El Rayo-X

El Rayo-X
Studio album by
David Lindley
ReleasedApril 1981
Recorded1981
StudioRecord One, Los Angeles
GenreRock
Length39:31
LabelAsylum[1]
ProducerJackson Browne, Greg Ladanyi
David Lindley chronology
El Rayo-X
(1981) 		Win This Record!
(1982)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Robert ChristgauB+[3]

El Rayo-X is David Lindley's debut studio album, released in 1981.[4][5] The album spent 18 weeks on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 83 on July 16, 1981.[6]

Reception

The album generally received favorable reviews.

Boo Browning, of The Washington Post, wrote:

El Rayo-X is not this year's greatest album, but there's very little to compete with it for well-executed let-the-good-times rock. Coming from a fellow who's spent the last few years contemplating Jackson Browne's elbow, it's a delightful surprise -- sort of like rounding the corner at the Haunted House and bumping into a six-foot Goofy.[4]

In a retrospective review, AllMusic's Matthew Greenwald stated:

Lindley scored a contract with Elektra Records and put together an excellent band that was able to keep up with his eclectic vision. Combining blues, rock & roll, Cajun, Zydeco, Middle Eastern music, and other elements, his debut album is an absolute joy.[2]

Track listing

Side 1
  1. "She Took Off My Romeos" (Bob "Frizz" Fuller) – 3:00
  2. "Bye Bye Love" (Boudleaux Bryant, Felice Bryant) – 2:50
  3. "Mercury Blues" (K. C. Douglas, Bob Geddins) – 3:33
  4. "Quarter of a Man" (Bob "Frizz" Fuller) – 3:45
  5. "Ain't No Way" (Bob "Frizz" Fuller) – 3:42
  6. "Twist and Shout" (Phil Medley, Bert Russell) – 2:44
Side 2
  2. "El Rayo-X" (Jorge Calderón, David Lindley) – 2:53
  3. "Your Old Lady" (Elmo Glick, O'Kelly Isley, King Curtis) – 4:14
  4. "Don't Look Back" (Smokey Robinson, Ronald White) – 3:55
  5. "Petit Fleur" (Solomon Feldthouse, Nancy Lindley) – 3:11
  6. "Tu-Ber-Cu-Lucas and the Sinus Blues" (Huey "Piano" Smith) – 2:14
  7. "Pay the Man" (David Lindley, George "Baboo" Pierre) – 3:30

Personnel

Musicians

  • David Lindley – bass (track 8), fiddle, guitar, violin, guitar (electric), vocals, whistle (human), slide guitar, bandurria, divan saz
  • Bob Glaub – bass (all tracks except 6, 8, 10–11)
  • George "Ras Baboo" Pierre – percussion, timbales, vocals, (all tracks), accordion on "Pay the Man"
  • William D. "Smitty" Smith – organ, keyboards (tracks 1, 5–7, 11–12)
  • Ian Wallace – drums
  • Reggie McBride – bass (tracks 6, 10–11)
  • Curt Bouterse – hammer dulcimer on "Petit Fleur"
  • Jackson Browne – vocals on "Bye Bye Love", "Twist and Shout" and "Don't Look Back"
  • Jorge Calderón – vocals on "Twist and Shout"
  • Garth Hudson – horn, keyboards on "El Rayo-X"
  • Bill Payne – organ, keyboards on "Bye Bye Love"

Technical

  • Greg Ladanyi – engineer, producer
  • Jackson Browne – producer
  • George Ybara, Jamie Ledner – assistant engineers
  • Doug Sax, Mike Reese – mastering
  • Jimmy Wachtel – art direction, design
  • Gloria Von Jansky – lettering
  • Kaz Sakamoto – photography

Awards and Charts

Billboard charts

Year Chart Single Peak
1981 Pop Albums 83
1981 Mainstream rock Mercury Blues 34

RPM charts

Year Chart Peak
1981 Pop Albums[7] 28

References

  1. ^ Hatlo, Jim (January 1, 1989). Hot Licks. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780881889109 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ a b Greenwald, Matthew. El Rayo-X at AllMusic. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  3. ^ Christgau, Robert. "David Lindley - El Rayo-X". Retrieved June 11, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Browning, Boo (May 15, 1981). "David Lindley And His 'El Rayo-X'". Retrieved June 24, 2021 – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  5. ^ Prown, Pete; Newquist, Harvey P. (December 28, 1997). Legends of Rock Guitar: The Essential Reference of Rock's Greatest Guitarists. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780793540426 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ "Billboard 200 - David Lindley". Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  7. ^ "RPM Magazine - August 29, 1981 - page 8" (PDF).