Label: Universal Music (Japan), UICY-75571
Style: Pop Rock, Rock
Country: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Time: 36:04
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 237 Mb
Charts: US #20, AUS #61, CAN #16. US: Gold.
The
original album cover, depicting the birth of a record album, was deemed
too controversial and was first included with a manila file folder
covering most of the cover. This was soon reworked with a huge Band-Aid
covering the "birth". Subsequent printings had the Band-Aid printed
directly on the cover. The packaging also includes an attached "birth
record sheet" for the album. The CD reissue by MCA Records in the 1990s
restored the cover to its original look showing the record.
Tom Von
Malder of the Daily Herald called Hard Labor the band's finest record up
to that point, applauding the production and finding the choice of
songs representing the band at "its most competent, most mature level".
Malder singled out "The Show Must Go On" and "I'd Be So Happy" as its
two best, and "almost perfect", songs. Cash Box called Inner's
production "immaculate as always" and wrote that the album was marked by
"mood changes both subtle and obvious", making it a "fantastic study in
theatrical and musical contrast". Billboard found the track listing a
"fine mix of material" and wrote that the instrumental section was
"tight and almost perfect".
Circus Raves writer Jon Tiven gave the
record "two ears"—indicating an album to "listen to ... 'til the grooves
grow old" and wrote that the band "are the best when they're
transforming half-arsed songs into good ones, but they run into trouble
when the original rendition of the tune was fine in the first place
(e.g. 'The Show Must Go On')." Writing retrospectively, Joseph McCombs
of AllMusic felt that the album's preference for songs with solo vocals
rather than the group's previous use of harmonies led to the band
"los[ing] much of their soul and spirit" and saw the album as "show[ing]
the growing cracks in the band's armor". Like Malder, McCombs found
"I'd Be So Happy" and "The Show Must Go On" the highlights of the album.
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_Labor)
01. Prelude (01:01)
02. Sure As I'm Sittin' Here (04:46)
03. Anytime Babe (03:06)
04. Interlde I (00:18)
05. Put Out The Light (03:07)
06. Sitting In Limbo (04:56)
07. I'd Be So Happy (04:56)
08. Interlude II (00:19)
09. Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues) (04:46)
10. On The Way Back Home (04:20)
11. The Show Must Go On (04:23)
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