Customer Reviews

Interstate City

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Interstate City is an excellent live album by ex blaster Dave Alvin. It was recorded in the legendary Continental Club in Austin. About a week after I bought this cd, I had the pleasure of catching the Guilty Men live at the cosy Blue Door Club in Oklahoma City. Me, and about 100 other lucky fans got to see one of the best roots rock shows that's passed through this city in ages. Alvin put together a fantastic group of musicians for this album. Especially Rick Solem on piano. He stole the show that night I saw him. And he sounds just as good on this cd. Alvin's choice of songs on here couldn't have been better. Divided between his solo career and the music he did with the Blasters, who were in my opinion, one of America's best roots rock bands. And he also does covers of Woody Guthrie's "Do Re Mi", and Chuck Berry's "Promised Land" as part of a medley to "Jubilee Train". This song alone is worth the price of admission to this great cd. A couple of the other highlights on here are "30 Dollar Room", which is my favorite song by Alvin as a solo artist. And "Long White Cadillac", a scorching version from his Blaster's days. The album ends with a rousing version of "Romeo's Escape", that not only shows off Alvin's guitar prowess, but has a Rick Solem piano solo that has to be heard to be believed. I swear it sounds like this cat plays with 3 hands. Incredible. Interstate City is a memorable cd from start to finish. Made even better because it's live, with a band of ace musicians that have that special chemistry playing together. Highly recommended.

Anyone who misses those Blasters' Shows from the 80's, (especially those opening with Los Lobos), needs this CD. While Alvin's vocals sometimes make me wish for brother Phil's voice, Dave is up to task on nearly every song. He manages to put enough feeling into his music, one almost feels the emotion he must have put into his words.

The Guilty Men play hard and tight on the Rockers and loosen up on the Folkers, (just made that up). Greg Boaz and Bobby Hicks invite favorable comparison to the Bateman/Bazz team of the early Blasters' days. Ted Roddy adds depth with his harmonica and Katy Moffatt's voice is almost too good for back-up duties, almost.

Listen to the meter, pitch, and rythmn changes in the Jubilee Train, Do Re Mi, Promised Land song arrangement and you begin to see how far Alvin's vocals have come. Mister Lee, a tribute to long time mentor Lee Allen is as moving as it is uplifting, remebering the Saxaphone great's spirit and love of life. Tracks move comfortably between Dave's new folk standards, Florence Avenue Lullaby and Out in California and Blasters' Rockers, Look Out (It Must Be Love). Long White Cadillac, and So Long, Baby, Goodbye. Spend the $15 bucks, you won't be sorry.

Lee Allen Lives!

Dave's best album, and he's made some fine ones. If I had to choose only one CD to put in my car on a road trip, this would be it. The songs rock. The musicianship is superb. Dave sings with confidence. And sure I'm a boomer, but I played this CD in a van with a bunch of college students and they went nuts over it. "Who is this dude?" They asked. "Dave Alvin," I said. "What do you call this kind of music?" "It's honky tonk, and this is as good as you will ever hear."

My vote for the best honky tonk album in a long, long while.

So i finally got my hands on this album after searching too many local music stores. Well worth the wait. This live recording really showcases a phenomenal band. There is variety for all here with influences from blues, rock n roll, rockabilly and soul. The band is well versed in all and switch between styles amazingly well throughout the album. A must have for all. That's all.

There are only two ways you are looking up a review for a Dave Alvin album. Either you have been introduced to him and the Guilty Men by a ravenous fan or, you are a ravenous fan! Whichever you are, buy this album if you haven't already!!! Live albums tend to only be good if there is good chemistry in a band combined with a crowd that is into it. This disc has both in abundance! There is a mix of Blasters material and Dave Alvin solo stuff that shows what can be done when spit and polish is put onto great raw material. "So Long Baby Goodbye", "Look Out (It Must Be Love)", "Dry River", and "Museum of Heart" are some of the best songs I have ever heard making even the excellent studio originals almost look bad!

The bottom line: Buy this album and prepare yourself for a stomping good time!!!

I'm selling off my CD collection to pay bills, but this one I'm keeping. When I first heard this CD in a record store back in '96, I barely knew the name of Dave Alvin and had no clue of his background or even realized he had anything to do with the Blasters. All I heard in that record store was a great comfy intimate live set of Americana singer/songwriter "alt-country" rock and roll performed with intelligence by a mature voice and band. On Hightone records so you know its quality guitar rock. I could listen to "out in california" all day long. Go Dave!

What can I say about an album that is simply one of the best? If it were a vinyl record, the grooves on my copy would be flat by now. I've seen Dave play live a half a dozen times, and every time has been special. This album brings you as close to capturing the energy of a live Dave Alvin performance as you can get without being there.

And what great songs. Dave tells stories in these songs that are so fully realized that they're cinematic. They don't just leave lasting melodies in your head, they leave images: of a girl gazing at her pale reflection in thick bulletproof glass; of a smoky thirty dollar room, next to the airport; of a cop climbing the stairs to confront a dangerous man.

Only Dave can switch between moody film noir songs to bluesy folk songs to rockin' Cadillac songs with such ease and skill. The Guilty Men provide tight, flawless energy to back him up. I can't recommend this cd enough.

This may be the album that finlly gets me over the fact that the Blasters have not recorded as a unit since the mid-80s. Dave Alvin and The Guilty Men tear through the songs on this live set like a band possessed. The song list mines his day's with the Blasters and his solo recordings. Standout tracks are "Long White Cadillac" from the former and "Romeo's Escape" from the latter.

My personal favorite is the fusing of one of Dave's best songs with Woody Guthrie and Chuck Berry in the medley "Jubilee Train/Do Re Me/Promised Land" which is a seamless slice of Americana.

I saw Dave and his band perform much of this album when they headlined the 25th anniversary celebration of the Zoo Bar and they were phenomenal. Dave has become one of the country's best story-telling songwriters. This is a great place to find that out for yourself.

Since I was introduced to Dave Alvin's solo work seven or eight years ago by an old high school friend, I have picked up just about everything he has issued. And that includes reacquainting myself with his old band,The Blasters.
Interstate City just may be the last Dave Alvin solo album I didn't have until I purchased it recently. I am generally leery of live albums since they often turn out to be duds or mixed bags at best, but this album really gives the listener a lot to like. I give it only four stars because I am not thrilled with every song, but there are a few standouts that make Interstate City worth having. In my opinion, those are: the gritty title cut; the rollicking Mister Lee; one my favorite Alvin songs, Thirty Dollar Room; and the hard-driving Long White Cadillac. Overall, Interstate City is a high-octane set that can't fail to grab your attention.
Interstate City comes with a fold-out insert that features pictures and pertinent album information, but no lyrics. If you are a fan of Dave Alvin and don't yet own this, its time to add it to your collection. You won't be disappointed.

I've owned this for at least 10 years and it still gets better each time I listen to it. I missed the Blasters in their prime, but as magnificent as this album is, it's got to be the next best thing. Fantastic songwriting, poignant lyrics, and a great, great band. The highlights are many; start anywhere you like. To hear the swingingest rock band ever, listen to "Museum of Heart." Priceless stuff.