Walking a Changing Line

Walking a Changing Line is an album by the English musician Iain Matthews, released in 1988.^[1][2] All of its songs were written by the American musician Jules Shear. Walking a Changing Line was the first album that included vocals to be released by Windham Hill Records.^[3] Matthews supported it with a North American tour.^[4] He considered Walking a Changing Line to be a combination of new age, folk, and pop.^[5]

Walking a Changing Line
Studio album by Iain Matthews
Released	1988
Genre	New age, folk, pop
Label	Windham Hill
Producer	Mark Hallman, Iain Matthews
Iain Matthews chronology
Shook (1984) Walking a Changing Line (1988) Nights in Manhattan (1988)

Production

The album was produced by Mark Hallman and Matthews.^[6] Matthews's girlfriend had encouraged him to think about highlighting the work of Shear.^[7] After reviewing around 120 Shear songs, Matthews made a list of 30 to consider, and then, with Hallman, chose 12 for the CD release.^[7] Van Dyke Parks composed the music for "Only a Motion"; Osamu Kitajima (who played a koto), Fred Simon, and Patrick O'Hearn were among the musicians who worked on other tracks.^[8][9] "Alive Alone" is a duet with the American musician Eliza Gilkyson.^[10] "On Squirrel Hill" is about a man seeking comfort by returning to a familiar place from his past.^[11]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[12]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[13]
The Great Rock Discography	5/10[14]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide	[15]
The Philadelphia Inquirer	[16]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[17]

The Philadelphia Inquirer called Walking a Changing Line "an undeniably pretty album", but noted that Matthews "doesn't bring as much feeling to the work as its perennially hoarse author."^[4] The Toronto Star labeled the album "an instant classic", opining that "Shear's aching, difficult songs... are perfectly suited to Matthews's pure, steady, tenor."^[18] The Washington Post said that "all the cuts, even the multitracked a cappella 'On Squirrel Hill', composed for this album, have the wistful Windham Hill house sound [and would be at home] as background music for TV's thirtysomething."^[8]

The Chicago Tribune concluded that "the spare synthesizer-laden arrangements could use some of the tartness the songs have, but Matthews's voice is as sweet as ever and the lyrics brim with thoughtful yearning."^[19] The Kansas City Times deemed the album one "of the better New Age offerings", noting that "Matthews has a pleasant, slightly overripe voice".^[20] The Birmingham Evening Mail considered Walking a Changing Line "a long-overdue comeback."^[21]

AllMusic stated, "Often, dated keyboard sounds and soporific synth preludes do become intrusive, not to mention indulgent, but it's a credit to Matthews's skill as an interpreter and Shear's brilliant songs that things never degenerate into new age mush."^[12]

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Dream Sequence"
2.	"Standing Still"
3.	"Except for a Tear"
4.	"Following Every Finger"
5.	"Alive Alone"
6.	"Smell of Home"
7.	"On Squirrel Hill"
8.	"Shadows Break"
9.	"This Fabrication"
10.	"Lovers by Rote"
11.	"Only a Motion"
12.	"Why Fight"