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Avg: 4.5 (213 ratings)
- Date Released: March 1, 1990
- Genre: Rock/Pop
- Style: Rock
- Label: Epic
- Copyright: (P) 1990 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
A biting rock 'n' roll pleasure
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We Say...
Like the similar "I Just Want To Give You The Creeps" on their debut LP Mommy's Little Monster, Social D's third album opener "So Far Away" announced from the git-go that their shocking, sea-change signing to Epic did not mean the end of the storied Orange County foursome's heavy, twin-guitar, fiery punk sound. (While such lack of concession after signing to a major is common today, it was unusual then.)
In fact, this cleanly, clearly produced, biting album remains a post-Heartbreakers/Generation X/Clash/Stones rock 'n' roll pleasure, further enlivened by the hardened, suddenly wizened observations of ex-smack addict, pivotal star Mike Ness (showing maturity 12 years into this band's former-teenage-misfits-from-Fullerton career). The music shows similar evolution. Perhaps the mild country strains of 1988's Prison Bound's remained (highlighted by a pumped-up punk cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire," and the stomping "Ball and Chain"), but these just add more color to the group's trademark rocking-punk mix.
Ness's low, sexy growl punctuates his lyrically refreshing, post-12-Step Program honesty and humility on "Story of My Life," "Drug Train," and "It Could've Been Me," all palpable expressions of regret, fading romance, and formerly dangerous behavior. From the iron-thick quartet of single "Let it Be Me," the thrilling "So Far Away" and "A Place in My Heart," and the leering lust of "She's a Knockout," to the more bouncy, traditional Western-music tinged "Ball and Chain" and cautionary blues tale "Drug Train," Social Distortion reveals depth and impressive, newfound tightness to go with the band's glorious belligerence. Both attributes would continue on the three albums that followed, 1992's Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell, 1996's storming White Light, White Heat, White Trash, and post-Dannel, 2004's Sex, Love and Rock 'n' Roll. -
They Say...
With Prison Bound, Social Distortion began to metamorphasize from a rather ordinary L.A. hardcore band into a roots rock band willing to make with more than their share of the attitude, and this process continued on their self-titled third album (which was also their major-label debut). Musically, Mike Ness and company had learned to split the difference between rockabilly and Ramones-style punk, not unlike fellow L.A. vets X, and if Ness couldn't sing or write with the skill or the resonance of John Doe, "Story of My Life" and "It Coulda Been Me" sound a lot more personal and deeply felt than anything on Mommy's Little Monster, and "Ball and Chain" and "So Far Away" prove he could crank out a respectable honky tonk number if he put his mind to it. Thanks to Epic's sponsorship, the group had more time and money at their disposal for Social Distortion than on their previous albums, and producer Dave Jerden made the most of it; Mike Ness and Dennis Danell's guitars sound lean, sharp, and powerful; Ness's vocals are better controlled than ever before; and Christopher Reece's drums have a tight snap that suits both the thrashier numbers as well as the slower, blusier tunes. Social Distortion isn't a great roots rock album, but it's a pretty good one, and it's better and more affecting than anything this band had cranked out before.
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| 01. |  |
So Far Away |
3:37 |
|
| 02. | |
Let It Be Me |
4:15 |
|
| 03. | |
Story Of My Life |
5:46 |
|
| 04. | |
Sick Boys |
3:19 |
|
| 05. | |
Ring Of Fire |
3:51 |
|
| 06. | |
Ball And Chain |
5:43 |
|
| 07. | |
It Coulda Been Me |
3:52 |
|
| 08. | |
She's A Knockout |
3:52 |
|
| 09. | |
A Place In My Heart |
3:15 |
|
| 10. | |
Drug Train |
3:42 |
|
10 Total Tracks, 41:12 Total Length
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Credits
- Social Distortion - Main Performer // David Coleman - Art Direction // David Coleman - Design // Dave Jerden - Producer // Dave Jerden - Engineer // Dave Jerden - Mixing // Dennis Danell - Guitar // Dennis Danell - Guitar (Rhythm) // John Maurer - Guitar (Bass) // John Maurer - Vocals (Background) // Mike Ness - Guitar // Mike Ness - Vocals // Christopher Reece - Drums // Christopher Reece - Drums (Snare) // Nancy Donald - Art Direction // John Scarpati - Photography // Art Morales - Illustrations
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