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Blue Blvd is an album by American musician Dave Alvin.[6] It was released in 1991.[7]

Blue Blvd
Studio album by Dave Alvin
Released	August 20, 1991
Genre	Folk rock, country rock
Length	48:26
Label	Hightone[1]
Producer	Chris Silogyi, Bruce Bromberg, Dave Alvin[2]
Dave Alvin chronology
Romeo's Escape (1987) Blue Blvd (1991) Museum of Heart (1993)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
Robert Christgau	[4]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[1]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide	[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[5]

Production

Alvin worked on the songs over a period of years after the release of his first solo album, in 1987. He dealt with health issues, worked on film soundtracks, and helped other musicians.[8] The album employed a fuller production sound than Alvin's previous album, Romeo's Escape, courtesy of Alvin, Chris Silagyi, and Bruce Bromberg.[9]

Reception

AllMusic critic Denise Sullivan wrote: "The only thing that mars this wonderful, rootsy singer/songwriter album is a heavy production hand and a drum sound attempting to give it a rock edge; consequently, some of the more beautiful songs like the title track suffer under the weight, but the final cut, 'Dry River,' is alone worth the price of the disc."[3] The Washington Post called the album "11 songs so emotionally compelling and finely crafted that they remind one of Raymond Carver's short stories."[10] The Spin Alternative Record Guide wrote that it "offers some idiosyncratic gems."[11] Trouser Press wrote that Alvin's "no-frills singing sometimes fails to hold the spotlight, especially when the backing players crank up."[12]

Track listing

All songs by Dave Alvin.

1. "Blue Blvd" – 4:53
2. "Guilty Man" – 4:36
3. "Haley's Comet" – 4:21
4. "Why Did She Stay with Him" – 4:20
5. "Rich Man's Town" – 3:56
6. "Gospel Night" – 4:50
7. "Plastic Rose" – 4:18
8. "Brand New Heart" – 3:36
9. "Wanda and Duane" – 3:57
10. "Andersonville" – 5:45
11. "Dry River" – 3:54

Personnel

• Dave Alvin – vocals, guitar
• Don Falzone – bass
• Rick Solem – piano, organ
• Bobby Lloyd Hicks – drums
• Donald Lindley – drums
• Greg Leisz – guitar, mandolin, lap steel guitar, pedal steel guitar
• Lee Allen – tenor saxophone
• Dwight Yoakam – background vocals
• David Hidalgo – background vocals
• Terry Evans – background vocals
• Katy Moffatt – background vocals

Production notes

• Chris Silagyi – producer
• Bruce Bromberg – producer
• Dave Alvin – producer
• Michael Becker – engineer
• Steve Shepherd – engineer
• Paul DuGre – engineer
• Geza X – engineer
• Steve Klein – mixing
• Bernie Grundman – mastering
• Terri Lande Bromberg – design
• Beth Herzhaft – photography

References

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