Based on a True Story (The Del-Lords album)

Based on a True Story
Based on a True Story
Studio album by the Del-Lords
Released	1988
Genre	Rock
Length	44:26
Label	Enigma
Producer	Neil Giraldo
The Del-Lords chronology

Based on a True Story is an album by the American band the Del-Lords, released in 1988 on Enigma Records.^[1]^[2] The band supported the album with a North American tour.^[3]

Production

Recorded in Los Angeles, the album cost $120,000.^[4] It was produced by Neil Giraldo.^[5] Pat Benatar duetted with Scott Kempner on "Poem of the River".^[6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[7]
Chicago Tribune	^[8]
Robert Christgau	B+^[9]

The Washington Post wrote that "Kempner spreads on the working-class persona a little thick at times, but this is still the equal of any previous Del-Lords set."^[10] The Toronto Star deemed the album "a rip-snorting, noisy, trashy little garage opus."^[11]

The Chicago Tribune determined that "the album, energy and polish notwithstanding, emerges as a good but not great package with a faintly 'generic' feel."^[8] The New York Times concluded that "the straightforward, stomping rock songs on the band's third album ... insist on independent thinking and truthfulness."^[12]

Track listing

All songs written by Scott Kempner.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Crawl in Bed"	3:57
2.	"Judas Kiss"	4:36
3.	"Ashes to Ashes"	4:19
4.	"I'm Gonna Be Around"	3:01
5.	"Poem of the River"	5:58
6.	"The Cool and the Crazy"	5:18
7.	"Cheyenne"	3:47
8.	"A Lover's Prayer"	4:45
9.	"Whole Lotta Nothin' Goin' On"	3:34
10.	"River of Justice"	5:10

Personnel

The Del-Lords

Scott Kempner – lead vocals, guitar
Eric Ambel – guitar, vocals, keyboards on "The Cool and the Crazy" and "River of Justice", lead vocals on "Judas Kiss" and "A Lover's Prayer"
Manny Caiati – bass guitar, vocals
Frank Funaro – drums, vocals

Additional musicians and production

Scotty Bem – gong
Pat Benatar – backing vocals on "Judas Kiss" & "Poem of the River"
Lenny Castro – percussion
Spyder Curtis James – keyboards on "Judas Kiss", "Poem of the River" and "Ashes to Ashes"
Frank Linx – vocals on "Cheyenne", "Whole Lotta Nothin' Goin' On", "A Lover's Prayer", "Judas Kiss" and "River of Justice"
Rev. Mojo Nixon – sermon on "River of Justice"
Johnny Powers – harp on "River of Justice" and "A Lover's Prayer"
Kevin Savigar – keyboards on "Whole Lotta Nothin' Goin' On" and "Poem of the River"
Kim Shattuck & Karen Blankfeld of The Pandoras – vocals on "The Cool and the Crazy"
Syd Straw – backing vocals on "Judas Kiss", "River of Justice" and "Ashes to Ashes"
Gordon Fordyce – engineer
Michael Frondelli – mixing
Neil Geraldo – production
Assistant engineers: Bill Cooper, Angus Davidson, Scott E. Gordon

References

^ Griffin, John (28 Apr 1988). "The Del-Lords Based on a True Story". The Gazette. Montreal. p. E3.
^ Young, Charles M. (May 1988). "Music". Playboy. 35 (5): 25.
^ Robins, Wayne (29 Apr 1988). "The Del-Lords Take an Independent Stand". Weekend. Newsday. p. 3.
^ Maney, Kevin (28 Aug 1987). "Rockers on the rocks". USA Today. p. 1B.
^ Pick, Steve (24 June 1988). "Del Lords' Latest Shows Big Improvement". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. F4.
^ Haring, Bruce (Apr 9, 1988). "Del-Lords Seek 1st Commercial Hit with Album". Billboard. Vol. 100, no. 15. p. 45.
^ Deming, Mark. "Based on a True Story". AllMusic. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
^ ^a ^b Popson, Tom (22 Apr 1988). "'Based on a True Story', the Del-Lords". Chicago Tribune. Friday. p. J.
^ Christgau, Robert. "The Del-Lords: Based on a True Story". Robert Christgau.com. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
^ Jenkins, Mark (9 Mar 1988). "The New Old-Time Rock 'n' Roll". The Washington Post. p. B7.
^ Quill, Greg (15 Apr 1988). "Short Cuts". Toronto Star. p. E8.
^ Pareles, Jon (29 Apr 1988). "New York Rockers Singing the Blues Loudly and Clearly". The New York Times. p. C1.