''Romeo's Escape'' is the debut album by American artist

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 1987. It was released in Europe as ''Every Night About This Time''. It has been reissued multiple times under both titles. The album included three songs previously written and recorded by Alvin with

The Blasters The Blasters are an American rock band formed in 1979 in Downey, California, by brothers Phil Alvin (vocals and guitar) and Dave Alvin (guitar), with bass guitarist John Bazz and drummer Bill Bateman. Their self-described " American Music" i ...

, ("Long White Cadillac", "Border Radio" and "Jubilee Train").

Reception

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

critic Mark Deming wrote: "If Alvin was still getting his sea legs as a vocalist on ''Romeo's Escape'', his emotional conviction and intelligent phrasing outweigh his somewhat limited range, and he's rarely rocked harder in the studio... ''Romeo's Escape'' left no doubt he had the goods to be a first-rate frontman, while his gifts as a guitarist and writer remained as strong as ever.."

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...

stated that "Alvin's hoarse timbre, bellowing passion, and approximate pitch call up other songwriter front men—such dubious predecessors as John Prine and Guy Clark, who at least can claim to sound like themselves. Nevertheless, he's a born songwriter--guitarist." Jon Young, in ''

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference to ...

'', called it " familiar roots rock and country, ranging from scorching boogie ('New Tattoo') to the weary testimony of a union man ('Brother on the Line')."

Track listing

All songs by Dave Alvin. #"Fourth of July" – 4:01 #" Long White Cadillac" – 4:46 #"Every Night About This Time" – 3:56 #"Romeo's Escape" – 3:50 #"Brother (On the Line)" – 4:14 #" Jubilee Train" – 3:53 #"

Border Radio ''Border Radio'' is a 1987 independent film directed by Allison Anders, Dean Lent and Kurt Voss. Summary A document of the last days West Coast punk rock, the story follows two musicians and a roadie who haven't been paid rob money from a club an ...

" – 3:34 #"Far Away" – 4:33 #"New Tattoo" – 3:46 #"You Got Me" – 3:50 #"I Wish It Was Saturday Night" – 3:38

Personnel

Musicians

*Dave Alvin – vocals, guitar *

Gregg Sutton Gregg Sutton is an American musician, songwriter, guitarist, singer and bassist, who lives in Los Angeles. Career Gregg has written hits for Sam Brown (" Stop!"), Joe Cocker ("Tonight" and seven others) and contributed songs to Maria McKee, Lo ...

– bass on "Long White Cadillac", "Far Away" and "I Wish It Was Saturday Night" *Gil T. Isais – bass *

Al Kooper Al Kooper (born Alan Peter Kuperschmidt; February 5, 1944) is a retired American songwriter, record producer and musician, known for organizing Blood, Sweat & Tears, although he did not stay with the group long enough to share its popularity. ...

– organ on "Far Away" *Jerry Angel – drums *

Tony Gilkyson Tony Gilkyson (born August 6, 1952) is a Los Angeles-based musician. He is the son of Jane Gilkyson and songwriter/folk musician Terry Gilkyson, as well as the brother of singer-songwriter Eliza Gilkyson. Career Gilkyson is a former member of Lo ...

– guitar *

Greg Leisz Gregory Brian Leisz ( ; born September 18, 1949) is an American musician. He is a songwriter, recording artist, and producer. He plays guitar, dobro, mandolin, lap steel and pedal steel guitar. Biography Leisz grew up in the garage band cu ...

– pedal steel guitar, lap guitar, guitar *

Steve Berlin Steven M. Berlin (born September 14, 1955, Philadelphia) is an American saxophonist, keyboardist and record producer, best known as a member of the rock group Los Lobos and, before that, Top Jimmy & the Rhythm Pigs, the Blasters, and the Flesh ...

– saxophone *

David Hidalgo David Kent Hidalgo (born October 6, 1954, in Los Angeles.) is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the band Los Lobos. Hidalgo frequently plays musical instruments such as accordion, violin, 6-string banjo, cello, requin ...

– 8-string guitar on "Far Away", violin on "Brother (On the Line)", background vocals *

John "Juke" Logan John "Juke" Logan (September 11, 1946 – August 30, 2013) was an American electric blues harmonica player, musician, singer, pianist and songwriter. He is best known for his harmonica playing on the theme music for television programs (''Home I ...

– keyboards, harmonica *Alan Graham – background vocals *Matthew McCauley – background vocals *

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 ...

– background vocals on "You Got Me" and "I Wish It Was Saturday Night"

Production

*Steve Berlin – producer *Mark Linett – producer, engineer *Melanie Nissen – design *Lou Beach – cover art

References

{{Authority control 1987 debut albums Dave Alvin albums