Hard Times in the Land of Plenty | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1987 | |||
Genre | Blues rock, Southern rock, heartland rock | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Producer | Richard Mullen | |||
Omar & the Howlers chronology | ||||
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Hard Times in the Land of Plenty is an album by the American band Omar & the Howlers, released in 1987. [1] [2] It was their first album for major label. [3] The title track peaked at No. 19 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart and appeared in the film Like Father Like Son . [4] [5] The band supported the album with a North American tour. [6] Hard Times in the Land of Plenty was sometimes included with "heartland rock" albums of the 1980s that addressed worsening economic conditions in the United States. [7]
The album was produced by Richard Mullen. [8] It was recorded by the band as a power trio, with the Howlers adding a keyboardist prior to touring. [9] Unlike many blues rock players of the time, frontman Omar Dykes preferred power chords over one-note guitar solos. [10] His primary vocal influence was Howlin' Wolf. [11] The title track bemoans the rise of poverty in the United States during the 1980s. [12]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [13] |
MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide | [8] |
The Windsor Star | B− [14] |
The Houston Chronicle praised Omar's "often fanciful and reverberating guitar chops and his always sly and dangerous vocals, which alternate between a smokey hoarseness and a Howlin' Wolf-styled lowdown growl." [15] The Sun-Sentinel concluded that, "despite the rather monotonous stylings of the 10 original songs, Omar's silty, root-bound rasp overcomes the flaws and makes this one of the better party albums to appear in awhile." [16] The Vancouver Sun noted that "they all look like bikers, and sound like it as well, rolling out savage roadhouse R&B and swamp boogie that'll be roarin' from car stereos for years to come." [12]
The Boston Globe opined that the band "are true songwriters, not just boogie merchants along the lines of Southern rock oldsters like Molly Hatchet or Wet Willie." [17] The Toronto Star deemed the album "non-nonsense, thoughtful, intelligent yet fiery rock 'n' roll." [18] The Windsor Star said that "Omar's voice could prepare car bodies for the primer coat, and the shuffle never quits." [14] USA Today listed Hard Times in the Land of Plenty among the best pop albums of 1987. [19]
AllMusic called the album "a rough and tumble collection that is driven as much by fine original songwriting as it is by the band's edgy sound." [13]
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Hard Times in the Land of Plenty" | |
2. | "Dancing in the Canebrake" | |
3. | "Border Girl" | |
4. | "Mississippi Hoo Doo Man" | |
5. | "Don't Rock Me the Wrong Way" | |
6. | "Same Old Grind" | |
7. | "Don't You Know" | |
8. | "You Ain't Foolin' Nobody" | |
9. | "Shadow Man" | |
10. | "Lee Anne" |
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