Alligator (Leslie West album)

I.R.S. allowed West the freedom to make the album he wanted.{{cite news |last1=Eichenberger |first1=Bill |title=Undaunted, West Works Way Up Another Mountain |work=The Columbus Dispatch |date=January 19, 1990 |page=9D}} Stanley Clarke played bass on "Whiskey" and "All of Me".{{cite news |last1=Bourke |first1=Brian G. |title=New Music |work=Syracuse Herald American |date=October 15, 1989 |department=Stars |page=28}} Johnette Napolitano sang on the cover of Free's "The Stealer". "I Put a Spell on You" is a cover of the Screamin' Jay Hawkins song.{{cite news |last1=Scott |first1=Jane |title=Old song lifts Mountain man |work=The Plain Dealer |date=January 19, 1990}} The liner notes contain a recipe for alligator chili.{{cite news |title=This Week in the Arts |work=The Columbus Dispatch |date=January 14, 1990 |page=3H}}

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|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{rating|2.5|5}}{{cite web |title=Alligator Review by Steve Leggett |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/alligator-mw0000201539 |website=AllMusic |access-date=15 March 2023}}

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The Province deemed the album "as patchy as any of his solo LPs but it highlights his recent work with a Casio guitar synthesizer and his fluid, crying style—a style still rooted in rock and blues that is different from voguish speed merchants."{{cite news |last1=Harrison |first1=Tom |title=Putting primary voice of rock in the spotlight |work=The Province |date=11 Mar 1990 |department=Entertainment |page=87}} The Chicago Sun-Times called it "an eclectic collection of songs that highlights West's deft electric guitar-playing skills and passion for unusual material."{{cite news |last1=Kim |first1=Jae-Ha |title=West's still a Mountain of a musician |work=Chicago Sun-Times |date=January 26, 1990 |department=Weekend Plus |page=31}}

The Daily Breeze opined that the "'Hall of the Mountain King/Theme from Exodus' medley, one of the album's most painful episodes, sounds like it was accidentally recorded during a rehearsal."{{cite news |last1=Tranfa |first1=Anthony D. |title='Alligator', Leslie West |work=Daily Breeze |date=January 26, 1990 |page=E10}} The San Diego Union-Tribune noted that "instrumentals 'Waiting for the F Change', 'Whiskey', 'All of Me' and 'Alligator' promise much, but West seems to lose concentration, grow bored or something."{{cite news |last1=Hawkins |first1=Robert J. |title=Another Cream Mix? |work=The San Diego Union-Tribune |date=February 2, 1990 |page=C2}}

AllMusic wrote that West "plays some hot guitar here, of course, but then not as much as one might like, and he sings a lot here, too, perhaps more than one might like."

1. "Sea of Fire" (George Cintron) — 5:01
2. "Waiting for the F Change" (West) — 4:24
3. "Whiskey" (West) — 2:17
4. "Alligator" (West) — 3:23
5. "I Put a Spell on You" (Screamin' Jay Hawkins) — 4:12
6. "All of Me" (West) — 3:06
7. "The Stealer" (Andy Fraser, Paul Rodgers, Paul Kossoff) — 2:17
8. "Hall of the Mountain King / Theme from Exodus" (Edvard Grieg/Ernest Gold) — 3:09
9. "Dream Lover" (Bobby Darin) — 2:03

• Leslie West — guitar, bass guitar, vocals
• Steve Luongo — drums, percussion
• Jack Hotop — keyboards on "Alligator"
• Stanley Clarke — bass on "Whiskey" and "All of Me”
• Tony Miceli — keyboards on "Waiting for the F Change" and "I Put a Spell On You"
• Johnette Napolitano — vocals on "The Stealer"

• Producers — Leslie West and Paul Orofino
• Executive Producer — Miles Copeland III
• Engineers — Paul Orofino, Carl Davino and Judd Levison (Stanley Clarke overdubs at Devonshire Studios, N. Hollywood only)
• Mastering — Ron McMaster
• Direction — Stevo Glendinning

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Category:Leslie West albums

Category:1989 albums

Category:I.R.S. Records albums