Queen of the Minor Key

Queen of the Minor Key
Studio album by
Eilen Jewell
ReleasedJune 28, 2011 (2011-06-28)[1]
Studio
  • Middleville Studios[2]
GenreCountry, Blues, Rockabilly[3]
Length37:58
LabelSignature Sounds
ProducerEilen Jewell and her band[2]
Eilen Jewell chronology
Butcher Holler: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn
(2010) 		Queen of the Minor Key
(2011) 		Live at The Narrows
(2014)

Queen of the Minor Key is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Eilen Jewell. Produced by Jewell and her band, it was released on June 28, 2011 through Signature Sounds. The album received good reviews, with Hal Horowitz of American Songwriter writing "Albums this impressive don’t come along often", and remarking that its "mix of sweet/sultry Southern country, swampy soul, ominous rockabilly and jazz-tinged surf is as intoxicating as it is stylish, delivered with the offhand grace, low-key charm and hazy noir intentions exuded in the finest ‘60s foreign films".[4][5][6]

Background

The album title references one of the two main key modes found in most Western popular music. Cultural traditions in such music often see use of major key compositions during celebrations and generally happy events, while minor key compositions are associated with funerals, sadness, and darkness.[7] Before performing a show in Boston, Jewell was introduced to patrons by a fellow musician who, remarking on her penchant for writing songs in minor key, dubbed her "The Queen of the Minor Key".[8] In a 2018 interview, Jewell declared her affinity, saying "I love the spookiness of the minor key. It has a way of drawing me in every time. I don’t know what it is about it…something about dropping that third a half step. Somehow, to my ear, it sounds heavier than the major key, more mysterious and yet more down to earth at the same time."[9] The album's title cut has the singer's mother being told about her expected daughter, "Instead of riches and finery/She'll have a wealth of sad songs and whiskey" and live to become the queen of the minor key.[10][11]

Jewell spent time living in a remote cabin without electricity or running water in her native Idaho to write the lyrics for Queen of the Minor Key.[10] She also wrote songs for guest vocalists, which she hadn't done for her previous albums, including writing "Over Again" for Zoe Muth and "Long Road" for rockabilly bandleader Big Sandy.[12]

Track listing

All songs by Eilen Jewell.[2][13]

  1. Radio City - 1:36
  2. I Remember You - 3:51
  3. Queen of the Minor Key - 2:03
  4. That's Where I'm Going - 2:14
  5. Santa Fe - 4:32
  6. Warning Signs - 2:32
  7. Reckless - 2:07
  8. Over Again - 4:02
  9. Bang Bang Bang - 1:45
  10. Hooked - 2:26
  11. Only One - 3:45
  12. Long Road - 2:51
  13. Home to Me - 2:55
  14. Kalimotxo - 1:19

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[2]

Musicians

  • Eilen Jewell – vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica
  • Jason Beek – vocals, drums, percussion
  • Jerry Miller – acoustic, electric, and pedal steel guitars
  • Johnny Sciascia – upright bass
  • Big Sandy – vocals
  • Rich Dubois – fiddle
  • Zoe Muth – vocals
  • David Sholl – tenor and baritone saxophones
  • Tom West – organ

Production

  • Eilen Jewell and her band – producer
  • Chris Rival – engineering, mixing
  • John Sciascia – mastering
  • Erik Jacobs – photography

References

  1. ^ "Queen of the Minor Key - Eilen Jewell". AllMusic. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  2. ^ a b c d Queen of the Minor Key (CD digipak). Signature Sounds Recordings. 2011. SIG-CD-2039.
  3. ^ "Queen of the Minor Key". Apple Music. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  4. ^ Horowitz, Hal (February 5, 2013). "Eilen Jewell: Queen Of The Minor Key". American Songwriter. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  5. ^ Longley, Martin (2011). "Eilen Jewell Queen of the Minor Key Review". BBC. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  6. ^ "Eilen Jewell's Queen of the Minor Key Album Debuts on Billboard Folk Chart". Gretsch Guitars News. July 11, 2011. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  7. ^ Williamson, Vicky (February 14, 2013). "The Science Of Music – Why Do Songs In A Minor Key Sound Sad?". NME.com. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  8. ^ "Dialogue | Singer/Songwriter Eilen Jewell | Season 2014 | Episode 17" (video). pbs.org. Interviewed by Marcia Franklin. Idaho Public Television. December 26, 2014. Event occurs at 24:50.
  9. ^ Schlansky, Evan (October 18, 2018). "Eilen Jewell". American Songwriter. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  10. ^ a b Horowitz, Steve (June 26, 2011). "Eilen Jewell: Queen of the Minor Key". Pop Matters. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  11. ^ "Queen of the Minor Key - Eilen Jewell: Song Lyrics, Music Videos & Concerts". Shazam. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  12. ^ Baker, Brian (July 2011). "Eilen Jewell gives country the royal treatment on "Queen of the Minor Key"". Country Standard Time. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  13. ^ "Eilen Jewell – Queen Of The Minor Key". Discogs. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.