12/28/2025
This The Blasters album was Released on This Day in 1981
I’ll be honest — before I dove into this self-titled album, I’d never really listened to The Blasters. I knew the name, figured they were rootsy, and assumed “American Music” might be some daytime TV special. Then one day I popped the record in, and- whoa- it was like discovering a secret stash of rock ’n’ roll that’d been hiding under my soft rock comfort zone all these years. The Blasters weren’t polished pop, they were a full-tilt celebration of rockabilly, blues, R&B and early rock ’n’ roll, served fast and loud. Tracks like “Marie Marie” and “American Music” don’t just play- they announce themselves, like a band stomping onstage with no regard for volume limits.
What makes this album stick around, decades later, is how alive it feels. Recorded at a time when punk and new wave were all over the charts, The Blasters stuck to the roots- and audiences noticed. The Blasters charted on the Billboard 200 and critics named it among the Top Ten Albums of 1982, which is no small feat for a band that built its reputation in clubs before labels came calling. With Dave Alvin’s gritty guitar and Phil Alvin’s vocals digging into every lyric like it was a story worth telling, the album feels timeless instead of retro. And the band wasn’t just a one-shot deal- members went on to influence generations of roots and Americana artists, with Dave Alvin having a distinguished solo career and Grammy wins for his work.
Now, as a radio host, playing cuts from The Blasters is always a fun pivot that gets listeners interested. Even though the classic lineup isn’t touring regularly, the band’s legacy is very much alive- fans reminisce about seeing them in sweaty clubs or discovering them later through reissues and anniversary editions. And there’s a charming irony in introducing this album to folks who came up with polished radio rock: once they hear “American Music,” they’re hooked, tapping their feet like they’ve found something they should’ve known all along. That’s the magic of The Blasters — it sneaks up on you with swagger, rhythm, and enough heart to make you glad you finally gave it a spin. JB In The Morning