Life's Too Short

Marshall Crenshaw | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 14, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mca
• ASIN: B000002OG4
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #155,960 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

1991 release

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Middle-Aged Man Rock, June 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Life's Too Short (Audio CD)

When we were young, we wondered, would it still make any sense for us to rock in our 40s? This vastly underrated record is evidence that not only can it be done, it should be done as often as possible. Marshall Crenshaw has always been a great romantic, and that tendency persists here in songs like "Fantastic Planet of Love" and the incredible "Don't Disappear Now," but we get more depth in songs like "Walking Around," concerning the impending end of a relationship, and "Better Back Off" with a lyric that could have been lifted from a marriage counselor's office. Plus, the thing rocks like crazy. The drummer is the brilliant Kenny Aronoff, who for years gave John Cougar Mellencamp more support than he deserved. Please don't neglect this buried treasure!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Crenshaw deals with life, February 1, 2004

By 

Tim Brough "author and music buff" (Springfield, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Life's Too Short (Audio CD)

After his acrimonious split with Warner Brothers (by "Good Evening," he was being neutered by lackluster production choices and outside songwriters), Marshall Crenshaw was given an opportunity to play an album the way he wanted it by the fledgling Paradox label. (During its brief existence, Paradox was also home to the The Roches, among others.) The resulting CD was on a par with his debut, with a bit of mature wisdom tossed in for good measure. Surrounded by a great four piece band and a few guests (Peter Case of the Plimsouls, Jules Shear), the sound is unadorned and full of punch, and the songs are catchy and smart. "Fantastic Planet of Love" and "Don't Disappear Now" deserved slots on his best of, the bitter breakup of "Better Back Off" shows a wizened Crenshaw addressing an ex with the same cheerful melancholy he mustered up for early gems like "Mary-Anne" or "There She Goes Again."

"Life's Too Short" may be a little harder to find, but if you miss that classic pop sound Crenshaw excelled at in the early stages of his career, this is worth your time and effort.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rock and roll for adults., August 13, 2002

By 

Jim Toms (W. Frankfort, IL (USA)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Life's Too Short (Audio CD)

No one has been better than Marshall Crenshaw at producing consistently good albums since his 1982 debut. This album from 1991 is no exception. Most of these songs have adult themes in terms of relationship. MC couldn't have found a better song to open the album with than "Better Back Off" with it's rockin' guitar. "Don't Disappear Now", which centers on the fallout of a too brief romance, is perhaps the best song on the album and is one of the best songs one could ever hear. The opening of "Face of Fashion" reminds me of an old Neil Young song, but I can't remember which one. Crenshaw uses a little piano on the solid "Stop Doing That" and "Starting Tomorrow" is a ballad that, in my opinion, shows real feeling. It's hard to get tired of that one. "Everything's the Truth" shows uncharacteristic angst (spite?) coming from Crenshaw (within the song, that is) and "Somewhere Down the Line" seems a fitting close to the album.

Unfortunately, Crenshaw's best album, 1987's Mary Jean and 9 Others, is not available on CD and Good Evening from 1989 has become increasingly hard to find. Until you can get those, this, along with the self-titled album, is a perfect way to meet Marshall Crenshaw.