 Hailing from the Los Angeles area working class suberb of Downey, California, you wouldn't expect a band like The Blasters to come from way out on the west coast of the United States. A band that can be classiified as rockabilly, blues, country, cajun, jazz, and of course just plain 'ol rock n roll for the most part, they had the sound, style and spirit of backwoods hillbilly boys and southern bluesmen right out of the gate, and over the course of three albums and one live EP in the early to mid eighties, they set out to bring this music they loved so much to whoever cared to listen, and did such a great job of it they seemed to not just play the music but become the music itself. Call it what you want, but The Blasters liked to simply call it American Music. And that's exactly what it is.
The Blasters - Testament: The Complete Slash Recordings is all of the original Blasters output, period. Three albums and one EP that take us on a 51 song journey through some of the most inspired rock n roll produced over the last three decades. And as songwriter/guitarist Dave Alvin says "We weren't the greatest band ever, but we meant every damn note we played". And this music sounds exactly like that statement would lead you to believe it would.
Things kick off with a collection of tunes from the self-titled debut "The Blasters". A half originals, half covers album of sorts (seven originals, five covers) The Blasters are quick to show over the course of twelve songs what indeed made them so special. With rock solid originals like "Border Radio", "American Music", "This Is It", and "Marie Marie" (a top 20 hit in England for Shakin' Stevens) mixing seamlessly with obscure classics such as "I'm Shakin", "I Love You So", and "Stop The Clock" from years gone past, it is indeed hard to tell where The Blasters end and the oldies begin. Making the classics their own, yet paying perfect homage to the history of the music they love so much, they took all that was old and made it new again and took what was new and played it they way the cats way back when used to play it. With no less a band then Queen checking them out on a tour of England in 1980, they told The Blasters they would be honered to have them open for them on the Western leg of their upcoming tour of America. And so The Blasters were off and running....full text |
| In the mythic America some of us carry around in our heads, every bar boasts a house band like The Blasters. It's pointless to suggest they still miss Dave Alvin's songwriting, as it's 18 years since he quit and, if they can get over it, so can we. That said, the best song here is probably a cover—"Daddy Rollin' Stone". But brother Phil Alvin is still on board, and the rootsy mix of blues, rock, country and soul continues to provide the perfect soundtrack in the roadhouse of our minds....full text |
Send "Blasters " Ringtones to your Cell 
