Ball (Widespread Panic album)

Infobox Album | Name = Ball
Type = Studio album
Artist = Widespread Panic


Released = April 15, 2003
Recorded =
Genre = Rock, southern rock
Length = 73:21
Label = Widespread Records
Sanctuary Records
Producer = John Keane
Widespread Panic
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wk9fs35wa3rg~T1 link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|3|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/widespreadpanic/albums/album/285495/review/5945566/ball link]
Last album = "Live in the Classic City"
(2002)
This album = "Ball"
(2003)
Next album = "Night of Joy"
(2004)

"Ball" is the eighth studio album released by the Athens, GA based band Widespread Panic. It was released on April 15, 2003 and it was the band's first studio album with George McConnell on lead guitar. McConnell joined the band in 2002 after the death of founding member Michael Houser.

This process of recording the album departed from the band's usual methodology. Widespread Panic's previous studio albums had been comprised mostly of road-tested songs already familiar to the band's fans. Ball, however, included 12 never-before-heard songs written specifically for the album, along with one song, Time Waits, previously performed only by singer/guitarist John Bell in solo appearances. It was also the first Widespread Panic album which did not feature at least one cover song.

The album reached a peak position of #61 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Track listing

#"Fishing" (Widespread Panic) – 4:58
#"Thin Air (Smells Like Mississippi)" (Widespread Panic) – 5:13
#"Tortured Artist" (Widespread Panic) – 5:16
#"Papa Johnny Road" (Widespread Panic) – 4:57
#"Sparks Fly" (Widespread Panic) – 2:26
#"Counting Train Cars" (Widespread Panic) – 2:53
#"Don't Wanna Lose You" (Widespread Panic) – 4:56
#"Longer Look" (Widespread Panic) – 4:02
#"Meeting of the Waters" (Widespread Panic) – 6:01
#"Nebulous" (Widespread Panic) – 8:13
#"Monstrosity" (Widespread Panic) – 4:20
#"Time Waits" (Widespread Panic) – 3:56
#"Travelin' Man" (Houser) – 16:10

Credits

Widespread Panic
*John Bell - Guitar, Vocals
*John Hermann - Keyboards, Vocals
*Todd Nance - Drums, Vocals
*Domingo S. Ortiz - Percussion
*Dave Schools - Bass, Vocals
*George McConnell - Guitar, Vocals

Production
*John Keane - Production, Mixing, Recording
*Billy Field - Assistant
*Danny Michael Hilley - Engineer
*Ted Jansen - Mastering

External links

* [http://widespreadpanic.com/ Widespread Panic website]
* [http://everydaycompanion.com Everyday Companion]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:rqf4zff3ehak All Music entry]