Tales of the New West

by Beat Farmers

Overview

The Beat Farmers arrived a little late to pick up on the momentum of early cowpunk acts like Jason and the Scorchers, and were too early to be tied in with the alt-country scene that followed in the wake of Uncle Tupelo. But the Beat Farmers were too busy having a good time and playing great music to worry much about career timing, and their 1985 debut, Tales of the New West, is a casual masterpiece, a great little record that delivers a fistful of killer tunes and a few laughs with plenty of sweat and not much fuss. Before recording their debut, the Beat Farmers honed their chops playing countless bar gigs around San Diego, and the live work shows -- this is a ferociously tight band, with Jerry Raney and Buddy Blue trading off some superb guitar byplay, while bassist Rolle Dexter and drummer Country Dick Montana hold down the beat with muscle and a near flawless sense of rhythm. The band was capable of coming up with great songs on occasion, and they knew where to turn when their muse was busy elsewhere -- "Bigger Stones" and "Where Do They Go" are impassioned and even poignant without getting sappy, "Lost Weekend" and "California Kid" get laughs but never undercut the music (the latter also gave Country Dick his first chance to show off his outsize persona in public), and the covers of Bruce Springsteen's "Reason to Believe." Lou Reed's "There She Goes Again," and John Stewart's "Never Goin' Back" put a sharp and individual spin on familiar material. Steve Berlin (of Los Lobos) and Mark Linett produced Tales of the New West on a shoestring budget, and the small bankroll may have helped -- the performance sound live and wiry, without a lot of polish getting in the way, and the straightforward treatment gets their mixture of snark and sincere on tape in all its glory. And once you've heard Country Dick sing "Happy Boy," be assured you'll never forget it. A left-field triumph, and the best and most satisfying album this fine band would ever release. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	05/07/2021
Label:	Extra Term Audio
UPC:	0850947008566
Rank:	41248

Tracks

1. Bigger Stones
2. There She Goes Again
3. Reason to Believe
4. Lost Weekend
5. California Kid
6. Never Goin' Back
7. Goldmine
8. Showbiz
9. Lonesome Hound
10. Where do They Go
11. Selfish Heart
12. Happy Boy

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Beat Farmers   Primary Artist
Tony Kinman   Vocals (Background)
Steve Berlin   Saxophone
Vicki Peterson   Vocals (Background)
Peter Case   Vocals (Background)
Buddy Blue   Harp,Dobro,Drums,Guitar,Vocals
Sid Griffin   Vocals (Background)
Chip Kinman   Vocals (Background)
Paul Kamanski   Vocals (Background)
Rolle Dexter   Bass (Acoustic),Bass (Electric)
Jerry Raney   Drums,Guitar,Vocals
Joey Harris   Vocals (Background)
Country Dick   Drums,Vocals,Accordion

Technical Credits

Stephen Marcussen   Mastering
Terry Christian   Assistant Engineer
Steve Berlin   Producer
Lawrence Donegan   Composer
Gene Sculatti   Liner Notes
Ben Weisman   Composer
Fred Wise   Composer
Lloyd Cole   Composer
Lou Reed   Composer
Rod McKuen   Composer
Mark Linett   Engineer,Producer
Neil Young   Composer
Bruce Springsteen   Composer
Buddy Blue   Composer
Conover   Composer
John Stewart   Composer
Johnny Cash   Composer
Neil Clark   Composer
Harry McClintock   Composer
Rich Schmidt   Assistant
Paul Kamanski   Composer
Dane Conover   Composer
Jerry Raney   Composer
Dan Perloff   A&R
Steve Marshall   Composer
Gary Stewart   A&R
Don Brown   Package Design
Ken Noble   Composer
Jeff Becker   Composer
Grace Amemiya   Art Direction
Charlie Paakkari   Assistant Engineer
Country Dick   Hand Lettering
Craig "De Scrode" Apelman   Crew
Rosie Fitts   Cover Photo
Tom "Stinkfinger" Ames   Crew