“IF TEXAN MUSIC has a ‘sound’ then Van Wilks would be the perfect example. You may never have heard of him, but that’s okay, as he never really intended to be place himself on a pedestal. Van’s debut album has become something of a cult artefact amongst aficionados of the obscure, ignored at the time of release but, over time, it has been slowly picking up a reputation as one of the most intelligent and compelling releases of the era.
‘Bombay Tears’ is not blues rock, jazz rock, hard rock or acoustic rock but a wonderfully addictive combination of all those styles and more. It emits a certain laid back vibe that provides a warm, comforting backdrop to what you might imagine Texas to sound like if it could talk. The beauty of this album is its shifting, yet widescreen soundscape, kitted out with a brace of well written and arranged songs that, although stylistically divergent, have a common thread, from full on hard rock to hard-nosed boogie and even jazz. Oh, and in case you don’t know, Van is a renowned blues guitarist, carving out a reputation that has even caught the ears of master craftsmen from the Lone Star State, including ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons. Originally released in 1980 and produced by John Stronach (Joe Walsh, Sammy Hagar and REO Speedwagon), this first time on CD release has been bolstered by the addition of the rare 1982 independently pressed ‘Boystown’ EP.”
SPECIAL DELUXE COLLECTOR’S EDITION, FULLY REMASTERED SOUND, 12 PAGE FULL COLOUR BOOKLET, 3,500 WORD ESSAY ABOUT THE MAKING OF THE ALBUM WITH NEW VAN WILKS NTERVIEW AND ENHANCED ARTWORK.
TRACK LISTING:
1. DANGER IN THE DARK
2. 1959
3. TRAVELIN’
4. JUVENILE LICKS
5. DE LA COUPOLE LA MER PLEURE
6. BOMBAY TEARS
7. CAN’T CRY ANYMORE
8. SIRENS IN THE NIGHT
9. EYES LIKE LIGHTNING
10. OLDER THAN YOU KNOW
11. LIVING ON BORROWED TIME BONUS TRACKS:
12. BOYSTOWN
13. STREETLEGAL
14. NEVER SAY NO
15. SMALLTOWN GIRL
Van Wilks – Bombay Tears [RockCandy Remastered +4 bonus] 2016
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