2X4

by Guadalcanal Diary

Overview

After the musical and commercial disappointment of Guadalcanal Diary's second album, the overcooked and overproduced Jamboree, the band took a simultaneous step back and leap forward on their third long-player, 1987's 2x4. 2x4 found the band working once again with producer Don Dixon, who had captured their mingled punch and jangle on their debut, 1984's Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man, and the happy irony was that Dixon was able to give the band the tougher and more detailed sound they failed to get on Jamboree. At the same time, Guadalcanal Diary rose to the occasion with a batch of songs that merited Dixon's more muscular treatment; 2x4 isn't short on pop smarts, but Murray Attaway and Jeff Walls put a lot more weight behind their guitars on this set, and bassist Rhett Crowe and drummer John Poe weren't afraid to keep up with their wall of sound. "Things Fall Apart" and "Litany (Life Goes On)" proved Guadalcanal Diary could have their cake and eat it too, holding on to the obtuse Southern accents of their earlier work while introducing plenty of Big Rock swagger to the mix, as "Little Birds" and "3 a.m." offered reassurance that the band still knew how to turn down their amps when circumstances demanded. If Guadalcanal Diary succumbed to the stereotypical sophomore slump with Jamboree, they managed a far stronger third-inning rebound than the majority of their peers on 2x4, which sounds like the group's strongest and most confident album. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	01/05/2024
Label:	Rubellan Remasters
UPC:	0783970001726
Rank:	31144

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Guadalcanal Diary   Primary Artist
Jeff Walls   Guitar,Vocals,Kalimba,Keyboards,Lap Steel Guitar
Murray Attaway   Guitar,Vocals,Harmonica
Rhett Crowe   Bass
John Poe   Drums,Bongos,Vocals

Technical Credits

Patrick Milligan   Project Assistant
Paul McCartney   Composer
Steven Chean   Project Assistant
Bill Inglot   Remastering,Tape Research,Mastering Supervisor
Cheryl Pawelski   Reissue Supervisor
Frank Zappa   Composer
Joe Blaney   Engineer
Greg Allen   Design,Reissue Art Director
Greg Calbi   Mastering
Jeff Walls   Composer,Photography
Steve Woolard   Project Assistant
John Lennon   Composer
Poe   Composer
Yoko Ono   Composer
Murray Attaway   Composer,Liner Notes,Photography
Guadalcanal Diary   Cover Art Concept
Joe Lubin   Composer
Don Dixon   Producer
Dorothy LaBostrie   Composer
Little Richard   Composer
George Pappas   Engineer
Dan Vaganek   Engineer
Rhett Crowe   Composer,Photography
John Poe   Composer
Lee Lodyga   Project Assistant
Scott Schinder   Liner Notes,Reissue Supervisor
Warren Chilton   Wardrobe,Photography,Spiritual Advisor
Daniel Hersch   Remastering
Kate Dear   Project Assistant