Prison Bound | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | January 18, 1988 | |||
Recorded | 1987 at Casbah Recording Studio in Fullerton, California | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 41:05 | |||
Label | Restless [4] | |||
Producer |
Social Distortion Chaz Ramirez | |||
Social Distortion chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [5] |
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | [6] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [7] |
Prison Bound is the second studio album by Social Distortion, released in 1988. [8] [9] It was the first album with bass guitarist John Maurer and drummer Christopher Reece. [8] [10] It expands the punk rock sound of the band's first album, Mommy's Little Monster (1983), by adding influences from country music and blues rock. [5]
Prison Bound took almost half a decade to materialize, with the initial attempt to record and release the follow-up to Mommy's Little Monster dating back to 1984. [11] The album was shelved for a few years, and it would not be re-recorded and completed until 1987, following frontman Mike Ness' recovery from drug addiction and Social Distortion's signing to then- independent Restless/ Enigma Records. [12] [13] Unlike many of the band's albums, no singles were released for this album, but the title track "Prison Bound" received some heavy rotation from commercial radio stations (particularly KROQ-FM), [14] and the song's success attracted attention from major labels, including Epic Records, to whom Social Distortion would sign in 1989.
The first track, "It's the Law", is a remake of "Justice for All", which appeared on the 1981 compilation album The Future Looks Bright (and later on the 1995 compilation album Mainliner: Wreckage from the Past). It also contains a cover version of "Backstreet Girl", originally recorded by the Rolling Stones. The album's title track references Johnny Cash's " I Walk the Line".
Trouser Press wrote that "although Prison Bound lacks the all-out dynamics of Monster ... it’s still a maturely paced, knowing follow-up, and not just for punks." [4] Nick Robinson, reviewer of British music newspaper Music Week, noted band's adulting in comparison with early recordings. He found there "upright bursts of aggression, frustration and depression tell a vivid tale of growing up and blues and country influences add depth to this blunt, honest and thrilling account". [15]
All tracks are written by Mike Ness, except where noted
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "It's the Law" | 2:38 |
2. | "Indulgence ( Danell, Ness)" | 4:34 |
3. | "Like an Outlaw (For You) (Danell, Ness)" | 5:21 |
4. | " Back Street Girl ( Mick Jagger, Keith Richards)" | 4:22 |
5. | "Prison Bound" | 5:24 |
Total length: | 22:19 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "No Pain No Gain" | 3:42 |
2. | "On My Nerves (Danell, Ness)" | 4:23 |
3. | "I Want What I Want (Danell, Ness)" | 3:02 |
4. | "Lawless" | 3:21 |
5. | "Lost Child" | 4:18 |
Total length: | 18:46 |