- Back in the USA (album)
Infobox Album |
Name = Back in the USA
Type =Album
Artist =MC5
Released =January 15 ,1970
Recorded = 1969 at GM Studios, East Detroit, Michigan
Length = 28:08
Label = Atlantic
Producer =Jon Landau
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:1m9yxdabjolk link]
*Robert Christgau (A-) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=MC5 link]
*"Rolling Stone " (mixed) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/mc5/albums/album/228640/review/5941499/back_in_the_usa link]
Last album = "Kick Out the Jams " (1969)
This album = "Back in the USA" (1970)
Next album = "High Time" (1971)"Back in the USA" is the second album by the
protopunk bandMC5 , released in 1970. The opener is a cover of the classic hit "Tutti Frutti" byLittle Richard , "Let Me Try" is a ballad, "The American Ruse" attacks what they see as a hypocritical idea of freedom that the American government teaches and "The Human Being Lawnmower" is an attack upon theVietnam War . The central focus of the album is the band's actual movement away from the raw, thrashy,protopunk sound pioneered and captured on their first release "Kick Out the Jams ". This was due impart to producer Jon Landau's distaste for the roughpsychedelic movement, and adoration for the straight-forward, commercial rock of the 1950s. Landau, who originally wrote for "Rolling Stone " Magazine, was looking to get more involved in actual music production. Becoming close withAtlantic Records executiveJerry Wexler was his chance and led Landau to the highly controversialMC5 , who had just been picked up by Atlantic after being dropped from their labelElektra Records in 1969 - ironically, theKinney National Company (later known asTime Warner ), parent of Atlantic, would acquire Elektra in the same year of this album's release, both labels are now part of theWarner Music Group (now a separate company from TW), through theAtlantic Records Group . The last song on the album, which is the title track, is a cover ofChuck Berry 's 1959 single "Back in the U.S.A. ". Though theMC5 's album was viewed as a flop early on by most fans, and lacked the commercial success of their previous release, it would later be considered highly important due to the albums absolute projection of the band's core sound and earliest influence, AmericanBlues .Track listing
All tracks composed by MC5; except where indicated
#"Tutti Frutti" (Dorothy LaVostrie, Joe Lubin,
Richard Penniman ) – 1:30
#"Tonight" – 2:29
#"Teenage Lust" – 2:36
#"Let Me Try" – 4:16
#"Looking at You" – 3:03
#"High School" – 2:42
#"Call Me Animal" – 2:06
#"The American Ruse" – 2:31
#"Shakin' Street" – 2:21
#"The Human Being Lawnmower" – 2:24
#"Back in the U.S.A. " (Chuck Berry ) – 2:26Personnel
*
Rob Tyner - vocals, harmonica
*Wayne Kramer - guitar
*Fred "Sonic" Smith - guitar, vocals on "Shakin' Street"
*Michael Davis - bass
*Dennis Thompson - drums
*Danny Jordan - keyboards
*Pete Kelly - keyboards
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