Under the Blue Marlin
| Under the Blue Marlin | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1986 | |||
| Genre | Rock 'n' roll | |||
| Label | Frontier | |||
| Producer | Paul Cutler | |||
| Naked Prey chronology | ||||
| ||||
Under the Blue Marlin is the second album by the American band Naked Prey, released in 1986.[1][2] They supported it by touring with Frontier Records labelmates the Pontiac Brothers and Thin White Rope on The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Tour, sponsored by Spin.[3][4]
Production
The album was produced by Paul Cutler.[5] The drummer Tommy Larkins joined the band prior to the recording sessions.[6] Frontman Van Christian decided to use less first-person narration in his lyrics, although the band struggled to finish enough songs for the sessions.[5] "Dirt" is a cover of the Stooges song.[7]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [8] |
| The Daily Illini | [9] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [10] |
| The Great Indie Discography | 7/10[11] |
LA Weekly said that "'dirty' and 'raw' are the operative terms here, but the product's well-assembled".[12] The Rocket called the album "bluesy 'n brawlin' 'n rockin' 'n ravin'".[13] The Daily Illini praised the rock 'n' roll and concluded that Naked Prey "listened to too many early Slash records".[9] Spin noted that Christian is not "hopping a freight bound for Cougarville or anything, but Naked Prey's second long-player has a high consumability quotient."[14]
Martin C. Strong called the music "galloping desert-rock fusing Neil Young & Crazy Horse-esque dirty guitar solos with sun-parched, whiskey-throated vocals".[11] The Trouser Press Record Guide opined that "Christian's colorful singing and [David] Seger's guitar work remain the group's virtues, as Prey's songs don't make much of an impression."[15] In 2001, Magnet stated that the album shared musical characteristics with the 1980s Paisley Underground sound.[16]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Ride" | |
| 2. | "A Stranger (Never Says Goodbye)" | |
| 3. | "Dirt" | |
| 4. | "Train Whistle" | |
| 5. | "How I Felt That Day" | |
| 6. | "Come On Down" | |
| 7. | "Rawhead" | |
| 8. | "Voodoo Godhead" | |
| 9. | "Fly Away" | |
| 10. | "What Price for Freedom" |
References
- ^ Skinner, M. Scott (March 28, 1986). "Music Beat". Arizona Daily Star. p. D7.
- ^ "Pop / Rock". Los Angeles Times. August 23, 1986. p. V.2.
- ^ Moleski, Linda (March 15, 1986). "Grass Route". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 11. p. 95.
- ^ "American Rock Featured All Week at Trax Nightclub". Piedmont. The Daily Progress. April 26, 1986. p. 7.
- ^ a b Skinner, M. Scott (March 29, 1986). "Naked Prey Records Second Album". Arizona Daily Star. p. 12B.
- ^ Davis, John T. (October 4, 1986). "Naked Prey reveals rock before MTV days". Austin American Statesman. p. B6.
- ^ Baldwin, Lonna (August 8, 1986). "Other Happenings". Weekend. Spokane Chronicle. p. 2.
- ^ "Under the Blue Marlin Naked Prey". AllMusic. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
- ^ a b Paaswell, George (June 18, 1986). "Under the Blue Marlin Naked Prey". The Daily Illini. p. 13.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6. MUZE. p. 110.
- ^ a b Strong, Martin C. (2003). The Great Indie Discography (2nd ed.). Canongate. p. 434.
- ^ Lloyd, Robert (April 24, 1986). "The Critical List". LA Weekly. p. 49.
- ^ Pavitt, Bruce (June 1986). "Sub Pop". The Rocket. No. 81. p. 31.
- ^ Coley, Byron (June 1986). "Spins". Spin. Vol. 2, no. 3. p. 32.
- ^ Robbins, Ira (1991). The Trouser Press Record Guide (4th ed.). Collier Books. p. 453.
- ^ duBrowa, Corey (May 18, 2001). "Incense and Documents: The Definitive Albums of the Paisley Underground". Magnet.