Alibi by America

After ending the long collaboration with George Martin, the producer of the Beatles, Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell, decided to change course musically.  To do so, they relied on Matthew McCauley and Fred Mollin. Unlike the previous album, Silent Letter, recorded only with the fixed support band, for Alibi they called together the best musicians on the West Coast. Among the prominent names who participated in the recordings are:

Steve Lukather, guitarist of Toto
Timothy B. Schmit, bassist and singer of the Eagles
Leland Sklar, historic bassist of Jackson Browne and James Taylor
Waddy Wachtel, world-famous rock guitarist
Richard Page, future frontman of Mr. Mister

This mix of talents gave the album a much fresher, rhythmic and well-finished pop-rock and soft-rock sound than in the past.

Alibi is a fundamental album for America, marking an important musical change of course.  While the first records were more acoustic and folk, this one dives into the Soft Rock and West Coast Sound typical of the late 70s and early 80s.  The band abandons pastoral folk to embrace AOR (Adult Oriented Rock), a more refined and electric sound.  This change is mainly due to the new producers, Matthew McCauley and Fred Mollin, who wanted to give the band a more commercial sound, in line with the Californian sound of the time.

The presence of exceptional musicians such as Steve Lukather (Toto) and Waddy Wachtel is immediately felt in the arrangements.  Compared to previous albums, Alibi has more powerful and structured electric guitar solos, with a skilful use of rhythm guitars that mix with the 12-string acoustics of Beckley and Bunnell.  The rhythm section, with bass by Leland Sklar and drums by Willie Leacox (and other great session musicians), is solid and groovy, giving the songs a more danceable rhythm.  Songs like Hangover or Survival have a modern, almost pop-funk bass and drum groove, very different from the folk of the first records.

The vocal melodies and two-voice harmonies of Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell, the group's trademark, are even more powerful in Alibi.  The backing vocals of specialists such as Timothy B. Schmit (Eagles) and Richard Page create a rich, airy and quintessentially Californian wall of voices.  Even the keyboards, while remaining faithful to the classical instrumentation, are used in a modern way, with Rhodes and light synthesizers that give the arrangements a more dreamy and contemporary atmosphere.
In short, Alibi is an elegant, energetic and refined Californian Pop-Rock, very similar to the sound of bands such as Toto, Michael McDonald's Doobie Brothers or Fleetwood Mac of the late 70s.

OUR SIDE (Side 1)
"Survival" is a piece of sunny soft rock and Californian pop with an addictive beat.  He opens the album with sparkling acoustic guitars that immediately turn into a modern and captivating groove. The vocal harmonies are light and perfect for the radio, while the chorus and choirs, with the voices of Timothy B. Schmit, are incredibly enthralling.  It will become an immortal hit, but only in Italy, after Sanremo '82.

"Might Be Your Love" is a mid-beat West Coast pop song, written by Dewey Bunnell.  It raises the pace slightly and highlights the interplay between bass, drums, and layered electric guitar arpeggios.  The interplay between the musicians in the studio and the cleanliness of the West Coast mix are truly remarkable.

"Catch That Train" is a piece of modern country-folk rock, nostalgic and with a touch of the band's early folk albums, but with a sound updated to the 80s. The melody flows smoothly and carefree, the lyrics are dreamy, typical of Bunnell, and the acoustic warmth of the piece is enveloping.

"You Could've Been the One" is a piece of radio pop-rock. Very catchy, it is driven by a bright acoustic guitar and a hopping rhythm.  It was chosen as a single in the United States, but unfortunately failed to climb the charts. The catchy groove is provided by Mike Baird's drums and Leland Sklar's legendary bass.

"I Don't Believe in Miracles" is a sentimental soft rock pop ballad, written by Russ Ballard. It superbly closes the first side of the album.  It is a piano-driven ballad, intense, poignant and melodic. The vocal interpretation is emotional and the transition to the discreet and refined string arrangements is smooth and perfect.

THEIR SIDE (Lato 2)

"I Do Believe in You" is the song that opens the second side and has strong influences from the Californian R&B/Pop scene (co-written by Richard Page). It has a relaxed, almost nocturnal pace, with an elegant use of Rhodes piano. The harmonic carpet of sophisticated choirs at the end of the song.

"Hangover" is a classic rock, up-tempo electric track. The most energetic and biting song on the album. It deviates sharply from the dreamy choruses of the rest of the album, offering a rock lash dominated by distorted riffs. The solo and the scratchy riffs of Steve Lukather on electric guitar, which wake up the listener from the soft rock mood.

"Right Back to Me" is melodic pop-rock. A standard pop song signed by Gerry Beckley. It flows nicely without dramatic peaks, acting as a transition between the energy of Hangover and the later pieces. Leland Sklar's flowing bassline that holds the entire rhythmic structure in place.

"Coastline" is a soft rock song, one of the hidden gems of the album. Typically marine, melancholic and ethereal atmosphere. The track perfectly evokes road trips along the California coast. The ethereal voice of Gerry Beckley, who here gives his best in conveying nostalgia and emotion.

"Valentine" is a pop-rock song with rockabilly overtones. A rhythmic piece with an almost commercial and carefree country-rock look. Simple structure but designed expressly to wink at the commercial rankings of the time. The pressing rhythm that breaks the sequence of ballads on the second side.

"One in a Million" is an orchestral pop ballad. The album closes with a very melodic, romantic and sugary track signed by Beckley. A classic and confidential orchestral farewell that closes the album in fade. The delicacy of the arrangements, which seals the album recalling the dreamy style of the group.

Two particular choices have distinguished the album right from the start. The band and the record company couldn't agree on which song should open the record.  They came up with a somewhat ironic solution: they printed the words "Our Side" and "Their Side" on the vinyl labels.  In addition, Alibi was the second America album not to show the faces of the band members.  On the cover is a close-up photo of a doll's head partially buried in the desert, a shot that Bunnell found almost by accident in the archive of renowned photographer Henry Diltz. This somewhat odd visual choice hurt sales early on.

When it was released, Alibi was a flop in the United States, only reaching number 142 on the Billboard chart. The singles extracted, "You Could've Been the One" and "Hangover", did not even enter the charts.  But the history of the record changed completely in 1982, when America were invited as super international guests at the Sanremo Festival.

During the performance they presented the song Survival. The Italian public, especially my brother who listened to it all the time, fell in love with it instantly: the single climbed the charts to the Top 5 and, as a result, the entire album Alibi underwent a second youth in Italy, reaching second place in the ranking of the best-selling records.

I was 13 years old at the time and thanks to my brother I fell in love with it too: this album is now one of those that brings back to my mind the best memories of my childhood. And how to evaluate an album that has such great personal value? Essential of course... For me!

My Version

Label: Capitol Records – 3C 064-86201
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: Italy
Release: 1980

Tracklist

Survival – 3:10

Might Be Your Love – 3:40

Catch That Train – 2:58

You Could've Been the One – 3:05

I Don't Believe in Miracles – 3:23

I Do Believe in You – 3:45

Hangover – 3:41

Right Back to Me – 3:30

Coastline – 3:26

Valentine – 3:35

One in a Million – 2:52

LineUp

Backing Vocals – J.D. Souther, Richard Page, Timothy B. Schmit, Tom Kelly
Bass – Lee Sklar
Drums – Michael Baird
Guitar – Steve Lukather
Guitar [Acoustic], Guitar – Dean Parks, Waddy Wachtel
Guitar [Acoustic], Percussion, Backing Vocals – Fred Mollin
Harmonica – Norton Buffalo
Keyboards – Jai Winding
Keyboards, Synthesizer – James Newton Howard
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Guitar [Acoustic] – Dewey Bunnell
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Guitar [Acoustic], Keyboards – Gerry Beckley
Producer, Synthesizer, Backing Vocals – Matthew McCauley

Listening link on the main streaming platforms at the following links:

Spotify: the full album is available on the Official Spotify Page.

Apple Music: You can play the digital compilation directly through Apple Music. [1, 2, 3]

Note: All links to the musicians’ works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists"