Craft Recordings releases a standout vinyl reissue of a seminal Dave Alvin album.
Dave Alvin – Blackjack David – Craft Recordings CR01899 Expanded Deluxe Edition 180-gram 2-LP set [10/16/2026] *****:
(Dave Alvin – acoustic guitar, electric trio guitar vocals; complete credits listed below)
Singer-songwriter and producer Dave Alvin emerged on the music scene fronting the roots-inspired band The Blasters. In his own words, ”…there are two kinds of folk music, quiet and loud, and I play both!…). His successful intermingling of rockabilly, garage rock, country, and punk attitude launched a unique career After his stint with the group, Alvin played with the alternative band X, punk outfit Flesh Eaters and the country-folk group The Knitters. He could transition seamlessly to a variety of genres. Alvin also released solo albums and produced other artists.
Craft Recordings has released a 180-gram vinyl of the 1998 Hightone Records album, Blackjack David. It is comprised of the original eleven songs with two bonus track. Produced by multi-instrumentalist Greg Leisz (Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, The Eagles, Beck, Brian Wilson) , it is a subtle, acoustically-textured musical statement that showcases the introspective warm resonance that defines this musician.
Side A opens with the title track, based on a plaintive traditional song that recounts a story about a woman leaving her husband and baby for an enigmatic stranger. The arrangement of acoustic guitars and heartfelt vocals is compelling. “Abilene” is an up tempo country rocker about an abused woman escaping her painful existence. With blues intonation, “New Highway” is a honky tonk narrative with acoustic flair and in-the-pocket groove.
Taking on social issues is a staple of Alvin’s catalog. “California Snow” details the gut-wrenching ambiguity of a border patrol officer’s self-examination of his job and failed marriage. Another Americana observation “1968”, reflects on Vietnam and the psychic consequences that follow (“…He left a hero in the jungle, back in 1968…”).
Alvin’s grasp of blues-based relationship troubles shape the hard-hitting “The Way You Say Good-Bye”. All of the instrumental arrangements frame the songs appropriately. There are quiet numbers (“From A Kitchen Table”) about personal relationships. The listener can feel the melancholy and in the case of “Mary Brown”, an ominous bluegrass-inflected moody details a criminal narrative. A certain highlight is the brooding, haunted “Tall Trees” that exudes a spooky hypnotic vibe.
The 180-gram vinyl of Blackjack David (also available on CD and digital download) is a welcome sonic upgrade. The contemporary production has enhanced clarity and separation. Alvin’s baritone voice and acoustic guitar are front and center, surrounded by the warm tapestry of assorted stringed instruments (mandolin, pedal steel, dobro, mandolin, fiddle),and organ/accordion accents. This enhanced production never detracts from the singer songwriter’s core essence.
Highest recommendation!
—Robbie Gerson
Dave Alvin – Blackjack David
TrackList:
Side A: Blackjack David; Abilene; New Highway; California Snow
Side B: Evening Blues; The Way You Say Good-Bye; Mary Brown
Side C: Label Lynn; 1968; From A Kitchen Table
Side D: Tall Trees; Angel On Your Shoulder; Dixie Highway Blues.
Performing Artists:
Dave Alvin – acoustic guitar, electric trio guitar vocals;
Skip Edwards – organ, accordion;
Greg Leisz – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, baritone guitar, slide guitar, pedal steel guitar; mandolin guitar, dobro, mandolin, banjo;
Bobby Lloyd Hicks – drums, percussion, harmony vocals;
David Piltch – acoustic bass;
Bob Glob – electric bass;
Dave Jackson – acoustic bass, electric bass;
Gregory Boaz – acoustic bass;
Dillon O’Brien – harmonium, accordion, electric piano;
Chris Gaffney – accordion;
Brantley Kearns – fiddle;
Doug Wieselman – clarinet, organ;
Dan McGough – organ
