Smoking in the Fields is an album by the American rock band the Del Fuegos, released in 1989.[2][3] It was the band's final album.[4][5]

The album peaked at No. 139 on the Billboard 200.[6] Its first single was "Move with Me Sister".[7] The Del Fuegos supported the album by touring with James McMurtry.[8]

Production

Smoking in the Fields was produced by Dave Thoener.[9] It was made without original members Woody Giessmann and Warren Zanes, who had left the band.[10] Magic Dick and Rick Danko made guest appearances.[11] The album was recorded in Woodstock, New York, from a pool of around 30 songs.[7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[12]
Robert Christgau	C+[13]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[9]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide	[10]

Trouser Press wrote: "Secret weapon harp demon Magic Dick ... sends out waves of soulful moaning on some of the songs as horns and tasteful strings gussy up others; the lively variety show of smoking R&B, Stonesy guitar rock, rugged pop and whiskey-scarred soul ... scores on all four fronts."[14] Robert Christgau deemed the album "clubland nostalgia."[13] The Los Angeles Times determined that "the raw rock attack of the band's early days is back," and labeled the album "their richest and most varied."[15]

The Washington Post called "I'm Inside You" a "dire carnal-love ballad."[16] The Boston Globe considered Smoking in the Fields to be "a hard-rock triumph."[17] The Toronto Star concluded that "at their worst ('Down In Allen's Mills'), Del Fuegos sound like earnest Mellencamp imitators."[18] The Times lamented that "Dan Zanes has forsaken the slobbish, neo-Tom Waits drawl that used to make his singing so wondrously heroic."[19]

AllMusic wrote that "Zanes is in fine form with ragged voice throughout, yet this album remains a blueprint for how these generally well-written tunes probably sounded live in a smoky club, the band's natural habitat."[12]

Track listing

References