklab Paris.

Photographers: Jim Merrill; Jan Saudek; Stephanie Chernikowski; Bob Lanois.

Personnel: Daniel Lanois (vocals, guitar); Bill Dillon (guitar, guitorgan, mandolin); Malcolm Burn (keyboards, guitar); Daryl Johnson (bass, percussion, background vocals, drums); Ronald Jones (drums).

Additional personnel: Nicholas Payton (trumpet); Emanual del Casal (bass);

Entertainment Weekly (4/2/93, p.52) - "...has the hypnotic power of a slow-burning candle....Lanois folds Indian, Middle Eastern, and African flavors into folk and laid-back, bluesy rock..." - Rating: B
Q (5/93, p.96) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...captures the power of love and pain in a rough world..."
Down Beat (5/93, pp.46-47) - 4 Stars - Very Good - "...a sonic marvel....the voice is so present and riveting, the heavily treated guitars burst through the mix with the urgency of a sniper attack, the rhythms are huge and mesmerizing, and the hooks are ever-present..."