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 1980 Listening Post - The Blasters - American Music

The Blasters - American Music

#54

February 1980

The Blasters

American Music

3.75 out of 5

Highlights:

American Music

Marie Marie

In 1981 (I believe), I was reading Time Magazine. This was not a regular occurrence, I assure you. I am nowhere near as erudite as I wish I was. There was a kid on the bus to school when I was 10 who would brag that he red, for fun, the dictionary, to learn new words. I can not express how happy I was to learn that he failed out of college with a sever addiction problem. I’ve probably lost a few months of my life for just writing that sentence. Hate and bile are more corrosive than bacon fat but a helluva lot of fun to write. 

In that issue of Time they listed the “best albums of the year”. The 1-2 punch was X’s Wild Gift and The Blasters self titled. It took me a while to realize that both albums were distributed by….Warner entertainment. Which also owned Time. 

I eschewed The Blasters. I loved the name. Hated the cover. 

X, on the other hand? Just that one letter screamed punk to me. Edge. Anger. The music of adolescence.

Over the years I eventually came to listen and appreciate the Blasters. Especially when one of the Alvin Brothers co-wrote X’s biggest hit, “4th of July”. 

But I wasn’t wrong. 

X was new punk. A razor blade of poetry and magically stripped down rock. 

The Blasters, on the other hand, were straight up rock and roll revival, out of the a Saturday Night hoedown. Their version of it was precise and spot on. And, for a 50s revival, the timing was also perfect. So, why didn’t they break through the way Stray Cats did? 

I can’t really say. Except that Setzer added sex to the music, which was all about sex to begin with and The Blasters seemed to be your Uncle’s best friend. The guy who elbows your uncle hard in the ribs every time Uncle Stanley makes some unctuous and snide comment about your daughter, his niece. 

And Uncle Best Friend doesn’t take that opportunity to bang your daughter. Nope. He teaches her how to play guitar instead. 

Which is fine. It’s great, even. 

But it doesn’t sell records for Uncle Best Friend’s band. 

However, the daughter grows up to be a 90s Riot Grrl rocker and that’s fucking great. Points for that!

https://music.apple.com/us/album/american-music/1491412860

The 1986 Listening Post - Phil Alvin - Un "Sung" Stories

Phil Alvin - Un "Sung" Stories

#352/2032

August 1986

Phil Alvin

Un “Sung” Stories

Genre: Rock…and others

4.25 out of 5

Highlights:

Death in the Morning

Titanic Blues

A few years before this Joe Jackson dove head first into big band with Jumping’ Jive and in about 10 years FROM this Swing will make a huge comeback through Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, Brian Setzer, Squirrel Nut Zippers and others. 

So, it stands to reason that we should take a look at this album of mostly covers of gospel and R&B and Swing tunes by the other Blaster. 

Missing the energy of Joe and the excited discovery of those aforementioned revival groups, Phil comes across as a steward of the genre and ends up with something just a bit more than a curio.

https://music.apple.com/us/album/un-sung-stories/299549570

The 1985 Listening Post - The Blasters - Hard Line

The Blasters - Hard Line

#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.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/hard-line/367454302