Social Distortion is the eponymous third studio album by the American punk rock bandof the same name, released on March 27, 1990 through Epic Records, their first recording on that label. The album furthered the rockabilly, blues and country music experimentation of their previous album with songs like "Drug Train" and the radio hit "Ball and Chain". The focus on the alternative rock scene helped bring attention to Social Distortion. The singles "Story of My Life" and "Ball and Chain" were able to find an audience on alternative rock radio and on MTV. Social Distortion was one of the band's most successful albums to date, and their first to enter the Billboard 200; the release peaked at number 128. The album has been certified gold by the RIAA in the United States. By 1996, Social Distortion had sold at least 250,000 copies, becoming the band's second best-selling album in the United States.
The album's controversial cover features 3 pieces of ripped paper featuring 1920s style gangster on the first piece with a tommy gun trying to break a door with his right foot. The second piece features an empty liquor bottle held in a drunk woman's hand. The final piece features a pin up putting on thigh high stockings. The pictures are drawn all in blue on a gray background. Many chain stores refused to sell the album in their stores because of the cover.
Reception
Reviews for Social Distortion have generally been favorable. AllMusic's Mark Deming awards the album four-and-a-half stars out of five and claimed that Social Distortion "began to metamorphasize from a rather ordinary L.A. hardcore band into a roots rock band willing to make with more than their share of the attitude, and this process continued on their self-titled third album." For the album's musical direction, Deming states "Mike Ness and Dennis Danell's guitars sound lean, sharp, and powerful; Ness's vocals are better controlled than ever before; and Christopher Reece's drums have a tight snap that suits both the thrashier numbers as well as the slower, blusier tunes." He also states that it Social Distortion is not a "great roots rock album, but it's a pretty good one, and it's better and more affecting than anything this band had cranked out before." Social Distortion entered the Billboard 200 album charts in September 1990, just six months after its release. It peaked at number 128 and remained on the chart for 22 weeks. Thanks to the success of the singles "Let It Be Me", "Ball and Chain", "Story of My Life" and "Ring of Fire", Social Distortion became the band's best-selling album of their recording career, achieving gold sales certification in the United States.
Track listing
All songs written by Mike Ness unless otherwise noted.
