Customer Reviews

American Music

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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!!

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.

I have been a fan of The Blasters ever since the mid-80's.

The group revolves around a core formed by the Alvin Bothers, Phil and Dave. Phil's voice and Dave's guitar and songwriting are both raw and exciting, like the best bar band you know. These guys play unadorned rock and roll that harks back to the roots of the genre.

The picture I have of them is Phil wailing, sweat dripping down his face, Dave hunched over his guitar and the crowd stomping and clapping to this simple, fun music.

This is a tremendous re-issue! I recommend geting it on the 2 disc special edition vinyl through Miles of Music.Anyway, this album is a must for any Blasters or rock'n'roll fan who needs an adrenalin rush and a good look at the band before it expanded to it most potent configuration with Gene Taylor, Steve Berlin (currently in Los Lobos) and the late great Lee Allen for the series of great albums on Slash Records (which hopefully will get re-issued).

I saw the Blasters play in Austin back in the early 80s-great show-but I had forgotten all about them until I was recently turned on to Dave Alvin. Remembering what a great show it was and wanting to know more about Alvin's music, I picked up this little gem. This album is good old-time rock and roll with a judicious layer of rockabilly and blues. It takes me back to the days of the Mandolin Wind club in San Diego where one could always go and get a good dose of high-powered blues rock. While there is nothing here that could be termed virtuoso, every cut is enjoyable. The Blasters are bursting with high energy and that makes this CD a perfect companion for a road trip through the wide open west. Crank it up, beat on the steering wheel, and sail on down the road!

Now that The Blasters' complete Slash recordings are now available on CD, I guess I'll have to find something else to lament. "American Music" is essential for any fan of rockabilly, roots, Americana, however you want to label it. This album takes us back to a time when the brothers Alvin were honing their chops in and around their hometown of Downey, CA. Rockin' Ronny Weiser believed in the band enough to take them into the studio and release the results on his tiny, but apparently influential label Rollin' Rock back in 1980, albeit in a run of less than 2,000 vinyl LP's. Even at this early stage, The Blasters fused an almost punk energy with rockabilly, swing, R&B, and country and called the results their own. Displaying the unrelenting drive and swing that would become their trademark, powered by Dave Alvin's revved up Fender pyrotechnics, brother Phil's versatile vocals (and on stage, a facial grimace that combined equal parts jack-o-lantern grin and constipation visage), and the crack rhythm section of bassist John Bazz and drummer Bill Bateman, this is a pretty engrossing look at the band in it nascent stage. Included are the original versions of several songs they would go on to re-record for their Slash/Warner Bros. releases, like "American Music," "Barefoot Rock," "Marie, Marie," and "Never No More Blues," as well as covers of Magic Sam's "21 Days In Jail" and Ray Harris' "Lone Wolf." Unqualifyingly recommended...

When The Blasters split is really "The Day the Music Died". It's like being told you can't have sex or drink beer anymore. Listening to this makes me want to cry knowing that I probably will never hear anything new from them or see them in concert again. This CD is definately worth owning, as is any other Blasters collection. Since it's probably the only Blasters CD still available, get it. It will make you want to sing, dance, pound the table and play the air guitar all at once.

This is probably one of the best five albums released in the last 30 years. It is unbelievable how great the Blasters were. I remember seeing them live in Salt Lake City. After the concert, I felt as though I had witnessed one of the great events in rock 'n roll history - the music and performance were that powerful. The Blasters were the culmination of rock revivalism during the punk, new-wave, and rockabilly era of the late 70's and early 80's. All of the Blasters' albums are worth having, but 'American Music' is special because it was their first album. All the songs are excellent. The title track itself sets the stage, but after hearing the next few selections you get the sense you have stumbled on to something as historical as the initial Sun Sessions.

The fact that this is the only Blasters CD available shows how lame the American Music scene can get. Their live EP from a tour of the UK is just about the greatest live rock ever recorded (right up there with Live At Leeds and Get Yer Ya-Yas Out). The first few Blasters LPs were masterful--and they had to fight to get those released. They were hotter than hot live, and classy studio stuff too.

Hunt down ALL Blasters LPs. This I command you.