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.