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Old Wives' Tales is an album by the American musician Exene Cervenka, released in 1989.[2][3] Cervenka told the Los Angeles Times that she considered the album to be "for and about women."[4]

Old Wives' Tales
Studio album by Exene Cervenka
Released	1989
Genre	Folk, folk rock
Label	Rhino Records[1]
Producer	Tony Gilkyson
Exene Cervenka chronology
Old Wives' Tales (1989) Running Sacred (1990)

"He's Got a She" peaked at No. 17 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart.[5] Cervenka promoted the album by touring with the Oyster Band.[6]

Production

The album was produced by the former X guitarist Tony Gilkyson.[7] Unlike in X, Cervenka contributed to both the album's music and lyrics; Cervenka had to reacquaint herself with playing the guitar.[4][8] The songs were written in northern Idaho.[9]

"Gravel" and "Famous Barmaid" include poetry recitations.[10] Gilkyson's sister, Eliza, provided backing vocals on the album.[11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[12]
Chicago Tribune	[10]
Robert Christgau	B[13]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[1]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide	[14]
Orlando Sentinel	[15]
Ottawa Citizen	[7]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[16]

The Chicago Reader called the album "a surpassingly melodic manifesto on what can only be called post-postpunk feminism and romanticism."[17] The New York Times thought that "as in X, Ms. Cervenka's lyrics conjure an American panorama of prosaic hopes and romantic friction."[18] The Globe and Mail wrote that it is the "casual musical eclecticism, along with Exene's ability to toss off lines like 'She believes in a God who's all thumbs,' that make Old Wives' Tales interesting."[19]

Robert Christgau stated: "Always a notebook-toter, she goes for the roots and poetry you'd expect—in other words, folk-rock."[13] Trouser Press determined that "the tasteful and varied mixture of folk, country, recitation and sturdy rock isn’t that great a stylistic leap from the essence of X."[20] The Orlando Sentinel concluded that if Cervenka "didn't have a punk-rock past, her solo debut might win her a place among country-Western New Traditionalists such as Lyle Lovett and K.D. Lang."[15] The Toronto Star opined that while Cervenka "doggedly wrestles with the empty romance of poverty-stricken America," the album "comes replete with suspect vocals and arrangements."[21]

AllMusic called Old Wives' Tales "a charming, timeless album of mostly quiet, quirky folk music."[12] The Rolling Stone Album Guide deemed the songs "wordy and pretentious."[16]

Track listing

References

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