King Of California (CD) ~ Dave Alvin (Artist) Cover Art

King Of California (CD)

By: Dave Alvin (Artist)

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Dave Alvin Artist Snapshot:

Guitarist and songwriter for celebrated roots rockers the Blasters, Dave Alvin, in his tenure with the band, aided a quiet but influential rockabilly revival in the early 1980s. By mid-decade he'd left the group to pursue a solo career, and also joined forces with the seminal L.A. punk band X. Alvin's songwriting and guitar playing helped to take the band in a more reflective and melodic direction. He also played in the band's acoustic country alter-ego, the Knitters, and explored film scoring and acting, released acclaimed solo albums, published books of his poetry, and produced and played on several recordings by similar-minded roots artists. Alvin's deft blending of soulful Americana with punky forthrightness has left its mark on a generation of independent singer-songwriters.

Product Description

Track Listing

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DISC 1 for King Of California (CD) Album By Dave Alvin (Artist)
1   King Of California
2   Barn Burning
3   Fourth Of July
4   Goodbye Again - (with Rosie Flores)
5   East Texas Blues
6   Every Night About This Time
7   Bus Station
8   Mother Earth
9   Blue Wing
10   Little Honey
11   Leaving, (I Won't Be)
12   What Am I Worth - (with Syd Straw)
13   Border Radio
 

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Review

Rolling Stone (7/14/94, p.104) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...Trust Dave Alvin to craft an unplugged set that sizzles...he ranks with Springsteen, John Hiatt and the colloquial Dylan..."
Alternative Press (8/94, p.72) - "...KING OF CALIFORNIA just proves that acoustic isn't a synonym for arid when it comes to making music..."
Option (Sept/Oct 94, p.89) - "...It's dynamite stuff, very personal and confident. Johnny Cash may be making a come back, but Dave Alvin's easily his equal without being an imitator..."
Stereo Review (7/94, p.82) - Performance: Hypnotic / Recording: Good - "...A basic folk-and-blues album, mostly out of reworked songs previously recorded solo or with his first band, the Blasters. Along the way he throws in a few covers...that fit his theme of life's beautiful losers caught in freeze frame demise..."

Title Note

Personnel: Dave Alvin (vocals, acoustic, electric & steel guitars); Syd Straw, Rosie Flores (vocals); Greg Leisz (acoustic, electric & pedal steel guitars, mandolin); Jimmie Wood (harmonica); Steve Van Gelder (fiddle); Skip Edwards (accordion, organ); David Jackson (accordion); James Intveld, Don Falzone (acoustic bass); Bob Glaub (bass, percussion); Alan Deremo (bass); Donald Lindley, James Cruce (drums, percussion); Bobby Lloyd Hicks (drums, percussion, background vocals).

Includes liner notes by Dave Alvin.

For his fourth album, 1994's KING OF CALIFORNIA, Dave Alvin mixed new songs with selections revisited from his back catalog, as well as numbers first recorded with his previous band, The Blasters. The setting is a pared-down acoustic ensemble perfectly suited to his songs of the downtrodden, the lovelorn and the lost--all tempered with a sense of hope. The title track is a perfect example of Alvin's finely crafted tales of the working class dreaming of sunnier climes. Bobby Lloyd Hick's brushed snare beautifully echoes the literature of the lyrics.

Throughout, the album's spare accompaniment is rich with warm interplay, creating a sense of community that further bolsters this music's personal nature. Singer Rosie Flores duets with Alvin on one song, and Syd Straw lends her voice to another. "Border Radio" brings things to a close, with a gorgeously quiet rendition that celebrates the heart that was always beating inside of the Blaster's earlier revved-up take.

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