El Rayo-X

El Rayo-X is David Lindley's debut studio album, released in 1981.^[4][5] The album spent 18 weeks on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 83 on July 16, 1981.^[6]

El Rayo-X
Studio album by David Lindley
Released	April 1981
Recorded	1981
Studio	Record One, Los Angeles
Genre	Rock
Length	39:31
Label	Asylum[1]
Producer	Jackson Browne, Greg Ladanyi
David Lindley chronology
El Rayo-X (1981) Win This Record! (1982)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Robert Christgau	B+[3]

Reception

The album generally received favorable reviews.

Boo Browning, of The Washington Post, wrote:

El Rayo-X is not this year's greatest album, but there's very little to compete with it for well-executed let-the-good-times rock. Coming from a fellow who's spent the last few years contemplating Jackson Browne's elbow, it's a delightful surprise -- sort of like rounding the corner at the Haunted House and bumping into a six-foot Goofy.^[4]

In a retrospective review, AllMusic's Matthew Greenwald stated:

Lindley scored a contract with Elektra Records and put together an excellent band that was able to keep up with his eclectic vision. Combining blues, rock & roll, Cajun, Zydeco, Middle Eastern music, and other elements, his debut album is an absolute joy.^[2]

Track listing

Side 1

1. "She Took Off My Romeos" (Bob "Frizz" Fuller) – 3:00
2. "Bye Bye Love" (Boudleaux Bryant, Felice Bryant) – 2:50
3. "Mercury Blues" (K. C. Douglas, Bob Geddins) – 3:33
4. "Quarter of a Man" (Bob "Frizz" Fuller) – 3:45
5. "Ain't No Way" (Bob "Frizz" Fuller) – 3:42
6. "Twist and Shout" (Phil Medley, Bert Russell) – 2:44

Side 2

7. "El Rayo-X" (Jorge Calderón, David Lindley) – 2:53
8. "Your Old Lady" (Elmo Glick, O'Kelly Isley, King Curtis) – 4:14
9. "Don't Look Back" (Smokey Robinson, Ronald White) – 3:55
10. "Petit Fleur" (Solomon Feldthouse, Nancy Lindley) – 3:11
11. "Tu-Ber-Cu-Lucas and the Sinus Blues" (Huey "Piano" Smith) – 2:14
12. "Pay the Man" (David Lindley, George "Baboo" Pierre) – 3:30

Personnel

Musicians

• David Lindley – bass (track 8), fiddle, guitar, violin, guitar (electric), vocals, whistle (human), slide guitar, bandurria, divan saz
• Bob Glaub – bass (all tracks except 6, 8, 10–11)
• George "Ras Baboo" Pierre – percussion, timbales, vocals, (all tracks), accordion on "Pay the Man"
• William D. "Smitty" Smith – organ, keyboards (tracks 1, 5–7, 11–12)
• Ian Wallace – drums
• Reggie McBride – bass (tracks 6, 10–11)
• Curt Bouterse – hammer dulcimer on "Petit Fleur"
• Jackson Browne – vocals on "Bye Bye Love", "Twist and Shout" and "Don't Look Back"
• Jorge Calderón – vocals on "Twist and Shout"
• Garth Hudson – horn, keyboards on "El Rayo-X"
• Bill Payne – organ, keyboards on "Bye Bye Love"

Technical

• Greg Ladanyi – engineer, producer
• Jackson Browne – producer
• George Ybara, Jamie Ledner – assistant engineers
• Doug Sax, Mike Reese – mastering
• Jimmy Wachtel – art direction, design
• Gloria Von Jansky – lettering
• Kaz Sakamoto – photography

Awards and Charts

Billboard charts

Year	Chart	Single	Peak
1981	Pop Albums		83
1981	Mainstream rock	Mercury Blues	34

RPM charts

Year	Chart	Peak
1981	Pop Albums[7]	28

References

1. Hatlo, Jim (January 1, 1989). Hot Licks. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780881889109 – via Google Books.
2. Greenwald, Matthew. El Rayo-X at AllMusic. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
3. Christgau, Robert. "David Lindley - El Rayo-X". Retrieved June 11, 2021.
4. Browning, Boo (May 15, 1981). "David Lindley And His 'El Rayo-X'". Retrieved June 24, 2021 – via www.washingtonpost.com.
5. Prown, Pete; Newquist, Harvey P. (December 28, 1997). Legends of Rock Guitar: The Essential Reference of Rock's Greatest Guitarists. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780793540426 – via Google Books.
6. "Billboard 200 - David Lindley". Retrieved June 14, 2021.
7. "RPM Magazine - August 29, 1981 - page 8" (PDF).