Michael Penn (born August 1, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter and composer. He is the eldest son of actor/director Leo Penn and actress Eileen Ryan, and the brother of actors Sean Penn and the late Chris Penn.
Michael Penn's debut album, "March", released in late 1989. It featured the singles "No Myth", "This and That", and "Brave New World", and proceeds through an engrossing myriad of folk-tinged ballads and up-tempo rockers. Despite several literary allusions and the ponderous title and lyrics of "Cupid's Got a Brand New Gun," on the whole, Penn doesn't take himself too seriously. "Brave New World" is an absurd Dylan-esque hodgepodge of rhyme, and "Big House" is devoted to the childhood prank of ringing doorbells, then running. The coda is "Evenfall," maybe the best '60s "frat rock" song since the '60s, with a horn section that makes you want to dance until the campus police close down the party. There's not a bad song in the bunch. "No Myth" is upbeat and catchy and somehow larger than life, yet it's got a sarcastic streak a mile wide. Ballads like "Invisible" and "Battle Room" go beyond sad into tragic, and "Evenfall" closes out the album with real style. This was one of the great records of the '90's. On the strength of "March" alone, you should own this, especially since it and "Free for All," the follow-up have both been out of print forever. "Free for All" isn't quite the album that "March" was, but it's still quite good. The only real dud is "By the Book," and although nothing on here is quite as instantly memorable as the first record, it's quite good. Whereas "March" plumbed some pretty unpleasant depths with a brave and deceptively happy face, "Free for All" just stays down there. It's dark, and at times morbid and depressing, but it's so well done that it never gets boring.
01. "No Myth" (Michael Penn) - 4:10
02. "Half Harvest" (Michael Penn) - 4:05
03. "This and That" (Michael Penn) - 3:31
04. "Brave New World" (Michael Penn) - 4:32
05. "Innocent One" (Michael Penn) - 3:16
06. "Disney's a Snow Cone, Bedlam Boys" (Michael Penn, Patrick Warren) - 5:11
07. "Invisible" (Michael Penn) - 3:45
08. "Cupid's Got a Brand New Gun" (Michael Penn) - 3:27
09. "Big House" (Michael Penn) - 2:56
10. "Battle Room" (Michael Penn) - 3:37
11. "Evenfall" (Michael Penn) - 3:54
Released: September, 1989
Recorded at: Zeitgeist Studios, Los Angeles , California
Genre: Pop, Rock
Length: 42:29
Label: RCA
Producer: Tony Berg
Personnel
Michael Penn - vocals, bass, guitar
Peter Blegvad - background vocals
Jim Keltner - drums
Jimmy Haslip - bass
Kenny Aronoff - drums
Tony Berg - guitar, keyboards
Bonnie Boyer - background vocals
David Coleman - cello, oud, daff
Lisa Coleman - keyboards
Larry Klein - bass
Wendy Melvoin - bass, guitar, drum programming
John Pierce - bass
Patrick Warren - percussion, keyboards, drum programming
Art Wood - percussion
Diane Charlemagne - background vocals
Chuckois "Safe" Sexton - guitar
Gary Ferguson - drums, percussion
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