The Blasters (album)
Encyclopedia
The Blasters is a 1981 album by American
rock and roll
band The Blasters
. Although the album was released in the US by the independent label Slash Records
, its strong sales performance required a deal for wider distribution with Warner Bros. Records
. The album was well-received, making Time
magazine's list of "top 10 albums" for 1981 and peaking at #36 on Billboard
's "Pop Albums
".
The album was issued in the UK via F-Beat Records
.
article, the national distribution of The Blasters was an eye-opener for listeners of "rockabilly, country, blues, and New Orleans roadhouse R&B," who found a band capable of producing new material that "stood up well to the influences from whence they sprang". Staff reviewer John Cruz of Sputnikmusic
declared "they took all that was old and made it new again and took what was new and played it the way the cats way back when used to play it". Journalist Piero Scaruffi
praised the album as more than an imitation, describing it as a sincere and "rootsy" production that captured "the American soul", while Trouser Press
declared that the album "smokes" and that the band's performance was "tighter than a drum". Rolling Stone praised the "bright, raw playing, terrific taste and...full-bodied vocals", while drawing special attention to the band's drummer, Bill Bateman, whose playing it indicated was "[t]he real key to the Blaster's exuberant authenticity...."
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
band The Blasters
The Blasters
The Blasters are a rock and roll music group formed in 1979 in Downey, California, by brothers Phil Alvin and Dave Alvin , with bass guitarist John Bazz and drummer Bill Bateman. Phil Alvin explained the origin of the band's name: "I thought Joe Turner’s backup band on Atlantic records – I had...
. Although the album was released in the US by the independent label Slash Records
Slash Records
Slash Records is a record label in Los Angeles, originally specializing in local and punk rock bands.The label was formed in 1978 by Bob Biggs as an outgrowth of the Los Angeles-based fanzine, Slash. Biggs, a painter, initiated the label with a seven-inch single from The Germs in 1978. A full album...
, its strong sales performance required a deal for wider distribution with Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
. The album was well-received, making Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine's list of "top 10 albums" for 1981 and peaking at #36 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's "Pop Albums
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
".
The album was issued in the UK via F-Beat Records
F-Beat Records
F-Beat Records was one of the record labels set up by Jake Riviera in late 1979/early 1980, at the same time as he started Demon Records. The label's first release, I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down by Elvis Costello & the Attractions, reached number 4 in the UK charts, the highest singles chart...
.
Critical reception
The album was critically well received. According to a 2002 PopMattersPopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
article, the national distribution of The Blasters was an eye-opener for listeners of "rockabilly, country, blues, and New Orleans roadhouse R&B," who found a band capable of producing new material that "stood up well to the influences from whence they sprang". Staff reviewer John Cruz of Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic, or simply Sputnik, is a music website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites...
declared "they took all that was old and made it new again and took what was new and played it the way the cats way back when used to play it". Journalist Piero Scaruffi
Piero Scaruffi
Piero Scaruffi received a degree in Mathematics in 1982 from University of Turin, where he did work on the General Theory of Relativity. For a number of years he was the head of the Artificial Intelligence Center at Olivetti, based in Cupertino, California. He has been a visiting scholar at...
praised the album as more than an imitation, describing it as a sincere and "rootsy" production that captured "the American soul", while Trouser Press
Trouser Press
Trouser Press was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow Who fan Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" ...
declared that the album "smokes" and that the band's performance was "tighter than a drum". Rolling Stone praised the "bright, raw playing, terrific taste and...full-bodied vocals", while drawing special attention to the band's drummer, Bill Bateman, whose playing it indicated was "[t]he real key to the Blaster's exuberant authenticity...."
Track listing
Except where otherwise noted, all songs composed by Dave AlvinDave Alvin
Dave Alvin , is a guitarist, singer and songwriter. He has been one of the leading proponents of 'roots' or 'American' music, bringing together elements of rock-and-roll, blues, rural and tejano music....
.
- "Marie Marie" – 2:07
- "No Other Girl" – 2:29
- "I'm Shakin'" (Rudy ToombsRudy ToombsRudolph "Rudy" Toombs , born in Monroe, Louisiana, was an American black songwriter who wrote "Teardrops from My Eyes", Ruth Brown's first number one R&B successful song...
) – 2:22 - "Border Radio" – 2:47
- "American Music" – 2:10
- "So Long Baby Goodbye" – 2:24
- "Hollywood Bed" – 3:33
- "Never No Mo' Blues" (Elsie McWilliams, Jimmie RodgersJimmie Rodgers (country singer)James Charles Rodgers , known as Jimmie Rodgers, was an American country singer in the early 20th century known most widely for his rhythmic yodeling...
) – 2:47 - "This is It" – 2:15
- "Highway 61" (Albert Laundrew) – 3:00
- "I Love You So" (Bo DiddleyBo DiddleyEllas Otha Bates , known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter , and inventor...
) – 2:51 - "Stop the Clock" (Bob Ehret, Damon Robertson) – 1:56
Personnel
- Lee AllenLee Allen (musician)Lee Allen was an American tenor saxophone player born in Pittsburg, Kansas.A key figure in the New Orleans rock and roll scene of the 1950s, Allen recorded with many leading performers of the early rock and roll era...
– tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble... - Gustav Alsina – cover design
- Dave AlvinDave AlvinDave Alvin , is a guitarist, singer and songwriter. He has been one of the leading proponents of 'roots' or 'American' music, bringing together elements of rock-and-roll, blues, rural and tejano music....
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Phil AlvinPhil AlvinPhil Alvin is an American singer and guitarist. He is known primarily as the frontman of the roots-rock band The Blasters.Alvin grew up in Downey, California in a music-loving family where he and his younger brother...
– guitar, lead vocals - Steve Bartel – art directionArt directorThe art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
- Bill Bateman – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Gene Taylor – pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
- John Bazz – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....