The Pursuit of Happiness (Beat Farmers album)
The Pursuit of Happiness | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1987 | |||
Studio | Indigo Ranch, Malibu, CA | |||
Label | Curb/MCA[1] | |||
Producer | Dave Jerden | |||
the Beat Farmers chronology | ||||
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The Pursuit of Happiness is an album by the American band the Beat Farmers, released in 1987.[2][3] The band supported the album with a North American tour that included shows with Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper.[4][5]
The first single, "Dark Light", peaked at No. 27 on Billboard's Album Rock Tracks chart.[6][7] "Hollywood Hills", for which a video was shot, was also released as a single.[8]
Production
[edit]Recorded at Indigo Ranch, in Malibu, the album was produced by Dave Jerden.[9][10][11] Founding member Buddy Blue was replaced by Joey Harris.[12] Country Dick Montana sang on the cover of Johnny Cash's "Big River".[12][13] "Rosie" is a cover of the Tom Waits song.[14] Steve Berlin played saxophone on the album.[15] In a dig at the PMRC, the band allegedly included a "positive" subliminal message on the album.[4]
Critical reception
[edit]Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Houston Chronicle | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Los Angeles Daily News | B[19] |
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Philadelphia Inquirer | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Vancouver Sun called the album "rocking with the familiar tough R&B favored by guitarist Jerry Raney, reeling with the hilarious depravity favored by wildman drummer Country Dick, and soaring with the touch of majesty brought into the fold by Harris."[22] The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote: "Blunt, vehement rock that regularly partakes of a country lilt, this is the West Coast quartet's best album yet."[21]
The Houston Chronicle noted that "few if any rock bands have a better understanding of the essential difference between ego and art."[18] The Los Angeles Daily News concluded: "Until either Rainy or Harris cuts a path as striking as Montana's, the Farmers will be just another good rockin' roots band with a joke instead of a great band with a sense of humor."[19] The Times determined that "although the Farmers hold rank as possibly the greatest bar-band in the world, this is a patchy collection redeemed mostly by the efforts of the new guitarist, Joey Harris."[23] The Oregonian listed the album among the 10 best of 1987.[24]
AllMusic deemed "Hollywood Hills" "one of the finest tracks the group ever recorded."[16]
Track listing
[edit]No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Hollywood Hills" | 4:17 |
2. | "Ridin'" | 4:08 |
3. | "Dark Light" | 4:06 |
4. | "Make It Last" | 3:59 |
5. | "Key to the World" | 3:22 |
6. | "God Is Here Tonight" | 3:38 |
7. | "Big Big Man" | 3:53 |
8. | "Elephant Day Parade" | 2:42 |
9. | "Rosie" | 2:22 |
10. | "Texas" | 3:24 |
11. | "Big River" | 2:38 |
References
[edit]- ^ Popoff, Martin (September 8, 2009). Goldmine Record Album Price Guide. Penguin.
- ^ "Beat Farmers Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ Arnold, Thomas K. (23 May 1987). "Montana's Music Takes 'Lot of Guts'". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 1.
- ^ a b MacInnis, Craig (25 Sep 1987). "'Howdy!' says Country Dick Montana of the Beat Farmers". Toronto Star. p. E18.
- ^ Gleason, Holly (1 Jan 1988). "Farmers Dish Out Country-Flavored, Home-Grown Fun". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 27.
- ^ Infusino, Divina (July 25, 1987). "New LP is boom or bust for Beat Farmers". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. C1.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Rock Tracks 1981-2008. Record Research Inc. p. 28.
- ^ Faris, Mark (September 25, 1987). "Earthy Name Hasn't Hurt Farmer's Beat". Akron Beacon Journal. p. C1.
- ^ Kim, Jae-Ha (September 18, 1987). "Beat Farmers cultivate their music". Weekend Plus. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 11.
- ^ Thompson, Dave (September 14, 2000). Alternative Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation.
- ^ Infusino, Divina (February 4, 1987). "Local news". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. D7.
- ^ a b "Beat Farmers". Trouser Press. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
- ^ Trager, Oliver (December 4, 1997). The American Book of the Dead. Simon and Schuster.
- ^ Hiltbrand, David (5 Oct 1987). "Farmers Rock at Cabaret". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. E4.
- ^ Healy, James (August 9, 1987). "Beat Farmers Get Down to Business in Wake of Buddy Blue's Departure". Entertainment. Omaha World-Herald.
- ^ a b "Beat Farmers Pursuit of Happiness". AllMusic.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 1. MUZE. p. 485.
- ^ a b Racine, Marty (August 16, 1987). "Records". Zest. Houston Chronicle. p. 11.
- ^ a b Rosen, Craig (August 21, 1987). "Beat Farmers still pursue the joke". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L40.
- ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. pp. 85–86.
- ^ a b Tucker, Ken (23 Aug 1987). "The Beat Farmers The Pursuit of Happiness". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. G9.
- ^ Mackie, John (8 Aug 1987). "Beat Farmers harvest even better crop". Vancouver Sun. p. D9.
- ^ Sinclair, David (May 28, 1988). "Back to the hot Rod – Rock Records". The Times.
- ^ Tomlinson, Stuart (December 13, 1987). "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree: 10 Albums to Get You Started". The Oregonian. p. B17.