The 1981 Listening Post - The Blasters - The Blasters

 The Blasters - The Blasters

#638

By Jed Francese
December 1981

The Blasters

The Blasters

Genre: Architects of Root Punk (-Allen)

Allen’s Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Jed’s Rating - 4.7 (yeah I said it) out of 5

Highlights: 

Border Radio (pure gold)

Hollywood Bed

Marie Marie

I Love You So

First Review! Gulp.

A not so quick backstory. I was raised on Adult Contemporary / Pop music, didn’t really get into cool music until at least junior high & it took me a long time to stumble on to Bad Religion, Op Ivy, The Ramones, not to mention the post punk/rockabilly revival.  So "The Blasters, The Blasters" was new to me once I was already a hack garage musician & honestly, I didn’t get to bands like them & X until long after The Talking Heads, etc…Television & Kris Kristofferson came even later. But that’s what’s great about music. FF to 46 years old & I have a vinyl collection I”m fairly proud of & when I wanted to review my first record for this group I really wanted one I have on wax & Mr. Lulu was kind enough to provide (thanks).

Holy Shit. I just realized this review is going to be super self-involved. Apologies (mostly) in advance? See, I listen to records differently now than I used to. I hear different things. So as much as I’d love to break down all of that, I’d also like to keep it relatively concise since I am wont to talk. Especially about me. OK. So back to me…I’m now, still an amateur songwriter. One who is growingly fascinated with how songwriting breaks down to three chords and the truth. I truly believe that. Now, if you can add super kick ass talent, well - that just turns a cook into a chef.

The Blasters were not as well known as they should have been. Sure, you’re gonna likely know Marie, Marie if you’re of the age and were paying attention but, unlike X - they hadn’t quite caught fire when this record came out. In fact, I believed this record to be from 1982 because that’s when Time Magazine gave it a top 10 album rating of the year.

One of the things we’re asked of to write a review in this group is name the genre. Well frankly, fuck genre (my opinion only). Some of it sounds like Elvis, some Buddy Holly, a lot a rockabilly, cowpunk, blues, bar room scat & then some sounds like it birthed one of my favorite current bands The Yawpers out of Colorado - check them if you don’t know. But at the end of the day it’s Rock & Roll. Simple, right? Three chords, maybe four & the truth. But it a'int that simple baby because then you need badass musicianship sprinkled on top until it’s let’s fucking go time. This album (as I would argue all great records) should be played at top volume, neighbors & ears be damned. One thing I did NOT know until I researched is that The Blasters are partly responsible for Dwight Yoakam getting discovered. Remember what I had to say about genre?

Alright, the songs - you’re not going to find a dud that’s for sure. Some C or B grade songs - 1 or 2, but honestly - once you grab your favorite drink, whether it be iced cold tea, rot gut moonshine or anything in between - this is the record you want to party to. You can hear who the Violent Femmes were listening to as they were coming up & you can hear where Americana (fuck genre) was firmly planted in 1981 - whether you thought Wilco invented it or not. (I love Wilco)

Back to me.. As I’m currently working on my solo record with a trumpet aficionado, So Long Baby Goodbye’s sax tracks are so sexy. I mean it, they’re sexy. So simple, so right, sound easy - but they're not. Also, I would kill (a bad person) for the stand up/drunken bar/piano sounds they have on this record to be on mine. Gene Taylor, I didn’t know your name before today but thank you brother. (Hollywood Bed is my favorite piano tune and maybe my fav track on the album.)

So check this - the producer, as crazy as this may sound is - The Blasters. Album title, band, producer, The Blasters. I’ve listened to it 6 times front to back recently (including as I type this) & I’m not sure it’s coming off the deck anytime soon, especially tonight (election night) .

"The Blasters, The Blasters” is just short of a perfect rock n roll record. Why just short - see definition of perfect. If it’s not your bag - I get it - same as politics. But. But. But. If Phil Alvin can yodel and make me smile while I feel unsure about the world, well then pass me that good tequila mama.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzlldshZi2I&list=PLlvn8uktX5Ls-AXHCKQiXxVzPWqIN0hMw

The 1981 Listening Post - Air Supply - The One That I Love

 Air Supply - The One That I Love

#373

1981 Housekeeping

By Jed Francese

Air Supply

The One That You Love

Genre: Soft Mellow Australian Soft Mellow Rock for Soft Mellow Men Who Aren’t Afraid of Their Emotions (Ed. Note)

Allen’s Rating: 3 out of 5

Jed’s Rating: 3.5 out of 5

So I’ve asked for an Air Supply record to review because Allen made an innocent comment to me when I was asking for albums along the lines of, “Well, I still need people to do Air Supply”.

I loved that because my mother liked the band so much. I grew up on this shit.

Most of my peers were listening to The Ramones or KISS or Talking Heads or AC/DC...I was hearing my mother spin Jimmy Buffett & Air Supply & Juice Newton. And I don’t regret any of it.

It may have taken me a bit to get to records that weren’t super vanilla Adult Contemporary but it’s not all that bad!

So my record is “The One That You Love” from ‘81; and my rating would be 3.5 out of 5...

but I have to say in the same breath that the title track & “Here I Am” are gold. Sure, it’s cheesy gold, like Velveeta I guess, but gold nonetheless. The production is great, the harmonies are great - so frankly - F you if you don’t have a soft spot in your heart for Air Supply.

Then there’s the bad news...for all of the heavy talent & solid production - boy is there a lot of filler. The records I want to review are solid front to back, just keep flipping her over because it doesn’t ever lag or get weak. Yeah, that’s not this. Maybe it’s an ear worm thing...maybe it’s a sentimental thing? But the three or four tracks on the album I dig - I really love. Go ahead, call me lame Bobby, I’ll always be The One That You Love.

https://open.spotify.com/album/1aEMnQLoZHDjibEDcisTMJ?si=tqXs7tgBQVuJxi3sCDpgYA

The 1981 Listening Post - Alabama - Feels So Right

 Alabama - Feels So Right

#160

By Jed Francese

February 1981

Alabama

Feels So Right

Genre: Why are we covering Alabama…?

Allen’s Rating: 2 out of 5

Jed’s Rating - 3.8 out of 5

Highlights:

I’m Stoned

Love in the First Degree

Hollywood

Feels So Right

Second Review! Why a second Gulp?

Well, my love of music backstory was in the last review - which was The Blasters record from this same year. Yeah - not such similar bands. But…..maybe kinda not? Hear me out…music is in the ear of the creature. I’ve learned in my hobbyist musician journey to appreciate levels of musicianship & talent. That came first & then - I think arrangements & melody appreciation came next. Well, Alabama has that in spades & I haven’t listened to them enough probably. I would have tuned this record out when I was young faster than my 9 year old tunes out anything that isn’t on TikTok. But isn’t that what’s great about music? Shit changes man. Tastes & appreciation.

I won’t say I loved this record but I listened to it twice so I obviously didn’t dislike it. Hell, Imma listen again for harmony lessons & those cool ass bass lines for sure.

In my first review I said we’re supposed to name genre & I don’t remember exactly what I wrote but paraphrased it was something along the lines of, “fuck genre”. That’s my opinion. This would be called a country record I think first. Maybe a southern rock and then bluegrass and it may even be able to be called an early entry to the “new pop country” that I frankly hate - but mostly just because there are a lot of weak lyrics on this record. Don’t listen to this for the poet. Or poets. I don’t know them well enough to know but…yeah, no.

I did think it was cool to see that the original members are related. It’s like 1981 Hanson!

Now, the songs - The highlights? Definitley the singles & good thing because there are three #1’s on this record. Holy What? But I think my favorite of the #1’s is Love in the First Degree. The snare sounds like shit but it reminds me of a song my mom would have loved off an Air Supply record (which will be my third review). And everything else is pretty great to be honest. I mean, if it isn’t your bag you’ll hate it but - it’s beautiful & the bass player again - is master class. There’s just something about a mom jeans pop song that can groove like this will always hit me in the feels.

I have to admit - I wish I wrote, “I’m Stoned”. That’s always my favorite judge of a song I’ll love forever. If I wish I wrote it. It’s got snark, it’s got addiction, and it’s got the SAPPY. How’s that for a decent batch of ingredients? I may even play with my own goofy cover of that one.

I really didn’t like Fantasy. UGH. It’s like they were playing with a disco feel? So to be fair, I lied earlier in the review. I didn’t listen to that song twice….more like 1 & 1/4 times. That was enough. You guys may sing as well as the Bee Gees but it’s rare there’s a record that doesn’t have a song I flatly hate on it.

Back to me. I didn’t (& won’t) listen to Feels So Right nearly as often as I have (& will) the Blasters but…that’s ok. To each their own. The production on the record is really quite great, & it won’t be the last time I listen to say, half of it? 

https://open.spotify.com/album/192mPxOusrkZyXmCdKdUJS?si=eqrv8Vx4Rge-Cmv0F6GcVg