Prison Bound

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.{{Cite web| title=Social Distortion | url=http://metallipromo.com/social.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118181016/http://metallipromo.com:80/social.html | archive-date=January 18, 2018}} 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.{{cite web | url=https://loudwire.com/mike-ness-reflects-social-distortion-legacy/ | title=Mike Ness Reflects on Social Distortion's Legacy | website=Loudwire | date=February 21, 2014 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.ocregister.com/2015/09/11/the-story-of-his-life-social-distortions-mike-ness-looks-back/ | title=The story of his life: Social Distortion's Mike Ness looks back | date=September 11, 2015 }} 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),{{cite web | url=https://www.rocklists.com/kroq-1988.html | title=KROQ Top 106.7 of 1988 }} 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".

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}

|rev2 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music

|rev2score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2006 |publisher=MUZE |volume=7 |page=588}}

|rev3 = MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide

|rev3score = {{rating|2|5}}{{cite book |title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |date=1999 |publisher=Visible Ink Press |page=1045}}

|rev4 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

|rev4score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite book |title=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |date=1992 |publisher=Random House |page=652}}

}}

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."{{cite web |title=Social Distortion |url=https://trouserpress.com/reviews/social-distortion/ |website=Trouser Press |access-date=January 17, 2021}} 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".{{cite magazine|last=Robinson|first=Nick|authorlink=|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1989/MW-1989-02-04.pdf|title=Review: Social Distortion – Prison Bound|magazine=Music Week|date=February 4, 1989|access-date=November 4, 2021|page=22|location=London|publisher=Spotlight Publications Ltd.|via=American Radio History|issn=0265-1548|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102183251/https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1989/MW-1989-02-04.pdf|archive-date=November 2, 2021}}

{{Track listing

|all_writing = Mike Ness, except where noted

| headline = Side one

| title1 = It's the Law

| length1 = 2:38

| title2 = Indulgence (Danell, Ness)

| length2 = 4:34

| title3 = Like an Outlaw (For You) (Danell, Ness)

| length3 = 5:21

| title4 = Back Street Girl (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards)

| length4 = 4:22

| title5 = Prison Bound

| length5 = 5:24

| total_length = 22:19

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Side two

| title1 = No Pain No Gain

| length1 = 3:42

| title2 = On My Nerves (Danell, Ness)

| length2 = 4:23

| title3 = I Want What I Want (Danell, Ness)

| length3 = 3:02

| title4 = Lawless

| length4 = 3:21

| title5 = Lost Child

| length5 = 4:18

| total_length = 18:46

}}

• Mike Ness – lead vocal, lead guitar
• Dennis Danell – rhythm guitar
• John Maurer – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Christopher Reece – drums

{{Reflist}}

{{Social Distortion}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Social Distortion albums

Category:1988 albums

Category:Time Bomb Recordings albums

Category:Prison music