Ain't Love Grand!

by X

Overview

After several exceptional (but commercially underappreciated) classic albums, X decided to change their approach on the fifth album, 1985's Ain't Love Grand! The most noticeable difference is in the production. Renown heavy metal producer Michael Wagener came on board (his credits included Moetley Cruee, Dokken, and Great White), replacing longtime X ally Ray Manzarek. As usual, the songwriting and performances shine, but the raw sound of their earlier work is noticeably absent -- instead of changing his approach for X, Wagener produced them as he would a metal band of the '80s, smoothing out the rough edges. Still, the band scored perhaps their biggest radio and MTV hit ever with "Burning House of Love," and they composed other highlights like "What's Wrong with Me" and "My Soul Cries Your Name" (plus a cover of Small Faces' "All or Nothing.") Ain't Love Grand! would also mark guitarist Billy Zoom's last album with X, retiring from the music biz entirely until a brief X reunion in the late '90s. Not exactly on par with the classics Under the Big Black Sun and More Fun in the New World, Ain't Love Grand! still manages to offer a few X standards. ~ Greg Prato

Product Details

Release Date:	08/11/2023
Label:	Music On Vinyl
UPC:	8719262026889
Rank:	39653

Album Credits

Performance Credits

X   Primary Artist,Vocals
Don Dokken   Guest Artist
Billy Zoom   Guitar,Saxophone
Exene Cervenka   Vocals
John Doe   Bass,Vocals
D.J. Bonebrake   Drums,Percussion

Technical Credits

Paul Westerberg   Composer
Steve Marriott   Composer
Exene Cervenka   Composer
John Doe   Composer
Michael Wagener   Engineer,Producer
Ray Manzarek   Producer
Steven Strassman   Assistant Engineer
George Marino   Mastering
Dave Alvin   Composer
Chip Taylor   Composer
Ronnie Lane   Composer
Otis Blackwell   Composer
X   Group Member
Jenny Walder   Make-Up,Hair Stylist
Stuart Watson   Photography
Howard Rosenberg   Photography
Paul Mavrides   Artwork
Jeri McManus   Art Direction
John Heiden   Art Direction