Last Man on Earth | ||||
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Studio album by Loudon Wainwright III | ||||
Released | September 24, 2001 | |||
Recorded | Shinebox Studios | |||
Genre | Folk rock | |||
Length | 37:45 | |||
Label | Red House | |||
Producer | Stewart Lerman | |||
Loudon Wainwright III chronology | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | link |
Robert Christgau | link |
PopMatters | favorable link |
Last Man on Earth is the sixteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III, released on September 24, 2001 on Red House Records. Recorded in the wake of Wainwright's mother's death and the collapse of a romantic relationship, the album thematically addresses feelings of grief and loneliness. In 2012, Wainwright noted, "Last Man on Earth was written right after my mother died, so a lot of the material on that record has to do with that momentous event. The life circle was present on a lot of those songs."
Portions of the album also reflect upon Wainwright's troubled relationship with his father, Loudon Wainwright, Jr., a subject that has populated many of his earlier recordings. Last Man on Earth can be seen as a companion piece to his 1992 album, History, written after the death of his father.
In 1997, following his mother's funeral, Wainwright stayed in her home in Katonah, Westchester County for eighteen months. During this time, Wainwright wrote much of the album's material.
Last Man on Earth was released four years after Wainwright's mother's death. The working title for the album was Missing You, named after the album's opening track. However, the album's title ultimately became Last Man on Earth, a song written in Suffolk County following Wainwright's eventual move from his mother's old home.
The following people contributed to Last Man on Earth: