Raise the Plow
| Raise the Plow | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1992 | |||
| Genre | Indie rock | |||
| Label | Matador | |||
| Producer | Railroad Jerk | |||
| Railroad Jerk chronology | ||||
| ||||
Raise the Plow is the second album by the American band Railroad Jerk, released in 1992.[1][2] They supported it by opening for the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion on a North American tour.[3]
Production
The album was produced by Railroad Jerk.[4] The drummer Steve Cerio joined the band prior to the recording sessions.[5] William Berger, of Uncle Wiggly, played guitar on some of the tracks; the guitarist Alec Stephen is pictured in the album packaging but did not contribute to the sessions.[6] "Fixin' to Die" is an interpretation of the Bukka White song.[6]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [7] |
| The Boston Phoenix | [8] |
| Chicago Tribune | [9] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [10] |
| The Great Indie Discography | 5/10[11] |
| Kalamazoo Gazette | [12] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | [4] |
The Chicago Tribune concluded, "Although a number of indie rock bands have evinced a new interest in blues, Railroad Jerk is among the few that demonstrates at least a touch of empathy and understanding for the form."[9] The Washington Post said that Railroad Jerk "stalks the line between stale retro-rock and sterile art-noise", but noted that "bassist Tony Lee and drummer Steve Cerio do demonstrate a way with sway rare in their peer group."[3] The Rocket stated that "though the footnotes are fairly obvious, they don't intrude on the jarring beauty of Railroad Jerk's songs."[13]
The Kalamazoo Gazette said that the lyrics "recall the darkly funny writings of Flannery O'Connor".[12] Comparing the band to Pussy Galore, The Morning Call praised the "primal exuberance that scatters all the conventions of rhythm, vocalizing and per-fessional playing."[14] The Boston Phoenix appreciated that the band knew that "skronk can be some of the most boring crap in the world when not in the company of thrust."[8] Psychotronic Video opined that "the bleary visionaries in RJ somehow seem to come by their musical purgatory more naturally than the rest—this is music of the heart, not hair."[15]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "These Streets" | |
| 2. | "Call Me the Son" | |
| 3. | "Pin Prick" | |
| 4. | "During the War" | |
| 5. | "Fixin' to Die" | |
| 6. | "In the Main" | |
| 7. | "I Wanna Sway You" | |
| 8. | "Yes Baby" | |
| 9. | "You Can't Go Back" | |
| 10. | "Hanging Around" |
References
- ↑ Staple, Arthur (July 21, 1995). "Moving Up the Track". Lifestyle / Previews. The Record. p. 31.
- ↑ Klosterman, Chuck (April 13, 1995). "3 bands and a venue". The Forum. Fargo. p. C11.
- 1 2 Jenkins, Mark (May 28, 1993). "Yet another set of blues-exploring...". Weekend. The Washington Post. p. 15.
- 1 2 MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide (2nd ed.). Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 916.
- ↑ "Railroad Jerk Biography by Mark Deming". AllMusic. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
- 1 2 Robbins, Ira A. (1997). "Railroad Jerk". The Trouser Press Guide to '90s Rock. Simon & Schuster. p. 592.
- ↑ "Raise the Plow Review by Dean McFarlane". AllMusic. Retrieved April 14, 2026.
- 1 2 Macnie, Jim (April 2, 1993). "Pop". The Boston Phoenix. Vol. 22, no. 14. p. 40.
- 1 2 Margasak, Peter (February 4, 1993). "Recordings". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
- ↑ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. VI. MUZE. p. 4410.
- ↑ Strong, Martin C. The Great Indie Discography (2nd ed.). Canongate. p. 935.
- 1 2 Sult, Amy (February 19, 1993). "CDs". Friday. Kalamazoo Gazette. p. 14.
- ↑ Alden, Grant (February 1993). "Reviews". The Rocket. p. 47.
- ↑ Herzog, Dave (February 27, 1993). "Records". The Morning Call. p. A64.
- ↑ Black, Art (Spring 1993). "Record Reviews". Psychotronic Video. No. 15. p. 16.