| A Man Under the Influence | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 24, 2001 | |||
| Genre | Roots rock | |||
| Length | 50:09 | |||
| Label | Bloodshot Records | |||
| Producer | Chris Stamey | |||
| Alejandro Escovedo chronology | ||||
| ||||
A Man Under the Influence is the fifth studio album by the American singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo, released on April 24, 2001, on Bloodshot Records. It was produced by Chris Stamey. A deluxe edition was released on November 15, 2009. [1]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| The Austin Chronicle | [3] |
| Blender | [4] |
| Now | 4/5 [5] |
| Pitchfork | 8.3/10 [6] |
| Q | [7] |
| Rolling Stone | [8] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [9] |
| Slant Magazine | [1] |
| Spin | 7/10 [10] |
Billboard wrote that A Man Under the Influence was "the best studio performance Escovedo has ever delivered". [11] Similarly, Joshua Klein wrote in The A.V. Club that the album "could be Escovedo's best yet", [12] and James Mann said in PopMatters that the album was "far and away his best work". [13]
Several critics also commended Stamey's production on the album: Joe Tangari wrote in Pitchfork that on the track "Velvet Guitar", his production "keeps [the five guitarists on that track] all in their respective places, avoiding a sloppy mess." [6] Additionally, Raoul Hernandez wrote in The Austin Chronicle that Stamey "deserves credit for the LP's overall cohesion of sound", [3] while Michael Barclay of Exclaim! wrote that Stamey's production "captures the mood perfectly". [14]
Conversely, Robert Christgau of The Village Voice selected "Wave" and "Castanets" as "choice cuts", indicating good songs "on an album that isn't worth your time or money." [15]
All tracks composed by Alejandro Escovedo; except where indicated
The Pretender is the fourth album by the American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, released in 1976. It peaked at No. 5 on Billboard's album chart. The singles from the album were "Here Come Those Tears Again", which reached No. 23, and "The Pretender", which peaked at No. 58.
Heartbreaker is the debut solo studio album by American singer/songwriter Ryan Adams, released September 5, 2000 on Bloodshot Records. The album was recorded over fourteen days at Woodland Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. It was nominated for the 2001 Shortlist Music Prize. The album is said to be inspired by Adams' break-up with music industry publicist Amy Lombardi.
JT is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor. It was released on June 22, 1977 via Columbia Records, making it his first album released for the label. Recording session took place from March 15 to April 24, 1977 at The Sound Factory in Los Angeles with Val Garay. Production was handled by Peter Asher.
I Can't Stand Still is the debut solo studio album by American musician Don Henley, drummer and co-lead vocalist for the Eagles. It was released in 1982 by Asylum Records. Henley, Danny Kortchmar and Greg Ladanyi produced the album. I Can't Stand Still achieved gold status, and peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard 200 and at the same position on the UK Albums Chart. Three singles were released from the album, including the hit "Dirty Laundry", which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Henley's best-selling single. The title track "I Can't Stand Still" reached number No. 48 and the controversial track "Johnny Can't Read" reached No. 42 on the charts. The album showcased some of Henley's frustrations at the time. "Dirty Laundry" displays his disgust with the media and tabloid news coverage, and "Johnny Can't Read," shows his displeasure with the American educational system.
Bonnie Raitt is the self-titled debut album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1971.
Souvenirs is the second studio solo album by the American rock singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg. The album was released in late 1974, on the label Epic Records. The album reached No. 17 on the Billboard 200 in March 1975 and was certified double platinum by the RIAA. Joe Walsh produced the album and played on ten of the eleven tracks.
Heart Like a Wheel is the fifth solo studio album by Linda Ronstadt, released in November 1974. Her first to reach the top of the Billboard 200 and winning a Grammy Award, it is considered Ronstadt's breakthrough album.
No Fences is the second studio album by the American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released on August 27, 1990, and reached No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart. The album also reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200. On the latter chart it stayed in the top 40 for 126 weeks. No Fences remains Brooks' best-selling studio album to date with 18 million copies shipped in the US, and is the album that made him an international star. It was his first album issued in Europe.
Alejandro Escovedo is an American rock musician, songwriter, and singer, who has been recording and touring since the late 1970s. His primary instrument is the guitar. He has played in various rock genres, including punk rock, roots rock and alternative country, and is most closely associated with the music scene in Austin, Texas but also San Francisco and New York. He comes from a family of musicians.
Caitlin Cary is an alternative country musician from Seville, Ohio.
Pieces of the Sky is the second studio album by American country music artist Emmylou Harris, released in February 1975 through Reprise.
Jon Dee Graham is an American musician, guitarist and songwriter from Austin, Texas, United States. Graham was named the Austin Musician of the Year during the South by Southwest (SXSW) music conference in 2006. He was inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame three times: as a solo artist in 2000, again in 2008 as a member of The Skunks, and again in 2009 as a member of the True Believers.
Gravity is the début album of Alejandro Escovedo, released in 1992. Heinz Geissler and John Kunz were the executive producers.
Thirteen Years is an album by Alejandro Escovedo. The cover painting is by Jack Smith.
Tres Chicas are an alternative country group from Raleigh, North Carolina.
The Boxing Mirror is a 2006 album by Alejandro Escovedo. released through Back Porch Records. Produced by John Cale of The Velvet Underground, the album finds Escovedo delving into the worlds of avant-rock and post-punk; and its darker sound has only shades of roots rock/Americana music in comparison with most Escovedo's alt-country records. Legendary bassist, Mark Andes, plays and sings back-up vocals.
Bourbonitis Blues is an album by the musician Alejandro Escovedo, released in 1999 on Bloodshot Records.
Theme for a Trucker is a limited edition double 7" vinyl EP by alternative country band Whiskeytown, released by Bloodshot Records in 1997. According to the Bloodshot Records website, only 2000 copies were pressed.
Against the Grain is the fifth album by singer-songwriter Phoebe Snow, released in 1978.
Mavericks is a collaborative album by the two original singer/songwriters of jangle pop band the dB's, Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey. It was originally released in 1991 on Rhino Records and was re-released on January 15, 2008 by Collectors' Choice Music. The reissue featured six previously unreleased tracks. The album is noted for having a more acoustic and slower sound than Holsapple and Stamey's work with the dB's.
