This Is American Music
Steve Vrana | Aurora, NE | 03/06/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"At last! A fitting tribute to one of America's greatest roots music bands. The 1990 album The Blasters Collection was terrific, but Testament: The Complete Slash Recordings leaves it in the dust. Not only do you get all four of their Eighties Slash albums in their entirety, you get eight previously unreleased songs--in addition to the three tracks from The Blasters Collection that were at that time previously unreleased. This anthology also includes The Blasters' two contributions to the soundtrack of the 1984 film Streets of Fire: "One Bad Stud" and "Blue Shadows." The new songs include "Can't Stop Time," "Flattop Joint" (an alternate version to the one found on 1980's American Music), "Leave My Money Alone," four live tracks from 1982--"What Will Lucy Do," "Crazy Baby," "Got Love If You Want It," "Walkin' With Mr. Lee," and a live duet featuring Phil and Dave Alvin from 1985 on "Take Out Some Insurance." This band knew how to rock with Fats Domino's sax player Lee Allen (later replaced by Steve Berlin, who would eventually join Los Lobos), pianist Gene Taylor (who had performed with Ronnie Hawkins' Hawks and Canned Heat), drummer Bill Bateman, bassist John Bazz, and of course siblings Phil (guitar, vocals) and Dave (lead guitar) Alvin. Like they sang in "American Music," they were a combination of "Louisiana boogie and the Delta blues. We got country swing and rockabilly too. We got jazz, country-western and Chicago blues. It's the greatest music that you ever knew." This will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED"
About Time!
Mark A Hering | Port Townsend, WA United States | 03/25/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I can remember going to California in the early 80's to visit my cousins in Long Beach. I was listening to heavy metal and stuff like REO and Sammy Hagar. We went into Hollywood to see this band my cousins were raving about called the Blasters (they were opening for Greg Kihn!). The moment they walked on stage I knew something big was happening. I was totally blown away! I've been a roots, rockabilly fanatic ever since. Years later (2001), I'd lost my album collection (stolen), sold my turntable and realized how bad I missed listening the that 1st Blasters album. Went online, bought it, borrowed a turntable so I could record it. This is the only vinyl I own. Wouldn't you know, after all that, Rhino comes through! THIS IS A MUST FOR ANYONE WHO LOVES ROOTS ROCK N ROLL. If you ever get a chance to see the Blasters (hopefully with Dave Alvin) do it!!!"
The greatest band you never heard on the radio!
EM Rich | Eagle Mountain, UT | 03/07/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is not an unbiased review. I have been a hardcore Blasters fan since I bought their first Slash album in March 1982. It's about time this stuff was available on CD! I saw the Blasters live twice (1983 at the University of Utah; 1985 at the Utah State Fairgrounds) and I was front row center both times. I've seen Springsteen, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris with Spyboy, Social Distortion, Steve Earle, and a lot of other really good performers, but the Blasters are still the best live band I ever saw. The pictures of the band in action that are in the booklet that accompanies "Testament" bring back a lot of really good memories. The music on these 2 CD's is awesome. I hadn't listened to the actual albums in quite a few years, since my turntable died. I had forgotten how good "Hardline" is. "Just Another Sunday" is one of the Blasters' best. Dave Alvin's narrative of being trapped in a small town on a hot Sunday afternoon is one of the most evocative things he's ever written. I'd forgotten how good Phil Alvin's vocals were at bringing Dave's songs to life. It's also interesting to listen to "Nonfiction" and hear the original versions of songs that Dave later reinterpreted on "King of California." Although Dave recorded the definitive version of "Bus Station" on "King Of California," it's good to have the original version available again.Whether you're a fan of alternative country, traditional r&b, or good old fashioned rock and roll, you should own this album. The Blasters were not posers or wannabes. The Blasters were the real deal, and they should have been bigger than they were. Now if we can only get Rhino to release "Sundown" and "Long Gone Dead" by Rank and File. . ."
Track Listings (28) - Disc #1
