After Dark (Cruzados album)
| After Dark | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1987 | |||
| Recorded | Ocean Way, The Complex, Baby-O, Record One, Summa, Rock Steady, Music Grinder Studios, and Studio One | |||
| Genre | Chicano rock,[1] rock | |||
| Length | 38:09 | |||
| Label | Arista[2] | |||
| Producer | Greg Ladanyi, Waddy Wachtel, Rodney Mills, Tom Kelly, Billy Steinberg | |||
| Cruzados chronology | ||||
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After Dark is the second album by the American band Cruzados, released in 1987.[3][4] "Bed of Lies" reached No. 4 on Billboard's Album Rock Tracks chart; "Small Town Love" peaked at No. 39.[5] The band supported the album with a North American tour that included a leg opening for Fleetwood Mac.[6][7] They broke up the following year.[8]
Production
[edit]The album was produced by Greg Ladanyi, Waddy Wachtel, Rodney Mills, Tom Kelly, and Billy Steinberg.[9] Marshall Rohner replaced Steven Hufsteter on lead guitar.[2] "Road of Truth" contains contributions from JD Souther on backing vocals and Paul Butterfield on harmonica; Souther was in the same studio as Cruzados and told the band that he wanted to sing on the track.[10] It was Butterfield's final recording.[11] Pat Benatar sang on "I Want Your World to Turn".[12]
The songs were inspired by Tito Larriva's years living in El Paso and Mexico City.[13] "Blue Sofa" was originally done by his band the Plugz.[9] "Bed of Lies" was cowritten by Lynne Marie Stewart.[14]
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [15] |
| Chicago Sun-Times |  [12] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [16] |
| Houston Chronicle | [17] |
| Los Angeles Times | [9] |
Trouser Press called the album "a plain but solid effort" aside from "Time for Waiting", opining that it "sounds nauseatingly like the Eagles."[18] The Los Angeles Times noted the "Springsteen-Mellencamp-Petty territory," writing that "Larriva has developed into a good-enough singer and songwriter in the Little Steven/Southside Johnny vein that the record transcends its obvious reference points."[9] The San Diego Union-Tribune stated that "Cruzados play with the fire of the young Rolling Stones, but the fervor is wasted on a collection of weak songs."[19]
The St. Petersburg Times wrote that Larriva's "desperate vocals and yearning lyrics—coupled with the group's leftover punk instincts—gives After Dark a taut, emotional edge that California-rock always lacked."[1] The Chicago Sun-Times concluded that Larriva "is making music with far greater focus and immediacy than last time through."[12] The Omaha World-Herald determined that "despite the radio-friendly, slick production work ... several tunes here are membrane-thin in staying power."[20] The Houston Chronicle labeled the album "honest, lyrically incisive music that hoists [the band] onto the cutting edge of contemporary American rock."[17]
Track listing
[edit]All songs written by Tito Larriva, except where noted.
- "Small Town Love" (Larriva, Tony Marsico) – 3:57
- "Bed of Lies" (Larriva, L. Stewart) – 3:36
- "Road of Truth" (Larriva, Marsico) – 3:08
- "Last Ride" (Marshall Rohner, Larriva, Marsico) – 3:57
- "Time for Waiting" – 3:57
- "Young and on Fire" – 3:06
- "Summer's Come, Summer's Gone" – 3:36
- "I Want Your World to Turn" (Tom Kelly, Billy Steinberg) – 4:13
- "Chains of Freedom" – 3:47
- "Blue Sofa (Still a Fool)" – 4:58
Personnel
[edit]- Marshall Rohner – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Tito Larriva – rhythm guitar, lead vocals
- Tony Marsico – bass, backing vocals
- Charlie Quintana – drums, percussion
Additional personnel
[edit]- Don Henley – backing vocals on "Small Town Love"
- Paul Butterfield – harmonica on "Road of Truth"
- JD Souther – backing vocals on "Road of Truth"
- E.G. Daily – backing vocals on "Time for Waiting"
- Andy Williams – backing vocals on "Summer's Come, Summer's Gone"
- David Williams – backing vocals on "Summer's Come, Summer's Gone"
- Frank Marsico – marimba on "I Want Your World to Turn"
- Pat Benatar – backing vocals on "I Want Your World to Turn"
- Paulinho Da Costa – percussion
- Paul Fox – keyboards
- Charles Judge – keyboards
- Tom Kelly – keyboards
- Jim Lang – keyboards
- Jai Winding – keyboards
- Jerry Peterson – saxophone on "Blue Sofa (Still a Fool)"
- Waddy Wachtel – guitar
- Charlo Crossley – backing vocals
- David Lasley – backing vocals
Production
[edit]- Waddy Wachtel – mixing, producer
- Rodney Mills – engineering, producer
- Greg Ladanyi – engineering, mixing, producer
- George Tutko – engineering
- Tom Kelly – producer
- Billy Steinberg – producer
- Brendan O'Brien – additional engineering
- Barry Conley – additional engineering
- Shep Lonsdale – additional engineering
- Dennis Kirk – additional engineering
- Sharon Rice – additional engineering
- Mark Ettel – additional engineering
- Doug Sax – mastering
References
[edit]- ^ a b Okamoto, David (19 July 1987). "Engaging roots-rock". St. Petersburg Times. p. 2F.
- ^ a b Burliuk, Greg (15 Aug 1987). "After Dark Cruzados". Magazine. The Kingston Whig-Standard. p. 1.
- ^ "The Cruzados Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ Goldstein, Patrick (17 May 1987). "POP EYE". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 68.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (July 30, 2008). "Joel Whitburn Presents Rock Tracks 1981-2008". Hal Leonard Corporation – via Google Books.
- ^ Tomlinson, Stuart (August 21, 1987). "CRUZADOS". The Oregonian. p. E10.
- ^ MacDonald, Patrick (December 18, 1987). "THE LATEST LINEUP – NEWEST VERSION OF THE DURABLE FLEETWOOD MAC TO END TOUR HERE". Tempo. The Seattle Times. p. 3.
- ^ Stavans, Ilan (July 29, 2014). "Latin Music: Musicians, Genres, and Themes [2 volumes]". ABC-CLIO – via Google Books.
- ^ a b c d Hochman, Steve (19 July 1987). "'AFTER DARK' Cruzados". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 91.
- ^ Coleman, Mark (3 July 1987). "The tough-rocking Cruzados...". FEATURES SHOWTIME. Sun-Sentinel. Rolling Stone. p. 39.
- ^ Britt, Bruce (17 Aug 1987). "FAREWELL TO HARMONICIST BUTTERFIELD". Features. Philadelphia Daily News. Los Angeles Daily News. p. 55.
- ^ a b c McLeese, Don (July 6, 1987). "CRUZADOS, 'After Dark'". Features. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 29.
- ^ Hochman, Steve (29 Aug 1987). "CRUZADOS' ROOTS GROW PAST EAST L.A. BORDERS". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 10.
- ^ Terry, Carol Burton (13 Sep 1987). "You'll be able to see Lynne Stewart...". TV PLUS. Newsday. p. 85.
- ^ "The Cruzados - After Dark Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 2. MUZE. p. 651.
- ^ a b Racine, Marty (August 2, 1987). "Records". Zest. Houston Chronicle. p. 11.
- ^ "Cruzados". Trouser Press. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
- ^ Peterson, Karla (July 19, 1987). "Weightless songs hinder Cruzados". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. E3.
- ^ Healy, James (July 19, 1987). "Cruzados, 'After Dark'". Entertainment. Omaha World-Herald.