Dave Alvin: The Best of the Hightone Years

Alvin's first solo album, entitled Romeo's Escape was released in 1987 and was critically lauded, but didn't fare well in the marketplace.Alvin was subsequently dropped by his label Columbia Records. Alvin suffered health problems which sidelined him for a while, except for a wild tour with friends Mojo Nixon and Country Dick Montana as the Pleasure Barons, which was described as "a Las Vegas revue from acts who aren't going to be asked ...

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CD

DVD

West of the West

West of the West is Dave Alvin's tribute to the songs and songwriters of California. It's the fourth-generation Californian's latest excursion into the sounds and history of his home state, continuing the high standard he set with King of California and Blackjack David.

Produced by Greg Leisz (Wilco, Lucinda Williams, Beck, Brian Wilson)...

Ash Grove

One of America's great songwriters returns with ten new original songs for his Yep Roc debut, Ashgrove. Whether it's his revered songwriting, his groundbreaking work with The Blasters, his unmistakable guitar contributions to dozens of other records (X, Tom Waits, Los Lobos, Little Milton), or his sought-after work as a producer (Big Sandy, The Derailers, and most recently Amy Farris), Grammy Award winner Dave Alvin makes his mark on the history and future of American music...

Great American Music Galaxy

This live album from Grammy Award winner Dave Alvin captures the trademark sound of one of America's best songwriters - and one of the country's best live bands. Recorded in early 2005 at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco and the Galaxy Theater in Santa Ana, The Great American Music Galaxy features Dave Alvin backed by The Guilty Men: Chris Gaffney, Chris Miller, Gregory Boaz, Bobby Lloyd Hicks and Joe Terry...

Outtakes in California

Out in California

"Occasionally I make records," says Dave Alvin, "But what I do is I play live." What Dave Alvin does so magnificently is captured in electrifying fashion on Out In California. The full breadth of Alvin's artistry and the power of his touring band, the Guilty Men, comes through in 13 tracks culled from recent performances at the Blue Café in Long Beach CA, the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara CA, and the Neighborhood Church in Pasadena CA, where this great American songwriter revisits and reinterprets songs from every era of his career...

Public Domain

2001 Grammy Winner for Best Traditional Folk Album!

"Most of the songs on this CD," says Alvin, "I found collecting old records with my brother Phil when we were barely in our teens. We searched thrift stores and junk stores, attics and swap meets to find old blues, R&B, or country 78s and 45s, and long-out-of-print reissue albums on obscure labels. We were just looking for something that excited us more than the bulk of what was on radio. Little did we know that we were discovering America's folk music. ..

Blackjack David

With Blackjack David, Alvin continues to carve out his place as one of America's foremost roots-based singer-songwriters. Gravitating even more to the modern folk style he embraced with 1994's critically acclaimed King of California, Alvin has matured as a singer and continues to build his catalog of genre-defining songs. Like King of California, the record was produced by longtime associate Greg Leisz. Leisz is a master musician himself, who has played on albums by Brian Wilson, James Iha, Joni Mitchell, kd lang,...

Interstate City

Interstate City, recorded over two nights at the Continental Club in Austin, Texas, is a 70-minute document of Alvin's recent live shows with his ferocious country-rock backing band, the Guilty Men. The album offers several new songs (including "Out in California" and the title track), a couple of Blasters hits ("So Long Baby Goodbye" and "Long White Cadillac"), and new versions of songs from his recent solo albums ("Dry River" and "Museum of Heart"). The performances range from ...

King of California

The first of Dave Alvin's extended forays into what he calls "the quiet kind of folk music, " this album marked a turning point in his solo career. Punctuated with two duets (one with longtime friend Rosie Flores, the other with Syd Straw), it's a different, more introspective look at some of his best songwriting from over the years. Beautiful losers and desperate outlaws have never seemed quite so poetic.

Museum of Heart

Museum of Heart is the follow-up to Dave Alvin's critically acclaimed 1991 release Blue Boulevard. With this album, Alvin continues to build his reputation as a brilliant songwriter and one of America's premier rock 'n' roll guitarists, painting painfully vivid portraits of love, life, and heartache. Joining him are musicians Greg Leisz, Don Falzone, Rick Solem, and Donald Lindley. Guest stars include John Doe (of X fame), Syd Straw, Lee Allen, and John "Juke" Logan. Dave Alvin's musical career began with the Blasters, where he served as co-founder, principal songwriter, and guitarist. He went on to record with the Knitters and served for a short time as lead axeman for the legendary Los Angeles punk band X.

Blue Boulevard

This was Dave Alvin's first solo record for HighTone, and it has the same rockin' feel as Museum of Heart. It's punctuated by several standout tracks, many of which Alvin still includes in his live set. Those who have seen him play with his band, the Guilty Men, will recognize "Wanda and Duane," "Andersonville," "Dry River," and "Haley's Comet," the last of which he co-wrote with Tom Russell.

Romeo's Escape