Emmylou Harris- Cimarron

Cimarron

 

A lot of people are lamenting the sorry state of country music today, with it making more and more concessions to popular tastes. While I admit to being one of those naysayers, I go for country music that takes risks, but still has enough twang to truly be called country. And sure enough, Emmylou Harris can best be called one of the first country artists to venture outside the confines of the genre, and still be accepted as one of country's own. A protege of the legendary country-rock godfather Gram Parsons, Emmylou has been bringing her distinctive style to just about every song from country to folk to straightahead rock. Thanks to that, some of the most unlikely songs have become country standards in spite of their non-country pedigrees. By 1981's CIMARRON, Emmylou had been making music for well over a decade (although her first album PIECES OF THE SKY was released in 1975). As a hitmaker, her days were coming to an end, but as an innovator, she hadn't yet begun to quit. Emmylou can take even the most well-worn country standards, and make them sound as if they were written yesterday like that old warhorse "Tennessee Waltz", a short 2:30 song in an album filled with numerous 4-minute tunes (which is near-epic-length for country music). I'm sure every country singer worth their salt has attempted "Tennesee Waltz" at one time or another, but Emmylou does what she has done numerous times before, making it sound like it was written for her all along. Other country greats given a new lease on life by Emmylou include "The Last Cheater's Waltz" (originally a hit for T.G. Sheppard), which is a much longer version so as to showcase the excellent musicianship of her band, "Son Of A Rotten Gambler" (written by Chip Taylor, who also penned such disparate ditties as "Wild Thing" and "Angel Of The Morning"), and the traditional "Spanish Is A Loving Tongue". But to prove that Emmylou was more risk-taking than her fellow country-ites, CIMARRON has its share of more modern, contemporary numbers. "Rose Of Cimarron" was originally a hit song for the country-rock band Poco; "If I Needed You" (a duet with country great Don Williams) was written by legendary folk singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt; "The Price You Pay" originally appeared on Bruce Springsteen's double album THE RIVER (1980). All of these are given enough country sound to make one forget the fact they were written by people far from the country radar as possible. The other songs on CIMARRON were probably written especially for the album: "Another Lonely Morning" is a great song just looking for someone to cover it (even if it may not be better than Emmylou's); "Born To Run" (NOT the Bruce Springsteen classic) was written by Paul Kennerley, who would later become Emmylou's third husband; "Tennessee Rose" was written by Emmylou band member Hank DeVito. With all those wonderful songs, CIMARRON was a wonderful album already, but because it has been released on CD for the very first time, the deal is made even sweeter with the inclusion of a rare song called "Colors Of Your Heart", written by former Emmylou bandmate Rodney Crowell. While he had long went solo from her, this song proves why Crowell is one of Emmylou's favorite songwriters, and also a fellow "modern traditionalist" like her. After CIMARRON would come the live album LAST DATE, which was unique in the fact that it contained songs Emmylou had not yet recorded in the studio. Unfortunately, that would be her last truly successful album on the charts. But that allowed Emmylou to experiment even more with her music, resulting in such uncategorizable masterpieces like WRECKING BALL (1995) and RED DIRT GIRL (2000). For those who were introduced to Emmylou Harris courtesy of those classics, earlier albums like CIMARRON will help show that she's had it in her for more than 3 decades, and hopefully, is not thinking of slowing down any time soon.



Tom Johnston

Tom Johnston

Johnston is most well known for both his lead guitar and vocal role in the band The Doobie Brothers, as well as for his adaptation of his own acoustic guitar style, blending a unique strum and percussive accented rhythm at the same time on one instrument. This style, interwoven with melodic hammer-ons (Example Early Johnston Riff and Vocal) gave Johnston an early signature sound inside of popular 1970's rock music. All the rhythm structures behind "Long Train Runnin'" and "Listen to the Music" were formulated first for an acoustic guitar, and then re-applied in similar style on an electric guitar.

Johnston was born in Visalia, California. His favorite music as he grew up included Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Elvis Presley, James Brown, and other rhythm and blues artists featured on the radio in the 1950s. After brief school stints with the saxophone and clarinet, at the age of twelve Johnston took up guitar. Following the blues and rhythm styling of Freddie King, Jimmy Reed and Chuck Berry, he had formed his first band by age fourteen. Johnston recounted to Vintage Guitar Magazine that he was a "huge James Brown fan – still am. I saw him in 1962, after "Live at the Apollo" came out, and it was a life-altering experience."[2] In his early career he played in a variety of bands, including a Mexican wedding band that played half soul and half Latin music. His interest in rhythm and blues led to his singing in a soul group from a neighboring town and, eventually, his own blues band.

Johnston moved to San Jose to finish college and started playing in bands around town. It was there that he met Skip Spence, a former drummer with Jefferson Airplane, and founding member of a group that had a major influence on the Doobie Brothers - Moby Grape. Spence introduced Johnston to John Hartman. Johnston was a graphic design art major at San Jose State and wound up living at 285 South 12th Street, which was a musical center for San Jose at the time. "It didn’t matter if they played B-3 or drums, guitar, bass, or horns, they all ended up in our basement" Johnston recalls. Johnston and Hartman soon formed their own band, Pud, featuring Greg Murphy on bass. Pud played many clubs in and around San Jose, including the Golden Horn Lounge in Cupertino, California, (which no longer exists). John Hartman and Johnston lived in the 12th Street house for about four years; whereupon once Dave Shogren joined them to replace Greg Murphy and Pat Simmons was recruited, they had the nucleus of a new band, and Pud gave way to the Doobie Brothers.

Throughout much of an initial seven-year and six-album discography, Johnston wrote and sang many of The Doobie Brothers' early hits, including "Listen to the Music" (#11 Top 100 Billboard Hit -1972), "Jesus Is Just Alright" (written by Arthur Reynolds and covered by the Byrds)(#35 Billboard Top 100 Hit -1973), "Rockin' Down the Highway," "China Grove" (#15 Billboard Hot 100 Hit), "Long Train Runnin'" (#8 Billboard Hot 100 Hit), "Another Park, Another Sunday” (#32 Billboard Hot 100 Hit), and "Eyes of Silver" (#52 Billboard Hot 100 Hit). He also sang the hit song "Take Me in Your Arms" (#11 Billboard Hot 100 Hit -1975) (written by Holland-Dozier-Holland)



Flying Burrito Brothers- Eye of the Hurricane

Eye of the Hurricane

This is a must-have cd from the greatest country-rock band in history. All the tracks are absolutely stunning; to mention favorites would be to go down the entire list. John Beland is brilliant as always, Sneeky Pete and Gib Guilbeau are awesome. New member Brian Cadd (he has since departed) fits right in, which is saying a lot. The most notable aspect though, aside from the great music, is the return of original bassist Chris Ethridge for the first time since 1975. He even contributes a lead vocal. Although he didn't stay long, and The Flying Burrito Brothers have gone on to make two even greater cd's in the '90's, "Eye Of A Hurricane" still remains one of their most fully released recorded achievements. If you have even a slight interest in country music or country-rock, you'd be doing yourself a favor by picking up this cd. And their next two ('97's "California Jukebox" and 1999's "Sons Of The Golden West") as well. The band has never been more inventive than in this decade. 

Neil Young- American Stars and Bars

American Stars and Bars

I seem to love this CD for the very reasons that others disparage it. Yes, I know it's disparate, hodge-podge of songs. But, it's also raw and alive and seems to have a goofy, not-to-serious charm of it's own. On this album, Neil is no longer in the "middle of the road" ("Harvest"), but he isn't in the now infamously quoted "ditch" either ("Tonight's the Night", "On the Beach"). Young is sort of doing a balancing act in the middle, creating an album thats' sort of a warped, Frankenstein-like version of his classic, "Harvest". But it's a Frankenstein, that can tap it's toes and sort of dance. I love songs like the rustic "The Old Country Waltz" or the pulp Western tale, "Saddle Up the Palimono". I in particular, like the contributions of singers Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris & Nicolette larson. They really work well with Young giving, that perfect '70s era country-rock feeling (especially Harris, who shines on "Star of Bethlehem"). According to one tale I've heard, the ladies thought they were just doing some 'practice, run throughs' of the songs. Much to their chagrin, they later learned that Neil was using these sessions as the final takes, hence the raw feeling of the songs.The electric portions of the CD are wonderful as well. "Like a Hurricane" is of course a classic and Young has played this long & Winding song for many years in his concert repertoire. I love the song's lyrical imagery and to be blunt, the guitar soloing just kicks some rock n' roll (...)! One of my favorites on this CD is the final track, "Homegrown", a funny little ode to small farms or the joys of harvesting 'weed' (you can take your choice). It's a bouncy tune that totally gives me a case of the giggles. No, "American Stars 'N Bars" is never going to be in the cannon of the "Great, Neil

 



Marshall Tucker Band- Carolina Dreams

Carolina Dreams

The MTB run of truly outstanding records peaked with Carolina Deams, an lp that was deservedly their best selling. Although it's a relatively country oriented release, somehow, it also managed to break out in a big way on album rock radio, and then, of course, more mainstream radio with Heard it in a Love Song. It's an unbelievable shame that Capricorn didn't release the live follow up "Stompin' Room Only" as was planned (A review is posted on this blog); because as we now know (it's just been released more than 25 years later) it would have been a good career move at that time. MTB had some other good releases prior to the demise of the original band, but this was the last of the 5 star albums.

Album Review- Byrdmaniax

The Byrds- Byrdmaniax

"Byrdmaniax" is a marvelous late-period Byrds album, with some stellar songs and affecting performances. In fact, there are several all- time Byrds classics to be found: 'Pale Blue', 'I Wanna Grow Up To Be A Politician' and 'Glory, Glory'. The very best tracks, though, are better than anything The Byrds had ever come up with to that time. McGuinn's amazing 'I Trust' and Skip Battin's strange ode to old Hollywood, 'Citizen Kane' (the guitars on that track, along with the raw attack of Gene Parson's drumming, seems to predict grunge...I'm just babbling now). Then there's Skip's pastoral 'Absolute Happiness' which is not at all bad. Actually, all of the material in "Byrdmaniax" is downright great; the only flaw--and this is a big one-- is the overproduction. The Byrds were at their height at this point, with the McGuinn-Battin-Parsons-White lineup; and yet they're buried underneith tons of ridiculous strings. That pretty much destroyed the wonderful 'Kathleen's Song' (without the kitchen sink it is included on the 1990 Byrds box set) and vastly diminishes the power of 'Pale Blue' and 'My Destiny'. It should be noted that The Byrds were not responsible for this and were incensed tremendously that their producer would screw them so badly; as a direct result the band itself produced the next lp, "Farther Along". That album has the edge over "Byrdmaniax" due to it's amazingly quiet and clean simplicity of both material and production. But don't pass up "Byrdmaniax". There are several great cuts that didn't make the box set (why in the world was 'Citizen Kane' not included in the box? ) and that are necessary for anyone wishing to gain a complete understanding of one of America's greatest and most influential country-rock bands. 

Album Review - Firefall- Greatest Hits

To kick off the country rock album reviews, I chose one of the first country rock CD's I bought,

Firefalls Greatest Hits

Firefall's GREATEST HITS is a great collection of a 70s country-rock band that really was so much more than its two biggest hits, "You Are The Woman" and "Just Remember I Love You." These two songs are heard as Muzak nowadays, which is really out of context, as much of the band's material showed that they could rock as hard as, say, the Outlaws at their best. The only minor flaw is that an edited version of "Strange Way" is here rather than the full-length album version, but that's not much of a problem, as you get the exemplary "Headed For A Fall" in its uncut version.

 



Album Reviews

I will now begin country rock album reviews of my favorite, most listened to country rock albums. I am  targeting 160 total CD reviews.



Mac McNally

Mac McNally

Jimmy Buffett introducing Mac

 

Lyman Corbitt "Mac" McAnally, Jr.  born July 15, 1957 is an American country music singer-songwriter, session musician and record producer. In his career, he has recorded ten studio albums and eight singles. Two of his singles were hits on the Billboard Hot 100, and six more on the Hot Country Songs charts. His ninth chart entry came in late 2008-early 2009 as a guest vocalist on Kenny Chesney's Number One cover of his 1990 single "Down the Road". He has also produced for Sawyer Brown and Restless Heart, written several singles for other artists, and is a member of Jimmy Buffett's backing band, The Coral Reefer Band.

McAnally was born July 15, 1957 in Red Bay, Alabama. He began playing piano and singing in church at the Belmont First Baptist Church in Belmont, Mississippi as a child, and by age fifteen, he had composed his first song. From there, he went on to become a session musician in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. During a session break, McAnally began to perform original material. The producers there encouraged him, and by 1977 he was signed to Ariola Records. His self-titled debut album produced the single "It's a Crazy World" which reached No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100. A second album, No Problem Here, was issued a year later, followed in 1980 by Cuttin' Corners on RCA Records. These latter two albums produced no chart singles. However, he found success as a songwriter for Jimmy Buffett, in addition to co-writing Alabama's Number One hit "Old Flame".

McAnally continued to record even while writing for Buffett. Mac became the first artist to sign with Geffen Records during this period with two albums (Nothin' but the Truth, which included the single "Minimum Love" which reached No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Finish Lines) being issued in 1983 and 1988, respectively. He and Walt Aldridge co-wrote Ricky Van Shelton's 1987 single "Crime of Passion".

 



Jimmy Buffett- White sport coat and a pink crustacean

White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean

 

Normally I would not post Jimmy Buffett music to a country rock blog, but  a few of his CD s are an exception, great C. Rock Tunes on this one.

After recording two albums for the obscure Barnaby label, Jimmy Buffett made his major label debut with A White Sport Coat & A Pink Crustacean. The album's title shows the humor that courses throughout the album as it is a take off on the old Marty Robbins' hit A White Sport Coat & A Pink Carnation. Mr. Buffett is a pre-eminate storyteller and the songs on the album sound like you could be sitting at a bar listening to him hold court. The album starts off with the hilarious "Great Filling Station Holdup" which tells of a small-time robbery gone wrong. "Railroad Lady" is a great country song that has been covered by Lefty Drizzel & Willie Nelson. "He Went To Paris" is a beautifully sad song while "Grapefruit (Juicy Fruit)" is a fun and goofy song. "Cuban Crime Of Passion" is one of his first songs to incorporate the Caribbean sounds that would become his signature sound. "Why Don't We Get Drunk" has become a staple in his concerts and has become an audience singalong. "Peanut Butter Conspiracy" tells of a struggling musician who may or may not be Mr. Buffett himself. "They Don't Dance Like Carmen No More" is a slight song and the only weak link on the album. "I Have Found Me A Home" and "My Lovely Lady" are two nice ballads. "Death Of An Unpopular Poet" is one of his most underrated songs and a vivid tale of a poet and his dog. This was his first album that he recorded after he went to Key West for the first time and although it is mostly a country-folk album, there are glimpses of the sound he would become famous for.



Elton John- Tumbleweed Connection

Tumbleweed Connection

 

By no way I would consider Elton John a country rocker, not by a long shot. However, this early work of his definatly was influenced by the 70's country rock scene.

Elton John put out four or five of the best "rock" albums of rock's classic era. "Tumbleweed Connection" is the finest of them all, but it is the most neglected because no song off it shows up on a Greatest Hits package. Not because the album "failed" to produce a single, but because there is not one song on it that sounds like an artistic compromise, or playing for the galleries. While not exactly a "concept album," it is clearly meant to be played all at once. It sustains a mood, and is adroitly balanced between some pretty hard rockers, some gorgeous love balladry, and a couple of songs that perfectly reflect the questing, questioning qualities of rock at its most meaningful--"My Father's Gun" and especially "Where To Now, St. Peter?"
Like so many albums of the early 1970s, "Tumbleweed Connection" was heavily influenced by The Band. The lyrics also borrow heavily from the Bob Dylan of "John Wesley Harding," and the words Robert Hunter contributed to the Grateful Dead for "American Beauty" and "Workingman's Dead." The old-west/Civil War atmosphere is so thick, it is reflected in the sepia-toned packaging. The packaging also gives prominence to Taupin, underscoring that this album is a collaboration.
But it wouldn't be a great album without the artistry that Elton John brought to it as a songwriter, singer and pianist. The piano-playing is especially strong on this disk, and his singing is powerful, emotional, real; none of the archness or forced irony that started to infect his work a few years later. The piano is mixed right up front on most tracks, and is stunningly great. The guitar is rock's signature instrument, but the piano has a long tradition too, from Fats Domino and Little Richard, to brilliant sidemen like Roy Bittan and Nicky Hopkins. On this album, Elton tops them all. This record is to rock piano what "Electric Ladyland" is to the guitar.
Tumbleweed Connection is the one that really fits in w/ the rootsy Americana of the time, as espoused by Dylan, Neil Young, CSN, and of course, The Band.
I find the first 4 songs good, but way too derivative to the above-mentioned. "My Father's Gun" starts to get interesting. Still indebted to Robbie Robertson, but somehow different. Then "Where to now St. Peter?" is one of the album's best songs. It starts quiet, throws in weird electric guitar, changes tempo & takes you on a wild ride. "Love Song" is the closest Elton will ever come to sounding like Crosby, Stills & Nash. There's a vaguely "Gunnevere" haunting feeling to it & nice harmonies. Next we get the stone-cold classic "Amoreena". Funky piano, beautiful chord changes. This deserves to be among Elton's ten best tunes ever (along w/ "Levon", "Grey Seal"). Skip the good but nondescript "Talking Old Soldiers" & we're back to the top ten of John/Taupin songwriting: "Burn Down the Mission". This song is so good it has a pre-chorus hook & a chorus hook. The lyrics owe completely to "King Harvest" & "Unfaithful Servant" by The Band, but it works--totally.

Souther Hillman Furay Band Hanging out

Good picture of the SHF band



Calvin Fuzzy Samuels

Calvin Fuzzy Samuels

 

Born in Antigua, in the Caribbean, he grew up in London, England, teaching himself to play various instruments including ukelele, guitar, keyboards, and establishing a reputation as a bassist, touring England and Europe with various Ska, Reggae and Soul bands. He played with guitarist Junior Marvin in his band, Blue Ace Unit where he got the nickname 'Fuzz' by playing his bass through a fuzz box. He recorded for the successful band, The Equals, lead by Eddy Grant and then formed a trio, The Sundae Times with schoolmate, Dell Richardson on guitar and vocals and drummer Conrad Isadore, his rhythm section mate from Joe E Young & The Tonics. One album was released, Us Colored Kids, scoring a top ten hit in Israel with a song called Abba Abba, written and produced by Eddy Grant. The trio disbanded.

The rhythm section of Fuzz and Conrad were then hired to record Stephen Stills' first solo album which included superstars Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Mama Cass, Rita Coolidge, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston and The Memphis Horns. During this time he worked with P.P. Arnold performing under the name Axis.

A big break came getting him a position with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Working sessions between London and Los Angeles, he became part of Manassas, with Stephen Stills, Chris Hillman, Dallas Taylor, Joe Lala, Paul Harris and Al Perkins, cutting two albums and touring for three years while finding time to do concerts with the band America.



 

 

Stephen Stills- Illegal Stills

Illegal Stills

This is the finest album Donnie Dacus ever made. Unfortunately it's suppose to be a Stephen Stills album, and as such it is only mediocre. So the value of the album lies somewhere between
those two standards.

 

Dacus' contributions to the work are extensive, and in some respects exemplary. He collaborates with Stills in composing four songs, and writes another with Stills' wife, Veronique Sanson. It's to his credit that three of these numbers, `Midnight In Paris', `Closer To You', and `Soldier', are some of the better compositions on the disc. Dacus, formerly of the band Spirit, also contrbutes lead and background vocals and fine guitar work.

He is a worthy protege and second guitar foil for Stills. But one wonders why such a talented and accomplished artist such as Stills even needed a protege. Part of the answer lies in Stephen's
declining output as a composer. In his biography `Shakey", Neil Young notes that he resisted overtures from Stills, David Crosby and Graham Nash during their 1974 tour to release a second
CSNY disc simply because the others were not generating any new material. He states that he "couldn't believe they were finished". While none of them were "finished", in retrospect it
is clear that Neil recognized their diminishing output, especially in comparison to his own.  In addition, it seems Stephen lost his grip on the folk, country, and blues based rock, as well as the wah-pedal trademark guitar sound that he had parlayed into so much success. "Illegal" is dominated by the power-pop sound more suited to Dacus, who would go on to play in power-pop groups such as Chicago and Badfinger in the late 1970's and early 1980's, while Stephen joined forces again with Crosby and Nash for 2 successful albums and a couple even less successful than `Illegal' attempts to resurrect his solo career. `Illegal' only features one classic Stills tune, `Buyin' Time', an indictment of the failed economic policies of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. Stills began performing the song
in mid-1975 as an acoustic number, but this studio version really rocks the Casbah. His cover of Young's `The Loner' is also a hot tune, but was bound to pale in comparison to Young's pristine version. The closer, `Circlin', was first performed on the brief Stills-Young Band tour in the summer
of 1976, and is an upbeat, interesting number. `Soldier' is a gutsy protest song in the aftermath of Vietnam. Stills offers his requisite Latin-hued number in `No Me Neigas', but it is only a shadow of other Latino songs from Stills such as `Cuban Bluegrass'. `Stateline Blues' seems to lack the grit, and as Stills himself said in `Bluesman', "the blues is pain, the way men cry, like tired rain...", to be
considered a `true' blues song. It is a fun song about gambling, though Stills did a better take on the same topic with 1970's `Black Queen'. `Ring Of Love' is filler, a song Stills himself describes in the liner notes as one "Donnie pulled...out of his past". Shouldn't be part  of a Stills CD.

There are interesting comments included from Stills on the makings and origins of each song, as well as lyrics. While `Illegal' is certainly a departure from the formula that made Stills one of the premier artists in rock from 1966 to 1976, it contains enough quality material to be considered essential to Stills fans. For the more casual listener, there are many Stephen Stills releases that would be a more desirable purchase, especially the first Manassas CD, his first solo album, and his early collaborations with Crosby, Nash and Young. 

Marshall Tucker Band-Live from Spartansburg SC





Just releasesd May 28th 2013. My first listen to this was today.

As a fan I just had to get this live recording and what a treat it is. Along with Paul Riddle, Jerry Eubanks, Charlie Daniels you get the great guitar work of Hughie Thomasson and Chris Hicks in a show to induct the band into the South Carolina Hall of Fame where Marshall Tucker belongs. The recording is very good and the performance is high energy. It's not the same as having Toy and Tommy in the mix, and that will never happen again, but it is a really good live record to add to the many Tucker live recordings I already have. Thank you Charlie for playing with the band that night and having the late Hughie Thomasson playing with them is just so special. The landscape of my favorite southern rock bands has really changed, though not completely over with and it's nice to have something like this waiting at my door when I got home. Long live this pioneers of Souther Rock. R.I.P. Tommy and Toy, George McCorkle and Hughie Thomasson you have left us with such wonderful music and concerts that have touched our lives forever!!!!

Here is the track list, If you have the Live on Long Island CD, the set list is similar, but oesnt include Charles and Hughie and Chris

Tracklist:
1. Heard It In A Love Song
2. This Ol’ Cowboy
3. Long Hard Ride
4. Desert Skies
5. Searchin’ For A Rainbow
6. Fire On The Mountain
7. 24 Hours At A Time
8. In My Own Way
9. Ramblin’
10. Askin’ Too Much Of You
11. Can’t You See

Linda Ronstadt- Silk Purse

Silk Purse

SILK PURSE displays a heavy country sound in the arrangements and vocals, but the character is definitely unique, reflecting neither the Nashville Sound of late-1960s country nor the rock influence in much of the country-rock movement. Two of the album's best defining features are Linda Ronstadt's confident, powerful, and beautiful vocals, and the incredible arrangments that surround each of the songs. "Lovesick Blues" leaps out of the speaker with a stunning vocals start. The song has been recast as an uptempo rocker, though the fiddles are especially prominent. Her vocals also start "Are My Thoughts With You," which continually builds both musically and emotionally during the song. "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" is one of the best songs on the album, and one of my favorites. The arrangement is superb, opening with a ringing guitar sound, and featuring a brilliant vocal performance. The track melds both girl group, country, and great pop, and the result is a remarkable success that is above describtion. I've never understood why this song hasn't been featured on a Linda Ronstadt CD compilation (last was RETROSPECTIVE (I really miss that collection) in 1977, unless you count the small Capitol compilations from the 1980s (which aren't listed in her discography). Linda Ronstadt's vocal performance is the best feature of many of these songs, especially "Nobody's" written by Gary White. Gary White duets on "Louise," which features only an acoustic guitar, but delivers a powerful performance. One of Linda Ronstadt's greatest recordings is "Long Long Time," which resulted in her first solo hit ("Different Drum" was credited to the Stone Poneys) and her first Grammy nomination. The song is perfect, the arrangement of pedal steel, fiddle, harpsicord, and bass create a sound the is unbelievably emotional. Linda Ronstadt's vocal is powerful beyond the use of words, and the devastating lyrics bring new meaning to the term "sad song". The song has been recorded a few times since, but no version comes close to this gorgeous classic. "Mental Revenge" is considerably lighter, and the song is very entertaining, with her vocal delivery, arrangement, and lyrics that aim ill-wishes at the unfaithful partner from a former relationship. "I'm Leaving It All Up To You" was a pop hit in the early 1960s, but Linda Ronstadt ups the emotional quotient significantly, turning in a spectacular country recording. "He Dark The Sun" ranks with "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and "Long Long Time" as my favorite recordings from this album. It was originally "She Darked The Sun" in bluegrass form on the first Dillard & Clark album (written by Gene Clark and Bernie Leadon). This recording rests largely on the soulful power of Linda Ronstadt's voice, Bernie Leadon contributes the harmony vocal, and the arrangement frames the vocal performance. Its worth a second listen everytime I play the disc. "Life Is Like A Mountain Railway" is reminiscent of an Appalachian spiritual, sung in harmony with the Beechwood Rangers. Its a unique way to conclude this immensely satisfying album. SILK PURSE is filled with spectacular performances, great arrangments, and unique songs. The critiques on the quality of all the songs really isn't that big a problem; I like those songs on the early albums which made up in emotional power whatever was missing on paper. SILK PURSE is an amazing album, probably the one I play most often, which is a very different experience from HEART LIKE A WHEEL, LIVING IN THE U.S.A. or, SIMPLE DREAMS. Highly recommended.



Linda Ronstadt-ZOZO Sisters

ZOZO Sisters-ADIEU FALSE HEART

Ronstadt does it again! This time she's made another duet album, and like the excellent one she made with Emmylou Harris, WESTERN WALL: THE TUCSON SESSIONS, it is a true collaboration, both partners sharing equally in the spotlight. As another reviewer here noted, these two voices blend so beautifully that it's hard to tell where one begins and the other takes over. Popping the disc into my changer for the first time, and a half minute into the title song, which comes on the heels of a brief instrumental intro., there were already goose bumps on my skin. Every tune here has its charms, but highlights include two lovely Richard Thompson covers, a fine bluegrass ballad by Bill Monroe, and an understated, gorgeous version of "Walk Away Renee." The John Jacob Niles song, "Go Away From My Window," which I had always associated with Joan Baez, gives Linda an occasion to hit some of those thrilling high notes she's capable of, but elsewhere on this CD, Ronstadt is unusually subdued. I don't mean this in a negative way at all, but it is very different from what one would expect, even from an artist who has done so much genre-jumping in her career. Ann Savoy was never a singer I knew much more about than what I learned upon seeing a couple of recent television interviews about this record with her and Linda together. She seemed like a charming individual, but their conversation did not prepare me for the surprise of this fine album. Guess she is yet another female singer I will want to catch up with, because she easily holds her own with superstar Ronstadt! Anyone who likes great acoustic music and flawless close harmony singing will love ADIEU FALSE HEART. Get it now; you won't be sorry! 

Townes Van Zandt

Townes Van Zandt

John Townes Van Zandt (March 7, 1944 – January 1, 1997), best known as Townes Van Zandt, was an American singer-songwriter. Many of his songs, including "If I Needed You," "To Live is to Fly," and "No Place to Fall" are considered standards of their genre.

While alive, Van Zandt had a small and devoted fanbase, but he never had a successful album or single, and even had difficulty keeping his recordings in print. In 1983, six years after Emmylou Harris had first popularized it, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard covered his song "Pancho and Lefty," scoring a number one hit on the Billboard country music charts. Despite achievements like these, the bulk of his life was spent touring various dive bars, often living in cheap motel rooms, backwoods cabins, and on friends' couches. Van Zandt was notorious for his drug addictions, alcoholism, and his tendency to tell tall tales. When young, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and insulin shock therapy erased much of his long-term memory.[

Van Zandt died on New Years Day 1997 from health problems stemming from years of substance abuse] The 2000s saw a resurgence of interest in Van Zandt. During the decade, two books, a documentary film, and a number of magazine articles about the singer were created. Van Zandt's music has been covered by such notable and varied musicians as Bob Dylan, Norah Jones,Lyle Lovett, Steve Earle, Cowboy Junkies, Andrew Bird, Robert Plant, Alison Krauss Gillian Welch, and Devendra Banhart.

 



Lynyrd Skynyrd-Freebird the movie Soundtrack

Freebird-The movie soundtrack

Allen Collins, Steve Gaines, Billy Powell, Artimus Pyle, Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant and Leon Wilkenson. Seven of rock's legends took the stage in Hertfordshire, England during the summer of 1976 for one unforgettable concert. They presented hits such as "Workin For MCA," "Saturday Night Special," and "Sweet Home Alabama." A little under a year later, Skynyrd performed in Oakland, California and gave probably the best performance of "Freebird" I have ever heard. This version surpasses the one that Ronnie and friends did Live At The Fox. Finally, ten days later the band put on another tremendous performance in Asbury Park, New Jersey, which included the first live performances of "What's Your Name?" and "That Smell." Finally, twenty years after the plane crash that took the life of Steve Gaines, Ronnie Van Zant, back up singer Cassie Gaines and road manager Dean Kilpatrick, Cabin Fever Entertainment has compiled some of Skynyrd's finest live performances and put together...Freebird: The Movie. While the movie may be out of print, the soundtrack is alive and well. I've heard parts of One More From The Road and I have the DVD of Lyve, but the intensity from lynyrd Skynyrd on this album is unbeatable. From the opening "Hello How are you?" to the final strum of a guitar, Lynyrd Skynyrd gives a great performance. Johnny, Billy, Leon, Ricky, Hughie, Gary, and whoever is on drums these days are wonderful, but without Ronnie, Steve, Artimus, and Allen '...things just couldn't be the same.'



Uncle Tupelo - March 16-20 1992

March 16-20 1992.

This is a fine roots album if ever there was one. Before Wilco, before Son Volt, there was Uncle Tupelo. And of all the Uncle Tupelo discs, this, in my mind, stands supreme. The songs alternate vocals between Jeff Tweedy and Jar Farrar. Farrar, in his preacher's baritone, tends to sing more politically oriented songs, songs of the early twentieth century, socialist songs focusing on coal miners unionizing or the ills of capitalism on the small man. Farrar's version of Moonshiner is like a priceless relic suspended in amber. Tweedy (his voice sounds younger and more contemporary than Farrar) also tackles some good old Americana in "I wish my Baby was Born" and "Satan, Your Kingdom must Come Down." Overall Tweedy leans more toward the personal and emotional while Farrar seems more comfortable with traditional ballads. Most of the songs are traditional tunes - folk songs, blues songs, spirituals. The guitar work is strong, with both men playing acoustic to fill out the sound. On some songs there are mandolin and violin - but it's really an acoustic guitar driven record. The band does a superb job of capturing the timelessness of the older music, and does well to blend their tunes with such a venerable canon. This is folk music as it was meant to be - raw, intense, masculine, topical. There is nothing cheesy on this record - and "Atomic Power" is probably the standout cut on the disc. Buy this music - you won't be disappointed - I guarantee! 

Authorized Bootleg - Lynyrd Skynyrd

Authorized Bootleg-Live from Cardiff

I have the COMPLETE Cardiff Wales show on CDR and it is a mint condition recording. The recording that is being sold is missing three songs, the songs listed by another person who bothered to comment. The audio of this show is GOOD but Ronnie Van Zant had been SICK. The man was nearly hoarse just a day or two earlier. The Old Grey Whistle Test show which is complete and on DVD also suffers from Ronnie's cold. Days earlier Ronnie and the band had been in Paris, France. I have that recording also. Ronnie was quite sick. He had a massive head cold and he sounded more like Danny Joe Brown, the one time vocalist for Molly Hatchet. The fact that Ronnie had been SICK was the REASON that this show was NEVER released commercially. I understand that people want to hear the show, and it's good that the show got released, but why not simply release the entire show???? I think it was on Simple Man, one of the deleted tracks where Ronnie's voice litterally broke as he was trying to sing. I considered buying a copy of this for myself until I read where the show had been edited down to only 9 of the recorded twelve songs. People are getting screwed on this release. 

Uncle Tupelo- No Depression

No Depression

Man, nothing like Uncle Tupelo to satisfy my fix for country music. Some of this alternative country music (Son Volt is another one) has done wonders for me, giving me a good, new approach to country, and feels like country, not just pop music with a faux country image or bland pop guitars with an irrating southern accent. Well, this is something that you should hear, especially if you are country freak. You just might find a gold mine.
While Uncle Tupelo's debut album may not be anything more than good, I'll be damned if there is nothing else that satisfies like this album. Uncle Tupelo blends southern rock, punk rock (!!!), folk music, and rugged, real country music into one addicting record. Perhaps more importantly, it shows the early talents of Jay Farrar (Son Volt, which fleshes out more melancholy and country tendencies) and Jeff Tweedy (Wilco, that went in millions of directions). Both get parts on this record, backed up with the explosive drumming of Mike Heirdon and besides a standard rock set up, there's fiddles, harmonicas, banjo, acoustic guitars, pianos, and a "rice can". The lyrics vary from the two song writers. The topics aren't exactly something gush over, but the two paint a very realistic picture of their topics, especially evident on their topic of an alcoholic.
On tracks like Graveyard Shift, Before I Break, Train, Factory Belt, and Outdone, the band plays this very explosive, raunchy country rock. What's remarkable is how damn evident the country sound is. On top of that, it sounds rustic and highway bound, like country music should, instead of studio and arena bound. The ballads and slow songs are authentic country. No Depression is fantastic, it's one that I fell in love with. Whiskey Bottle has lyrics that I doubt Jay Farrar has never experienced, however, I find that he does an excellent job writing from that point of view. They really do mix their influences, with the swingy John hardy being an example of their raw rock music with a country influence. Another example would be That Year, which goes from Green Day like cowpunk to fledging bluegrass rock.
This album sounds fantastic remastered. While the bonus tracks aren't top notch alltogether, a lot of the songs on them are actually good! Personally, the demo track is extremely good. It's quite amazing how good it sounds since it sounds like it's recorded in a basement on an 8-track. No Depression is one of my favorite songs on the album, and another, totally different cut is great. The live version of Whiskey Bottle isn't as good as the original, but it's mellow and does a great job as the acoustic piece it is suppose to be, and the harmonica is played instead of the electric instruments. Sin City is a cover of an old school country song, and it's acoustic like Whiskey Bottle. Won't Forget, for some reason, is a great garage rocker, while Left in The Dark is disposable. Sure, the main disc is the main attraction, but the bonus tracks are fun to listen to.
Wanna see where Tweedy and Farrar started out? Buy this album. Sick of today's country crap but want to see what the new musical styles have done for country music? Buy this album. Want good music? Buy this album. SHould you buy this album because it's damn good music? Yes, so buy this album already!

 



David Grisman

David Grisman

David Grisman (born March 23, 1945 in Hackensack, New Jersey) is an American bluegrass/newgrass mandolinist and composer of acoustic music. In the early 1990s, he started the Acoustic Disc record label to help spread acoustic and instrumental music.

 

David Grisman is a major figure in American music. His pioneering work, merging jazz, bluegrass and other traditional musics into a new form (now known affectionately as Dawg music) and his promotion of acoustic music have had a widespread influence. He is also a noted producer, composer and co-founder of the Acoustic Discs record label.

 

David Grisman has recorded extensively, initially in jug and bluegrass bands, then as a studio musician in the early 1970s and from the mid 1970s onwards as a band leader, co-leader, guest and more.

 

Though Grisman contributed to the Grateful Dead's American Beauty LP his major connection with the Dead has been his collaborations with Jerry Garcia. They were both members of Old & In The Way in 1973 and the Great American String Band in 1974. In the 1990's they recorded many sessions at Grisman's Dawg Studios. The first recording resulting from these sessions was the Garcia / Grisman CD released in 1991. More followed. David Grisman announced in 2004 that Been All Around This World, released that year, would be the final Garcia / Grisman release.

 



Barry Oakley

Barry Oakley

Raymond Berry Oakley III (April 4, 1948 – November 11, 1972), was an American bassist and one of the founding members of The Allman Brothers Band.

Oakley was born in Chicago, Illinois, raised in the suburb of Park Forest, Illinois, then moved to Florida where he met and joined Dickey Betts's band, The Second Coming. He was a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band in 1969, along with guitarist Duane Allman, Gregg Allman, who was the band's vocalist and keyboardist, Dickey Betts on co-lead guitar, and drummers Butch Trucks and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson, both on drums, congas, and the band's percussionist.

With the Allman Brothers, Oakley was known for his long, melodic bass runs underneath Allman and Betts' furious guitar solos and jams. "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed", "Mountain Jam" and "Whipping Post" from the live album At Fillmore East capture Oakley at his best. Oakley was also the band member most involved in establishing domestic unity among the band's extended family. When Duane Allman died in a motorcycle accident, Oakley was devastated, according to drummer Butch Trucks. The band continued touring, but Oakley "lost his sparkle" and started drinking heavily during what was to become his last year in life.



Blackfoot-5CD boxed set

Boxed set

 

2013 five CD box set containing a quintet of albums packaged in cardboard mini LP sleeves and housed in a slipcase. Opened by the US Platinum certified album Strikes, this collection contains the five best-selling albums by the Florida rockers, Blackfoot. The original albums in this collection were all released between 1979 and 1984, at a time when the band was fronted by Rickey Medlocke, the man now known as lead guitarist of Lynyrd Skynyrd. US Top 40 hits 'Highway Song,' and 'Train, Train,' are both featured on Strikes: the first of a three-album streak of classic gems, including the stand-out single 'Fly Away' on Marauder. Each album has something unique to offer with the hard rock anthem 'Send Me An Angel,' on Siogo, showcasing the band's successful experimentations with synthesisers, and the opening number of Vertical Smiles: a fantastic cover of 'Morning Dew,' made famous by Grateful Dead.

 

1. Strikes
2. Tomcattin'
3. Marauder
4. Siogio
5. Vertical Smiles

Book-Mr Tamborine Man-The Story of Gene Clark

Mr Tamborine Man-The story of Gene Clark

"For Gene, it was all about the lyrics," states Einarson at the outset of his latest book on rock music. Einarson devotes several pages to exploring Clark's gene pool, dwelling on the singer's Native American blood. The tale spins on through Clark's recording of "Blue Ribbons" at the age of 14 to his move to California in 1963, when he joined the New Christy Minstrels. Einarson gives background on the musicians who, with Clark, would form The Byrds, focusing on their influences and the Folk music scene that brought them together. About a third of the volume is devoted to Clark's time with The Byrds, their formation, internal power struggles and reactions to sudden fame and fortune, often describing Clark as the "country boy in the big city." The rest of Einarson's story covers less familiar territory, including Gene Clark & The Group and the singer/songwriter's time with the Firebyrds in the 1980s, as Clark swam uneasily through the music world, keeping his head above water until his death from alcohol at the age of 46. The chatty prose is easy to read, and much of the book is quoted material from interviews with Clark's friends and relatives, who gave detailed accounts of personal relationships and contributed previously unpublished photographs. What emerges is a portrait of a talented, troubled man who was underappreciated as an artist, which Einarson attempts to remedy by stressing Clark's songwriting achievements. It's ironic, then, that Einarson chose his title from a song Clark did not pen (Bob Dylan). 30 b&w photos.



Black Oak Arkansas - X Rated

X- Rated

This CD  Cooks from start to finnish. Manager told BOA "Sex is gonna sell you boys" and boy did they deliver!

 

1. Bump N Grind - Jim Dandy at his sleaziest. Briefly in their video after the preacher
2. Fightin Cock - BOA with a disco beat, it works!
3. Highway Pirate - Sleazy with a disco beat
4. Strong Enough To Be Gentle - Gawd awful ballad
5. Flesh Needs Flesh - eh? Weak filler
6. Wild Men From The Mountains - Similar to "Diggin for Gold"
7. High Flyer - dull
8. Ace In The Hole - Instrumental, not on the cassette
9. Too Hot To Stop - "You say stop, your eyes say go, I can give it to you fast or give it to you slow" ... awsome track.

On CD!!! Official, 2013 release, remastered, made in USA, been waitin toooooo long! BOA's best studio album, they were peakin. Hard to get they're energy on a studio recording, but X-Rated is only outdone by Raunch & Roll and Live Mutha. The sound is clear & robust, very impressed. Greatest album cover of all time.

Gene Clark-This Byrd has Flown

This Byrd Has Flown

Or

Firebyrd

 

This album disappoints. In 1980, with the Mcguinn, Clark and Hillman project already dead, Clark left for Hawaii for about one year in order to get himself back together. He returned to the states and after a year he started the recording for "Fyrebyrd"(This album consists in fact of "Fyrebyrd", supplemented with some bonus tunes). Various problems delayed Fyrebyrd's progress and it wasn't until 1984 that it was finished.
This Byrd has flown has its strong moments like "All I want" (a bonus tune, recorded around 1986), "rain song" (great guitar playing) and "made for love" (great vocal, nice music). Sadly, most of the material is really weak, especially when compared to his usual standards. He covers Mr. Tambourine man for example. Off course, it doesn't match the byrds' version. The same thing for "Feel a whole lot better". Lightfoot's "If you could read my mind" is covered too, but again, it sounds dull and flat. His originals are not much better. They sound uninspired, and the music's often dull. His voice is showing the signs of severe abuse (alcohol). Luckily he proved in 1987 with the "So Rebellious" album that he could still do it. He died in 1991 as a result of severe substance abuse (mainly alcohol), aged 46

 



Pure Prairie league -Extended Versions

Extended Versions

Live Takin' the Stage is one of the best live albums of all time, but is extremely hard to find on cd and quite expensive. This cd, which I believe was recorded during the same tour, is a great alternative. It only has ten songs but every one is a gem. The musicianship is strong and the vocals great. The sound quality is the best I've heard from any extended versions cd. PPL fans will undoubtedly love it, and any true country rock fan should give it a try. It's a great deal on great music.



New Riders of the Purple Sage-Live at Veneta

Live at Veneta

 

Like the last Pure Prairie League post, another rare recording

August 27, 1972 found the New Riders once again on the bill with the Grateful Dead for what turned out to be one of the more legendary events in this subculture’s history. Chuck Kesey (brother of author and Merry Prankster icon Ken Kesey) put together this benefit concert, which quickly became known as the "Field Trip," for the Springfield Creamery. As fellow Prankster Ken Babbs recalls, "no one ever suspected it would become a historic event with an attendance of 20,000 on the hottest day ever…they ran out of water, the guitars warped in the heat and now everyone you talk to, hundreds of thousands, were there on that all time greatest most spectacular day."

THIS CD WAS PRODUCED FROM THE ORIGINAL 16-TRACK ANALOG MASTER TAPES RUNNING AT 15 I.P.S. WE’VE TRIED TO PRESERVE THIS DAY AS IT WAS…AN OUTDOOR EVENT ON AN EXTREMELY HOT DAY WITH AN ASSORTMENT OF MERRY PRANKSTERS ON THE LOOSE. WE THINK YOU’LL ENJOY!

 



Pure Prairie League-Momentos

Momentos

A rare CD recording indeed!

Momentos 1971-1987

On the surface, this disc looks like one of the many other greatest hits collections of PPL, that outnumber the regular albums of their catalog. And that was exactly what I thought it was... I was wrong, but really happy that I ended up with something different. This CD contains new studio versions of old Prairie League favorites, recorded in 1987. Bass player Michael Reilly, was the guy behind all of this, and he roped: Craig Fuller, George Ed Powell, Vince Gill, John Call, Larry Goshorn, Mike Hamilton, Michael Connor, Dan Clawson, Joel Rosenblatt, Gary Burr, Nicolette Larson & Rosemary Butler, into a studio in the middle of Ohio, to produce this album of sparkling, crystal clear sounding Pure Prairie League music.

The seventies records of Pure Prairie League, are the most country of the country rock records ever produced. The problem with those classic records was the sound. The production of the early PPL records does not live up to the excellence of the material, it sounds like the wagon wheels of this music are submerging into soft desert sands. This wonderful state-of-the art (for 1987) production, pulls all the music up front and puts you dead center with the band all around you playing like blue skies in the morning.

This CD begins with: "Country Song" from 1971, and winds it's way up to 1987's: "Love Is An Illusion." In between, the PPL classics are here, and sounding better than you have ever heard them before. With: "Early Morning Riser", "Falling In And Out Of Love", "Amie", "Boulder Skies", "Two Lane Highway", "Pickin' To Beat The Devil" "Sun Shone Lightly", I'm Almost Ready", "I'm Hot, You're Not", "Does This Only Happen (When You Fall In Love)", "Never Thought Love Would Find Me" & "Let Me Love You Tonight", all spotlighted here, on this CD.

The arrangements of the songs are the same as they have always been, they have not altered here. The big issue with this CD, is the amazing sound that Michael Reilly, has produced here. The argument between digital and analog recordings, is a matter of taste. Right here on this CD entitled: "Mementos 1971-1987" digital recording wins this battle. These songs have never sounded better, than they do on this disc. My only wish would be that the band, had re-recorded MORE of their music for this project. This is a wonderful CD of some fantastic country rock, played by the masters...The Pure Prairie League.
4.5 Stars !!



Emmylou Harris-Old Yellow Moon

Old Yellow Moon

Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell are perfect duet partmers. Each song communicates a different aspect of human emotion. My two favorite songs are "Hanging Up My Heart" and "Open Season On My Heart". The first song is a rather pleasant country song about being heart broken. It features great steel guitar playing. "Open Season On My Heart" is also about feeling heart broken, but the tone is much slower and sad. I can feel the pain in Rodney Crowell's voice on this song. I love the song."Black Caffeine". It is a bluesy country song. I can relate to the lyrics because of my personal addiction to caffeine in all forms. "Bull Rider" is a song about taking life by the horns and hanging on for the ride. I love the fiddle playing on this track. "Spanish Dancer" is not a country song. This song was written by Patti Scialfa. She is known for writing rock and pop songs. The musical arrangements with the accordion and acoustic guitar make this song definitely country though. This song is about falling in love with a male Spanish dancer. Emmy Lou sings about being smitten by this man's charms so well on this song. "Bluebird Wine" is a song that spark my interest simply because I did not know that such a drink existed. This song makes me want to drink some. Maybe I can be happy like Rodney Crowell after drinking some bluebird wine. "Back When We Were Beautiful" and "Old Yellow Moon" are two songs that touch my heart. "Old Yellow Moon" is a superb duet album.

Allman Brothers Band-Dreams Boxed Set

Dreams Boxed Set

Boxed sets such as this typically are a mixture of "Greatest Hits" material with enough unreleased material to hook die-hard fans into going ahead and spending money. "Dreams" is no exception to this, but it is better organized than most boxed sets. Die hards who already own the albums will get a lot of duplicate material, but roughly a third of it is unreleased and/or difficult to find. Those interested in discovering the group are in for a real treat! This boxed set is the perfect introduction.
Disc one is mostly cuts from the Pre-ABB groups The Allman Joys, Hour Glass, The 31st of February, and The Second Coming. When I saw the track listings after buying the set, I was initially disappointed by this, as I have little interest in being an Allman's "completist." However, I was relieved that all of the early cuts are at least pretty good, and at times, sublime! You hear a clear progression from psychedelic cover band to blues virtuosos to jazz/rock/country fusion. The second half of the disc is downright excellent.

Discs two and three are, by and large, greatest hits from the ABB golden era. If you don't already have a copy of the amazing Live at Fillmore East, there are three remastered cuts of probably the best tracks from Fillmore. Most ABB fans will already have Fillmore, but if you don't it's great to have these.

Over half of Disc four is solo and side project material by ABB members. As with disk one, all of these cuts are at least pretty good, with some really excellent numbers thrown in as well.

I'd rate this as one of the best boxed sets available because it doesn't contain any unnecessary filler tracks. You won't find yourself hitting the skip button very much at all. The breadth of ABB's musical heritage is laid out clearly and will continue to amaze after many listens

Allman Brothers Band-Win, lose or draw

Win, lose or draw

 

Dickey Betts was instrumental in keeping the ABB together from the late 1970's until his departure from the band in the Spring of 2000. Alot of his music is no longer acknowledged by the band including great songs like Blue Sky, Rambling Man, etc. However, one song on the Win, Lose or Draw albumn/CD which is just a classic "guitar" jam is the song High Falls. I bought this CD purely for that song alone as to me it defines what Dickey was and for that matter still is. Don't get me wrong, the latest version of the ABB with Warren, Derek and O'Teil is the absolute best I've heard since the original inception of the band in 1969 but Dickey Betts deserves acknowledgement for his musical contributions to the band who is in the process of their 40th Anniversary Tour this summer. High Falls is Dickey Betts at his zenith to be enjoyed for his seering guitar riffs, like small sips of a fine wine that became part of his incredible catalogue of Southern Rock-N-Roll music. High Falls makes this CD a 4-Star selection **** in and of itself the balance of the songs on this outstanding CD are like "icing on the cake" and thusly deserves the 5-Star rating it deserves.Win, Lose or Draw 

Bob Dylan-Modern times

Modern Times

Since Time Out Of Mind, us Dylan fans can be proud again to admit that we're fans of the new stuff, not just classic Dylan. Modern Times is his third in a streak of impeccable releases. The latest is a return to the styles Dylan introduced in Love and Theft-- country-blues and smart rockabilly. As with the most recent album, Dylan (aka Jack Frost) produced Modern Times; as such its feeling is closest to Love and Theft-- warmly personal, like listening to the band in a small nightclub.

 

The songs are longer, the lyrics arguably more memorable and there's a few more down-tempo ballads. Contrary to the popular notion that Dylan's voice is incomprehensible (probably owing to his horrible performance at his 30th anniversary concert), the singing is so clean you can understand everything without the benefit of a lyric sheet.

 

As I said, the songs are longer: the shortest is 4:58, the longest over eight minutes. Dylan borrows from blues standards on Rollin' and Tumblin' and The Levee's Gonna Break (no, he doesn't cover Led Zeppelin :), but liberally infuses a brilliant mess of his own lyricism. When the Deal Goes Down and Workingman's Blues, especially the latter, are his best ballads in decades. All in all, its not as forceful as Love and Theft. It's not as surprising as that album was, but hardly less of a masterpiece. His lyrics have gotten sharper and wittier, jumping out at you at odd moments with silly innuendos, jokes about getting old, an Alicia Keys name-drop, countless thought-provoking one-liners and an all-around optimistic glow. Altogether, it's friendlier and more fun that the last two releases; it might be Dylan's most 'personable' album since, well, 'Another Side...' or 'Self-Portrait.' The last track, Ain't Talkin' is reminiscent, stylistically, of Time Out of Mind's opener, though it's probably coincidental. Dylan sings, 'Ain't Walkin', Ain't Talkin' in the same tone as Love Sick's lyric 'I'm Walkin', bringing what Columbia's been labeling a 'trilogy', full-circle.

 

Though reviewers elsewhere have said that Modern Times is unlikely to impress non-fans, I can't imagine how anyone couldn't enjoy the heart-wrenching warmth and sagacious wit flaunted by Dylan and his band. Dylan's last two albums and his live shows, on the other hand, are denser affairs, more tuned to the mind of the familiar fan, but, similar in appeal to, but greater in quality than, Johnny Cash's later recordings for American Records, Modern Times is Bob Dylan singing for everybody. And just as well, those who've stuck with Dylan over the years and listened with awe to Time Out of Mind are going to keep Modern Times out next to the CD player for quite awhile.

Allman Brother Band-Enlightened Rogues

Enlightened Rogues

 

Over at the notorious Allman Brothers Band website "Enlightened Rogues" gets very good press. The overzealous fanbase would have you believe that this over the top album was the perfect comeback for the band. Well, so much for their hyperbole. To my ears this is a slightly GOOFY album. If the later Arista Albums, "Reach for the Sky" and "Brothers of the Road" were quite bad, and they were then the slide started on "Enlightened Rogues". For certain the album is worth purchasing and their is a lot on the cd/record that reminds one of the old Allman Brothers Band. This album meant a lot to Gregg and Dickey, Butch and Jaimoe. They had broken up three years earlier. The band members were in dire straits financially and more so as a band. This was a make or break album. Well the truth is the band was just good enough to remind folks a lot of what the band had been. But again on this album the band had lineup changes. Lamar Williams was out and David "Rook" Goldflies was in. I don't know if Lamar was too sick to play or what. Lamar died some time in the 80's from cancer. He had been exposed to agent orange, a defoliant, in Vietnam and he had extensive cancer. Also very notably Chuck Leavell was out, so there was no keyboardist on this cd as on the last two albums. To replace Chuck it seems Danny Toler was brought in so the band would again have two guitarists in the band. This two guitar attack put the band back in the old lineup formation that the band lost with Duane Allman.

 

My favorite song on the record is Gregg's Can't Take It With You. There is a fine live performance of this song on a video from New Jersey from during this tour. "Crazy Love" is ok but it is certainly no Ramblin' Man and this is one song that is a bit bombastic or over the top. "Just Ain't Easy" is also easily one of the best Gregg penned songs on the record. Things get pretty goofy though on "Try It One More Time" where Dickey and Gregg go back and forth on vocals. The song is ok but lyrically it makes one wonder who the song is for? Was this song suppossed to be dedicated to women, to lost loves or to Gregg and Dickey and the band trying it again one more time. This song is just a bit dorky and silly, other than that the song is decent. "Pegasus" is an almost prissy instrumental put together by Dickey. It certainly was no In Memory of Elizabeth Reed or even High Falls. "Blind Love" shows Gregg trying real hard again vocally as on "Try it One More Time". "Need Your Love So Bad" is to my knowledge a cover of an old blues song but I'd have to look it up to see who wrote the song. The album closes with "Sail Away" a song Dickey wrote and sung. The song is ok but nothing too special.

 

All in all "Enlightened Rogues" is not a bad album at all. The problem is that the album also didn't pick up where the band left off. Truly "Win Lose or Draw" was not a full band effort but even that album has some of the real ABB magic going for it. The album was a half-assed project and Dickey and Gregg were off on little ego trips with all kinds of animosity flying around. In 1975 the ABB was not a happy bunch but they still were able to come out with an album that captured the essence of what the band was all about. "Enlightened Rogues" was a horse of a different color. This was not the lineup from 1975 or 1976. 1979 was the fourth incarnation of the Allman Brothers Band and it had been at the time the least of all of the lineups. That being said the five man band with Berry Oakley on bass never put an album of material together. All the five man band did was tour after Duane's death.

 

At best "Enlightened Rogues" stood as evidence of the greatness that had proceeded it. Yes, the Allman Brothers Band was back but this time they were trying to recapture the glory of old. The band put out a decent album, and perhaps in some ways the album was even better than say something like "Idlewild South" which has never been a favorite of mine. If "Idlewild South" was not a great album well at least it didn't showcase the band trying so hard to the point of being bombastic as on "Enlightened Rogues".

 

All in all though "Enlightened Rogues" is worth having and it shows that band at a critical point in time in their lives. And it is only too bad for the band and the fans that the ABB was not able to capture the magic of old. In about two more years after two really bad albums the band would call it quits for about 7 years. 

Graham Nash

Graham Nash

Graham William Nash, OBE (born 2 February 1942) is an English singer-songwriter known for his light tenor voice and for his songwriting contributions with the British pop group The Hollies, and with the folk-rock super group Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Nash is a photography collector and a published photographer. Nash was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Crosby, Stills & Nash in 1997 and as a member of The Hollies in 2010.

Nash was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours for services to music and to charity.

Nash holds three honorary doctorates, the latest in Music from the University of Salford (England) in 2011.

Nash initallly met both David Crosby and Stephen Stills in 1966 among a group of American musician friends during a Hollies USA tour. In 1968, after a further visit to the US during which he met David Crosby in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, California, Nash left The Hollies to form a new group with Crosby and Stephen Stills. A threesome at first, Crosby, Stills & Nash later became a foursome with Neil Young: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY). With them, Nash went on to even greater worldwide success, penning many of CSN's most commercial hit singles such as; Marrakesh Express (1969 - written earlier & initially cut in unfinished form by The Hollies back in 1968), "Just A Song Before I Go" (1977) and later "Wasted on the Way" (1982). Both Nash's "Our House" and "Teach Your Children" (CSNY recordings from the album Deja Vu in 1970) have become well known items used in both TV commercials and films. Nash, nicknamed "Willy" by his band mates in CSNY, has been described as the glue that keeps their often fragile alliances together. A mark of this is the loyalty and support Nash showed to his best friend, Crosby, during Crosby's well-documented period of drug addiction ending in the mid 1980s. Nash's solo career has often been shelved in favour of reunions on stage and in the studio with either Crosby and Stills or Crosby, Stills and Young. In addition, Nash briefly rejoined the Hollies in 1983 (to mark their 20th anniversary) to record two albums, What Goes Around and Reunion. His own solo work shows a love of melody and ballads. His solo recordings have experimented with jazz and electronic percussion but tend not to stray too far from a pop format with well-defined hook lines.