release date: Sep. 20, 1982
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,55]
producer: Chris Stein
label: Animal Records - nationality: USA
Track highlights: 2. "Like Calling Up Thunder" - 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 but has a much more polished sound than the raw debut, which had put the band's name on every ones' lips. That may be the reason to how Blondie composer and guitarist Chris Stein ended up in the producer seat, and that may not have been the brightest decision. The band members list credited on the album is unchanged from the debut. Yes, Jeffrey Lee Pierce had been head of the Blondie fan club and simply adored Debbie Harry, but the sound / style of The Gun Club is really not part of the same neighbourhood as Blondie, and that was perhaps what Stein assumed, I think. The sound here fits what Blondie did - a more pop-founded new wave with a certain rawness to it, but basically, Blondie never was really dirty - they were never labelled punk. The Gun Club soothed of rawness, and of everything that's stuck to the other side of the coin of... "prettiness". The band is more in the same category as The Birthday Party, The Bad Seeds, with a direct link to Iggy and the Stooges, and as a modernised version of Rolling Stones. Debbie Harry (credited as D.H. Laurence Jr. on the album) is credited for adding backing vocals to the album, and although, Pierce may have been thrilled and honoured by the presence of the Blondie-couple, they do not add anything good to The Gun Club.
After this album, the band went through a major change as bassist Rob Ritter left to join another band and Pierce fired guitarist Ward Dotson (who had replaced Kid Congo Powers) and drummer Terry Graham.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Mojo, Uncut 4 / 5, Q Magazine 3 / 5 stars ]
