Hard Line (album)
Hard Line | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | February 1985 | |||
Genre | Rock and roll, roots rock | |||
Label | Slash[1] | |||
Producer | Jeff Eyrich | |||
The Blasters chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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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] |
Hard Line is the fourth album by American rock and roll 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]
The song "Dark Night" was featured in the film From Dusk Till Dawn.[11]
Production[]
The album was produced by Jeff Eyrich, who had attended the same high school as the Alvins.[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[]
Trouser 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[]
All tracka written by Dave Alvin, except where noted.
- "Trouble Bound"
- "Just Another Sunday" (Alvin, John Doe)
- "Hey, Girl"
- "Dark Night"
- "Little Honey" (Alvin, Doe)
- "Samson and Delilah" (Traditional)
- "Colored Lights" (John Cougar Mellencamp)
- "Help You Dream"
- "Common Man"
- "Rock & Roll Will Stand"
Personnel[]
- The Blasters
- Phil Alvin – vocals, guitar
- John Bazz – bass guitar
- Dave Alvin – lead guitar
- Bill Bateman – drums
References[]
- ^ Popoff, Martin (September 8, 2009). "Goldmine Record Album Price Guide". Penguin – 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. Volume 1: MUZE. pp. 668–669.CS1 maint: location (link)
- ^ 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". www.furious.com.
- ^ "Dave Alvin". MTV News.
- ^ "The Blasters". Billboard.
- ^ "5 essential songs from The Blasters to blast before the band's Long Beach show". March 21, 2018.
- ^ Jump up to: 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 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Spins". SPIN. SPIN Media LLC. June 12, 1985 – via Google Books.
- ^ "The Rough Guide to Rock". Rough Guides. March 12, 2003 – 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.
- ^ "POP REVIEW : THE BLASTERS BROADEN THEIR SCOPE". Los Angeles Times. February 17, 1986.
- ^ Benarde, Scott. "JUST FOR THE RECORD, TAKE A CHANCE ON THESE". Sun-Sentinel.com.
Further reading[]
- Christgau, Robert (1985). "Rockabilly Men". The Village Voice (April 16). New York. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
- 1985 albums
- The Blasters albums
- Slash Records albums
- Albums produced by Jeff Eyrich
- 1980s rock album stubs