THE GUN CLUB THE LAS VEGAS STORY
Animal 1984/Sympathy for the Record Industry 2005
One of the finest, and certainly the most interesting, of the Gun
Club records, The Las Vegas Story was re-released last
year by Sympathy for the Record Industry. A concept album, The
Las Vegas Story is from a cut-up writing fantasy composed by
Kid and Jeffrey Lee Pierce. About the apocalypse in Las Vegas, the
story was initially printed on the inner-sleeve of the album. While
it may be one of the smoothest Gun Club records, this exploration
of the seedy American underbelly also the spookiest, most eclectic,
and perhaps the darkest. Here Kid rejoins the band, Jeffrey Lee
Pierce picks up the guitar for the first time on record, and The
Blaster’s Dave Alvin even gets in the fray for a reverbed-out
rootsy take on Television-inspired guitar combinations. Goth superstarlet
Patricia Morrison and Bag’s drummer Terry Graham make a robust
rhythm section to boot. Standouts include “Walking the Beast,”
“Eternally is Here,” “Bad America,” and
“Moonlight Motel.” Covers of Pharoah Sanders’
“The Master Plan” and Gershwin’s “My Man’s
Gone Now” are an entirely new direction for the band. The
CD also includes the bonus track “Secret Fires” –
the most beautiful Gun Club ballad there is.
One of the finest, and certainly the most interesting, of the Gun
Club records, The Las Vegas Story was re-released last
year by Sympathy for the Record Industry. A concept album, The
Las Vegas Story is from a cut-up writing fantasy composed by
Kid and Jeffrey Lee Pierce. About the apocalypse in Las Vegas, the
story was initially printed on the inner-sleeve of the album. While
it may be one of the smoothest Gun Club records, this exploration
of the seedy American underbelly also the spookiest, most eclectic,
and perhaps the darkest. Here Kid rejoins the band, Jeffrey Lee
Pierce picks up the guitar for the first time on record, and The
Blaster’s Dave Alvin even gets in the fray for a reverbed-out
rootsy take on Television-inspired guitar combinations. Goth superstarlet
Patricia Morrison and Bag’s drummer Terry Graham make a robust
rhythm section to boot. Standouts include “Walking the Beast,”
“Eternally is Here,” “Bad America,” and
“Moonlight Motel.” Covers of Pharoah Sanders’
“The Master Plan” and Gershwin’s “My Man’s
Gone Now” are an entirely new direction for the band. The
CD also includes the bonus track “Secret Fires” –
the most beautiful Gun Club ballad there is.