Pure Prairie League

Pure Prairie league -1st

Pure Prairie League's eponymous first album is a classic of the country-rock genre. Every cut is a beauty. Along with their second album, "Bustin' Out", PPL cut two of the best albums of the early seventies and really forged their own niche which can best be described as prairie rock. Starting strong with "Tears" this re-issue never flags. This is as good as anything by the Eagles and Poco. Pure Prairie League's first RCA recording from 1972 simply entitled "Pure Prairie League" and are indeed remarkable. The Craig Fuller penned tunes "Tears", "Take It Before You Go", "You're Between Me", and "Brand New Harmony Songs" are exceptional. Later to appear on a PPL "Live" recording, the full length jam - "Country Song" - appears here. All through, the steel guitar of John David Call is fine...fine...fine!  This album leans more towards the country side of country rock and reminds me more of Poco than the Eagles. I've read quite a few PPL reviews that belabor the absence of Craig Fuller on the later PPL albums, but my favorite PPL album is the Fuller-less "Two Lane Highway". If you have never listened to PPL, that would be a wonderful place to start. All in all, if you dig the Fuller era PPL stuff, you will probably not like the later stuff after he left and vice versa. This album is good but it's not as good as "Two Lane Highway".