A Blazing Grace is an album by the American band Jason & the Scorchers, released in 1995 on Mammoth Records.[1][2] The initial album title was Men and Women, War and Peace.[3] The band supported the album with a North American tour.[4] The first single, "Take Me Home, Country Roads", was a modest radio hit.[5]
| A Blazing Grace | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1995 | |||
| Studio | Castle | |||
| Label | Mammoth | |||
| Producer | Jason & the Scorchers | |||
| Jason & the Scorchers chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editThe album marked a reunion of the band's original lineup; the band, in part, recorded the album as an excuse to play live and tour.[6][7] Produced by the band, A Blazing Grace was recorded at Castle Recording Studio, in Nashville.[8][9] All of the band members were struggling with personal issues, and regarded the offer of free studio time as a blessing.[10]
"Why Baby Why" is a cover of the George Jones song; "Take Me Home, Country Roads" is a cover of the John Denver song.[11][12] The band initially intended the cover songs to be b-sides.[13] "Somewhere Within" was Jason Ringenberg's favorite composition.[14]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |   [15] |
| The Indianapolis Star | [16] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |  [8] |
| Vancouver Sun | [17] |
Newsday wrote that "Ringenberg's high-lonesome tone has always lent itself to balladeering, and it might be a mark of age and experience that a couple of the album's best songs gear down to make breathing room for heartfelt expression."[18] The Indianapolis Star noted that "the Scorchers haven't lost one iota of supercharged twang."[16] The Washington Post determined that Ringenberg "attacks the [songs] as if he were leading the Ramones at the Grand Ole Opry."[19]
Don McLeese, of the Austin American-Statesman, opined: "Though I once considered the Scorchers the great lost American rock band of the '80s, the band has regrouped with a 1995 album that is arguably its best—and is likely to rank with the year's best as well."[20] Guitar Player deemed guitarist Warner Hodges "the Eddie Van Halen of country-punk."[21] The Vancouver Sun concluded that "there's nothing amusing about taking George Jones' sublime 'Why Baby Why' and subjecting it to sub-metal boogieization."[17]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Cry by Night Operator" | |
| 2. | "200 Proof Lovin'" | |
| 3. | "Take Me Home, Country Roads" | |
| 4. | "Where Bridges Never Burn" | |
| 5. | "The Shadow of Night" | |
| 6. | "One More Day of Weekend" | |
| 7. | "Hell's Gates" | |
| 8. | "Why Baby Why" | |
| 9. | "Somewhere Within" | |
| 10. | "American Legion Party" |
References
edit- ^ Maples, Tina (5 Feb 1995). "Here are some other projects in stores this week". The Milwaukee Journal. p. E4.
- ^ Zimmerman, David (31 Jan 1995). "Coming Up". USA Today. p. 6D.
- ^ Timm, Lori (February 2, 1995). "Rekindled". Journal Star. Peoria. p. C1.
- ^ Dickinson, Chris (3 Mar 1995). "Jason and the Scorchers, Thursday at the Double Door". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. P.
- ^ Beal Jr., Jim (April 21, 1995). "Scorchers re-blaze a trail from Nashville". San Antonio Express-News.
- ^ Larsen, Dave (3 Mar 1995). "Country". Go!. Dayton Daily News. p. 16.
- ^ Orr, Jay (17 May 1995). "Band's been 'Blazing', scorchin' comeback trail". Nashville Banner. p. C6.
- ^ a b MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. pp. 593–594.
- ^ Stoute, Lenny (11 May 1995). "Disc brings redneck chic back from the dead". Toronto Star. p. G3.
- ^ Matsumoto, John (12 Sep 1995). "Jason and the Scorchers Rise from Near Ashes". Los Angeles Times. p. F2.
- ^ Shefchik, Rick (10 Feb 1995). "Jason and the Scorchers". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 9.
- ^ Hobbs, Bill (24 Feb 1995). "Rock". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 12.
- ^ Ferman, Dave (April 19, 1995). "Banding Together". A&E. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 1.
- ^ Kelly, Peter (April 20, 1995). "Heavenly Fire". Music. Houston Press.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 4. MUZE. p. 586.
- ^ a b Hall, Steve (6 Feb 1995). "Jason & Scorchers play torrid twang". The Indianapolis Star. p. D3.
- ^ a b Armstrong, John (18 May 1995). "Rock". Vancouver Sun. p. D8.
- ^ Herndon, David (5 Feb 1995). "Rock in the Countryside". Fanfare. Newsday. p. 23.
- ^ Himes, Geoffrey (15 Feb 1995). "Jason & the Scorchers 'A Blazing Grace'". The Washington Post. p. D7.
- ^ McLeese, Don (21 Feb 1995). "Quick Picks". Austin American-Statesman. p. C5.
- ^ Rotondi, James (Mar 1995). "A Blazing Grace by Jason & the Scorchers". Guitar Player. Vol. 29, no. 3. p. 138.