A Blazing Grace
Studio album by
Jason & the Scorchers
Released1995
StudioCastle
LabelMammoth
ProducerJason & the Scorchers
Jason & the Scorchers chronology
Essential Jason & the Scorchers – Are You Ready for the Country?
(1992)		 A Blazing Grace
(1995)		 Both Sides of the Line
(1996)

A Blazing Grace is an album by the American band Jason & the Scorchers, released in 1995 on Mammoth Records.[1][2] The initial album title was Men and Women, War and Peace.[3] The band supported the album with a North American tour.[4] The first single, "Take Me Home, Country Roads", was a modest radio hit.[5]

Production

The album marked a reunion of the band's original lineup; the band, in part, recorded the album as an excuse to play live and tour.[6][7] Produced by the band, A Blazing Grace was recorded at Castle Studio, in Nashville.[8][9] All of the band members were struggling with personal issues, and regarded the offer of free studio time as a blessing.[10]

"Why Baby Why" is a cover of the George Jones song; "Take Me Home, Country Roads" is a cover of the John Denver song.[11][12] The band initially intended the cover songs to be b-sides.[13] "Somewhere Within" was Jason Ringenberg's favorite composition.[14]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[15]
The Indianapolis Star[16]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[8]
Vancouver Sun[17]

Newsday wrote that "Ringenberg's high-lonesome tone has always lent itself to balladeering, and it might be a mark of age and experience that a couple of the album's best songs gear down to make breathing room for heartfelt expression."[18] The Indianapolis Star noted that "the Scorchers haven't lost one iota of supercharged twang."[16] The Washington Post determined that Ringenberg "attacks the [songs] as if he were leading the Ramones at the Grand Ole Opry."[19]

Don McLeese, of the Austin American-Statesman, opined: "Though I once considered the Scorchers the great lost American rock band of the '80s, the band has regrouped with a 1995 album that is arguably its best—and is likely to rank with the year's best as well."[20] Guitar Player deemed guitarist Warner Hodges "the Eddie Van Halen of country-punk."[21] The Vancouver Sun concluded that "there's nothing amusing about taking George Jones' sublime 'Why Baby Why' and subjecting it to sub-metal boogieization."[17]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Cry by Night Operator" 
2."200 Proof Lovin'" 
3."Take Me Home, Country Roads" 
4."Where Bridges Never Burn" 
5."The Shadow of Night" 
6."One More Day of Weekend" 
7."Hell's Gates" 
8."Why Baby Why" 
9."Somewhere Within" 
10."American Legion Party" 

References

  1. ↑ Maples, Tina (5 Feb 1995). "Here are some other projects in stores this week". The Milwaukee Journal. p. E4.
  2. ↑ Zimmerman, David (31 Jan 1995). "Coming Up". USA Today. p. 6D.
  3. ↑ Timm, Lori (February 2, 1995). "Rekindled". Journal Star. Peoria. p. C1.
  4. ↑ Dickinson, Chris (3 Mar 1995). "Jason and the Scorchers, Thursday at the Double Door". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. P.
  5. ↑ Beal Jr., Jim (April 21, 1995). "Scorchers re-blaze a trail from Nashville". San Antonio Express-News.
  6. ↑ Larsen, Dave (3 Mar 1995). "Country". Go!. Dayton Daily News. p. 16.
  7. ↑ Orr, Jay (17 May 1995). "Band's been 'Blazing,' scorchin' comeback trail". Nashville Banner. p. C6.
  8. 1 2 MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. pp. 593–594.
  9. ↑ Stoute, Lenny (11 May 1995). "Disc brings redneck chic back from the dead". Toronto Star. p. G3.
  10. ↑ Matsumoto, John (12 Sep 1995). "Jason and the Scorchers Rise from Near Ashes". Los Angeles Times. p. F2.
  11. ↑ Shefchik, Rick (10 Feb 1995). "Jason and the Scorchers". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 9.
  12. ↑ Hobbs, Bill (24 Feb 1995). "Rock". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 12.
  13. ↑ Ferman, Dave (April 19, 1995). "Banding Together". A&E. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 1.
  14. ↑ Kelly, Peter (April 20, 1995). "Heavenly Fire". Music. Houston Press.
  15. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 4. MUZE. p. 586.
  16. 1 2 Hall, Steve (6 Feb 1995). "Jason & Scorchers play torrid twang". The Indianapolis Star. p. D3.
  17. 1 2 Armstrong, John (18 May 1995). "Rock". Vancouver Sun. p. D8.
  18. ↑ Herndon, David (5 Feb 1995). "Rock in the Countryside". Fanfare. Newsday. p. 23.
  19. ↑ Himes, Geoffrey (15 Feb 1995). "Jason & the Scorchers 'A Blazing Grace'". The Washington Post. p. D7.
  20. ↑ McLeese, Don (21 Feb 1995). "Quick Picks". Austin American-Statesman. p. C5.
  21. ↑ Rotondi, James (Mar 1995). "A Blazing Grace by Jason & the Scorchers". Guitar Player. 29 (3): 138.
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