If'n

If'n is the second album by the American alternative rock band Firehose, released in 1987.

If'n
Studio album by
Firehose
ReleasedNovember 4, 1987[1]
RecordedSeptember–October 1987; Radio Tokyo, Venice, California[1]
GenreAlternative rock
LabelSST (115)
ProducerEthan James, Mike Watt
Firehose chronology
Ragin', Full On
(1986)		 If'n
(1987)		 Fromohio
(1989)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Robert ChristgauB[3]

The album name is a reference to the Bob Dylan song "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan.[4] The left side of the album cover has a picture of Hüsker Dü, friends of the band and labelmates at SST Records.[5]

"For the Singer of R.E.M." was a tribute to the alternative rock band R.E.M., who had invited Firehose's predecessor Minutemen to join them on the tour to support the 1985 album Fables of the Reconstruction.[6] When Minutemen singer D Boon died in a car crash shortly after the tour, R.E.M. organized a benefit concert for Boon's family and remained friendly with Minutemen Mike Watt and George Hurley, who would go on to form Firehose with singer/guitarist Ed Crawford.

Track listing
  1. "Sometimes"
  2. "Hear Me"
  3. "Honey, Please"
  4. "Backroads"
  5. "From One Cums One"
  6. "Making the Freeway"
  7. "Anger"
  8. "For the Singer of R.E.M."
  9. "Operation Solitare"
  10. "Windmilling"
  11. "Me & You, Remembering"
  12. "In Memory of Elizabeth Cotton" (See Elizabeth Cotten)
  13. "Soon"
  14. "Thunder Child"

Personnel

Reception

Critical reviews of If'n were mostly positive, describing the album as more focused than Firehose's debut. Robert Christgau said the band "sound more like a regular rock band" on this album.[3] A review in Spin said "If'n realizes the promise of their auspicious debut, Ragin', Full On, and ups the ante, proving once and for all that these dudes live in the shadow of no one."[7]

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References
  1. "fIREHOSE - If'n". Discogs. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  2. If'n at AllMusic
  3. Christgau, Robert. "Firehose: If'n". Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  4. "MIKE WATT INTERVIEW". varmintcong.com. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
  5. Adams, Ryan (November 6, 2017). "Ryan Adams: Husker Du left a map for me". KCMP. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  6. Robert Dean Lurie (2019). Begin the Begin: R.E.M.'s Early Years. Verse Chorus Press
  7. Dougan, John (April 1988). "Firehose - If'n". Spin. 4 (1): 21. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
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