Livin' on the Fault Line fell between two of the Doobie Brothers' biggest-selling records.
The album had no hit singles, and one-time leader Tom Johnston kept a markedly low profile (this would be his last record with the group, not including a later reunion).
Despite this, Livin' on the Fault Line contains some of the most challenging and well-developed music of the band's career, with Patrick Simmons and Michael McDonald really stepping to the fore.
There's a vague mood of melancholia running through the songs, as well as a definite jazz influence.
This is most obvious on the title track, which has several instrumental passages that showcase the guitar abilities of Simmons and Jeff Baxter.
Similarly, "Chinatown" is a spooky mood piece not unlike the smooth fusion of late-period Steely Dan or Little Feat.
But "Echoes of Love" and "Nothin' But a Heartache" are both intelligent, glistening pop songs that confirm Simmons and McDonald as first-rate tunesmiths.
The record slips a little at the end, with a plodding R&B song and a Piedmont guitar instrumental thrown in as filler.
Overall, though, this is a chapter in the Doobie Brothers' history that deserves a second look.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | You're Made That WayJeff Baxter, Keith Knudsen, Michael McDonald | The Doobie Brothers | Play | 03:36 | 8 MB | 19 MB |
| 2 | Echoes of LoveWillie Mitchell, Earl Randle, Patrick Simmons | The Doobie Brothers | Play | 03:03 | 6 MB | 16 MB |
| 3 | Little Darling (I Need You)Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, Eddie Holland | The Doobie Brothers | Play | 03:29 | 7 MB | 19 MB |
| 4 | You Belong to MeMichael McDonald, Carly Simon | The Doobie Brothers | Play | 03:07 | 7 MB | 15 MB |
| 5 | Livin' on the Fault LinePatrick Simmons | The Doobie Brothers | Play | 04:48 | 11 MB | 26 MB |
| 6 | Nothin' But a HeartacheMichael McDonald | The Doobie Brothers | Play | 03:11 | 7 MB | 15 MB |
| 7 | ChinatownPatrick Simmons | The Doobie Brothers | Play | 05:00 | 11 MB | 25 MB |
| 8 | There's a LightMichael McDonald | The Doobie Brothers | Play | 04:17 | 9 MB | 22 MB |
| 9 | Need a LadyTiran Porter | The Doobie Brothers | Play | 03:27 | 7 MB | 17 MB |
| 10 | Larry the Logger Two-StepPatrick Simmons | The Doobie Brothers | Play | 01:18 | 2 MB | 6 MB |
| 35 mins | 80 MB | |||||
| 35 mins | 183 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dan Armstrong | Sitar, Sitar (Electric) |
| 2 | Jeff Baxter | Composer, Guitar, Guitar (Steel) |
| 3 | Norton Buffalo | Harmonica |
| 4 | Rosemary Butler | Vocals, Vocals (Background) |
| 5 | The Doobie Brothers | Primary Artist |
| 6 | Lamont Dozier | Composer |
| 7 | Victor Feldman | Percussion, Vibraphone |
| 8 | John Hartman | Drums |
| 9 | Brian Holland | Composer |
| 10 | Eddie Holland | Composer |
| 11 | Tom Johnston | Guitar, Vocals |
| 12 | Keith Knudsen | Composer, Drums, Vocals |
| 13 | Bobby LaKind | Conductor, Congas, Vocals |
| 14 | Donn Landee | Engineer |
| 15 | Maureen McDonald | Vocals, Vocals (Background) |
| 16 | Michael McDonald | Composer, Keyboards, Vocals |
| 17 | Willie Mitchell | Composer |
| 18 | David Paich | String Arrangements |
| 19 | Tiran Porter | Bass, Composer, Vocals |
| 20 | Earl Randle | Composer |
| 21 | Patrick Simmons | Composer, Guitar, Vocals |
| 22 | Carly Simon | Composer |
| 23 | Bruce Steinberg | Art Direction, Cover Design, Photography |
| 24 | Ted Templeman | Percussion, Producer |
The Doobie Brothers
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |