Pictures from the Front
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Pictures from the Front
| type = studio
| artist = Jon Butcher
| cover = Pictures from the Front.jpg
| alt =
| released = 1989
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio = The Pasha Music House
| length =
| label = Capitol{{cite news |last1=Morse |first1=Steve |title=Bits and Pieces |work=The Boston Globe |date=2 Dec 1988 |department=Arts and Film |page=38}}
| producer = Glen Ballard, Jon Butcher, Spencer Proffer
| prev_title = Wishes
| prev_year = 1987
| next_title = Positively the Blues
| next_year = 1995
}}
Pictures from the Front is an album by the American musician Jon Butcher, released in 1989.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jon-butcher-mn0000821112/biography|title=Jon Butcher Biography, Songs, & Albums|website=AllMusic}}{{cite magazine |last1=Hiltbrand |first1=David |title=Picks & Pans—Song: Pictures from the Front |magazine=People |date=Apr 3, 1989 |volume=31 |issue=13 |page=26}} It was Butcher's second album fronting the Jon Butcher Group.{{cite news |last1=DeVault |first1=Russ |title=Butcher Aiming High with Message-Oriented Music |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=May 4, 1989 |page=E3}} He supported the album with a North American tour.{{cite news |last1=Warren |first1=Jill |title=Waging war against cliched rock |work=The Indianapolis Star |date=Apr 4, 1989 |page=B8}}
The album peaked at No. 121 on the Billboard 200.{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/jon-butcher/|title=Jon Butcher|website=Billboard}} "Send Me Somebody" peaked at No. 7 on Billboard's Album Rock Tracks chart.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_pbECYPYlZcC&pg=PA45|title=Joel Whitburn Presents Rock Tracks 1981-2008|first=Joel|last=Whitburn|date=January 16, 2008|publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation}}
Production
Produced by Glen Ballard, Butcher, and Spencer Proffer, the album was recorded in Los Angeles.{{cite magazine |last1=Titus |first1=Christa |title=Defying typecasting, songwriter Ballard is comfortable in multiple genres |magazine=Billboard |date=Jun 30, 2001 |volume=113 |issue=26 |page=G8}}{{cite news |last1=Morse |first1=Steve |title=Butcher Says What's on His Mind |work=The Boston Globe |date=12 Apr 1989 |department=Arts and Film |page=50}} "Come and Get It" is an instrumental track; "Beating Drum" is about apartheid in South Africa.{{cite news |last1=Caudle |first1=Todd |title=Butcher's strength dazzles |work=Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph |date=15 May 1989 |page=D3}}{{cite news |last1=Toombs |first1=Mikel |title=Butcher's no Hendrix but feels his impact – Singer-guitarist to perform at Bacchanal |work=The San Diego Union-Tribune |date=May 17, 1989 |page=C4}}
Critical reception
{{music ratings
|rev1 = AllMusic
|rev1score = {{rating|2|5}}{{cite web |title=Pictures from the Front Jon Butcher Axis |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/pictures-from-the-front-mw0000198510 |website=AllMusic |access-date=10 April 2024}}
|rev2 = MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide
|rev2score = {{rating|1.5|5}}{{cite book |title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |date=1999 |publisher=Visible Ink Press |page=181}}
}}
The Los Angeles Times wrote that the album shows that "Butcher is capable of conveying honest emotion while turning out a reasonably palatable brand of arena rock."{{cite news |last1=Boehm |first1=Mike |title=Originality Lost in Flashy Homage to Hendrix |work=Los Angeles Times |date=19 May 1989 |department=Calendar |page=22}} The St. Petersburg Times deemed it "tuneful, if rather bland, guitar-driven rock."{{cite news |last1=Snider |first1=Eric |title=White heavy metal gets an infusion of color in the style of Hendrix |work=St. Petersburg Times |date=13 June 1989 |page=1D}}
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution determined that the album "continues the music-with-a-message style of Wishes, with guitar-playing that ranges from gently melodic to blistering and lyrics that come from Mr. Butcher's life and his concerns." The Omaha World-Herald thought that "Butcher's biggest stumbling block—his throaty voice—too often crowds out his guitar playing this time out."{{cite news |last1=Healy |first1=James |title=Jon Butcher 'Pictures From the Front' |work=Omaha World-Herald |date=March 26, 1989 |department=Entertainment |page=14}} The Advocate concluded that "Butcher's lyrics are a cut above most other rockers ... his problem is that his musical style falls into that middle ground between grinding hard rock and the pop metal which is now in vogue."{{cite news |last1=Gilbert |first1=Calvin |title=Jon Butcher Pictures from the Front |work=The Advocate |date=February 10, 1989 |department=Fun |page=2}}
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide considered Pictures from the Front to be "a desperate-sounding grab bag."
Track listing
{{Track listing
| all_writing =
| title1 = I'm Only Dreaming
| length1 =
| title2 = Might as Well Be Free
| length2 =
| title3 = Live or Die
| length3 =
| title4 = 99 (May Be All You Need)
| length4 =
| title5 = Beating Drum
| length5 =
| title6 = The Mission
| length6 =
| title7 = Send Me Somebody
| length7 =
| title8 = Division Street
| length8 =
| title9 = Come and Get It
| length9 =
| title10 = Waiting for a Miracle
| length10 =
}}
References
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