After Dark is the second album by the American band Cruzados, released in 1987. "Bed of Lies" reached No. 4 on Billboard's Album Rock Tracks chart; "Small Town Love" peaked at No. 39. The band supported the album with a North American tour that included a leg opening for Fleetwood Mac. They broke up the following year.

Production

The album was produced by Greg Ladanyi, Waddy Wachtel, Rodney Mills, Tom Kelly, and Billy Steinberg. Marshall Rohner replaced Steven Hufsteter on lead guitar. "Road of Truth" contains contributions from JD Souther on backing vocals and Paul Butterfield on harmonica; Souther was in the same studio as Cruzados and told the band that he wanted to sing on the track. It was Butterfield's final recording. Pat Benatar sang on "I Want Your World to Turn". The songs were inspired by Tito Larriva's years living in El Paso and Mexico City. "Blue Sofa" was originally done by his band the Plugz. "Bed of Lies" was cowritten by Lynne Marie Stewart.

Critical reception

Trouser Press called the album "a plain but solid effort" aside from "Time for Waiting", opining that it "sounds nauseatingly like the Eagles." The Los Angeles Times noted the "Springsteen-Mellencamp-Petty territory," writing that "Larriva has developed into a good-enough singer and songwriter in the Little Steven/Southside Johnny vein that the record transcends its obvious reference points." The San Diego Union-Tribune stated that "Cruzados play with the fire of the young Rolling Stones, but the fervor is wasted on a collection of weak songs." The St. Petersburg Times wrote that Larriva's "desperate vocals and yearning lyrics—coupled with the group's leftover punk instincts—gives After Dark a taut, emotional edge that California-rock always lacked." The Chicago Sun-Times concluded that Larriva "is making music with far greater focus and immediacy than last time through." The Omaha World-Herald determined that "despite the radio-friendly, slick production work ... several tunes here are membrane-thin in staying power." The Houston Chronicle labeled the album "honest, lyrically incisive music that hoists [the band] onto the cutting edge of contemporary American rock."

Track listing

All songs written by Tito Larriva, except where noted.

Personnel

Additional personnel

Production