JASON & THE SCORCHERS – Still Standing ’86 [Remastered + Bonus Tracks] *HQ*

320_1 /// 320_2 /// HQ 1 /// HQ 2

Do you wanna hear something different? Different and good? Grab this requested album then, JASON & THE SCORCHERS 1986’s “Still Standing” in its remastered reissue for the first time on CD including bonus tracks.
While Jason & The Scorchers’ two national releases — the Fervor EP and the long-playing follow-up, Lost & Found — earned reams of good reviews and blazed a trail for the cow-punk and alt-country movements that followed in their wake, they earned far more fame than record sales.

Well, actually JASON & THE SCORCHERS were tagged ‘Rock-country’ (not country-rock or cow-punk) before Rock-country was cool. And they rocked hard. Heck, these guys are like Faster Pussycat with a twang, add some Hanoi Rocks too, and for this second LP 1986’s ‘Still Standing’, seems to have been an attempt to give Jason & The Scorchers a bit of polish & bombast in hopes of attracting a wider audience and MTV, sounding like wild side of The Georgia Satellites.
Produced by Tom Werman (who had previously worked with Motley Crue, Twisted Sister, Dokken) and engineered by Duane Baron (Ozzy, Britny Fox), ”Still Standing” has a slicker tone than the group’s previous work, now ready for the arenas. This remaster sound quality is fantastic.
But oddly, for this CD reissue one of the best songs on the album, the rocking ‘Golden Ball And Chain’, the record company used the radio version without the guitar solo. 0dayrox always give you more, and as extra we added ‘Golden Ball And Chain (Original Version)’ complete.

It was 1986, and ”Still Standing” was a move toward the mainstream for Jason & The Scorchers. In their origins many called them ‘Ramones-meets-Southern-rock’, but for this album they are hard-rocking country with arena ready riffs. Flash-and-trash guitarist Warner Hodges’ sound is often smoothed into the all-too-familiar tones of the MTV/AOR metal of the day, and wild-eyed singer Jason Ringenberg sounds wild yet smooth.

Don’t be fooled by his ‘cowboy’ look on the album cover. Take a deep look at the rest of The Scorchers: Aqua-net hair, eye-liner, etc – far from country / Americana for sure.
Playing live, Jason & The Scorchers were wildest than LA Guns, a rip-snortin’ jumble of hard rock, blues and punk — with Hodges whirling like a dervish, and Ringenberg careening around the stage like Don Knotts on booze and pills, while drummer Perry Baggs and bassist Jeff Johnson banged out a furiously steady beat — was an impetus for that crazy term “cowpunk.”

Perhaps fittingly, one of the best moments on ‘Still Standing’ is a thrashing rendition of “19th Nervous Breakdown” — a logical choice given Hodges’ longstanding fixation with Rolling Stones guitar mannerisms and Ringenberg’s jittery stage presence.
Polished yet rocking numbers like “Golden Ball And Chain” and the kick ass “Shotgun Blues” veer toward Georgia Satellites-style rave-ups, but with more attitude. Then we find a favorite in ”Ghost Town”, driven by classic hard rock riffs (you can hear Tom Werman’s hand here)
There’s very good midtempo tunes in ”Good Things Come to Those Who Wait” and the wonderful, slow ”Ocean of Doubt” .

Fans who still remember that the band was first known as Jason & The Nashville Scorchers will be thrilled with the three bonus tracks on this reissue. “Greetings From Nashville” reprises a bit of the spirit of the old Scorchers, with Hodges grinding the strings to a scream while Ringenberg slyly toasts his adopted hometown as “the new L.A.” and evokes the raw power of rock ‘n’ roll.
Their cover of the classic blues song “Route 66” may seem a tad redundant, but it too gets the Scorchers’ delirious treatment, pushing it several steps. The final bonus, “The Last Ride”, is a terse take on spaghetti-western instrumental fare that’s pretty tough – love it!

JASON & THE SCORCHERS “Still Standing” is hard rock with a twist – a real, profound twist – fun and entertaining, very well done songs performed by excellent musicians and superbly produced.
Highly Recommended

01 – Golden Ball And Chain (Remastered)
02 – Crashin’ Down (Remastered)
03 – Shotgun Blues (Remastered)
04 – Good Things Come To Those Who Wait (Remastered)
05 – My Heart Still Stands With You (Remastered)
06 – 19th Nervous Breakdown (Remastered)
07 – Ocean Of Doubt (Remastered)
08 – Ghost Town (Remastered)
09 – Take Me To Your Promised Land (Remastered)
BONUS TRACKS:
10 – Greetings From Nashville (Remastered)
11 – Route 66 (Remastered)
12 – The Last Ride (Remastered)
0dayrox Extra:
13 – Golden Ball And Chain (Original Version w/guitar solo)

Vocals, Harmonica – Jason Ringenberg
Guitars, Vocals – Warner Hodges
Bass – Jeff Johnson
Drums, Vocals – Perry Baggs
with:
Organ [Hammond B3] – Jai Winding
Percussion – Tom Werman

Produced by Tom Werman. Engineered by Duane Baron

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www.amazon.com/Still-Standing-Jason-Scorchers/dp/B00006I0BH