American Music

The Blasters | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 16, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Shout Factory
• ASIN: B0000005S7
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #50,993 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Americana--a mixture of folk, rockabilly, blues, country, Cajun, and other roots music--is now a well-established radio and industry genre, and this is the album that almost single-handedly created it. When the Blasters, fronted by brothers Phil and Dave Alvin, came roaring out of Downey, California, during the heyday of punk back in 1977, many considered them a throwback, but once the savage energy of this band hits you, it's obvious they ain't no wannabes. They took every style considered corny and unhip by the new wave generation, and in a magical burst of inspiration, turned it into something that never goes out of style--high octane, pedal-to-the-metal rock & roll. Luckily, Rollin' Rock's Ronnie Weiser had the wisdom to rush them into the studio and capture them at the height of their creative frenzy. Now classic Dave Alvin tunes such as "Marie Marie" and the title track rub up against chestnuts like the Hollywood Flames' "Buzz Buzz Buzz," and sparks fly. This long-overdue reissue includes seven tracks that never made it onto the original vinyl, to give you 19 raw and raunchy tracks that sum up the past, present, and future of American music. --j. poet

Product Description

Released in 1980 as a very-limited-edition LP, this album has commanded prices of 100 bucks and up! Led by Dave and Phil Alvin, the Blasters' blend of blues, rock 'n' roll and West Coast punk made them LA faves, and this CD captures them at their peak. Includes Marie, Marie; American Music; Crazy Baby , and more, plus six previously unreleased tracks!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT ALL-AMERICAN ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC, August 3, 2001

By 

Patrick Earley (Edmond, Oklahoma USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: American Music (Audio CD)

The Blasters were one of the great unsung roots rock bands. With Dave Alvin leading the way on guitar, and his brother Phil on vocals, these guys were at the forefront of the late 70's early 80's rockabilly revival. What seperated the Blasters from the rest of the pack was their ability to combine their rockabilly sound with everything from R&B and country to punk. And as members of the L.A. punk scene, they were influenced by bands like X, who Dave Alvin later joined after the Blasters broke up. They also had a little bit of a country sound at times, probably influenced a little by Dwight Yoakam, who they often shared a double bill with. Just like the title of this cd suggest, this is all American Music. Influenced a lot by people like Jerry Lee Lewis and Big Joe Turner. But by no means did they copy these artists. The Blasters had a distinct sound of their own. There is a ton of great music on this cd. The songs I particually like are their anthem "AMERICAN MUSIC" and "MARIE MARIE", a song which another outstanding rockabilly artist Shakin' Stevens made a hit out of over in England. I also like the song "BARN BURNING", a bluesy tune that Dave Alvin later did on his solo album. All the tunes here are 2 to 3 minute little gems that keep this album rolling along nicely. My only gripe about Blasters music is why haven't they released more of it. Warner Brothers needs to re-release the "Blasters Collection" cd of their greatest hits off their 4 albums. I can't believe "American Music" is all they have availiable from their catalogue. If you like the Blasters, I also suggest picking up "Blastered", a Tribute To The Blasters. This is an excellent collection of Blaster songs from 16 of the best rockabilly bands around. In the meantime, American music is a good (and only) place to start listening to what I consider one of the very best roots rock bands ever.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars God Bless America, AND THE BLASTERS!!, June 19, 2001

By 

Erik J. Fortmeyer "beerisjoy" (Brooklyn, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: American Music (Audio CD)

So someone introduced you to the music of Dave Alvin and The Guilty Men one night at a ripping good party, eh? Or maybe they played stuff by "X"? If this is the case then, you had one of two polar reactions... you either loved it beyond belief or hated it with a passion. If the former is the case, then you MUST hear where it all began!! The Blasters are Rockabilly/Hillbilly/Cajun/Blues/R&B/Rock & Roll all blendered together into what the album title describes as "American Music"! I'm sure the members of the Stray Cats and Webb Wilder all have multiple, well-worn copies of this classic everywhere they go. If you dig roots music with a blues edge played with a ripping good guitar, thumping bass, thundering drums, and surprisingly thoughtful songwriting, then this will blow you out of the water! It will also send you on a frenzy trying to get every copy known of the original Blasters live shows from the late 1970s when punk rock was all the rage. Dave Alvin and the rest of this band are true American originals that made legendary reputations out of all the roadhouses that this band tore up musically during their too short reign.

Buy it and tell a friend!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars THE BIRTH OF SOMETHING GREAT!, December 16, 2000

By 

Zorikh Lequidre "Zorikh" (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: American Music (Audio CD)

Spare, raw, and highly energetic, this wonderfully under-produced album shows the nascence of the greatest American rock & roll band ever (IMHO). With a collection of original songs and semi-obscure favorites, this four-piece band hits the ground running with an energy and freshness that foreshadows a brilliant and all-too-short career much like the Beatles did with their first album.

Originally this record was given a very limited release in 1980 and when they got bigger in the early-to-mid '80's it became a highly desireable collectible. I was fortunate to find a copy in a record store for $50 in the late '80's. The sound of the original albun is faithfully reproduced. It's "crytal-clear," as CD's are made to be, but the low-budget fidelity is apparent. Fans of the band's fat, full sound of their four Warner/Slash albums might be a little thrown by the lack of saxaphones and piano. The sound is very sparse, like a '50's garage band, with a very definite twang and rattle. This is all part of its charm. You don't need all that other crap when the energy is full steam ahead on every cut.

The package contains some valuable liner notes about the band and the creation of this album. The extra songs on the disk are a treat, too. I wonder how much other unreleased Blasters material there is? I talked to Dave Alvin around the time that "The Blasters Collection" CD was released. It had three extra cuts that had been recorded for the album "Hard Line" but not released originally because (as Dave told me) the studio said "they sound too much like Blasters songs" (...but...but...but...well, what do you expect from an industry that tells Dave Alvin that a song he wrote for George Jones is "too country for George Jones").

So if you want some good, hot, cut-to the bone rockabilly, you can't go wrong here. But remember, this album is just a hint of the greatness that was to come.