The Pursuit of Happiness | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1987 | |||
Studio | Indigo Ranch, Malibu, CA | |||
Label | Curb/ MCA [1] | |||
Producer | Dave Jerden | |||
The Beat Farmers chronology | ||||
|
The Pursuit of Happiness is an album by the American band the Beat Farmers, released in 1987. [2] [3] The band supported the album with a North American tour that included shows with Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper. [4] [5]
The first single, "Dark Light", peaked at No. 27 on Billboard's Album Rock Tracks chart. [6] [7] "Hollywood Hills", for which a video was shot, was also released as a single. [8]
Recorded at Indigo Ranch, in Malibu, the album was produced by Dave Jerden. [9] [10] [11] Founding member Buddy Blue was replaced by Joey Harris. [12] Country Dick Montana sang on the cover of Johnny Cash's " Big River". [12] [13] "Rosie" is a cover of the Tom Waits song. [14] Steve Berlin played saxophone on the album. [15] In a dig at the PMRC, the band allegedly included a "positive" subliminal message on the album. [4]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Houston Chronicle | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Los Angeles Daily News | B [19] |
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Philadelphia Inquirer | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Vancouver Sun called the album "rocking with the familiar tough R&B favored by guitarist Jerry Raney, reeling with the hilarious depravity favored by wildman drummer Country Dick, and soaring with the touch of majesty brought into the fold by Harris." [22] The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote: "Blunt, vehement rock that regularly partakes of a country lilt, this is the West Coast quartet's best album yet." [21]
The Houston Chronicle noted that "few if any rock bands have a better understanding of the essential difference between ego and art." [18] The Los Angeles Daily News concluded: "Until either Rainy or Harris cuts a path as striking as Montana's, the Farmers will be just another good rockin' roots band with a joke instead of a great band with a sense of humor." [19] The Times determined that "although the Farmers hold rank as possibly the greatest bar-band in the world, this is a patchy collection redeemed mostly by the efforts of the new guitarist, Joey Harris." [23] The Oregonian listed the album among the 10 best of 1987. [24]
AllMusic deemed "Hollywood Hills" "one of the finest tracks the group ever recorded." [16]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Hollywood Hills" | 4:17 |
2. | "Ridin'" | 4:08 |
3. | "Dark Light" | 4:06 |
4. | "Make It Last" | 3:59 |
5. | "Key to the World" | 3:22 |
6. | "God Is Here Tonight" | 3:38 |
7. | "Big Big Man" | 3:53 |
8. | "Elephant Day Parade" | 2:42 |
9. | "Rosie" | 2:22 |
10. | "Texas" | 3:24 |
11. | " Big River" | 2:38 |
The Pursuit of Happiness | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1987 | |||
Studio | Indigo Ranch, Malibu, CA | |||
Label | Curb/ MCA [1] | |||
Producer | Dave Jerden | |||
The Beat Farmers chronology | ||||
|
The Pursuit of Happiness is an album by the American band the Beat Farmers, released in 1987. [2] [3] The band supported the album with a North American tour that included shows with Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper. [4] [5]
The first single, "Dark Light", peaked at No. 27 on Billboard's Album Rock Tracks chart. [6] [7] "Hollywood Hills", for which a video was shot, was also released as a single. [8]
Recorded at Indigo Ranch, in Malibu, the album was produced by Dave Jerden. [9] [10] [11] Founding member Buddy Blue was replaced by Joey Harris. [12] Country Dick Montana sang on the cover of Johnny Cash's " Big River". [12] [13] "Rosie" is a cover of the Tom Waits song. [14] Steve Berlin played saxophone on the album. [15] In a dig at the PMRC, the band allegedly included a "positive" subliminal message on the album. [4]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Houston Chronicle | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Los Angeles Daily News | B [19] |
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Philadelphia Inquirer | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Vancouver Sun called the album "rocking with the familiar tough R&B favored by guitarist Jerry Raney, reeling with the hilarious depravity favored by wildman drummer Country Dick, and soaring with the touch of majesty brought into the fold by Harris." [22] The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote: "Blunt, vehement rock that regularly partakes of a country lilt, this is the West Coast quartet's best album yet." [21]
The Houston Chronicle noted that "few if any rock bands have a better understanding of the essential difference between ego and art." [18] The Los Angeles Daily News concluded: "Until either Rainy or Harris cuts a path as striking as Montana's, the Farmers will be just another good rockin' roots band with a joke instead of a great band with a sense of humor." [19] The Times determined that "although the Farmers hold rank as possibly the greatest bar-band in the world, this is a patchy collection redeemed mostly by the efforts of the new guitarist, Joey Harris." [23] The Oregonian listed the album among the 10 best of 1987. [24]
AllMusic deemed "Hollywood Hills" "one of the finest tracks the group ever recorded." [16]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Hollywood Hills" | 4:17 |
2. | "Ridin'" | 4:08 |
3. | "Dark Light" | 4:06 |
4. | "Make It Last" | 3:59 |
5. | "Key to the World" | 3:22 |
6. | "God Is Here Tonight" | 3:38 |
7. | "Big Big Man" | 3:53 |
8. | "Elephant Day Parade" | 2:42 |
9. | "Rosie" | 2:22 |
10. | "Texas" | 3:24 |
11. | " Big River" | 2:38 |