Hard Line is the fourth album by the American roots rock band the Blasters, released in 1985.[7][8] Dave Alvin quit the band shortly after the album's release.[9] The album peaked at No. 86 on the Billboard 200.[10]
| Hard Line | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 1985 | |||
| Genre | Roots rock | |||
| Label | Slash[1] | |||
| Producer | Jeff Eyrich | |||
| The Blasters chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [2] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | A[3] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [4] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [5] |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 7/10[6] |
The song "Dark Night" was featured in the film From Dusk Till Dawn.[11]
Production
editThe album was produced by Jeff Eyrich, who had attended the same high school as brothers Dave and Phil Alvin, the band's main songwriter and lead vocalist, respectively.[12][13] John Cougar Mellencamp wrote and produced one song; Mellencamp's producer, Don Gehman, produced "Just Another Sunday".[12] The album was recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville.[14] Stan Lynch, David Hidalgo, and Larry Taylor appear on Hard Line.[15]
Critical reception
editTrouser Press wrote that the "highlights include 'Trouble Bound' and 'Help You Dream', both featuring the Jordanaires."[16] The Washington Post thought that "Dave Alvin's songwriting has grown dramatically -- the melodies are finally as prominent as the rhythms, and the lyrics tell the hand-me-down stories of the best folk songs."[12] The Chicago Tribune called Dave Alvin "one of the most underrated lyricists in popular music."[17] The Los Angeles Times wrote that "the Blasters [have] become secure enough musically to lower the instrumental voltage and let Phil Alvin’s vocals take center stage."[18] The Sun Sentinel opined that "the Blasters sound as if they took a long trip through the United States and sponged up every pop music form they ran into."[19]
Track listing
editAll tracks written by Dave Alvin, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Trouble Bound" | 3:48 |
| 2. | "Just Another Sunday" (Alvin, John Doe) | 4:15 |
| 3. | "Hey, Girl" | 3:11 |
| 4. | "Dark Night" | 3:51 |
| 5. | "Little Honey" (Alvin, Doe) | 3:35 |
| 6. | "Samson and Delilah" (Traditional) | 3:47 |
| 7. | "Colored Lights" (John Cougar Mellencamp) | 3:27 |
| 8. | "Help You Dream" | 3:40 |
| 9. | "Common Man" | 3:43 |
| 10. | "Rock & Roll Will Stand" | 2:38 |
| Total length: | 35:55 | |
Personnel
edit- The Blasters
- Phil Alvin – vocals, guitar
- Dave Alvin – lead guitar
- Bill Bateman – drums
- John Bazz – bass guitar
- Gene Taylor - piano
References
edit- ^ Popoff, Martin (September 8, 2009). Goldmine Record Album Price Guide. Penguin. ISBN 9781440229169 – via Google Books.
- ^ Deming, Mark. "Hard Line – The Blasters". AllMusic. Retrieved October 30, 2007.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1990). "The Blasters: Hard Line". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved October 30, 2007.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 1. MUZE. pp. 668–669.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 65–66.
- ^ Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig, eds. (1995). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
- ^ "The Blasters | Biography & History". AllMusic.
- ^ "A Testament to the Blasters". Perfect Sound Forever.
- ^ "Dave Alvin". MTV News.[dead link]
- ^ "The Blasters". Billboard.
- ^ "5 essential songs from The Blasters to blast before the band's Long Beach show". March 21, 2018.
- ^ a b c Himes, Geoffrey (March 14, 1985). "More Powerful Blasters" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
- ^ Doe, John; DeSavia, Tom (June 4, 2019). More Fun in the New World: The Unmaking and Legacy of L.A. Punk. Hachette Books. ISBN 9780306922114 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Spins". SPIN. SPIN Media LLC. June 12, 1985 – via Google Books.
- ^ The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. March 12, 2003. ISBN 9781858284576 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Blasters". Trouser Press. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
- ^ "THE BLASTERS ARE TAKING A HARD LINE ON THE MEANING OF POP PATRIOTISM". chicagotribune.com. 8 August 1985.
- ^ "POP REVIEW : THE BLASTERS BROADEN THEIR SCOPE". Los Angeles Times. February 17, 1986.
- ^ Benarde, Scott (15 March 1985). "JUST FOR THE RECORD, TAKE A CHANCE ON THESE". Sun-Sentinel.com.
Further reading
edit- Christgau, Robert (1985). "Rockabilly Men". The Village Voice. No. April 16. New York. Retrieved September 29, 2014.