Punch the Big Guy is an album by the American musician John Stewart, released in 1987.[1][2] The album title was suggested by Stewart's son.[3] Stewart supported the album with a North American tour.[4]Punch the Big Guy was a commercial disappointment, selling around 25,000 in its first six months of release.[5]
Production
Recorded in Malibu, Nashville, and Denver (on a Fostex B-16), Stewart spent $50,000 on the sessions.[6][7] He wrote the album's songs to appeal specifically to baby boomers.[8] Most of the songs deal with societal and personal problems; Stewart decided not to include songs with a lighter tone.[9] He was backed by members of New Grass Revival on several tracks.[10]Rosanne Cash contributed backing vocals on "Angels with Guns" and "Price of the Fire".[11]
The Washington Post wrote that "the songs are doomed by their liberal breast-beating and vacuous mysticism."[13] The Los Angeles Times concluded that "this record is generally so humorless that Stewart often reminds you of a door-to-door proselytizer who won't go away."[14] The Chicago Tribune deemed the album "gentle folk songs with hard-bitten lyrics."[15]
The Advocate opined that "parts of the album have a certain charm, but it's unlikely to provide any excitement for those who haven't kept up with his previous music."[16]The Denver Post labeled Punch the Big Guy "one of the finest folk-rock albums of the 1980s, an overlooked gem of evocative lyrics and striking melodies."[17]The Arizona Republic praised the "odd mixture of '50s/'60s folk, '70s sensibilities and righteous back beat."[18]
AllMusic wrote that "Stewart achieves a genuine merger of the personal, the spiritual, and the political on Punch the Big Guy and wraps it all up in a darkly colored but accessible package."[11]
Track listing
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Angels with Guns"
2.
"Strange Rivers"
3.
"Hunters of the Sun"
4.
"Price of the Fire"
5.
"Midnight of the World"
6.
"Night of a Distant Star"
7.
"Botswanna"
8.
"Ticket to the Stars"
9.
"Runaway Train"
10.
"Children of the New Frontier"
References
^Neumann, A. Lin (December 9, 1992). "A Star Is Worn". Music. Phoenix New Times.
^Spencer, Leigh (21 Jan 2008). "John Stewart". Obituaries. The Independent. p. 36.
^Britt, Bruce (April 5, 1988). "Folk Singer Stewart Fights to Keep The Ship Afloat". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L18.
^Campbell, Mary (26 Apr 1988). "'Punch the Big Guy' Album Keeps John Stewart Fans Happy". Los Angeles Times. p. 6:3.
^Arkush, Michael (31 July 1988). "Still a Believer , John Stewart Keeps Touring, Performing". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 93.
^Kinsman, Michael (December 8, 1987). "For rock faithful, John Stewart's Ship is finally coming in". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. E11.
^Kaliss, Jeff (29 Nov 1987). "John Stewart's New Label for Old Folk-Rockers". Datebook. San Francisco Examiner. p. 46.
^Varga, George (December 10, 1987). "Stewart a believer in the boomers". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. C10.
^Longsdorf, Amy (29 Sep 1988). "Folkie John Stewart Is Still Punching After All These Years". The Morning Call. p. D15.
^Potter, Mitch (15 Dec 1989). "Stewart still a daydream believer in folk music". Toronto Star. p. D12.
