''Museum of Heart'' is an album by the American musician

Dave Alvin David Albert Alvin (born November 11, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer. He is a former and founding member of the roots rock band the Blasters. Alvin has recorded and performed as a solo artist since the late 1980s a ...

, released in 1993. Alvin considered the album to be mainly in the soul blues style. He promoted ''Museum of Heart'' by touring with his band, the Guilty Men.

Production

The album was produced by Chris Silogyi, Bruce Bromberg, and Alvin; Bromberg encouraged Alvin to add more of a bluesy sound to his guitar work. Former Blaster Lee Allen played saxophone on some of the songs. Alvin worked on some of the songs for '' King of California'' during the same period. Syd Straw and

Katy Moffatt Katherine Louella "Katy" Moffatt (born November 19, 1950) is an American musician, lyricist, composer, vocalist. She is the sister of country singer-songwriter Hugh Moffatt. Midnight radio Moffatt became impassioned by music as a child grow ...

contributed to the album. "Thirty Dollar Room" is about the touring life. "Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame" takes its title from a

Charles Bukowski Henry Charles Bukowski ( ; born Heinrich Karl Bukowski, ; August 16, 1920 – March 9, 1994) was a German-American poet, novelist, and short story writer. His writing was influenced by the social, cultural, and economic ambience of his adopted ...

poetry collection.

Critical reception

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'' wrote that Alvin's "comfortable within his narrow

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range, letting his pithy songwriting carry the load." The '' Chicago Reader'' noted that "even the least of Alvin’s material is redeemed by his robust energy and expansive delivery." The ''

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'' praised the "clear-headed meditations on lost romance." The ''

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'' opined that "Alvin's rugged baritone is surprisingly effective on ballads." The ''

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'' concluded that "Alvin's lyrics convey the heartache and longing you hear in the voices of great country singers like George Jones but rarely find in their material anymore."

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's Denise Sullivan wrote that "Alvin's vision falters slightly, as none of the songs here are as instantly likable or classic as on previous outings."

Track listing

All songs by Dave Alvin. #"Museum of Heart" – 4:26 #"Don't Talk About Her" – 4:59 #"A Woman's Got a Right" – 4:58 #"Between the Cracks" – 4:26 #"Thirty Dollar Room" – 4:23 #"The Devil's Wind" – 4:15 #"Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame" – 3:09 #"One Eye's Ballad" – 0:57 #"Longer Than I Thought" – 5:05 #"Six Nights a Week" – 3:40 #"Stranger in Town" – 4:47 #"As She Slowly Turns to Leave" – 5:26 #"Florence Avenue Lullaby" – 1:16

Personnel

*Dave Alvin – vocals, guitar *Don Falzone – bass *Rick Solem – keyboards, background vocals *Bobby Lloyd Hicks – drums * Donald Lindley – drums *

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– guitar, mandolin, lap steel guitar *Michael "Bami" Rose – tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone *Lee Allen – tenor saxophone *Leon Haywood – organ *Stephen Hodges – congas, percussion, vibraphone * John Logan – background vocals * Syd Straw – background vocals *Fontaine Brown – background vocals *

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– background vocals *

– background vocals

Production notes

*Charlie Bracco – engineer, mixing *Chris Bellman – mastering *Stephen Walker – design *Beth Herzhaft – photography

References

{{Authority control Dave Alvin albums 1993 albums HighTone Records albums Soul blues albums