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Walking a Changing Line

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Walking a Changing Line
Studio album by
Iain Matthews
Released1988
GenreNew age, folk, pop
LabelWindham Hill
ProducerMark Hallman, Iain Matthews
Iain Matthews chronology
Shook
(1984) 		Walking a Changing Line
(1988) 		Nights in Manhattan
(1988)

Walking a Changing Line is an album by the English musician Iain Matthews, released in 1988.[1][2] All of its songs were written by the American musician Jules Shear. Walking a Changing Line was the first album that included vocals to be released by Windham Hill Records.[3] Matthews supported it with a North American tour.[4] He considered Walking a Changing Line to be a combination of new age, folk, and pop.[5]

Production

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The album was produced by Mark Hallman and Matthews.[6] Matthews's girlfriend had encouraged him to think about highlighting the work of Shear.[7] After reviewing around 120 Shear songs, Matthews made a list of 30 to consider, and then, with Hallman, chose 12 for the CD release.[7] Van Dyke Parks composed the music for "Only a Motion"; Osamu Kitajima (who played a koto), Fred Simon, and Patrick O'Hearn were among the musicians who worked on other tracks.[8][9] "Alive Alone" is a duet with the American musician Eliza Gilkyson.[10] "On Squirrel Hill" is about a man seeking comfort by returning to a familiar place from his past.[11]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[12]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[13]
The Great Rock Discography5/10[14]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[15]
The Philadelphia Inquirer[16]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[17]

The Philadelphia Inquirer called Walking a Changing Line "an undeniably pretty album", but noted that Matthews "doesn't bring as much feeling to the work as its perennially hoarse author."[4] The Toronto Star labeled the album "an instant classic", opining that "Shear's aching, difficult songs... are perfectly suited to Matthews's pure, steady, tenor."[18] The Washington Post said that "all the cuts, even the multitracked a cappella 'On Squirrel Hill', composed for this album, have the wistful Windham Hill house sound [and would be at home] as background music for TV's thirtysomething."[8]

The Chicago Tribune concluded that "the spare synthesizer-laden arrangements could use some of the tartness the songs have, but Matthews's voice is as sweet as ever and the lyrics brim with thoughtful yearning."[19] The Kansas City Times deemed the album one "of the better New Age offerings", noting that "Matthews has a pleasant, slightly overripe voice".[20] The Birmingham Evening Mail considered Walking a Changing Line "a long-overdue comeback."[21]

AllMusic stated, "Often, dated keyboard sounds and soporific synth preludes do become intrusive, not to mention indulgent, but it's a credit to Matthews's skill as an interpreter and Shear's brilliant songs that things never degenerate into new age mush."[12]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleLength
1."Dream Sequence" 
2."Standing Still" 
3."Except for a Tear" 
4."Following Every Finger" 
5."Alive Alone" 
6."Smell of Home" 
7."On Squirrel Hill" 
8."Shadows Break" 
9."This Fabrication" 
10."Lovers by Rote" 
11."Only a Motion" 
12."Why Fight" 

References

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  1. ^ Okamoto, David (9 February 1988). "'New Age' boundaries drifting in mainstream". St. Petersburg Times. p. 3D.
  2. ^ Novak, Ralph (10 October 1988). "Picks & Pans—Song: Walking a Changing Line". People. Vol. 30, no. 15. p. 29.
  3. ^ MacDonald, Patrick (20 May 1988). "Matthews Makes Switch, Again, from Record Exec to Performer". Tempo. The Seattle Times. p. 10.
  4. ^ a b ReDavid, Brigette (4 July 1991). "Iain Matthews Performs at Park". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. M19.
  5. ^ Wolff, Carlo (14 May 1988). "Matthews's latest LP unites folk, new age, pop music". Akron Beacon Journal. p. B4.
  6. ^ "Ian Matthews Walking a Changing Line". The Absolute Sound. Vol. 13, no. 54–57. 1988. p. 166.
  7. ^ a b DiMartino, Dave (5 March 1988). "Ian Matthews Breaks New Ground at Windham Hill". Billboard. Vol. 100, no. 10. p. 27.
  8. ^ a b Brown, Joe (13 May 1988). "Matthews Makes Gems of Jules'". Entertainment. The Washington Post. p. 24.
  9. ^ Wolff, Carlo (14 April 1988). "Records". Calendar. The Boston Globe. p. 9.
  10. ^ Albert, George (29 April 1998). "Sound". The Sentinel. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Cash Box. p. D5.
  11. ^ Boehm, Mike (11 May 1992). "Shear, Stekol: Playing for Weeps at the Coach House". Los Angeles Times. p. F2.
  12. ^ a b "Walking a Changing Line Review by Brett Hartenbach". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  13. ^ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. V. Macmillan Publishers. p. 3518.
  14. ^ Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography. Mojo Books. p. 616.
  15. ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1996. p. 442.
  16. ^ Tucker, Ken (17 March 1988). "Pop". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 6E.
  17. ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 456.
  18. ^ Quill, Greg (25 March 1988). "Walking a Changing Line Ian Matthews". Toronto Star. p. E4.
  19. ^ Heim, Chris (8 July 1988). "New Albums". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 70.
  20. ^ Hack, Greg (26 March 1988). "New Age music promises little—and delivers". The Kansas City Times. p. E11.
  21. ^ Cole, Paul (9 May 1988). "Choice Cuts". Birmingham Evening Mail. p. 15.
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