Luna Sea - Firefall

Released only a year their first album ("Firefall"), "Luna Sea" proved Firefall the kings of the smooth AM country-rock sound. "Luna Sea" yielded them a hit (#11) with "Just Remember I Love You" (Timothy B. Schmidt of Poco fame lends a helping hand with background vocals) and another minor hit with "So Long."

This album is just as strong as their first outing, with standout tracks including So Long, Just Remember I Love You and Sold On You. It's a pity there are no sound bites to listen to, but if you liked the first album, just buy it! Try and find the Rhino re-issue with three bonus tracks and great liner notes.
In my opinion, internal squabbling, substance abuse and perhaps just plain lack of a break, prevented these guys from being as big as the Eagles. This album, along with the following Elan and Undertow albums are fantastic examples of songwriting craft, tight harmonies and superb musicianship. Get 'em all!!

I never could figure out why the called it Luna Sea, Then it dawned on me "Lunacy" as in madness.



Northern Lights ~ Southern Cross - The Band

How I wish this had been the Band's last studio release, as it would have been a triumphant end to their tenure. Also, this album sounds more late 70's due to Garth's experimentation rather than the bland -Islands- that marked their departure (yes, it does have some good songs). Let's cut through the pork, firstly, as it must be recognized that It Makes No Difference is one of the finest love songs ever recorded. Ever. Period. Brings a tear to the eye every time, as it has struck a personal chord as it reminds me of an up-and-down relationship I stuggled to maintain control of, moslty due to my own mistakes. Danko's heartfelt vocals accompanied by Robertson's twangy, tearing-at-your-heartstrings solo make this an epic. This and Acadian Driftwood, a bittersweet and historic offering about the the boys native Canadaian land, represent the Band's most poignant songwriting. Not to say that other previously released material such as The Weight and Stage Fright don't penetrate deep into one's consciousness, but those two songs are fantastic. The rest of the album is pretty good too. Ophelia will occasionally get play from the local classic rock station, its a funky classic. I also enjoy Hobo Jungle and Jupiter Hollow. I have this album on vinal, but bought the re-release on disc a few years ago. The two added tracks, Twilight, and Christmas Must Be Tonight are excellent, especially Twilight. I cannot be pushed to say that this effort matches that of Big Pink or Stage Fright, but it is on the same plateau. A collective masterpiece that showcases the unique brand of folk-rock only the Band could bring.

Gene Clark- A star for every stage

A Star For Every Stage is a bootleg with former Byrds member Gene Clark and friends, recorded live May 16, 1985 at 3-T's, Evansville, IN. The "friends" include The Band's Rick Danko and Richard Manuel, ex-Beach Boy Blondie Chaplin, and others. Danko and Chaplin toured for a while with Clark on his Byrds / Burritto Bros. "reunion" concerts in the '80s.
Danko and Manuel sing lead on "Honest I Do" (mistitled "Stop Driving Me Crazy" in the CD tracklist) and on the two Band songs "The Rumor" and "The Shape I'm In."

Tracks

1. It's All Over Now
2. Just an Arrow (mistitled "Old Paint")
3. "Stop Driving Me Crazy" (Danko)
4. The Shape I'm In (Manuel)
5. Shake Your Ass
6. Why Did You Leave Me?
7. Silver Raven
8. Feel A Whole Lot Better
9. Chimes Of Freedom
10. Sail On Sailor
11. So You Want To Be A Rock & Roll Star
12. Eight Miles High
13. Turn Turn Turn

 

Personell

Gene Clark, guitar / vocal
Michael Clarke, drums
Rick Danko, bass / guitar / vocal
Richard Manuel, keyboard / vocal
John Yorke, bass / guitar / vocal
Blondie Chaplin, guitar / vocal
Rick Roberts, vocal

Native Son- Loggins & Messina

Over the course of their 5 years together, Loggins and Messina released 5 albums of original studio material. The last of these, "Native Sons", was by far the worst. And as much as I loved the first four, listening to this lackluster album makes me think it really was time for these guys to go their separate ways. Though it's not easy to say exactly what is wrong with this album, there are some clear differences from the earlier material. For one thing, there are some personnel changes. Long time collaborators Al Garth (violin, horns) and Michael Omartian (keyboards) are gone. The resulting overall sound is much more lite-rock/pop. The country influences have been downplayed, the band seldom jams, the playing is almost never "hot", and Jimmy Messina's excellent guitar work is barely in evidence. Instead, we get more flute, less sax, more string orchestration. The vocal sound leans more heavily on hired-gun harmonizers. In fact, Messina doesn't sing at all on most of Loggins' songs. To me, it seems that the songwriting doesn't hold up as well, either, although perhaps it is the arrangements that make me feel this way, rather than the songs themselves. A lot of the changes in the sound would later be further amplified on Kenny Loggins' early solo albums, so if you like those a lot you'll probably like this album more than I do.

Roadmaster- Gene Clark

I only had to play this album once to know I was in love with it, and that Gene, as someone else has stated, is truly the Roadmaster. This is, by far and away, the best of all of his solo works, and I think I may need to purchase at least two more copies to keep up with the degree of wear and tear I expose this disc to. I simply cannot stop playing it!

This is simply the most beautiful folk-country-rock album I've purchased in ages, and Gene's vocals are superlative on every track. Not only do we have a veritable Byrds reunion going on with "She's the Kind of Girl" and his remake of "One in a Hundred" from White Light, but we have a roster of impressive musicians such as Byron Berline, Rick Roberts, and Bernie Leadon joining him for a very strong collection of soul stirring, romantic songs that are enough to melt glaciers into a puddle of bubbling goo.

That winsome, tremolo-heavy voice full of longing is too friggin' appealing for yours truly and, sorry kids, but I think I have myself one huge jones going on here. Nobody can deny the commercial appeal of a great, underrated classic like "Full Circle Song" (Ask Dan Fogelberg who treated it very nicely.), but my personal favorite is "Here Tonight," which is pretty straight forward about his loathing of touring. "In a Misty Morning" and "Shooting Star" are some more of his beautiful, gentle poetry at spellbinding work. He proves he can have some cool, sexy, soulful fun on the title track, but what really gets me, surprisingly enough? Beautifully passionate covers of the Flatt and Scruggs song "Rough and Rocky" and his gorgeous gospel reading of "I Don't Really Want to Know."

I know some of you think No Other is God's ultimate gift to the Gene Clark arsenal, but I don't happen to agree. As far as I'm concerned, Roadmaster is the quintessential best of the man, and anything less than a 4-star rating is pure folly. Trust me, you want this album, and you want to listen to it FREQUENTLY. I am passionate about it and, if you give it a listen, you will be too.



Flying Burrito Brothers-Seattle Pop festival 1969

Flying Burrito Brothers 1969

The Flying Burrito Brothers
1969-07-27
Seattle Pop Festival, Woodenville, WA
Additional tracks - 1970-05, Wynona, MN
"The High Lonesome Sound of The Flying Burrito Brothers"Sounboard recording, Very good quality
mp3 @ 320
Artwork Included

This is a well-travelled bootleg release that combines 2 shows together, the first is the full show from the Seattle Pop Festival in July 1969, and featuring the original lineup (with Gram parsons & Chris Ethridge). The second part are some tracks from a show in Wynona, MN in May 1970. By this time, Chris Ethridge had left and was replaced by Bernie Leadon (with Chris Hillman shifting to Bass and Bernie playing lead guitar). Although Gram was still technically in the band at this point, he had become unreliable (due to lack of interest & discipline, and the start of his drug problem), not showing up, missing gigs, etc., and was not present at this show. Within the next month Gram would be officially booted from the band.

Tracklist:
1. Close Up The Honky Tonks 2:40
2. Dark End Of The Street 3:54
3. Sweet Mental Revenge 3:15
4. The Image Of Me 3:22
5. Christine's Tune 5:34
6. Sin City 4:09
7. Man In A Fog 2:47
8. Wake Up Little Susie 3:11
9. You Win Again 3:38
10. We've Got To Get Ourselves Together 3:44
11. She Thinks I Still Care 5:29
12. Sweet Dreams Baby 2:55
13. Lucille 2:37
14. Take A Message To Mary 3:07
15. Train Song 3:28
16. Lazy Day 4:03
17. 100 Years Ago 3:09
18. My Uncle 3:02
19. High Fashion Queen 2:12
20. Cody Cody 3:03
21. Wild Horses 6:21

Tracks 1-15, 07-27-1969, Seattle Pop Festival, Woodenville, WA,
Lineup: Gram Parsons, Chris Hillman, Chris Ethridge, Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Michael Clarke
Tracks 16-21, 05-1970, Wynona, MN,  Lineup: Chris Hillman, Bernie Leadon, Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Michael Clarke
LINK
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=MJGSPV02

Eagles-The Long Run

If you have to go out, you should go out with a bang. The Eagles did that with this album, which yielded three singles: "The Long Run", "Heartache Tonight", and "I Can't Tell You Why". The three songs may sound similar to some, but the third song was a mellow ballad, the second had a fast beat with solid percussion, and the first song, as much as I enjoyed it, I always thought of as The Eagle in molasses. A good song, but I always thought the song strained to be sped up. Not to be overlooked on this album is the last song, "The Sad Cafe", which is a swan song for The Eagles much like "The Long and Winding Road" was The Beatles' swan song. The bluesy, sad song ends the 1972 to 1979 run of The Eagles nostalgically. Coincidentally the end of The Eagles coincided with the end of the decade, the eminence of disco and the transition to New Wave and the techno driven pop of the 80s. Looking back, perhaps it was time for The Eagle to move on to other things (though I still don't think so).
The rest of the album is decent, generally listenable. Six of the songs were co-written by at least three people. The other four songs were written by two people. Glenn Frey and Don Henley contributed the most, but I still think that the huge difference between "Hotel California", "The Long Run" and what came before shows the influence of Joe Walsh. After the break up of The Eagles, Glenn and Don were considered sufficiently up-to-date to have their music selected for the then extremely stylish and modern "Miami Vice". Quite a change from the early cowboy boots and rattlesnakes era of The Eagles.
Perhaps this album wasn't their best. I think it would be more fair to say it is not my favorite Eagles' album. But who cares? We all have our own favorites. The question is whether the album is worth owning. I think it is. I prefer this album over the second greatest hits collection that was largely from "Hotel California" and "The Long Run". If you are influenced by the other reviews to be concerned that you might not like many of the songs on this CD, then buy the second volume of The Eagles' greatest hits and pass this one by. I think it is a good album and worth having in my collection.



Nitty Gritty Dirt Band -Bang Bang Bang

After more than 30 years in the business, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band knows a thing or two about making great music. The release of "Bang, Bang, Bang" was delayed by a year because of the demise of Rising Tide Records, but you don't have to be a die-hard Dirt Head to see that this collection is well worth the wait! "Rent, Groceries and Gasoline," "The Monkey Song" and the title track are already road-tested, having been part of the NGDB concert set list for several months while the band closed a deal with the DreamWorks label. Whether it's a pure-fun novelty song like "Monkey" (written and sung by NGDB's Jimmy Ibbotson) or a sweet, romantic ballad like "It's About Time," featuring band member Jeff Hanna in a duet with his wife, Matraca Berg (who co-wrote the Deana Carter smash "Strawberry Wine"), this album is chock-full of soon-to-be-classic Dirt. Aside from the great singing, Bang is also a showcase for the fine instrumental musicianship of Ibbotson, Hanna, keyboard/accordion player Bob Carpenter and drummer/harmonica virtuoso Jimmie Fadden. These "Partners, Brothers and Friends" have long been one of the country/pop world's best kept secrets. They're back and better than ever. Check this one out, you won't be disappointed.



Emmylou Harris- Hard Bargain

Hard Bargain is Emmylou Harris' first release in almost 3 years and it was worth the wait! Her vocals are smooth as honey and hugely emotive and her voice still has that irresistible frail breathlessness. The songs are well written with meaningful lyrics and the music, as always, is beautiful and intuitive. It's hard to believe there are only 3 musicians, including Harris, making all the music. Long, weeping fiddle notes and chunky, contemplative piano chords are balanced only by the occasional tentative brightness of a banjo or mandolin. The percussion is distant, if there at all, but always clever. "Darlin' Kate" is about her close friend Kate McGarrigle who died last year of cancer. "The Road" looks back to her formative years spent with the late Gram Parsons at the start of her career. "Big Black Dog" is inspired by her animal shelter philanthropy and is the only almost-happy song on the album. "My name is Emmett Till is the true story of a 14 year old black boy killed in Mississippi for talking to a white woman. Overall the strength and sincerity of Harris' songs make this just another reason to love and respect her.

Neil Young- 1976 Tokyo Japan

Neil Young & Crazy Horse
1976-03-11
Live at Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan
'Arena Of Gold' [Tarantura]
Master Audience recording, very good quality
mp3 @ 192

Although no soundboard recordings have surfaced from these shows (Perhaps Neil is still holding these for future release in the Archives series?), this is one of the best audience recordings of these Japan shows, the final night in Tokyo, at Budokan Hall. As was the composition of Young’s shows at the time, the first set was solo Neil Young with acoustic guitar or piano. And as usual, he unveiled several 'new' songs on this tour, including 'Too Far Gone', 'Let It Shine', 'Lotta Love', and 'No One Seems to Know'. The second (electric) set brought on Crazy Horse, and featured the first live versions of the recently released 'Zuma' classics 'Like a Hurricane', 'Cortez the Killer', and 'Drive Back' , as well as searing versions of 'Southern Man', 'Cowgirl in the Sand', 'Cinnamon Girl', and others. It is a delight to hear this period of Young’s career when there is such a sense of tension, freshness, surprise and a certain desperation to these songs.

Disc 1: Neil Solo acoustic
01. Tell Me Why (5.8MB)
02. Mellow My Mind (5.0MB)
03. After The Gold Rush (6.1MB)
04. Too Far Gone (4.4MB)
05. Only Love Can Break Your Heart (4.8MB)
06. Let It Shine [released on Stills-Young Band’s Long May You Run album] (6.5MB)
07. A Man Needs A Maid (5.4MB)
08. No One Seems To Know [unreleased] (4.8MB)
09. Heart Of Gold (5.7MB)

Disc 2: w/Crazy Horse (electric)
01. Intermission
02. Country Home
03. Don’t Cry No Tears
04. Cowgirl In The Sand
05. Lotta Love
06. Like A Hurricane
07. The Losing End
08. Drive Back
09. Southern Man
Encore
10. Cortez The Killer
11. Cinnamon Girl

Lineup
Neil Young - guitar, vocals
Billy Talbot - bass
Frank Sampedro - guitar
Ralph Molina - drums

disc 1: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2IH68QRK
disc 2: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=AAMIH83N



Bob Dylan-Planet Waves

While on sabbatical from Columbia, Dylan played with The Band and "Planet Waves" appeared in very early 1974. Some rather exciting things followed. Dylan, in seclusion for years, toured for the first time since 1966 (and with the very same band). So, once again, fans had yet another "comeback" on their hands (1970's "New Morning" was also called a "comeback" as well as 1975's "Blood On The Tracks"; this speaks volumes about Dylan's repertoire). But this time the tour wouldn't stop. "The neverending tour" continues unabated to the present day.

On its appearance, "Planet Waves" divided fans and critics, and continues to do so. Some listeners outright hate it, calling it "rushed", "sloppy", and "obsessive". Others hail it as a hugely underrated masterpiece, calling it "edgy", "rough", "personal", or "from the heart". Most would probably agree that it isn't one of his worst, while conceding that it stands a little distant from his absolute best work.

A number of moods pervade "Planet Waves". The bouncy opener "On a Night Like This" will cause all still feet to twirl with glee. But the suicidal follow-up, "Going Going Gone" will plant those feet in concrete while perking up ears and brains. And then the very heavy and sandpaper rough "Tough Mama" (with the classic line "Today on the countryside it was hotter than a crotch") kicks the tempo up again, but in a very different way than "On a Night Like This." The album appears uneven but it actually conjures up a collective mood after repeated listenings. A straight reading of the lyrics reveals obsessions with love, death, the past, and youth. Dylan pleads with countless lovers on this album: "Tough Mama", "Hazel", "You Angel You", "Never Say Goodbye", "Wedding Song". Arguably, the songs on "Planet Waves" may explore the complicated dimensions of his deep love for Sara, his ex-wife. Perhaps all of the referents point to one person? After all, who hasn't felt both a deep passionate love and a self-deprecating hatred for the same person? "Dirge" demonstrates the latter, spewing invective such as "I hate myself for loving you." This intense love finally gets fed steroids on "Wedding Song". Here Dylan turns the phrase "I love you" into a dizzying mantra. And it's obvious by this point that he's hurting. Thematically, "Planet Waves" sits comfortably in front of, and in the shadow of, "Blood on the Tracks". That album also explored the many aspects of emotional and existential love (though "Planet Waves" arguably showcases more of the physical side).

Of course one exception shouts out: "Forever Young". And why do two versions sit side by side on this album? Apparently some friends of Dylan made fun of the slow version, and he decided to keep it off the album. But the engineer loved it and insisted that it remain. So maybe the two versions remained a compromise? Also, side one of the original vinyl lp ended with the first "Forever Young", so the CD somewhat ruins the affect of flipping sides. In any case, "Forever Young" has joined the ranks of classic Dylan.

"Planet Waves" stands as yet another complicated, sophisticated, and stratified Dylan project. His work always invites heaps of discussion that, for some people, never ceases. Not only that, "Planet Waves" was Dylan's first number one record (which seems impossible), though sales weren't as impressive as expectations. Though Dylan never regained the heights he attained in the 1960s, it doesn't seem like he really wanted to. In "Wedding Song" he sings "It's never been my duty to remake the world at large, Nor is it my intention to sound a battle charge." Dylan had openly abdicated the throne imposed on him by some of his fans. He instead retreated into the personal and complex world that "Planet Waves" continued to explore. And he kept going going. 



Just Us-Marshall Tucker Band

JUST US was Marshall Tucker's illustrious followup to the miserable TUCKERIZED, but, unfortunately, its last great album until 2004. This time the band produced itself, and blind keyboardist Ronnie Godfrey, now fully integrated into the band, proved that his blindness was no handicap, contributing greatly to the writing here. You would think that Godfrey would spur the band on to further masterpieces, but unfortunately, the group hit a slide immediately afterwards from which it would not recover until the astonishing BEYOND THE HORIZON, a problem caused by the departure of all but two of the band's members. Nevertheless, you shouldn't pass this CD up.



Midnight Moonlight- New Riders of the Purple Sage

Over the years the New Riders have put out a lot of music and influenced many other musicians. They started out as a country/bluegrass off-shoot of the Grateful Dead, then went on to develope their own legacy as the ultimate Cosmic Country Rock band. In the early 1980s, several key members of the band left, and many fans never took the time to listen to how good the lineup sounded. This album shows off the best of the later editions of the New Riders of The Purple Sage. No longer a "country rock" outfit, this is pure "unplugged" music.... folk festival music, living room music. The musicianship is superb, the vocals delightfull, the song writing the very best the band ever put out in their illustrius career. The remakes of the earlier chestnuts like "Glendale Train", "Lonesome LA Cowboy", and "Louisiana Lady" make your hair stand up. "Change In The Weather" makes me want to go back to an earlier, more idealistic era. When I first bought this album, I listened to it over and over, then bought a bunch of copies for friends who claimed that it had the same addictive appeal to them.
If you liked EmmyLou Harris live at the Ryman, or the Dead's Reckoning you will love and treasure this album.......peace
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This 1992 CD features original member John "Marmaduke" Dawson along with a couple other guitarists and various backing musicians. This is a very different group than the legendary 1970's version. However, take it for what it is, and it's a pleasant listen. Essentially, the group reworks a few classics, and plays a few standards and originals. However, the remakes do not measure up to the originals, in this fan's opinion. (The change of lyrics in "Lonesome LA Cowboy" doesn't work for me, for example). Still, "Midnight Moonlight" is a great song, no matter who's playing it, and the bagpipes on "Sutter's Mill" are neat. The musicianship is also top notch. This is not a disappointing CD, unless you are expecting the original group. Enjoy it if you are a fan of the NRPS. But if you are not familiar with this group, try one of their early albums first.

Chris Hillman-Slipping away

Chris Hillman never seems to get his due. His band mates and collaborators always seems to get more acclaim than he does, despite almost 40 years of creating excellent American music. This 1977 album came after Hillman, J.D. Souther, and Richie Furay failed to become the new Eagles and is one of the strongest outings of his career. That is saying a lot as Hillman was a key part of the Byrds "Sweetheart of the Rodeo," the Flying Burrito Brothers "Gilded House of Sin," and "Manassas" with Stephen Stills. Yet Gram Parsons, Roger McGuinn, Emmy Lou Harris, David Crosby, and Stills sport stronger reputations than Hillman in the eyes and ears of many music critics. Maybe Hillman is just too nice a guy. Whatever, this solo album (the first of his career) features several great songs in the 1970s Southern California singer-songwriter mold. If the Eagles had covered "Slippin' Away," it would be in constant rotation today on classic rock radio. "Step on Out" is a great opener and later a country hit for the Oak Ridge Boys. "Love is the Sweetest Amnesty" is as sweet as its' title and "(Take Me In Your) Lifeboat" is a rousing gospel closer. Hillman is a fine singer, deft Mandolin and bass player, and a strong songwriter. His recent work with Herb Pederson and with Larry and Tony Rice is rich and rewarding. This album got lost in the country rock glut of the mid-1970s, but it stands out nicely today as one of the best solo efforts from a former Byrd.



Eye of the Hurricane- Flying Burrito Brothers

According to the liner notes, this is a reunion album of sorts. John Beland, Gib Guilbeau, Sneaky Pete, and Chris Ethridge are joined by Australian country-rocker Brian Cadd and legendary drummer Ronnie Tutt for a highly entertaining set of original tunes. The vocal harmonies are excellent, and the playing is superb (made even more so by Tutt's stellar performance). Particularly outstanding are "Wheel of Love", "Heart Highway", and "Jukebox Saturday Night", but this album has something for everyone, and re-establishes the Burritos as leaders in their genre. Long live the Burritos! 

Chriss Hillman Band-Main Point

Chris Hillman Band - 1975-09-22 - Main Point, Bryn Mawr, PA

The Chris Hillman Band
1975-09-22
The Main Point, Bryn Mawr, PA
Very Good Quality Audience Recording
mp3 @ 192 kbps

Here's Chris Hillman and his band in 1975, which could have been called something like the 'Firefallin' Burrito Brothers'. After the SHF band wrapped up their tour in late 1974 and head back into the studio to work on their 2nd album, it was clear that the personal differences within the band had become a major problem. Ritchie Furay's recent conversion and burgeoning enthusiasm for evangelical christianity (aided and abetted by Al Perkins) was an annoyance to Souther and Hillman, who formed the 'Heathen Defense League' in response to repeated efforts to 'save' them. They each wrote their own songs and only came together to record them. When the album, the aptly titled Trouble in Paradise, was finished and released in 1975, to generally lackluster reviews and sales, and a planned tour was cancelled (supposedly due to an injury to Furay's hand, but possibly also because the principals had just lost interest), the group quickly disbanded. Actually, although Trouble in Paradise couldn't match the excellence of their 1st, it is still a quite solid album, containing gems such as Souther's title track and 'Mexico' and Hillman's 'Follw Me Through'. After SHF, the 3 stars quickly returned to solo careers and each released a new solo album in 1976 (Souther's Black Rose, Hillman's Slippin Away, and Furay's I've Got a Reason). After the breakup of SHF, Hillman, in particular wasted no time getting back out on the road. He called up friend and former FBB alum Rick Roberts, who by now had formed a new band, called Firefall, which was practicing and playing together but did not have a record deal or any recordings yet. So, Roberts, along with his Firefall mates guitarist Jock Bartley (who also earlier played with Gram Parsons) and bassist Mark Andes (formerly of Spirit) joined Chris to form the temporary and hastily put together band dubbed the Chris Hillman Band for a series of concert dates in the fall of 1975. Actually, it was towards the end of these show dates, when Chris became ill, and had to dropout of the tour, that Firefall continued the shows on their own, and attracted the Attention of Atlantic record execs, who offered them their recording contract, and they almost immediately began recording their first album. But in this show, earlier in the tour, Chris was definitely in charge, playing a mixture of tunes from his various bands, from the Byrds, Burritos, Manassas, and SHF Bands. Here are both sets from his excellent Main Point show, and a very fine recording it is. Thanks to the excellent Rocking-byrd blog (rocking-byrd.blogspot.com) for this one, as well as so many other fine Byrds-related shows.

Chris Hillman
Rick Roberts
Jock Bartley
Mark Andes
Michael Wootten

Early Show
01 - Lazy Days
02 - Hot Burrito #2
03 - It Doesn't Matter
04 - Follow Me Through
05 - Heavenly Fire
06 - Sin City
07 - Fallen Eagle
08 - Step On Out
09 - Colorado
10 - Can't You Hear Me Calling
11 - Wheels
12 - The Race Is On
13 - Rise And Fall
14 - Mystery train
15 - So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star

Late Show
01 - Safe At Home
02 - Down In The Churchyard
03 - High Fashion Queen
04 - Four Days Of Rain
05 - White Line Fever
06 - Devil In Disguise
07 - Take It On The Run
08 - She Is A Song
09 - Step On Out
10 - Do Right Woman
11 - Bound To Fall
12 - Things Will Be Better
13 - Time Between
14 - Six Days On The Road
15 - Lies
16 - So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star
17 - Can't You Hear Me Calling

LINK HERE
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KTUMZMWP 

Byrds-farther Along

This album featured Roger McGuinn, Clarence White, Skip Battin. It was the last original Byrds album to feature this quartet. The Byrds produced it themselves and recorded it mostly in London, though it was finished in Hollywood. The overall feel of the album is country-rock in its truest sense, though some tracks have more of a country flavor than others.\

I particularly like America's great national pastime, a catchy song that pokes fun at consumer materialism. The Byrds also do an excellent cover of the gospel classic Farther along. The opening track, Tiffany queen, shows a Chuck Berry influence. Bugler, a song about ... a road accident, is considered by many to be the highlight of the album. Antique Sandy is an interesting hippie love song.

The three bonus tracks were recorded after the album was completed. Lost my driving wheel was actually a Roger McGuinn solo track intended for an eventual solo album. The other two bonus tracks were recorded by the Byrds - they are Born to rock and roll and Bag full of money.

While this album may not be the best Byrds album, it has much to commend it and should not be overlooked.

Manassas -Pieces

Stills should have been the American Clapton. He certainly had no fewer vices and yet his muse was a fragile thing that would come and go as he engaged in different projects or dissolute directions. His records, then, can be very hit or miss, and by the 90's were largely less than impressive. And that's the tragedy. He had talent to spare and Manassas at its peak was a force to be reckoned with. After a very strong debut, he followed with an overproduced second album, a protean live document and then the brilliant Manassas double CD. Unfortunately, that was followed by Down The Road, as low a point in Stills' canon as there is. PIECES represents sessions engaged between the first record and DTR, and it's a genuine pity that this was not the second album. All of Stills' strengths are on display and none of his weakenesses. DTR followed these sessions and somewhere along the way the songs fell flat and the musicianship got unfocused and Stills' voice sounded like he had spent the weekend yelling at people. It was a mess. This, while not quite Stills 1 or the first Manassas, is a joy start to finish. There are songs you have not heard before, songs that would find life with the Flying Burritos, songs that recapitulated earlier statements from Just Roll Tape and Stills 2, and what results is a well-disciplined band hitting on all its cylinders. This band must have been a powerhouse live, and God willing, Stills has some tape worth releasing that documents just how good both the front line and the rhythm section were in concert.

Obviously, in the overly competitive framework of CSNY, this band was a gauntlet thrown at Crazy Horse and the CN back up bands of the time. Crazy Horse was a barely competent gaggle of misfits who could somehow rise above their abilities under the direction of Young and Briggs. CN's group of crack session players had to deal with Crosby's relentless indulgences of a different crack, and over a very short time could no longer rescue him from free fall. Manassas in some ways would not be able to save Stills from himself either, but while they were on, they were mighty. And how can you lose with Chris Hillman, Al Perkins, Joe Lala, Calvin Samuels, et al?



Wilco-Being There

Wilco is probably capable of making a great album of just about any genre imaginable, but on Being There they went with a genre that is impossible to describe. Often said to 'borrow' from various great records of the late 60s and early 70s, Wilco really does sound more different than you'd get the impression they do. No song is made up simply of one influence, and influence never goes ahead of pure songwriting genius. The opening track on Being There, 'Misunderstood,' as with many other tracks on the double CD, has been compared countless times to other songs and records. However, with every reviewer thinking it sounds like one thing, it's hard to imagine Wilco ever really just went out and made any songs based on just one person's music. 'Misunderstood' is an amazing way to start off an album, but it shines not just because of the noticeable influences, but mainly because of Jeff Tweedy's lyrics and voice along plus the incredible talent of the rest of the band. If you think 'Hey that sounds like The Beatles,' or 'Hey that sounds like John Lennon' before you think 'Wow, that was an incredible song,' then there is something seriously wrong with you.
After the booming finish of the heartfelt story of a musician returning home in 'Misunderstood,' the records moves on to the somewhat more upbeat, although more mellow 'Far, Far Away,' and then on to '70s rockers' 'Monday' and 'Outta Sight (Outta Mind). While when you think about it lyrics in the latter song are not exactly happy ('Well okay, I know you don't love me but you'll still be thinking of me,') the song still seems very upbeat and certainly isn't trying to depress you.
This rock mood is soon killed by the AM-esque 'Forget the Flowers,' where Tweedy doesn't go back to his alt-country roots, but more so to older straightforward country. The essence of this song would fit on any of Wilco's albums, it obviously would have been slightly altered had it been on Wilco's only album better than Being There(to date), Summerteeth. An excellent song either way. One more sad song follows, 'Red Eyed and Blue,' which goes with a slightly less country approach than 'Forget the Flowers,' and comes out well.
From here Wilco balances the last too more depressing song with 'I got you (at the end of the century).' This and the next song 'What's the World Got in Store' have you realizing that this is definitely becoming a great first side. Then the next song, 'Hotel Arizona' completely confirms this, sounding like something Neil Young would have on a greatest hits record. The first side finishes off with 'Say You Miss Me,' another great love song, with Jeff Tweedy's own style.
The second disk opens with two songs that are similar in some ways to the first two songs on the first disk. 'Sunken Treasure' is another great drawn out piano/guitar song that let's you look at Tweedy so closely you can't help but love it. 'I got my name from rock n' roll' he sings, and you know his lyrics are a window straight into him. Similar to 'Far, Far Away,' the next song 'Someday Soon' brings a dreaming less intense song to the table, followed by an acoustic version of 'Outta Sight (Outta Mind),' which in this case goes by the name 'Outta Mind (Outta Sight).' While not as good as the original in terms of it's upbeat rock sound, it still comes off very well.
Then Jeff Tweedy goes into another song about other people's music with 'Someone Else's Song,' a song portraying the frustrated feeling of try to impress someone but just sounding no different than anything before you, which ironically does not describe Wilco, with Being There no longer sounding much like anything from Uncle Tupelo. Kingpin is a much less serious song, that seems to just be Tweedy having some fun ('I wanna be your kingpin, livin' in, Pekin'.)
From there 'Was I in Your Dreams' goes into classic Wilco, sounding happy with dark lyrics, followed by another song of this style, 'Why Would You Wanna Live,' which is so much happier sounding than the lyrics would suggest. In this type of Wilco song will either feel upbeat to you or feel really depressed depending on your mood and whether you focus on lyrics or music.
'The Lonely One' does not hide behind any happy music; it is in the same fashion as 'Forget the Flowers' a straight for sad song, even if it is somewhat less country.
The last song on the record is one of the best record finishers in a while, 'Dreamer in My Dreams.' Even if you've leaned towards the slower, sadder song on the record, this song will still be one of your favourites. It's an excited big loud song that doesn't feel like 'hard rock,' but more like a great live performance in a small place. By the time this song is over and has had it's various false endings, you can't help but be taken away by this record.
Most detractors are usually looking for country or alt-country and really don't find too much of it, but if you're looking for a great record, even if all your favourite records are alt-country, this is still one of the greatest albums released during the 90s. It may even be one of the best to come before the 'end of the century.'



Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band-Ragged But Right



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Approximately 66 minutes of music. The digitally edited sound is crisp and clean, yet has a warmth to it which is essential for this type of music. The disc is slipped inside a pocket in the billfold style cardboard holder. Inside the holder is a color photo of the band onstage, personnel listing, song titles, lengths, and composer (s). The booklet tells the history of the band, and has several very small photos of the band members. Curiously, if you purchase the first album "Almost Acoustic", there's notes on each song for both albums.

This is the second album by the JERRY GARCIA ACOUSTIC BAND, that was scheduled to be released a number of years ago, but circumstances delayed that release until now. In a nutshell-if you liked the first album, you'll like this one. The tracks for "Ragged But Right" come from the same series of concerts from 1987, recorded at the Lund-Fontane Theater in New York City, (11 tracks + band introductions),the Wilturn Theater in Los Angeles, and the Warfield Theater in San Fransisco (3 tracks). For those who don't know, the players are-Jerry Garcia-guitar/vocals, David Nelson (who played with the great NEW RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE)-guitar/vocals, Sandy Rothman-mandolin/dobro/banjo/vocals, John Kahn-string bass, Kenny Kosek-fiddle/bass vocals, and David Kemper (Bob Dylan's drummer)-snare drum. Sometimes people new to this music hear the name Jerry Garcia, the "Garcia/psychedelic" factor can overshadow the other musicians, but one listen and you realize you're hearing a band of equals. They play this music simply because they love the sound they make, the straightforward lyrics tell a (sometimes) true story, and that purity of purpose shines all through these tunes.

The songs range from traditional (the title track, "Short Life of Trouble", "Deep Elem Blues", "Roas Lee McFall", "Two Soldiers", "If I Lose", "Bright Morning Star", and "Turtle Dove"), to songs by Mel Tillis ("I Ain't Never"), Richard Jones ("Trouble In Mind"), Reno and Smiley ("Drifting With the Tide") Huddie Ledbetter ("Goodnight Irene"), Don Wayne ("It's a Long, Long Way to the Top"), and Charles Moody ("Drifting Too Far From Shore").

The music on this album forms some of the cornerstones of American music. The players are all steeped in country, western, folk, blues, gospel, and bluegrass music. The band's vocal harmonies are like the title of the album-ragged but right. Garcia has a number of lead vocals, with Nelson and the others stepping up to take a turn occasionally. The music itself is based on any, or a combination of the above genres. Kemper's snare drum is the perfect foundation for the music-never calling attention to the rhythm, but always pushing the music along perfectly. Rothman's multi-instrument playing is one of the highlights of this set. And with both Garcia and Nelson on guitars, the sound is full and at times, swinging. Mention should also go to Kosek's fiddle work, which complements the other players perfectly.

This great band lasted only through a couple of dozen or so shows, opening for Garcia's fully electric band. This is the music that captured Garcia's imagination in the beginning, and made him want to play music for the rest of his life. Influenced by "Folkways Anthology of American Music" (if you haven't heard this collection you need to), Garcia credits that set as his first major influence on his own music. Way back when I was in college in Palo Alto, I frequented Kepler's Books, an old style bookstore with large old tables where you could sit and read-all day if you wanted. Occasionally some "strange" people would be playing this funny sounding music-old timey stuff, and they seemed to be enjoying themselves. Soon, I too, was drawn into this odd sounding (to someone who was into r&r) but strangely satisfying music. I never forgot the impression that music and those players (one of them Garcia before he had a beard-just sideburns and sometimes a funny looking cap) had on my narrow range of music. Eventually, much later the NEW RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE (David Nelson's and Marmaduke's band) became one of my favorite groups, with Garcia playing his peddle steel and singing in his plaintive style, (along with HOT TUNA-playing acoustic country blues during JEFFERSON AIRPLANE shows), before the Dead at concerts. But that aside, this album is chock full of that same good time feeling that these plain, straightforward songs, played by great musicians can only provide. It puts a smile on your face and sets your toe to tapping. It's nice to know this style of music is still alive, still very worthwhile. This music just rolls along with an honesty that's very refreshing. Listen to this and you'll hear why this music is so good, and still has a place in the present.

New Riders of the Purple Sage- Oh what a Mighty Time

At the time that this recording was released, it received HORRENDOUS reviews from the critics and is listed as the "worst" release that the band had done to that point and maybe ever. I personally don't see it. I have been a NRPS fan from near the beginning and I love this album! I have been looking for this CD ever since I made the transition from vinyl to CD's.I had pretty much given up ever seeing this in CD. It has fun and joy that characterized the band. The songs are wonderful. I particularly love the musicianship in "Take A Letter Maria" It's my favorite track even though I would have liked to have it mixed so that the second verse was fully audible. Other personal favorites are Strangers on a Train and Farewell, Angelina. Give it a listen; you may be pleasantly surprised!

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I'd have to agree with the previous reviewer - a much derided release that has all the joy of the mid-life Riders (Up against the Wall, Redneck' a particular favourite, the gospel fand Sly Stone brew of the title track). The musicianship is excellent as it always was when Buddy Cage was on the pedal steel and Dawson and Nelson were up front. Skip Battin brought his (ill-fitting) Byrds like contributions co-written with Kim Fowley but after they dominated Brujo, Stranger on a Train was their only offering before he became the next to jump ship and Mike Love (I think) took over bass (and some song-writing) duties for 'Who are Those Guys' which, I must admit, is not anywhere near as fine as this album (so why did it get a CD release on Wounded Bird?)I have to note this is not the first CD release of the album. The excellent Cactus Juice combines Brujo, Oh, What a Mighty Time and Home, Home on the Road as a 2-CD package with a couple of bonus tracks and is well worth the coinage - that's where my (CD) version of this album is located.





Bob Dylan- John Wesley Harding



When this record came out a lot of Dylan's fans were upset, because that singer of songs so complex with images that stayed with you long after the song had end, seemed to have gone country. But it didn't long before they realized that the complexity was still here, even thought the backing musicians had changed. The stories, those incredible stories were still here. Just give a listen to "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest" and you'll see what I mean. And the word weaver is still doing his magic here as well, again listen to "Frankie & Judas."

Yes, gone are the rock musicians, replaced by country guys, Charlie McCoy on bass, Kenny Buttrey on drums and they help Dylan deliver a kind of haunting sound that has lasted through the years, making this record sort timeless, holding up as well now as it did way back then.

My personal favorite on this masterpiece of music is "As I Went Out One Morning." To me it seems like Dylan is singing about America and how Tom Paine would be so disappointed if he were alive today. And what would Rock have been like had Jimi not been able to cover the excellent "All Along the Watchtower." Then there is that landlord, that wicked messenger, that lonesome hobo and that escaping drifter. Mr. Dylan conjures images with words the way Van Gogh did with a brush. This album, though a change, is one of the best.

Flying Burrito Brothers Authorized Bootleg-2011 Release



This "Authorized Bootleg" by the famed and historic Flying Burrito Brothers is one hot tamale!
In the short but storied lifespan of the original FBB, the Los Angeles-based band was one of the musical building blocks upon which an entire country-rock genre was built. Formed by Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons when they left The Byrds, the Burritos quickly became known for their great songwriting, heartfelt vocals, spangled Nudie suits, and a parade of personnel changes.
 
The Flying Burrito Brothers on this wonderful concert disc could essentially be called Version 2. Parsons and original bassist Chris Ethridge had left and were replaced by singer-songwriter Rick Roberts and future Eagle Bernie Leadon. Former Byrd Michael Clarke is on drums, and famed session steel player "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow is on pedal steel.
 
Fans and critics have said that this was the best Burritos live band ever, and the performances here back that up. Combining rock drive and a distinctly country feel, the band romps through a set consisting of originals drawn the Burritos' two albums to date, The Byrds, a Mick Jagger-Keith Richards composition ("Wild Horses"), a classic R&B mover ("Willie And the Hand Jive"), and a great C&W road song ("Six Days On The Road"). This is country-rock at its infancy, but also at its best.
 
For this release, Chris Hillman has written a brief note and personally picked mastering engineer and approved his work. Recorded two years before their famed live album, "Last Of The Red Hot Burritos," this may not be the last recording by the group but is among the hottest.

Buffalo Springfield planning a tour



David Crosby has revealed that Buffalo Springfield will embark on a reunion tour later this year. Crosby said that the ’60s folk-rockers, which include Neil Young, Stephen Stills and Richie Furay, will perform some dates in the Fall. It will be the band’s first tour since 1968.

The three surviving Buffalo Springfield members reunited last fall for performances at Young’s Bridge School Benefit. Crosby said his Crosby, Stills and Nash bandmate is definitely up for doing more.

“I think he is excited,” Crosby says of Stills. “And I’ve got to tell you, I didn’t get to see them live, but I watched clips and Richie [Furay] – I got to tell you, man, he is so happy onstage and is such a joyful energy.”

According to Crosby it was Furay who made the reunion happen.

“He really sparked that thing, and I think it was a very pleasant experience for Neil and Stephen both,” Crosby said. “I know they’re going to go out for at least some dates in the fall. Personally, I’d like to go watch. They’re one of my favorite bands.”

Furay’s manager confirmed that the group is making plans to tour. Crosby said he wishes the tour could be even more special and include a Byrds reunion, too.

“I wish I could throw it in with the Byrds,” he said, referring to his pre-CSN band. “That would be my dream, because everybody and their uncle would come to see the Byrds and Buffalo Springfield. But that’s not going to happen. Roger [McGuinn] is pretty adamant about that. He’s very happy about being a folksinger; he likes it, and wants it that way.”

Gregg Allman- Low Country Blues

In the liner notes for "Low country blues", Robert Gordon writes "A river runs through the blues, and Gregg Allman continues to navigate it. This album deposits Gregg at a fresh place on the bank. He's a traveler, sometimes riding with the current, swimming upstream when he prefers".
This new release is proof of the success of Gregg's journey. When I received my copy of "Low country", I sat uninterrupted through all twelve tracks. Twice. Some musical projects are memorable for well written songs, thoughtful sequencing and great instrumentation. Others are so complete, so satisfying that you just don't want to listen to anything else for a while. "Low country" falls into the latter category.
Ace producer T-bone Burnett is also responsible for B.B. King's latest, the wonderful "One kind favor".That disc kicks off with a very dark version of Blind Lemon Jefferson's "See that my grave is kept clean". The opener for this disc, Sleepy John Estes' "Floating Bridge" is a song similar in format, but where "Favor" is a plea, "Bridge" is a bitter recollection. Both songs, and on both cds, the presence of Dr. John's masterful piano is as important as that of the stars.
"Little by little" is a Junior Wells staple that starts off with a funky B-3 intro by Gregg, then features more of the good Doctor with great guitar fills by Doyle Bramhall II. "Devil got my woman" shows Burnett's greatest strength as a roots music producer- the ability to take a Skip James song from the 1930's and remake it in 2011-without sacrificing any integrity. Gregg's vocals are almost ethereal, with dual guitar interplay between Bramhall and Colin Linden on Dobro.
"I can't be satisfied" is one of Muddy Waters' most beloved compositions, and Gregg and company do this song justice while showcasing the groove created by drummer Jay Belrose and bassist Dennis Crouch.
"Blind man" is the first appearance on the disc of trumpeter Darrell Leonard's horn section. Leonard has been recording for years with tenor sax player Joe Sublett as the Texacali Horns. Here they're augmented by Lester Lovitt and Daniel Fornero on trumpet with Thomas Peterson and Jim Thompson on baritone and tenor sax. The horns appear on five other tracks giving the disc a powerful classic r&b punch, especially on B.B. King's "Please accept my love".
The sole original on the disc, "Just another rider" was co-written with Gregg's partner in the Allman Brothers, guitar master Warren Haynes. Very reminiscent of another Allman/Haynes collaboration, "The high cost of low living"(from the Brothers' 2003 "Hittin' the note"), the song seems to address the same protagonist as the earlier track. On "High cost", Gregg admonishes "using up all your good friends" and on "Rider", you can almost see him shake his head as he sighs "seems like a long time- since you had any peace of mind".
"I believe I'll go back home" is an old public domain number with Mike Compton adding mandolin to the mix, while Magic Sam's "My love is your love"is enhanced by the beautiful female chorus arranged by Bill Maxwell. The closing traditional, "Rolling Stone" is one of the many highlights, again featuring Colin Linden's Dobro in a soft acoustic jam.
This fine recording belongs to T-bone as much as it does to Gregg. Production is excellent and choice of musicians couldn't be better. Gregg set out to make a recording he could be proud of. With "Low country blues", he just may have made the album of his life.



Gene Clark

Gene Clark-Live at Ebbots Field 1975



Eagles 1st Album

Contrary to the last reviewer, I recommend this one as THE introductory Eagles album. It has a diverse and genuine feel that ranks up there with the Flying Burrito Bros. groundbreakers and The Byds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo. After Bernie Leadon left, this band was reduced to an over-produced, slick, formulaic clone of itself. This record is legendary - it is responsible for much of the country music you are hearing today. 



Souther Hillman Furay Band

The Souther-Hillman-Furay Band
1974-07-07
Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne, INFM Broadcast?, very good quality recording

mp3 @ 192 kbps

Speaking of great, all-but-forgotten, short-lived 'supergroups', I just found this show from the wonderful Souther-Hillman-Furay Band (thanks to Romeo Delight on the G101 Forum - Much Thanks!). I always really liked these guys and spent many hours listening to their 2 albums back in the mid-70's. I had looked for live shows by them previously, but never found any, until now, so this is a real rarity. For those that don't know or remember, SHF Band was a country-rock 'supergoup' that combined the talents of singer-songwriter J.D Souther (solo, the Eagles), Chris Hillman (The Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas), and Ritchie Furay (Buffalo Springfield, Poco), and backed up by other former Manassas and FBB alums, Paul Harris and Al Perkins, and superstar drummer Jim Gordon. They formed in 1973 at the suggestion of David Geffen at Asylum records specifically for the purpose of creating a country-rock supergroup. They only made two albums (Souther Hillman Furay Band-1974, Trouble in Paradise-1975) before going their separate ways due to internal tension and personal differences within the group, and lackluster record sales, but I always thought they were a great combination of artists, made a bunch of excellent songs, and were one of the best bands of their kind in their day. Unfortunately, although they may have made a great combo musically and stylistically, personally there were problems from the beginning, and they never really bonded as a group (all of the songs were written by each individually, with no collaborations among them at all), and since they were not all that successful commercially, they disbanded by 1976. This recording is from their first tour in 1974, and catches the group while they still seem happy to be performing together. It's a fun and lively set, and it's a special treat and a real hoot to hear them play Souther's 'How Long' as a closer here. This same song (in an almost identical arrangement BTW) became the huge comeback hit for the Eagles almost 35 years later, in 2007 (although this was not a SHF song, few people seem to know that the song was originally on Souther's 1972 debut album). So, once again, please enjoy this unique glimpse of the legendary, but short-lived, SHF band. 

Lineup:
JD Souther
Chris Hillman
Richie Furay
Al Perkins
Paul Harris
Jim Gordon

01 Safe At Home
02 Border Town
03 Let’s Dance Tonight
04 The Heartbreaker
05 Believe Me
06 Rise And Fall
07 Long Gone
08 Trouble In Paradise
09 Fallin’ In Love
10 How Long


DOWNLOAD LINK HERE
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8MNMBNI2 

Neil Young

Playing Banjo, Which is unusual for Neil.



Dylan's-Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid Review



Most people see Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid as nothing more than a really long super-maxi-single for "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" with several unnecessary re-mixes of the B-Side, "Billy". While it's hard to argue that there are any other songs on this album (or any other album by Dylan or not) as good as "Knockin'", if you're only interested in Bob for his words you're going to miss a whole lot here. It is easily Bob's most instrumental heavy album (and since it's really a soundtrack, that's too be expected). Most people can't even really tell these songlets apart. Which means they miss all the fun goofy humor in the banjo-laden "Turkey Chase" (my second favorite song on the album). And of the songs that do have words, you get three different vocal versions of "Billy" (numbered 1, 4 and 7 for some reason) as well as another instrumental. Sure, all three offer up pretty close to identical lyrics - all which are little more than dumbed-down Cliff's Notes versions of the plot of the movie. Musically they do each convey a subtly different mood. Okay, "Billy" is not a particularly great song, but despite its reputation as an all-time classic, "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" actually is. And regardless of Eric Clapton or Axl Rose's attempts to steal this song, the Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid version remains the definitive one. Sure, this album is a lost great classic, but it's certainly worth more than just that one song.