Eleven Eleven (Dave Alvin album) explained

Eleven Eleven
Type:	Studio
Artist:	Dave Alvin
Cover:	ElevenElevenDaveAlvin.jpg
Genre:	Folk rock, country rock
Label:	Yep Roc
Producer:	Dave Alvin
Prev Title:	Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women
Prev Year:	2009
Next Year:	2014

Eleven Eleven is the eleventh studio album by folk rock musician Dave Alvin. It was released on June 20, 2011 on Yep Roc Records, and an expanded reissue was released on April 17, 2012.^[1]

Recording

The recording of Eleven Eleven was influenced by the then-recent deaths of Alvin's friends Chris Gaffney and Amy Farris.^[2] The eleven songs on Eleven Eleven were written over the course of seven months, with three exceptions: the three duets on the album, which were "What's Up With Your Brother", "Manzanita", and "Two Lucky Bums".^[3] "What's Up With Your Brother" is a duet between Alvin and his brother, Phil Alvin, in which both brothers sing together for the first time on record. "Manzanita" is a duet between Alvin and Christy McWilson, a member of his band, the Guilty Women. "Two Lucky Bums" is a duet between Alvin and Chris Gaffney, and represents Gaffney's last recording before he died in 2008.^[3] The song "Harlan County Line" was written for the TV show Justified.^[4]

Critical reception

Eleven Eleven received mostly favorable reviews from critics. Wayne Robins wrote in American Songwriter that the album's best songs were "character studies or snapshots of history". Many critics described "Johnny Ace is Dead" as one of the best songs on the album, with Steve Horowitz of PopMatters calling it "the best damn Johnny Ace song one could ever imagine."^[5]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Dave Alvin; except where indicated

1. "Harlan County Line" – 5:12
2. "Johnny Ace is Dead" – 4:27
3. "Black Rose of Texas" – 4:52
4. "Gary, Indiana 1959" – 4:06
5. "Run Conejo Run" – 4:52
6. "No Worries Mija" (Chris Gaffney) – 3:36
7. "What's Up with Your Brother?" – 4:44 (duet with Phil Alvin)
8. "Murrietta's Head" – 5:59
9. "Manzanita" (Christy McWilson) – 4:09 (duet with McWilson)
10. "Dirty Nightgown" – 5:19
11. "Two Lucky Bums" – 2:28 (duet with Chris Gaffney)

Bonus tracks on 2012 reissue

1. "Beautiful City 'Cross the River"
2. "Signal Hill"
3. "Never Trust a Woman" (duet with Candye Kane)

Personnel

• Dave Alvin – vocals, guitar
• Phil Alvin – vocals
• Gregory Boaz – bass
• Chris Gaffney – accordion, vocals
• Bob Glaub – bass, percussion
• Don Heffington – drums, percussion, timbales
• David Jackson – accordion, upright bass
• Greg Leisz – baritone guitar, guitar, lap steel guitar
• Christy McWilson – piano, vocals
• Steve Mugalian – drums, percussion
• Danny Ott – slide guitar, guitar, vocal harmony
• Wyman Reese – organ, piano
• Jack Rudy – harmonica
• Rick Shea – guitar, pedal steel guitar
• Gene Taylor – piano

Production notes

• Dave Alvin – producer
• Craig Parker Adams – engineer, mixing
• Joe Gastwirt – mastering
• Michael Triplett – art direction, design
• Harry Sabin – photo assistance
• Nancy Sefton – art direction
• Beth Herzhaft – photography

Notes and References

1. Web site: Alvin expands upon "Eleven Eleven" . . 20 February 2012 . 8 August 2014.
2. Web site: Album Review: Dave Alvin's 'Eleven Eleven' . Los Angeles Times . 21 June 2011 . 8 August 2014 . Lewis, Randy.
3. http://www.yeproc.com/dave-alvin-announces-all-new-studio-album-eleven-eleven-available-621-on-yep-roc-4 Dave Alvin announces all-new studio album Eleven Eleven available 6/21 on Yep Roc
4. Web site: Dave Alvin On Mountain Stage . . 3 December 2012 . 8 August 2014.
5. Web site: Dave Alvin: Eleven Eleven . PopMatters . 21 June 2011 . 8 August 2014 . Horowitz, Steve.