#36
February 1 1985
The Blasters
Hard Line
Genre: Roots Rock
3.25 out of 5
Highlights:
Common Man
The second song, it hits me…Remember when I loved X and then i didn’t anymore? It was right around The Knitters time. Actually, a little later, around Ain’t Love Grand. But, when I discovered The Knitters I thought…hmmm…maybe that’s when I stopped liking X.
That second song, “Just Another Sunday” is co-written by John Doe of X. (So is the tenderly boring two step, “Little Honey”)
These snarky, snotty punk bands went full C&W/Roots and they weren’t “bad” at it. But the fire was gone. The music was laconic and too smooth. It’s like they sanded the edges off ala Los Lobos and Chris Isaak. As the dirt and snot was washed away what we are left with is just perfectly fine and competent but unexciting.
If you were 10 at the time of Elvis, you are 45 when this record comes out and it’s made for you.
The album does it for The Blasters for 2 decades, apparently. I’m ok with that.
No comments:
Post a Comment