Hard Line (album)

Hard Line is the fourth album by the American roots rock band the Blasters, released in 1985.[7][8] Dave Alvin quit the band shortly after the album's release.[9] The album peaked at No. 86 on the Billboard 200.[10]

Not to be confused with Hardline.
Hard Line
Studio album by
The Blasters
ReleasedFebruary 1985 (February 1985)
GenreRoots rock
LabelSlash[1]
ProducerJeff Eyrich
The Blasters chronology
Non Fiction
(1983)		 Hard Line
(1985)		 The Blasters Collection
(1990)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Christgau's Record GuideA[3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[5]
Spin Alternative Record Guide7/10[6]

The song "Dark Night" was featured in the film From Dusk Till Dawn.[11]

Production

The album was produced by Jeff Eyrich, who had attended the same high school as the Alvins.[12][13] John Cougar Mellencamp wrote and produced one song; Mellencamp's producer, Don Gehman, produced "Just Another Sunday".[12] The album was recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville.[14] Stan Lynch, David Hidalgo, and Larry Taylor appear on Hard Line.[15]

Critical reception

Trouser Press wrote that the "highlights include 'Trouble Bound' and 'Help You Dream', both featuring the Jordanaires."[16] The Washington Post thought that "Dave Alvin's songwriting has grown dramatically -- the melodies are finally as prominent as the rhythms, and the lyrics tell the hand-me-down stories of the best folk songs."[12] The Chicago Tribune called Dave Alvin "one of the most underrated lyricists in popular music."[17] The Los Angeles Times wrote that "the Blasters [have] become secure enough musically to lower the instrumental voltage and let Phil Alvin’s vocals take center stage."[18] The Sun Sentinel opined that "the Blasters sound as if they took a long trip through the United States and sponged up every pop music form they ran into."[19]

Track listing

All tracks written by Dave Alvin, except where noted.

No.TitleLength
1."Trouble Bound"3:48
2."Just Another Sunday" (Alvin, John Doe)4:15
3."Hey, Girl"3:11
4."Dark Night"3:51
5."Little Honey" (Alvin, Doe)3:35
6."Samson and Delilah" (Traditional)3:47
7."Colored Lights" (John Cougar Mellencamp)3:27
8."Help You Dream"3:40
9."Common Man"3:43
10."Rock & Roll Will Stand"2:38
Total length:35:55

Personnel
The Blasters

References
  1. Popoff, Martin (September 8, 2009). Goldmine Record Album Price Guide. Penguin. ISBN 9781440229169 – via Google Books.
  2. Deming, Mark. "Hard Line – The Blasters". AllMusic. Retrieved October 30, 2007.
  3. Christgau, Robert (1990). "The Blasters: Hard Line". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved October 30, 2007.
  4. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 1. MUZE. pp. 668–669.
  5. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 65–66.
  6. Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig, eds. (1995). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  7. "The Blasters | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  8. "A Testament to the Blasters". Perfect Sound Forever.
  9. "Dave Alvin". MTV News.
  10. "The Blasters". Billboard.
  11. "5 essential songs from The Blasters to blast before the band's Long Beach show". March 21, 2018.
  12. Himes, Geoffrey (March 14, 1985). "More Powerful Blasters" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  13. Doe, John; DeSavia, Tom (June 4, 2019). More Fun in the New World: The Unmaking and Legacy of L.A. Punk. Hachette Books. ISBN 9780306922114 – via Google Books.
  14. "Spins". SPIN. SPIN Media LLC. June 12, 1985 – via Google Books.
  15. The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. March 12, 2003. ISBN 9781858284576 – via Google Books.
  16. "Blasters". Trouser Press. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  17. "THE BLASTERS ARE TAKING A HARD LINE ON THE MEANING OF POP PATRIOTISM". chicagotribune.com. 8 August 1985.
  18. "POP REVIEW : THE BLASTERS BROADEN THEIR SCOPE". Los Angeles Times. February 17, 1986.
  19. Benarde, Scott (15 March 1985). "JUST FOR THE RECORD, TAKE A CHANCE ON THESE". Sun-Sentinel.com.

Further reading



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