A band going into their sophomore album have almost always been fraught with pressure. And that pressure is even harder when you’re trying to replicate the success of your debut.
Consider the fate of the Violent Femmes; their 1983 self-titled debut was not only their most successful record to this day, but it garnered nearly unanimous critical praise on its release, having gone on to become one of the most seminal records in the alternative music genre.
With that pressure, The Violent Femmes followed up their first record with Hallowed Ground, just over a year later, and while it hasn’t lived up to the influence and importance of their self-titled effort, it remains, 40 years later, a solid album from start to finish. Long hard to find on vinyl, Craft Recordings are making it widely available for the first time in 10 years, with a number of different color variants.
At the time of its release in 1984, the record was a step away from the more straightforward but quirky folk punk sound of its predecessor, opting for a much more experimental sound which tended to polarize both fans and critics. In particular, the religious theme weaved throughout seemed to confuse many. Gordon Gano, the band’s singer/guitarist and primary songwriter, was raised a devout Baptist and even managed to puzzle his two band members (who were both atheists) with this new direction. But four decades later, the album has aged well. Songs like “Jesus Walking On The Water” and “Country Death Song,” remain some of the band’s best tracks and still make an appearance in their live sets. “Sweet Misery Blues,” his take on Lou Reed, is simply sublime.
Though many of these songs were also written around the same time Gano was writing for the band’s first record, the themes of faith and redemption seemed a big leap from many to take with the band. Regardless, it boasts some of Gano’s strongest lyrics.
Hallowed Ground is being released in classic black vinyl, as well as four limited color pressings, including a Green Smoke variant, Orange Smoke, Azure Blue, and Onyx. The remastered album will also make its debut on hi-res digital.
