{{Infobox album | name = Human Soul | type = studio | artist = Graham Parker | cover = Human Soul.png | alt = | released = 1989 | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = Rock | length = | label = RCA | producer = | prev_title = Live! Alone in America | prev_year = 1989 | next_title = Struck by Lightning | next_year = 1991 }} '''''Human Soul''''' is an album by the English musician Graham Parker.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/graham-parker-mn0000181321/biography|title=Graham Parker Biography, Songs, & Albums|website=AllMusic}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ctjc6UWCm4C&pg=PA770|title=The Rough Guide to Rock|first=Peter|last=Buckley|date=March 16, 2003|publisher=Rough Guides}}</ref>
The album peaked at No. 165 on the ''Billboard'' 200.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/graham-parker/|title=Graham Parker|website=Billboard}}</ref> Parker supported the album by touring with Dave Edmunds's Rock and Roll Revue.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Moon |first1=Tom |title=Musicians Sign on for the Group Tour |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=11 Feb 1990 |page=L1}}</ref>
==Production== ''Human Soul'' was originally divided into "Real" and "Surreal" sides.<ref name=OC/> Pete Thomas, Steve Nieve, and Andrew Bodnar contributed to the album.<ref name="TP">{{cite web |title=Graham Parker (and the Rumour) |url=https://trouserpress.com/reviews/graham-parker-and-the-rumour/ |website=Trouser Press |access-date=16 March 2022}}</ref><ref name="OS">{{cite news |last1=Gettelman |first1=Parry |title=Graham Parker |work=Orlando Sentinel |date=12 Jan 1990 |department=Calendar |page=18}}</ref> "Slash and Burn" is about deforestation; "Green Monkeys" is about AIDS.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Niester |first1=Alan |title=Human Soul Graham Parker |work=The Globe and Mail |date=25 Jan 1990 |page=C7}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Burliuk |first1=Greg |title=Not to Be Trifled With |work=The Kingston Whig-Standard |date=10 Feb 1990 |department=Magazine |page=1}}</ref> "Soultime" was influenced by ska music.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wenner |first1=Cheryl |title=At the Tower, Samples of Classic Rock 'n' Roll |work=The Morning Call |date=24 Mar 1990 |page=A73}}</ref>
==Critical reception== {{album ratings |rev1 = AllMusic |rev1score = {{rating|2|5}}<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/human-soul-mw0000200716|title=Human Soul|website=AllMusic}}</ref> |rev2 = ''Calgary Herald'' |rev2score = A−<ref name="CH">{{cite news |last1=Tremblay |first1=Mark |title=Recent releases |work=Calgary Herald |date=21 Dec 1989 |page=E4}}</ref> |rev3 = ''Chicago Tribune'' |rev3score = {{rating|4|4}}<ref name="CT">{{cite news |last1=Kot |first1=Greg |title=Recordings |work=Chicago Tribune |date=16 Nov 1989 |page=15F}}</ref> |rev4 = Robert Christgau |rev4score = C<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist2.php?id=529|title=Graham Parker|website=Robert Christgau}}</ref> |rev5 = ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' |rev5score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref name="CL">{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2006 |publisher=MUZE |volume=6 |page=420}}</ref> |rev6 = ''Los Angeles Times'' |rev6score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref name="LA">{{cite news |last1=Willman |first1=Chris |title=A Dualistic Graham Parker, a Soulful Miki Howard |work=Los Angeles Times |date=31 Dec 1989 |department=Calendar |page=69}}</ref> |rev7 = ''MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide'' |rev7score = {{rating|2|5}}<ref name="MH">{{cite book |title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |date=1999 |publisher=Visible Ink Press |page=857}}</ref> |rev8 = ''Ottawa Citizen'' |rev8score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="OC">{{cite news |last1=Erskine |first1=Evelyn |title=Graham Parker Human Soul |work=Ottawa Citizen |date=8 Dec 1989 |page=E6}}</ref> |rev9 = ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'' |rev9score = {{rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="RS">{{cite book |title=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |date=1992 |publisher=Random House |pages=530–531}}</ref> |rev10 = ''Spin Alternative Record Guide'' |rev10score = 3/10<ref name="SP">{{cite book |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |date=1995 |publisher=Vintage Books |page=286}}</ref> }} ''Rolling Stone'' called the album "an invigorating jolt—substantial and catchy songs, richly realized."<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/human-soul-188353/|title=Human Soul|first1=Ira|last1=Robbins|work=Rolling Stone|date=February 8, 1990}}</ref> The ''Chicago Tribune'' wrote that "Parker explores the soulfulness of his musical roots (the great Stax/Volt R & B records of the '60s) and the soullessness of the era in which he lives."<ref name=CT/> The ''Calgary Herald'' noted that "the anger gives his love songs an edge and the man's aware of his own importance in the cosmic scheme of things."<ref name=CH/>
The ''Toronto Star'' concluded that "''Human Soul'''s best song is "'Big Man On Paper', a reflective, self-deprecating ballad that finds the expatriate Englishman wandering through a New York state shopping mall and trying, among other things, to make sense of 'the youth in their Whitesnake T-shirts'."<ref>{{cite news |last1=MacInnis |first1=Craig |title=Cynical softy Parker finds focus in double-vision |work=Toronto Star |date=8 Dec 1989 |page=D16}}</ref> ''The Boston Globe'' determined that "Parker has synthesized all his best ingredients over the past decade—from the soulfulness of his ''Howling Wind'' album and incendiary rock of ''Squeezing Out Sparks'', to the biting politics displayed on his acoustic disc."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Morse |first1=Steve |title=Parker's Still Angry |work=The Boston Globe |date=14 Dec 1989 |department=Calendar |page=18}}</ref> The ''Los Angeles Times'' opined that "the production could stand to be sharper and the songs are uneven, but in scope, ambition and self-integration, he's closed out the '80s with what is at least his most interesting album of the decade."<ref name=LA/>
AllMusic wrote that "Parker's music is subtly diverse, adding elements of worldbeat, reggae, pop, and folk to his R&B-fueled rock & roll; however, most of the impact of the music is lost by the slick, radio-ready production."<ref name="auto"/>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | all_writing = | title1 = Little Miss Understanding | length1 = | title2 = My Love's Strong | length2 = | title3 = Dancing for Money | length3 = | title4 = Call Me Your Doctor | length4 = | title5 = Big Man on Paper | length5 = | title6 = Soultime | length6 = | title7 = Everything Goes | length7 = | title8 = Sugar Gives You Energy | length8 = | title9 = Daddy's a Postman | length9 = | title10 = Green Monkeys | length10 = | title11 = I Was Wrong | length11 = | title12 = You Got the World (Right Where You Want It) | length12 = | title13 = Slash and Burn | length13 = }}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Graham Parker & The Rumour}}
Category:Graham Parker albums Category:1989 albums Category:RCA Records albums