Dave Edmunds - Tracks on Wax 4

Dave Edmunds formed Love Sculpture in 1967 & Rockpile in 1976 (with Nick Lowe). He has made numerous solo albums over three decades. Tracks On Wax 4 was originally issued in 1978. It features Nick Lowe on bass. 11 tracks. Wounded Bird. 2005. Album Description

Rockabilly Redux

It is one of the great ironies that Rockpile released all their best material and performances on albums credited to Edmunds or Nick Lowe (and sometimes others) due to contractual issues and record company jealousy. In fact, Rockpile only really released one album as Rockpile, and it was pretty much an afterthought. I'd even like to think that The Traveling Wilburys came about because a bunch of musicians looked around and said, "You know what would be fun? Let's make like Rockpile!"

With that said, let's get to the meat of things. This is, without a doubt, Rockpile's finest effort. Lowe's "Pure Pop for Now People" and "Tracks on Wax 4" make a pair of beautiful bookends. Don't own one without the other.

One of my favorites is "What Would Look Best On You", which is just shy of being outright Country parody. (I'm sure that the guys serenaded Carlene Carter with this when she and Lowe were dating. I've always wondered what it was like for Johnny Cash to come downstairs to breakfast, after Lowe married Carter, and find Nick Lowe at his breakfast table. He must have loved June Carter Cash a lot.) Even if you own the Edmunds Anthology, you are still missing a couple essential songs that appear on this album.

Ansolutely hot "Tracks". February 12, 2007

The pinnacle of Dave Edmunds' "solo" career

Edmunds had already found success twice by the time of this first full collaboration with the backing band that would be known as Rockpile. He'd first come on the scene with the blues-rock band Love Sculpture, and later as a solo artist with his debut album "Rockpile" and its hit-single cover of Smiley Lewis' "I Hear You Knockin'." His follow-up "Subtle as a Flying Mallet" produced two UK hits, but it was his blossoming relationship with Nick Lowe (who he'd befriended while producing the last LP of Lowe's band, Brinsley Schwarz) that would chart his future success. The two worked together on Edmunds next solo album, "Get It," and Lowe joined Edmunds touring band - also named "Rockpile."

This album is the first full LP by Rockpile (Edmunds, Lowe, Billy Bremner and Terry Williams), and everything that marks this foursome for greatness is here. Edmunds rock 'n' roll roots mesh perfectly with the loopier pub rock of Lowe's songs. The band, gigging constantly, is as tight as a drum. Their future efforts, including Lowe's "Labour of Lust," Edmunds "Repeat When Necessary" and the band's own "Seconds of Pleasure" would all bear the same hallmarks, but this first assemblage is the most vital.

Edmunds lends superb rockabilly and blues stylings to the Lowe originals "Never Been in Love" and "Television," and the two exercise intricate Everly-styled harmonies on their own "What Looks Best on You." Edmunds' "A.1 on the Jukebox" is a fine two-step country-rocker, and the co-write "Deborah" is Nick Lowe styled power-pop at its best. Covers of Chuck Berry's "It's My Own Business," the obscure 1964 Dean and Jean B-side "Thread Your Needle," and a trio of songs by writers Billy Murray and N. Brown round out the album perfectly. [©2005 redtunictroll at hotmail dot com] December 30, 2005

One of the best records ever made

Great to have this one rereleased. Rockpile rules! November 17, 2005

+ 1/2 stars...Classic Dave Edmunds

Except for his hard-core fans (of which I include myself), most people will only remember Dave Edmunds for his 1971 Top 10 cover of Smiley Lewis' "I Hear You Knockin'." But for more than three decades, Edmunds has made a career of being one of the music world's finest roots rockers.

By the late-Seventies guitarist Edmunds and basist Nick Lowe appeared on each other's solo albums along with second guitarist Billy Bremner and drummer Terry Williams. [They would record only one album under the moniker Rockpile--1980's SECONDS OF PLEASURE.] But for all intents and purposes, this 1978 album is a Rockpile album, and it is one of Edmund's best.

Highlights include rockers like "Trouble Boys" and "Deborah" as well as songs like "Never Been in Love," which evokes the harmonies of the Everly Brothers (an obvious influnce on Edmunds and Lowe, who cut an EP of Everly covers as a bonus disc on the original release of SECONDS OF PLEASURE).

If you're a fan of rock 'n' roll from a two guitar-bass-drum band, you'll fall in love with this album. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED October 29, 2005

The pinnacle of Dave Edmunds' "solo" career

Edmunds had already found success twice by the time of this first full collaboration with the backing band that would be known as Rockpile. He'd first come on the scene with the blues-rock band Love Sculpture, and later as a solo artist with his debut album "Rockpile" and its hit-single cover of Smiley Lewis' "I Hear You Knockin'." His follow-up "Subtle as a Flying Mallet" produced two UK hits, but it was his blossoming relationship with Nick Lowe (who he'd befriended while producing the last LP of Lowe's band, Brinsley Schwarz) that would chart his future success. The two worked together on Edmunds next solo album, "Get It," and Lowe joined Edmunds touring band - also named "Rockpile."

This album is the first full LP by Rockpile (Edmunds, Lowe, Billy Bremner and Terry Williams), and everything that marks this foursome for greatness is here. Edmunds rock 'n' roll roots mesh perfectly with the loopier pub rock of Lowe's songs. The band, gigging constantly, is as tight as a drum. Their future efforts, including Lowe's "Labour of Lust," Edmunds "Repeat When Necessary" and the band's own "Seconds of Pleasure" would all bear the same hallmarks, but this first assemblage is the most vital.

Edmunds lends superb rockabilly and blues stylings to the Lowe originals "Never Been in Love" and "Television," and the two exercise intricate Everly-styled harmonies on their own "What Looks Best on You." Edmunds' "A.1 on the Jukebox" is a fine two-step country-rocker, and the co-write "Deborah" is Nick Lowe styled power-pop at its best. Covers of Chuck Berry's "It's My Own Business," the obscure 1964 Dean and Jean B-side "Thread Your Needle," and a trio of songs by writers Billy Murray and N. Brown round out the album perfectly.

Swan Song's 1991 CD reissue doesn't stand-up favorably to the original vinyl, sounding flat and unengaging. It's listenable, not least for the great material and performances, but it's time to apply some updated digital technology to the original masters! August 9, 2005

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