Green on Red - Gravity Talks

Name: Green on Red
Album: Gravity Talks
Year: 1983
Style: Psychedelic, Garage
Similar Bands: Bob Dylan, Jonathan Richman, Dead Milkmen, Inspiral Carpets, Electric Prunes, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Three O'Clock, REM, Dream Syndicate
"One-Word" Review: Jangle-Psych-Pop Dylan-meets-Jagger
Based Out Of: Tuscon AZ & LA, CA
Label: Slash, Warner Brothers

Cover, Record

Record, Back

Gravity Talks (1983)

1. Gravity Talks 2:33
2. Old Chief 3:26
3. Easy Pieces 2:19
4. Deliverance 5:44
5. Over My Head 3:00
6. Snake Bit 4:24 / 
7. Blue Parade 4:30
8. That's What You're Here For 2:03
9. Brave Generation 4:12
10. Abigail's Ghost 2:38
11. Cheap Wine 4:09
12. Narcolepsy 5:34

Album Rating (1-10): 8.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Chris D - Producer (Fleasheaters)
• Dan Stuart - Vox, Guitar (Danny & Dusty, Serfers, The Slummers, Beat Farmers, Alpha Blue )
• Chris Cacavas - Keys, Guitar, Vox (Serfers, Alpha Nord, Edward Abbiati, Junkyard Love, Slivers of Hope, Dragon Bridge Orch. Dream Syndicate, Pedestrians, True West, Giant Sand, Steve Wynn & the Miracle 3, Viva Saturn, John Wesley Harding, Russ Tolman, Tom Stevens, Pat Thomas, Rich Hopkins & The Luminarios, Watercolors, Danny & Dusty, Plastic Pals, Lowlands and Friends, Blue Rose Rockestra, Leaving Trains, Naked Prey, Divine Horsemen, Dancing Hoods, Zebra Stripes, Droogs, Sonya Hunter, River Roses, Chris Burroughs, Wellsprings of Hope, Vva Saturn, Ghosthouse, Flowerporneos, Jon Wajl & the Amadans, Crashing Dreams, Band of Blacky Ranchette)
• Jack Waterson - Bass, Vox (Serfers, Black Dynamite Sound Orch, Venice Dawn, Two Lane Blacktop, Pat Thomas, Tom Stevens, Viva Saturn, Adrian Younge, Bilal, DJ Shadow, Hellenes, Midnight Hour, Ghostface Killah)
• Alex Mac Nicol - Drums (Lydia Lunch, Deep Six, )
• Matthew Piucci - Guitar, Consultant (Rain Parade, Boat Club, Crazy Horse, Rainy Day, Hellenes, Viva Saturn, True West, Fool Killers, Billy Talbot Band, FIR, Windbreakers, Cat Heads, Steven Roback, Doc Vox, Donovon's Brain)
• Steve Wynn - Long Distance Sage (Dream Syndicate, Danny & Dusty)
• Pat Burnette - Engineer
• Jane O'Neil - Photography
• Jeff Price - Art Direction

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, and they look like a typical, quirky jangle-pop college radio band. I mean, a stuffed armadillo by a campfire in the back photo?

Album Review: The album starts off with a bouncy, catchy garage-psych keyboard with a vocal cadence of Dylan. Also hints of Half Japanese and Dead Milkmen for their rough production values. While this meandering psych album all but embraces the "Paisley Underground" & "New Sincerity" tags, the apparently went on to become part of the cowpunk/roots scene in LA, paving the way for acts like Son Volt & Wilco.

Stand Out Track: Gravity Talks, Easy Pieces

Links:
Wiki
Discogs
website
Schoolkids Records
allmusic
trouser press
rate your music
Robert Christgau
sa-wa-ro
it starts with a birthstone
sputnik Music

(the) Del Fuegos - Boston Mass~ & Smoking in the Fields*

Name: (the) Del Fuegos
Album(s): Boston, Mass~, Smoking In The Fields*
Year(s): 1985~, 1989*
Style: Alt-Country Pub Rock
Similar Bands: John Mellencamp, J Geils Band, Rolling Stones, Tom Petty
"One Word" Review: "Gritty, country blues Rock ballads"
Based Out Of: Boston, MA
Label: Slash~, Warner Brothers~, RCA*, BMG*

Boston, Mass - Cover & Sleeve
Boston, Mass - Back & Sleeve
Boston, Mass - Record
Smoking In The Fields - Tape Cover & Picts
Smoking In The Fields - Tape Lyrics & Notes

Boston, Mass (1985)~

1. Don't Run Wild 3:30 (sample)
2. Hand In Hand 3:02 (sample)
3. I Still Want You 3:50 (sample)
4. Sound of Our Town 3:15 (sample)
5. Fade To Blue 3:54 (sample)/
6. It's Alright 3:54 (sample)
7. Hold Us Down 4:28 (sample)
8. Night on the Town 3:06 (sample)
9. Shame 3:19 (sample)
10. Coupe de Ville 3:50 (sample)

Smoking in the Fields (1989)*

1. Move With Me Sister 3:20 (sample)
2. Down in Allen's Mills 3:20 (sample)
3. I'm Inside You 4:27 (sample)
4. Headlights 3:04 (sample)
5. Breakaway 3:44 (sample)
6. Dreams Of You 3:40 (sample)/
7. The Offer 4:07 (sample)
8. Part of This Earth 3:26 (sample)
9. Stand By You 3:03 (sample)
10. Lost Weekend 5:49 (sample)
11. No, No Never 3:50 (sample)
12. Friends Again 3:06 (sample)

Album Rating (1-10):
~Boston Mass: 6.0
*Smoking In the Fields: 7.0

Members & Other Bands:
Dan Zanes - Guitar & Vox ~*
Woody Giessmann - Drums~ (Embarrassment)
Tom Lloyd - Bass,Vox~*,Cello, Glockenspiel, Arrangement, G Strings Quartet*
Warren Zanes - Guitar~
Adam Roth - Guitar, Vox*
Mitchell Froom - Producer, Asst Prod Keys~ * (Ronnie Montrose)
Joe Donnelly - Drums, Percussion*
Adam Roth - Guitars, Vox*
Dennis Kirk - Engineer~
Jim Nipar - Additional Engineering~
Troy Kreuger - Second Engineer~
James Ralston - Guitar~
Jorge Bermudez - Prod. Assistance Percussion~
Mike Reese - Mastered~
Just loomis - Photography ~
Jeff Price - Art Direction~
Jeri McManus - Art Direction~
Gary Hobbib - Management High Noon~*
Russ Rieger - Management High Noon~*
Seth Justman- Piano, Organ*
Magic Dick - Harmonica*
John Vanderpool - Tenor Sax (Heavy Metal Horns)*
Henry Douglas - Tenor Sax (Heavy Metal Horns)*
James McDaniel - Trumpet (Heavy Metal Horns)*
Dan Zupan - Baritone Sax (Heavy Metal Horns)*
John Ferry - Trombone (Heavy Metal Horns)*
Garrett Saviuk - Lead Trumpet (Heavy Metal Horns)*
Rick Danko - Vox*
Michael Loo - G Strings Quartet*
Daniel Mendelson - G Strings Quartet*
Gerry Itzkoff - G Strings Quartet*
Ralph Schuckett - String Arrangement*
George Cowan - Asst Recording*
Mike Reiter - Asst Recording*
Andrew Sedgewick - Asst Recording*
Darren Horner - Asst Recording*
Jesse henderson - Asst Recording*
George Marino - Mastered*
Teddy Trewhella - Asst Mastering*
Pietro Alfieri - Art Direction & Design*
Catanzaro & Mahdessian - Photography*
Ken Nahoum - Hand Photography*

Unknown-ness: I got the album Boston Mass shortly after I heard The Del Fuegos referenced in the Juliana Hatfield song My Sister in accordance to the Violent Femmes. The Femmes were my favorite band in High School, so any band who might have been placed on the same bill as them, as well as referenced in the Hatfield song, had to be an OK band for me. I don't know if I ever listened to the album after I bought it, so I really do not know how they sound, but I have an idea that they will be a mid 80's college radio / alt-country style band. The artwork does not do anything for the band positively, it is simple, bland, and gives the idea that the music will be bland too.

Album Review: “Don’t Run Wild” starts off the album with heavy menacing bass, but the song lightens up with guitars and drums, and it feels like a standard mid western rock song. Hand In Hand, features a quick rocking start, which continues throughout the song. It includes organ-type keyboards, and a pop-rock pace, similar to J Geils Band. His voice is not very musical; it is rougher, higher pitched sound, similar to the Rolling Stones’ sound. “I Still Want You” is a mellow, bluesy ballad. It then turns into a lament, with electric guitars and more of the mid-western, sleazy rock style. Metal guitars pick up the speed and pace at the beginning of the next track “Sound of Our Town.” These songs all sound like what bands like the A’s and Daddy Licks would be without the keyboards and instrumentation of new wave. These songs have the angst, and trembling in the vocals, and a driving rock structure, but they are produced in dirt and grime, rather than polish and synthesizers. But these songs could easily be converted. “Fade to Blue” continues the album’s symmetry, as this, a bluesy, drunken ballad follows a pub-rocking song. “It’s Alright” starts side two as a higher energy, hillbilly rock song. It has a bouncy groove, and the lyrics are structured like a story. Predictably, “Hold Us Down” is a slow, angst-filled, staggering song. The song grows louder as it progresses, but it never really takes off. Back on to the more up beat numbers, “Night On the Town” breaks from the tradition a little, and is not as powerful of a song as we’ve seen follow the slower songs. It follows a methodical groove rather than being a driving pub rock song. The minute of musical introduction ends with chatter, and the real song begins, with an organ in the background, and blue collar working man’s vibe takes over. This is a catchy song, and it feels a little like The Angels, “No Secrets” in the tone of his voice. “Shame” starts with a chugging electric guitar supporting a deliberate vocal melody. It is catchy, but it does not keep interest for much past the hook in the chorus. Finally, “Coupe De Ville” finishes off the record in consistent and proper fashion: like a lullaby to a drunk.

4 years later, this album was released. “Move with Me Sister” has the same honky-tonk red neck rock that the last album displayed. The cowbell and harmonica further build depth into the alt-country genre on this song. “Down in Allen’s Mills” is a straightforward, college-radio jangley pop song. Not catchy enough to be memorable, but most of this genre was just bland, echoey singer-songwriter material that became background sound with all the musical layering & tampering. “I’m Inside You” is a playful side to side swaying ballad, with string arrangements and an angelic chorus. A sad electric guitar weeps for the instrumental section. The harmonica introduces “Headlights” before the rag time piano sound, and rock n roll guitars create the somewhat conflicting soundscape. Everything in the song follows the same melody, but it is an eclectic vision, yet one that works well. “Breakway” is a steady driving song, simple in instrumentation, but it has a great build and delivery to the call and response chorus. This feels like a Tom Petty song. “Dreams of You” is a country rock ballad. The chorus is a start stop Credence Clearwater or Lynyrd Skynyrd inspired melody. Actually on second thought, the melody of the chorus could be compared to the chorus of “Say it Ain’t So” by Weezer, if covered by the aforementioned bands. As the song progresses, it becomes more rock than ballad, as a horn section accents the start stop melody of the chorus. Southern Blues Rock takes over on the first song on side 2 “The Offer.” The trumpets date the track, making it really feel like a song recorded in the 80’s. “Part of This Earth” breaks form and begins with a completely orchestral section. Then the pop nature of the guitar picks up the song and it feels like a Graham Parker song in structure and vocals. A keyboard is added, continuing to bolster the sound of Parker. “Stand By You” peels back the production, revealing a singer songwriter, campfire country song, complete with sing-a-long chorus and verses. It only sounds like guitar and vocals, but there is a keyboard/ piano there too. “Lost Weekend” makes up for the underproduction with a thick sound added to the guitars and harmonica. The bass is simple and catchy. But the melody drags its feet through out the song with the exception of the quick paced instrumental section around 2 minutes into the song. The section ends, and the song comes back for a revisit of the slow trudging tempo. The song ends in a flurry of drums and effects, and just whimpers out. “No No Never” begins with a simple drum beat, and rocking guitars & bass are laid over top. This is a catchy rock / pop number buried under southern rock production. It has elements of the MC5’s, as well as oldies rock n’ roll. Horns are brought in to fade the song out. The final song “Friends Again” feels like a continuation of “No No Never” more rock / pop produced with themed west blue collar flair. With more synthesizers, it could sound like the new wave’s best, 10 years earlier.

Stand Out Track(s):
Boston Mass: Hand In Hand
Smoking In the Fields: Friends Again

Links:
Del Fuegos - Allmusic
Del Fuegos - wikipedia
Del Fuegos - Fan Myspace page
Dan Zanes website
Del Fuegos - Starpulse
Del Fuegos - Trouser Press
Del Fuegos - Fan Blog
Dan Zanes Interview NPR
Del Fuegos - Rate Your Music
Del Fuegos - Foxy Tunes page
Del Fuegos - Forgotten 80's Gem

The Blasters - s/t

Name: (the) Blasters
Album: s/t
Year: 1981
Style: Oldies Rock & Rockabilly
Sounds Like: Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Stray Cats, Jerry Lee Lewis
"One Word" Review: Country-Vocal-Ruined Rock-a-oldies.
Based Out Of: California
Label: Slash, Warner Bros Records, WEA International

Blasters Cover

(the) Blasters (1981)

1. Marie Marie (2:06) (Sample)
2. No Other Girl (2:32) (Sample)
3. I'm Shakin' (2.24) (Sample)
4. Border Radio (2:42) (Sample)
5. American Music (2:14) (Sample)
6. So Long Baby, Goodbye (2:22) (Sample)/
7. Hollywood Bed (3:31) (Sample)
8. Never No Mo' Blues (2:52) (Sample)
9. This Is It (2:11) (Sample)
10. Highway 61 (3:02) (Sample)
11. I Love You So (2:51) (Sample)
12. Stop the Clock (2:02) (Sample)

Album Rating (1-10):
5.0

Members and Other Bands:Phil Alvin - Vox, Guitars, Harmonica
Dave Alvin - Guitars (Dollar Store)
John Bazz - Bass
Bill Bateman - Drums
Lee Allen - Sax
Steve Berlin - Sax (Los Lobos)
Gene Taylor - Piano
Gustav Alsina – cover design
Gary Leonard - Photos
Steve Bartel - Art Design
Roger Harris - Engineer
Pat Burnette - Engineer
David Ahlert - Second Engineer
J Ruby Productions - Packaging
Shelly Heber - Manager / Agent

Unknown-ness: I thought I had heard of the is band, but I've not. The cover art looked very interesting, and a powerful name (and logo) like the Blasters, and a production date of 1981, I was expecting a high energy, new wave or punk record.

Album Review: The first time I heard this tape, I hated it. The second time I listened to it, I hated it again, but perhaps a little less. I kept listening to it and now, although there are some elements that I appreciate, I still find it somewhat unlistenable. Although the music is good, I find his high, squeaky voice very irritating most of the time. And as I've said before the voice is what makes or breaks a band for me.

"Marie Marie" is the first song, and it has a great rock n' roll beat, and classic oldies guitar solos, but his voice sounds like a whiny pubescent-breaking pathetic man. "No Other Girl" sounds like a great Elvis Presley record. The vocals begin normal enough and do not get too out of hand, but still, there are cringe-worthy moments where it seems it will break too far. The rockabilly bass and honky-tonk piano are really good, and really save the song. I cannot stand the bluesy "I'm Shaking." The cat-like-strut of the bass, drums and sax is something that makes me shiver with annoyance almost as much as I get from "Personal Jesus'" bass line. The vocal quality of his gospel chant of 'I'm Shakin' is very irritating. "Border Radio" is a slowed up version of "Brown Eyed Handsome Man." The vocals are somewhat steady in this tune, and the result is a good oldies, radio friendly song. "American Music" is a quick paced, bouncy country swing song. It borrows song construction from Chuck Berry's "Rock N' Roll Music." "So Long Baby Good Bye" is another oldies-rockabilly-country song, where the singer is crying in his annoying country crooning whine. The brass is really good though, it actually sounds like a harmonica (perhaps there is one buried under there too).

"Hollywood Bed" is a piano based country song, that is perhaps the best example of the high pitch annoying vocal styles, most prevalent in his "Hey-Hey-Hee" & "Who-Who-Who-Wee" vocal bridges. The drums are a quick march, like machine-gun fire. The bass trips up and down, and the music recreates the image of a rag time saloon. The song fades out without vocals, and the next be-boppin' rockabilly song "Never No Mo' Blues" comes on, with the most irritating feature being the vocals. But this time, they go from bad to worse, as he adds yodelling into his arsenal of grating effects. "This Is It" is a Jerry Lee Lewis rocking song. I figured out the most annoying aspect of the vocals: his little upturns in pitch at the end of every line. It is that which I detest about this and country music as well. "Highway 61" is a bluesy bounce full on with harmonica filling in the gaps behind and between the lyrics. He sounds like Mississippi Gary from "Kids In The Hall," but somehow, worse because it is not for comedy. "I Love You So" rocks out at first with guitars, then adds shaking maraca, and a bouncy bass line. I'm just gonna ignore the vocals. Or try to at least. A tick-tocking wood block starts the final song "Stop the Clock," which carries the same melody as "Whole Lotta Shaking Goin' On." Again the song blends the great qualities of oldies and rockabilly.

So without continuing to be harsh about the vocals, I will focus on the music, which upon further review, is fantastic. The authentic oldies and musical structures belong in the late 50's. I've read it in many reviews, and I can agree that they take many elements of old music, and rebirthed them as if just discovering the new time signatures to make new Rock N' Roll.

Stand Out Track:
No Other Girl

Links:
Blasters Allmusic
Blasters Wikipedia
Blasters Album Wikipedia
Blasters Webpage
Blasters testament
Phil Alvin interview 2004
Dave Alvin Page
Blasters on Trouserpress
Blasters Interview Pop Matters
Cover Art Gallery Page
shoutfactory: the blasters