Prison Bound is the second studio album by Social Distortion, released in 1988.[8][9] It was the first album with bass guitarist John Maurer and drummer Christopher Reece.[8][10] It expands the punk rock sound of the band's first album, Mommy's Little Monster (1983), by adding influences from country music and blues rock.[5]

Prison Bound
Studio album by
ReleasedJanuary 18, 1988
Recorded1987 at Casbah Recording Studio in Fullerton, California
Genre
Length41:05
LabelRestless[4]
ProducerSocial Distortion
Chaz Ramirez
Social Distortion chronology
Mommy's Little Monster
(1983)
Prison Bound
(1988)
Social Distortion
(1990)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[5]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[7]

Overview

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Prison Bound took almost half a decade to materialize, with the initial attempt to record and release the follow-up to Mommy's Little Monster dating back to 1984.[11] The album was shelved for a few years, and it would not be re-recorded and completed until 1987, following frontman Mike Ness' recovery from drug addiction and Social Distortion's signing to then-independent Restless/Enigma Records.[12][13] Unlike many of the band's albums, no singles were released for this album, but the title track "Prison Bound" received some heavy rotation from commercial radio stations (particularly KROQ-FM),[14] and the song's success attracted attention from major labels, including Epic Records, to whom Social Distortion would sign in 1989.

The first track, "It's the Law", is a remake of "Justice for All", which appeared on the 1981 compilation album The Future Looks Bright (and later on the 1995 compilation album Mainliner: Wreckage from the Past). It also contains a cover version of "Backstreet Girl", originally recorded by the Rolling Stones. The album's title track references Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line".

Critical reception

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Trouser Press wrote that "although Prison Bound lacks the all-out dynamics of Monster ... it’s still a maturely paced, knowing follow-up, and not just for punks."[4] Nick Robinson, reviewer of British music newspaper Music Week, noted band's adulting in comparison with early recordings. He found there "upright bursts of aggression, frustration and depression tell a vivid tale of growing up and blues and country influences add depth to this blunt, honest and thrilling account".[15]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Mike Ness, except where noted

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."It's the Law"2:38
2."Indulgence (Danell, Ness)"4:34
3."Like an Outlaw (For You) (Danell, Ness)"5:21
4."Back Street Girl (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards)"4:22
5."Prison Bound"5:24
Total length:22:19
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."No Pain No Gain"3:42
2."On My Nerves (Danell, Ness)"4:23
3."I Want What I Want (Danell, Ness)"3:02
4."Lawless"3:21
5."Lost Child"4:18
Total length:18:46

Personnel

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Prison Bound - Social Distortion | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  2. ^ Cole, Matthew (17 January 2011). "Review: Social Distortion, Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  3. ^ Sachet, Andrew (July 29, 2020). "15 '80s punk albums that shaped the '90s/'00s pop punk boom". Brooklyn Vegan. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Social Distortion". Trouser Press. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  5. ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7. MUZE. p. 588.
  6. ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 1045.
  7. ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 652.
  8. ^ a b "Social Distortion | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  9. ^ "POP MUSIC REVIEW : Social Distortion Appears Headed Straight for Championship Season". Los Angeles Times. January 15, 1988.
  10. ^ Thompson, Dave (January 17, 2000). Alternative Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780879306076 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ http://metallipromo.com/social.html [bare URL]
  12. ^ "Mike Ness Reflects on Social Distortion's Legacy". Loudwire. 21 February 2014.
  13. ^ "The story of his life: Social Distortion's Mike Ness looks back". 11 September 2015.
  14. ^ "KROQ Top 106.7 of 1988".
  15. ^ Robinson, Nick (4 February 1989). "Review: Social Distortion – Prison Bound" (PDF). Music Week. London: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 22. ISSN 0265-1548. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 November 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021 – via American Radio History.