Tornado is the second studio album by the American band the Rainmakers, released in 1987.[2][3] It reached No. 116 on the Billboard 200.[4] The band supported the album with a North American tour.[5] "The Lakeview Man" is about a Vietnam veteran.[6]
| Tornado | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1987 | |||
| Recorded | May–July 1987 at Ardent Studios, Memphis, Tennessee | |||
| Genre | Rock, heartland rock[1] | |||
| Length | 41:07 | |||
| Label | Mercury | |||
| Producer | Terry Manning | |||
| The Rainmakers chronology | ||||
| ||||
A remastered version of the album was released in 2012, with eight additional bonus tracks.
Critical reception edit
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
| Los Angeles Times | [8] |
The Chicago Tribune wrote that the album "offers more thought-provoking rock and roll that recalls the lyrics of T-Bone Burnett and the sound of Creedence Clearwater Revival and the early Rolling Stones."[9] The Los Angeles Times noted that "Bob Walkenhorst's characters are generally the same kind of small-town folk as in [John Cougar] Mellencamp's world, but aren't as stereotyped."[8] USA Today determined that "songs like 'Snakedance' and 'Tornado of Love' sound terrific—if a bit familiar—but the lyrics are too transparent."[10]
Track listing edit
All tracks written by Bob Walkenhorst except where noted.
- "Snakedance" – 4:02
- "Tornado of Love" – 4:15
- "The Wages of Sin" - 3:42
- "Small Circles" - 3:28
- "No Romance" - 3:35
- "One More Summer" - 3:34
- "The Lakeview Man" - 3:02
- "Rainmaker" - 4:29
- "I Talk with My Hands" - 6:33
- "The Other Side of the World" - 4:27
Bonus tracks on 2012 Remastered CD
- "Stick Together" - 4:43
- "Rockin' Around" (Steve Phillips) - 3:31
- "Stupid Way to Die" - 3:39
- "Small Circles" [acoustic] - 3:00
- "Task" - 4:14
- "He Yells at the Birds" - 3:48
- "My Days Are Numbered" - 3:22
- "Kisses from St. Louis" - 2:30
Personnel edit
The Rainmakers edit
- Bob Walkenhorst - lead vocals, guitars, keyboards
- Rich Ruth - bass, vocals
- Steve Phillips - lead guitars, vocals
- Pat Tomek - drums
Additional musicians edit
- Terry Manning - keyboards
Charts edit
| Chart (1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard 200 | 116 |
References edit
- ^ Niester, Alan (23 Dec 1987). "A genuine 'American band'". The Globe and Mail. p. C9.
- ^ Okamoto, David (15 Nov 1987). "Clever Rainmakers spawn a trenchant 'Tornado'". St. Petersburg Times. p. 2F.
- ^ Takiff, Jonathan (11 Dec 1987). "I'm especially hot for Wednesday's double bill of the Rainmakers...". Features Friday. Philadelphia Daily News. p. 55.
- ^ "The Rainmakers Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
- ^ Joyce, Mike (14 Dec 1987). "The Rainmakers". The Washington Post. p. D7.
- ^ Burliuk, Greg (9 Jan 1988). "Tornado The Rainmakers". Magazine. The Kingston Whig-Standard. p. 1.
- ^ Tornado at AllMusic
- ^ a b Hochman, Steve (6 Dec 1987). "Midwestern Hoodoo". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 93.
- ^ Kobel, Peter (2 Dec 1987). "Politics or No, the Rainmakers Call It Rock". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 3.
- ^ Milward, John (14 Jan 1988). "Popular". USA Today. p. 5D.