After Dark (Cruzados album)

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After Dark
Studio album by
Cruzados
Released1987
RecordedOcean Way, The Complex, Baby-O, Record One, Summa, Rock Steady, Music Grinder Studios, and Studio One
GenreChicano rock,[1] rock
Length38:09
LabelArista[2]
ProducerGreg Ladanyi, Waddy Wachtel, Rodney Mills, Tom Kelly, Billy Steinberg
Cruzados chronology
Cruzados
(1985) 		After Dark
(1987) 		Unreleased Early Recordings
(2001)

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 J.D. 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]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
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.

  1. "Small Town Love" (Larriva, Tony Marsico) – 3:57
  2. "Bed of Lies" (Larriva, L. Stewart) – 3:36
  3. "Road of Truth" (Larriva, Marsico) – 3:08
  4. "Last Ride" (Marshall Rohner, Larriva, Marsico) – 3:57
  5. "Time for Waiting" – 3:57
  6. "Young and on Fire" – 3:06
  7. "Summer's Come, Summer's Gone" – 3:36
  8. "I Want Your World to Turn" (Tom Kelly, Billy Steinberg) – 4:13
  9. "Chains of Freedom" – 3:47
  10. "Blue Sofa (Still a Fool)" – 4:58

Personnel[edit]

Additional personnel[edit]

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]

  1. ^ a b Okamoto, David (19 July 1987). "Engaging roots-rock". St. Petersburg Times. p. 2F.
  2. ^ a b Burliuk, Greg (15 Aug 1987). "After Dark Cruzados". Magazine. The Kingston Whig-Standard. p. 1.
  3. ^ "The Cruzados Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  4. ^ Goldstein, Patrick (17 May 1987). "POP EYE". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 68.
  5. ^ Whitburn, Joel (July 30, 2008). "Joel Whitburn Presents Rock Tracks 1981-2008". Hal Leonard Corporation – via Google Books.
  6. ^ Tomlinson, Stuart (August 21, 1987). "CRUZADOS". The Oregonian. p. E10.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ Stavans, Ilan (July 29, 2014). "Latin Music: Musicians, Genres, and Themes [2 volumes]". ABC-CLIO – via Google Books.
  9. ^ a b c d Hochman, Steve (19 July 1987). "'AFTER DARK' Cruzados". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 91.
  10. ^ Coleman, Mark (3 July 1987). "The tough-rocking Cruzados...". FEATURES SHOWTIME. Sun-Sentinel. Rolling Stone. p. 39.
  11. ^ Britt, Bruce (17 Aug 1987). "FAREWELL TO HARMONICIST BUTTERFIELD". Features. Philadelphia Daily News. Los Angeles Daily News. p. 55.
  12. ^ a b c McLeese, Don (July 6, 1987). "CRUZADOS, 'After Dark'". Features. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 29.
  13. ^ Hochman, Steve (29 Aug 1987). "CRUZADOS' ROOTS GROW PAST EAST L.A. BORDERS". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 10.
  14. ^ Terry, Carol Burton (13 Sep 1987). "You'll be able to see Lynne Stewart...". TV PLUS. Newsday. p. 85.
  15. ^ "The Cruzados - After Dark Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  16. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 2. MUZE. p. 651.
  17. ^ a b Racine, Marty (August 2, 1987). "Records". Zest. Houston Chronicle. p. 11.
  18. ^ "Cruzados". Trouser Press. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  19. ^ Peterson, Karla (July 19, 1987). "Weightless songs hinder Cruzados". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. E3.
  20. ^ Healy, James (July 19, 1987). "Cruzados, 'After Dark'". Entertainment. Omaha World-Herald.
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