CD: SFTRI740
RELEASED: 2004
LABEL: Sympathy

01. Carry Home
02. Calling Up Thunder
03. Brother And Sister
04. Run Through The Jungle
05. Devil In The Woods
06. Texas Serenade
07. Watermelon Man
08. Bad Indian
09. John Hardy
10. The Fire Of Love
11. Sleeping In Blood City
12. Mother Of Earth

Digitally remastered reissue of this great 1982 album which has been out of print for more than 10 years. "Miami" retains arguably the classic GUN CLUB line-up featured on "Fire Of Love." Pierce is joined by guitarist Ward Dotson, bassist Rob Ritter and Terry Graham (drums). By the time they came to make it, the group had signed to BLONDIE guitarist Chris Stein's new (sadly short-lived) Animal label, with Stein himself sliding into the producer's chair. An inspired move as it turned out. Virtually every track is a killer. "Like Calling Up Thunder" snags on Dotson's jagged guitar hooks before Pierce bellows the molen chorus; "A Devil In The Woods" rattles on psychotically on Ritter's tightrope-walking bassline and "Fire Of Love" is magically warped with nasty Hank Marvin twangs from Dotson and Pierce's best sub-Elvis sneer. There are hints of the "Psychobilly" tag that sometimes dogged the band, notably the ramalama chords and screeching vocals of "Sleeping In Blood City" and "Bad Indian" but even these are both forceful and intuitively sleazy, not to mention great, foils for two of "Miami"s integral set pieces - "Texas Serenade" and curtain closer "Mother Of Earth, " where guest Mark Tomeo's burnished pedal steel mingles longingly with Pierce's liquid slide work, distilling both some gorgeous melancholy and bottling THE GUN CLUB'S claim as Alt.Country forerunners in one almighty swig.

Influences / Similar Artists:
The Cramps, Sisters of Mercy, Birthday Party, Robert Johnson