release date: Sep. 20, 1982
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,08]
producer: Chris Stein
label: Animal Records - nationality: USA
Track highlights: 2. "Like Calling Up Thunder" - 4. "Run Through the Jungle" - 5. "Devil in the Woods" - 9. "John Hardy" - 11. "Sleeping in Blood City"
2nd studio album by The Gun Club follows one year after Fire of Love (Aug. 1981) but it comes with a much more polished sound than that of the raw debut, which had put the band's name on everyone's lips. That may be the reason to how Blondie composer and guitarist Chris Stein ended up in the producer seat, and despite his musical skills that may not have been the best decision for The Gun Club. The band members credited on the album remains unchanged compared to the debut, although, the quartet of the debut is portrayed as a trio on the front cover because bassist Rob Ritter already left after recording the album in Jun. '82. Yes, Jeffrey Lee Pierce had founded the Blondie fan club and apparently adored Debbie Harry, but the sound and style of The Gun Club isn't really comparable with that of the neighbourhood to Blondie, although, that may have been what Stein assumed they wanted - and who knows, perhaps Pierce really wanted that? The sound on this fits more to what Blondie experienced as successful: pop-founded new wave with hints of rawness to it, but basically, Blondie never was really dirty - they were never labelled punk rock. On the other hand, The Gun Club soothed unspecified rawness, and of everything that's stuck to the other side of the coin of... 'prettiness'. In that regard, the band is more in of the same caliber as The Birthday Party, The Bad Seeds, with a direct link to Iggy and the Stooges, and as a modernised street-version of Rolling Stones. Debbie Harry (credited here as D.H. Laurence Jr. on the album due to contractual obligations) is credited for adding backing vocals to the album, and although, Pierce may have been thrilled and possibly downright honoured by the presence of the Blondie-couple, they do not add anything substantially good to The Gun Club.
The album contains the John Fogerty-cover "Run Through the Jungle", which has been completely transformed into something more disturbing, but in a refreshing way that is. After this album, the band went through a major change in the line-up as bassist Rob Ritter left to join another band and Pierce fired both guitarist Ward Dotson (who had replaced Kid Congo Powers) and drummer Terry Graham.
Mostly for completionists.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Mojo, Uncut 4 / 5, Q Magazine 3 / 5 stars ]
