Love Stinks (album)

Summary

Love Stinks is the ninth studio album by American rock band the J. Geils Band. The album was released on January 28, 1980, by EMI Records.

Love Stinks
Studio album by
ReleasedJanuary 28, 1980
Recorded1979
StudioLong View Farm, North Brookfield, Massachusetts
Genre
Length37:34
LabelEMI
ProducerSeth Justman
The J. Geils Band chronology
Best of the J. Geils Band
(1979)
Love Stinks
(1980)
Freeze Frame
(1981)
Singles from Love Stinks
  1. "Come Back b/w "Takin' You Down"
    Released: 1980
  2. "Love Stinks b/w "Till the Walls Come Tumblin' Down"
    Released: 1980
  3. "Just Can't Wait b/w "No Anchovies, Please"
    Released: 1980

The title song, "Love Stinks", is a rant against unrequited love. It has been covered by industrial metal band Bile, by Andru Branch in the film Love Stinks, Joan Jett in the film Mr. Wrong and Adam Sandler in the film The Wedding Singer.

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [2]
Robert ChristgauC+[4]
Record Mirror     [3]
Rolling Stone(mixed)[5]

Cash Box said that the single "Just Can't Wait" has "earthy old wave rock guitar riffing, with a souped up synthesized farfisa organ sound."[6] Record World called it "certified boogie music with a hook that will grab summer listeners."[7]

Track listing edit

All songs written by Peter Wolf and Seth Justman, except where noted.

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Just Can't Wait" 3:24
2."Come Back" 5:11
3."Takin' You Down" 4:05
4."Night Time"Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein, Richard Gottehrer4:31
5."No Anchovies, Please" 2:41
Side two
No.TitleLength
6."Love Stinks"3:44
7."Tryin' Not to Think About It"6:22
8."Desire (Please Don't Turn Away)"3:35
9."Till the Walls Come Tumblin' Down"4:01

Personnel edit

Production edit

  • Producer: Seth Justman
  • Engineer: David Thoener
  • Mixing: David Thoener
  • Mastering: Joe Brescio
  • Studio assistant: Jesse Henderson
  • Arranger: Seth Justman
  • Art direction: Carin Goldberg
  • Design: Carin Goldberg, Mark Handel
  • Photography: Cadence Industries Corp.

Charts edit

Album

Chart (1980) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[8] 18
Australian (Kent Music Report)[9]
43

Singles

Year Single Chart Position
1980 "Come Back US Pop Singles[10]
32
1980 "Come Back" US Club Play Singles[11]
69
1980 "Just Can't Wait" US Pop Singles[10]
78
1980 "Love Stinks" US Pop Singles[10]
38

References edit

  1. ^ Rolling Stone Staff (November 11, 2020). "The 80 Greatest Albums of 1980". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 30, 2023. The Geils gang kicked down the door into the Eighties with a surprise New Wave makeover for Boston's finest blues-rock party monsters.
  2. ^ John Franck. "Love Stinks - J. Geils Band". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  3. ^ Nicholls, Mike (15 March 1980). "The J Geils Band: Love Stinks". Record Mirror. p. 23.
  4. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Love Stinks". Robert Christgau.
  5. ^ Ed Levine (1980-04-03). "J. Geils Band: Love Stinks". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2008-02-22. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  6. ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. July 12, 1980. p. 11. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  7. ^ "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. July 19, 1980. p. 15. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
  8. ^ "The J Geils Band Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  9. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 122. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  10. ^ a b c "The J. Geils Band Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  11. ^ "The J. Geils Band Chart History: Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Retrieved September 8, 2020.