Blend is the sixth studio album by the American rock band BoDeans, released in 1996 on Slash Records. It peaked at number 132 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Overview
After the band achieved fame with their single "Closer to Free," they resisted pressure to duplicate that success and chose to record their next album at Hacksville, their studio in a rented storefront. The album was self-produced with assistance from producer/engineer Greg Goldman. Recording took place over a two-year period between tours. Bob Clearmountain mixed "The Understanding" and "Hurt By Love," while Tchad Blake mixed "Hey Pretty Girl." The result was a more rock-oriented sound than their previous album.
Reception
The album did not match the success of "Closer to Free," though "Hurt By Love" saw minor chart success. Music critic Rick Anderson of AllMusic praised the songwriting but criticized the lyrics, stating: "'Hurt By Love' is what the BoDeans are trying for throughout this whole album, but they only get there once or twice." Chuck Eddy of Entertainment Weekly gave it a mixed review (rating: C), describing it as having "timid, muffled harmonies over numbing guitar thrumming" and "enough forlorn corn to fill every silo in the heartland."
Track Listing
All songs written by Kurt Neumann and Sam Llanas.
- "The Understanding" – 4:10
- "Heart of a Miracle" – 4:11
- "Count On Me" – 3:48
- "Can't Stop Thinking" – 3:20
- "Hurt By Love" – 3:58
- "Hey Pretty Girl" – 2:44
- "All I Ever Wanted" – 5:04
- "Do What You Want" – 3:15
- "Red Roses" – 4:08
- "Lullabye" – 4:02
Personnel
BoDeans
- Kurt Neumann – vocals, electric and acoustic guitars
- Sam Llanas – vocals, acoustic guitar
- Bob Griffin – bass guitar
- Nick Kitsos – drums, percussion
Additional personnel
- Danny Federici – accordion
- Alex Acuña – percussion
- Bob Clearmountain – mixing (tracks 1, 5)
- Tchad Blake – mixing (track 6)
Genre and Label
- Genre: Alternative
- Label: Slash Records
- Producers: BoDeans, Greg Goldman
