Name: To The Limit by Joan Armatrading
Brand: Joan Armatrading
SKU: 602435235370
Price: 9.9 USD
Availability: OnlineOnly
Rating: 3.5 (70 reviews)

ALBUM

To the Limit is a more fitting follow-up to the self-titled Joan Armatrading, as it returns to that album's catchy melodies and fully fleshed-out arrangements. Again, the backing band is almost entirely new to Armatrading, retaining only the rhythm section of Dave Markee and Henry Spinetti from past efforts, but instead of sounding tentative, the band infuses the material with bright and natural music. Although the record doesn't contain any hits -- "Barefoot and Pregnant" and "Bottom to the Top" were the singles -- it doesn't suffer from the dips in mood and quality that made Show Some Emotion less than satisfying. Nothing on To the Limit is obvious filler, and the intelligent track placement -- alternating ballads and rockers -- gives the songs a chance to develop their own identities. Picking the best tracks on this album is sure to be a matter of taste; fans of Armatrading's ballads will enjoy "Your Letter" and "Baby I," those enamored of her island melodies will find them on "Barefoot and Pregnant" and the reggae-styled "Bottom to the Top," and anyone looking for crossovers into blues and jazz can turn to "Am I Blue for You" and "You Rope You Tie Me." The only knock on this album is that it lacks a real standout song like a "Willow" or "Love and Affection" -- nothing on To the Limit is great, but nearly everything is good. One could make a case for something as contagiously catchy as "Taking My Baby up Town," but even that falls shy of her most enduring singles. For this reason, To the Limit is rarely represented come compilation time. Ironically, it's one of her better albums, a good bet for fans who enjoyed her eponymous effort and aren't ready to jump into the rock sound of subsequent albums. ~ Dave Connolly

1. Barefoot And Pregnant

by Joan Armatrading

Accordion: Dick Sims; Performer
Composer: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Acoustic Guitar: Joan Armatrading; Performer
Bass Guitar: Dave Markee; Performer
Drums: Henry Spinetti; Performer
Electric Guitar: Phil Palmer; Performer
Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Engineer: Glyn Johns; Production
Bass Guitar: Dave Markee; Performer
Flute: Quitman Dennis; Performer
Organ: Dick Sims; Performer
Producer: Glyn Johns; Production
Primary Artist: Joan Armatrading; Main Performer
Performer: Joan Armatrading
Red Young
Phil Palmer
Quitman Dennis
Dave Markee
Dick Sims
Henry Spinetti; Performer
Piano: Red Young; Performer
Saxophone: Quitman Dennis; Performer
Vocals: Joan Armatrading; Performer
Studio Personnel: Glyn Johns; Production
Composer Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Other

2. Your Letter

by Joan Armatrading

Primary Artist: Joan Armatrading; Main Performer
Composer: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Producer: Glyn Johns; Production
Composer Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Other

3. Am I Blue For You

by Joan Armatrading

Accordion: Dick Sims; Performer
Composer: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Acoustic Guitar: Joan Armatrading; Performer
Bass Guitar: Dave Markee; Performer
Drums: Henry Spinetti; Performer
Electric Guitar: Phil Palmer; Performer
Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Engineer: Glyn Johns; Production
Bass Guitar: Dave Markee; Performer
Flute: Quitman Dennis; Performer
Organ: Dick Sims; Performer
Producer: Glyn Johns; Production
Primary Artist: Joan Armatrading; Main Performer
Performer: Joan Armatrading
Red Young
Phil Palmer
Quitman Dennis
Dave Markee
Dick Sims
Henry Spinetti; Performer
Piano: Red Young; Performer
Saxophone: Quitman Dennis; Performer
Vocals: Joan Armatrading; Performer
Studio Personnel: Glyn Johns; Production
Composer Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Other

4. You Rope You Tie Me

by Joan Armatrading

Primary Artist: Joan Armatrading; Main Performer
Composer: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Producer: Glyn Johns; Production
Composer Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Other

5. Baby I

by Joan Armatrading

Accordion: Dick Sims; Performer
Composer: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Acoustic Guitar: Joan Armatrading; Performer
Bass Guitar: Dave Markee; Performer
Drums: Henry Spinetti; Performer
Electric Guitar: Phil Palmer; Performer
Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Engineer: Glyn Johns; Production
Bass Guitar: Dave Markee; Performer
Flute: Quitman Dennis; Performer
Organ: Dick Sims; Performer
Producer: Glyn Johns; Production
Primary Artist: Joan Armatrading; Main Performer
Performer: Joan Armatrading
Red Young
Phil Palmer
Quitman Dennis
Dave Markee
Dick Sims
Henry Spinetti; Performer
Piano: Red Young; Performer
Saxophone: Quitman Dennis; Performer
Vocals: Joan Armatrading; Performer
Studio Personnel: Glyn Johns; Production
Composer Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Other

6. Bottom To The Top

by Joan Armatrading

Primary Artist: Joan Armatrading; Main Performer
Composer: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Producer: Glyn Johns; Production
Composer Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Other

7. Taking My Baby Up Town

by Joan Armatrading

Accordion: Dick Sims; Performer
Composer: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Acoustic Guitar: Joan Armatrading; Performer
Bass Guitar: Dave Markee; Performer
Drums: Henry Spinetti; Performer
Electric Guitar: Phil Palmer; Performer
Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Engineer: Glyn Johns; Production
Bass Guitar: Dave Markee; Performer
Flute: Quitman Dennis; Performer
Organ: Dick Sims; Performer
Producer: Glyn Johns; Production
Primary Artist: Joan Armatrading; Main Performer
Performer: Joan Armatrading
Red Young
Phil Palmer
Quitman Dennis
Dave Markee
Dick Sims
Henry Spinetti; Performer
Piano: Red Young; Performer
Saxophone: Quitman Dennis; Performer
Vocals: Joan Armatrading; Performer
Studio Personnel: Glyn Johns; Production
Composer Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Other

8. What Do You Want?

by Joan Armatrading

Accordion: Dick Sims; Performer
Composer: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Acoustic Guitar: Joan Armatrading; Performer
Bass Guitar: Dave Markee; Performer
Drums: Henry Spinetti; Performer
Electric Guitar: Phil Palmer; Performer
Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Engineer: Glyn Johns; Production
Bass Guitar: Dave Markee; Performer
Flute: Quitman Dennis; Performer
Organ: Dick Sims; Performer
Producer: Glyn Johns; Production
Primary Artist: Joan Armatrading; Main Performer
Performer: Joan Armatrading
Red Young
Phil Palmer
Quitman Dennis
Dave Markee
Dick Sims
Henry Spinetti; Performer
Piano: Red Young; Performer
Saxophone: Quitman Dennis; Performer
Vocals: Joan Armatrading; Performer
Studio Personnel: Glyn Johns; Production
Composer Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Other

9. Wishing

by Joan Armatrading

Accordion: Dick Sims; Performer
Composer: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Acoustic Guitar: Joan Armatrading; Performer
Bass Guitar: Dave Markee; Performer
Drums: Henry Spinetti; Performer
Electric Guitar: Phil Palmer; Performer
Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Engineer: Glyn Johns; Production
Bass Guitar: Dave Markee; Performer
Flute: Quitman Dennis; Performer
Organ: Dick Sims; Performer
Producer: Glyn Johns; Production
Primary Artist: Joan Armatrading; Main Performer
Performer: Joan Armatrading
Red Young
Phil Palmer
Quitman Dennis
Dave Markee
Dick Sims
Henry Spinetti; Performer
Piano: Red Young; Performer
Saxophone: Quitman Dennis; Performer
Vocals: Joan Armatrading; Performer
Studio Personnel: Glyn Johns; Production
Composer Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Other

10. Let It Last

by Joan Armatrading

Accordion: Dick Sims; Performer
Composer: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Acoustic Guitar: Joan Armatrading; Performer
Bass Guitar: Dave Markee; Performer
Drums: Henry Spinetti; Performer
Electric Guitar: Phil Palmer; Performer
Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Composer
Engineer: Glyn Johns; Production
Bass Guitar: Dave Markee; Performer
Flute: Quitman Dennis; Performer
Organ: Dick Sims; Performer
Producer: Glyn Johns; Production
Primary Artist: Joan Armatrading; Main Performer
Performer: Joan Armatrading
Red Young
Phil Palmer
Quitman Dennis
Dave Markee
Dick Sims
Henry Spinetti; Performer
Piano: Red Young; Performer
Saxophone: Quitman Dennis; Performer
Vocals: Joan Armatrading; Performer
Studio Personnel: Glyn Johns; Production
Composer Lyricist: Joan Armatrading; Other

Technical Specifications

Volume

1 volume only

Tracks

10 tracks available

Type

ALBUM

Format

Digital Media

Duration

41 minutes and 36 seconds

Explicit

None

Coverart

Available and up to 1469x1469 px

Booklet

Not available

Max Quality

Studio Quality (Hi-Res)

24bit / 96 kHz

Stereo

Audio Extension

Hi-Res/Lossless: FLAC, M4A, WAV, WV, AIFF

Lossy: AAC, MP3, M4A, MP4, OGA, OGG, OPUS, WMA

Archive Format

Available in these formats: ZIP, TAR, RAR

Lyrics

All tracks have lyrics

Synchronized Lyrics

2/10 tracks have synced lyrics

Genres

Folk, Americana, Singer & Songwriter, Singer-Songwriter, Folk Pop

Label

A&M

Music Distribution Service

Universal Music Hi-Res

Country

United States

United Kingdom

Language

English (United States)

Popularity

Release Date

Sep 30, 1978

Track Preview

Available

Delivery Charge

Free

Delivery Method

Digital download link via Email or Personal Dashboard on this site

UPC

602435235370

Shopping cart

Notification

To The Limit

1. Barefoot And Pregnant

2. Your Letter

3. Am I Blue For You

4. You Rope You Tie Me

5. Baby I

6. Bottom To The Top

7. Taking My Baby Up Town

8. What Do You Want?

9. Wishing

10. Let It Last

Technical Specifications

To The Limit

Product information

Release options

1. Barefoot And Pregnant

2. Your Letter

3. Am I Blue For You

4. You Rope You Tie Me

5. Baby I

6. Bottom To The Top

7. Taking My Baby Up Town

8. What Do You Want?

9. Wishing

10. Let It Last

Technical Specifications