99 Cent Dreams

by Eli "Paperboy" Reed

Overview

Eli "Paperboy" Reed emphasized how his 2016 album My Way Home brought him back to his roots, underscoring the point with its very title. 99 Cent Dreams, its 2019 sequel, proves how true that assessment was. Working once again for Yep Roc, Reed stays focused on retro sounds and vintage vibes, drawing deeply from the Southern-fried sounds of Memphis but adding some sick uptown grooves reminiscent of both the Windy City and the Motor City. A former hotshot guitar slinger, Reed reins in his solos throughout 99 Cent Dreams, pushing song, and especially sound, to the forefront. He's particularly unapologetic about his pining for the past, making a direct allusion to Curtis Mayfield & the Impressions' "People Get Ready" on "Coulda Had This" and otherwise playing upon shared memories of classic soul from the days before disco. Reed has a knack for easy-gliding melodies and the smarts to keep his songs tight -- nearly half of the album clocks in at under three minutes -- which helps keep 99 Cent Dreams cooking at a steady simmer even when it veers a little bit toward the tidy. Perhaps that's the inevitable byproduct of adhering too closely to the past -- everything winds up falling into its right place, with no allowance for accidents -- but even with this slight airless tendency, 99 Cent Dreams does deliver some potent throwback thrills. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	04/12/2019
Label:	Yep Roc
UPC:	0634457264014
Rank:	101857

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Eli "Paperboy" Reed   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Ken Coomer   Drums,Percussion
Sam Hutchins   Vocal Harmony
Marc Franklin   Trumpet
Kirk Smothers   Sax (Baritone)
Art Edmaiston   Sax (Tenor)
Jay B. Flatt   Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Michael Montgomery   Bass,Vocals (Background)
Robert Tex Wrightsil   Vocal Harmony
Harold Thomas   Vocal Harmony

Technical Credits

Jonathan Pines   Mastering
Matt Denham   Studio Assistant
Buddy Miller   Composer
Lee Barnes   Composer
Nathan Golub   Design
Matt Ross-Spang   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Eli Husock   Composer
Ryan Spraker   Composer
Wesley Graham   Assistant Engineer
Aaron Frazer   Composer
Ben Pirani   Composer
Pete Voelker   Photography