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Though several of Guthrie's records contain hidden gems well worth seeking out, his best-known songs are fairly obvious and easy to assemble on a single greatest-hits package. A hefty chunk of this record is taken up by the epic "Alice's Restaurant," which clocks in at 18-and-a-half minutes. Yet--while it's a definitive element of late 1960s counterculture--it's not his best song, either as writer or as performer. For the latter, his version of Steve Goodman's classic "City of New Orleans" remains the pinnacle of his career; among his own songs, it's hard to surpass the somewhat lesser-known but equally beautiful "Darkest Hour." Other highlights here include the rockin' "Comin' into Los Angeles" and the comedic "Motorcycle Song." --Peter Blackstock ... Read more

Reviews (13)

The incredible true story of the Alice's Restaurant Massacre
I just found a couple of poor souls who did not recognize the shrink scene from "Alice's Restaurant Massacree" and have just finished playing them the entire 18:30 epic story of littering and trying to end the war (not necessarily in that order). "The Best of Arlo Guthrie" is one of those albums where basically everything you want from an artist's career is found on a single disc. Besides the first track you need to have "Coming Into Los Angeles" (Arlo's big Woodstock song) and "City of New Orleans" (his biggest hit). I have been listening to a lot of Woody Guthrie lately, and I have noticed a strong similarity between Arlo's "Motorcycle (Significance of the Pickle) Song" and some songs written by his father. In fact, given how well he performed on the Woody Guthrie Tribute album, I would certainly like to hear Arlo do an entire album covering his father's songs (i.e., more than the "This Land Is Your Land" album where the two each do half the songs). There are certain memories from the Sixties and the war to end the war that you need to preserve, and "Alice's Restaurant Massacree" is right up there with the original cast album of "Hair" and anything by Dylan.

Worth buying
I bought this cd on a whim because it was cheap and I remembered a friend from grade school who loved Alice's Restaurant. I was pleasantly surprised. I'm too young to have any first-hand knowledge of his work: the first time I listened to this cd was the first time I had heard most of these songs. Therefore the songs sound interesting and funny to me. (How well they will wear is another question.)
For anyone who is unfamiliar with Arlo Guthrie's style, I will try to describe it. He is considered a folk singer, like his father, and some of the songs on this album are folk songs. Two of them, Alice's Restaurant Massacree (sic) and The Motorcycle Song are quite funny, and he has a good rapport with the audience going. (Some of the songs were recorded live.) However, other songs sound pretty much like standard early seventies rock, and so I would have to classify him as a folk-rock singer.
All in all, I think this cd is a good introduction to Arlo Guthrie. The sound quality is good, and it includes pretty well all of his well-known songs, so unless you want to study his work in depth, this cd is all you need.

Not all of Arlo's best
This CD is a good intro to Arlo, but he produced many more great songs so this album is just a start for any serious collector. Buy Amigo, Hobo's Lullabye, Last of the Brooklyn Cowboys and Alice's Restaurant (both the original and re-recorded version from 1996). These CD's contain some of the most beautiful and moving Folk/rock songs of our generation, and are largely forgotten today. Makes you appreciate his talent and humor to listen to these again.

An Intelligent Collection
Highlighted by the complete 18 minute version of "Alice's Restaurant Masacree," "The Best of Arlo Guthrie" neatly hits the highpoints of a career that for the most part has been non-commercial. Guthrie had a mighty big legacy to follow being the son of Woody Guthrie, and he rather cleverly emerged from the old man's shadow with his good natured wit and humor. The other highlights from the album are his ace cover of "City of New Orleans," which was his only true hit single, "Coming Into Los Angeles," and the best and funniest version of "The Motorcyle Song," the one that in which Arlo explains to a receptive live audience the "(Significance of the Pickle)."

Overall, an intelligently selected single disc anthology that will satisfy the casual fan.

Last train for glory
Some of the music here has dated, like the humorous Alice's Restaurant and Motorcycle, but the rest remains as beautiful and poignant as ever. Much of it has travelling as a theme, like Coming Into Los Angeles, Last Train, City Of New Orleans and Last To Leave. The Steve Goodman song about a train called the City Of New Orleans is a true classic of epic proportions but my favorite on the album is the soulful and moving Last Train with its poetic and spiritual lyrics and its sensitive treatment. It sounds like a gospel song and I would love to hear someone like e.g. Nina Simone interpreting it. Darkest Hour and Last To Leave have also stood the test of time very well. Although he emerged out of the 60s folk wave along with Dylan, Baez and many others, Guthrie's sound is refreshingly distinct and he has his own unique appeal. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2000

Mermaid Avenue, Vol. II finds Billy Bragg & Wilco setting Woody Guthrie's words to their own music a second time. The result is more sonically diverse than the first installment, but just as rewarding. With guests Natalie Merchant and bluesman Corey Harris lending their voices to this new-century hootenanny, this 15-song disc manages to capture the collective spirit of both IWW and the WTO times. Woody would've been proud of the initial collection; he'd be prouder still of this one. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (40)

a posthumous release you'll be proud to own
Posthumous releases usually reek of shoody workmanship, but this inter-generational collaboration between Woody's words and Billy Bragg & Wilco's music is one-of-a-kind.

Perhaps the greatest aspect of this album are the featured singers. Billy Bragg has made good with his connections. Wilco, one-half of the estranged Uncle Tupelo (the band that single-handedly jump-started the roots rock movement) makes for an exceptional back-up band, and Jeff Tweedy pushes some of the better songs, such as "Secrets of the Sea."

Corey Harris, emerging as the new king of the Delta blues, takes it home with "Against the Law". Natalie Merchant adds a song Woody probably sang for his kids, sweet and simple.

The gorgeous thing about this album (and Vol. I) is its beautiful simplicity. The best songs are stripped down. Bragg isn't afraid to use a banjo, mandolin, or anything else deemed "outdated" by modern music. It's classic without being pretentious. When Bragg wails "All you facists are bound to lose," it might as well be Woody singing it.

Best album I've heard this year
I bought this album, mostly out of obligation to the MA1 and Wilco. Man, was I floored! This is the best album I've heard this year. In ways, much better than MA1. It took me a little while to get into Wilco's "Summerteeth", but once I heard this one, I can see Wilco is still as prolific as ever. If you enjoy songs by Wilco like, "Casino Queen", "Kingpin" & "Nothingsevergonna...", you'll be all over this album. There are great tracks like "Secrets of the Sea", very much in the vain of "California Stars" on MA1. I was absolutley amazed by the opening tune, "Airline To Heaven". That is a song for the ages. Also, Billy Bragg is in top form with a great "murder" song, "Meanest Man" and the VERY dark, "Black Wind Blowing". Natalie Merchant & Corey Harris are great additions as well. MA1 & MA2 are a seamless pair of albums and should be appreicated and loved for years to come. A great triumph, Woody Guthrie would be proud.

I think these guys made one mistake:
Perhaps Bragg though he found some old Buddy Holly lyrics.

I stumbled upon a gem...
I was born and bred on rock and roll, but lately I've been more interested in jazz, world music and classical. I'm not really enthusiastic about folk music, but I listen to it from time to time. When I pulled this album from the bin at the library, it was because I had heard some Billy Bragg before and thought it was interesting. I knew nothing of Jeff Tweedy and Wilco. This disk blew me away- ecclectic, original, different yet familiar, I think every track is a winner, even though I like some better than others. Certainly if you are sick of listening to the same old stuff, this is a great mixture of rock, blues, bluegrass, folk, and musical styles that should just be filed under "other." I enjoyed this sequqal much more than the first "Mermaid Avenue" disk- but judging from the other reviews this is an issue of personal taste. Then again, isn't music like that to begin with? I appreciate Woody Guthrie a whole lot more now, and I think it's tremendous what modern independant musicians have done with material from a previous generation. Definately check this disk out- I think it belongs in any serious music lover's collection.

remember the mountain bed
remember the mountain bed!!!!!!!!!!!!!awesome!!!!!!!!say what you like, think what you will, but this song is worth the whole album. If there is such a thing as human, If it has soul, then that soul sounds like this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

When three of our finest singer/songwriters join together in a musical ménage à trois, the least they could do is sing their own material. Yet Richard Shindell, Dar Williams, and Lucy Kaplansky have pulled off a perfect, perverse triumph on Cry Cry Cry, a tribute to fellow tunesmiths from Robert Earl Keen to Greg Brown to Julie Miller. Though the disc begins with a bona fide chart buster, R.E.M.'s "Fall on Me" (with ringing guitars and astonishingly audible lyrics no less), most of the cuts come from such unsung artists as James Keelaghan (a dark, brilliant ballad inspired by Norman MacLean's Young Men and Fire) and Jim Armenti. All three members of this folk music dream team are in excellent voice, alternating ensemble pieces with honed call-and-response. Yet these polished, hush-inducing performances never lose their edge and urgency--this is really what they mean by harmonic convergence. --Kerry Fried ... Read more

Reviews (65)

I can't stop listening
Can't believe how great this CD is. Dar Williams, Lucy Kaplansky and Richard Shindell make a powerhouse team. My favorites are Cold Missouri Waters, By Way of Sorrow and Mary Magdalen....but they're all fantastic. It's a rare CD that I can listen to continually and like the music more than I did the first few times but that's what's happened here. Hope they do more together. This is definitely a 5 star musical creation. I like it so much I'm afraid this one is going to wear out! Buy it.

The ultimate folk super group...
Cry, Cry, Cry was truly a folk supergroup, consisting of Dar Williams, Richard Shindell, and Lucy Kaplansky. All of them have successful solo careers, and they hail from very different backgrounds. Named after a Johnny Cash song which oddly isn't on the CD (although it was sometimes performed in concert), this CD was recorded by three richly talented people who admired each other but had never sung together until shortly before they walked into the recording studio! Their common ground was songs that they loved, songs by less famous songwriters, perhaps, but songs which are as profound and beautiful as any ever written. Cry, Cry, Cry is as much about compassion and good storytelling as it is about music, but the music here is divine. Williams, Shindell, and Kaplansky compared notes about songs which they loved, decided which to record, and hoped that their experiment would work.

What an amazing feat. Their harmonies are interwoven beautifully in every song; there are no weak songs on this CD. The songs they picked are brutally honest, feel like windows into people's lives, and will have meaning for people across many stages of life. Even though Cry, Cry, Cry broke up eventually, they toured for about a year (maybe longer) and reinvented these songs (and others, equally wonderful) on stages across America. I keep wishing that a live CD will one day be released of some of these performances, for they were profoundly moving. It doesn't seem likely that Cry, Cry, Cry will record another CD in the studio, but that shouldn't deter anyone from picking up this one. It's one of the best acoustic folk CDs ever made.

Stunningly meaningful
Like another reviewer, I heard "Cold Missouri Waters" and was stopped in my tracks. This couldn't be made up, I thought, this must be a real story. A little searching on Google and I had the answer. A powerful, gripping story of real lives lost and poetically told in a song. The rest of the songs on this album are equally powerful. The sound has a raw, almost under-produced quality, in keeping with this genre I suspect. The artists are brilliant in their craft, and the vocals and guitar work will draw you in inexorably. But again, as regards the songs in and of themselves, I cannot conceive of a better collection of more stunningly meaningful material.

Just keeps getting better the more you listen
I bought this for "Cold Missouri Waters" but the entire CD has since become one of my very favorites. It's a testament to the depth of the artists that the songs not only grow on you, but become more interesting and complex the more you hear them. This is one CD I can listen to over and over again without it growing stale. I've given a copy to my sister and to a friend, and they each said the same thing: this is one of the most wonderful CDs they own.

Loved it, loved it, and loved it some more.
I got this c.d. just over a week ago, and have been listening to it almost non-stop since then. I love it. I will admit, there are a few songs that I'm not a HUGE fan of, but the others more than make up for that. I definitely recommend this to everyone! ... Read more

Amazon.com

No less a suspect pop-culture authority than Howard Stern has repeatedly proclaimed that "everyone loves lesbians!" But what do lesbians love? Rhino Records boldly claims to know the musical answer to that question on this richly eclectic collection of female artists compiled for a lesbian audience. And if that's a bold--if readily transparent--marketing move, it shouldn't distract one from the charms of this cross-genre compilation. The songs here run the gamut from acoustic angst (Ani DiFranco) to pop (Wendy and Lisa, Jill Sobule), MOR (Taylor Dayne), folk (Two Nice Girls), and dance (Fem 2 Fem). k.d. lang contributes "Just Keep Me Moving," while cult fave Phranc gives Herman's Hermits hoary"Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter" a new slant. The emotions range from intense eroticism (particularly Janis Ian's sultry "Ride Me Like a Wave") to the steely pragmatism of Sandra Bernhard's remake of Paul Simon's "Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover."-Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (11)

My Kind Of Music
After listening to this album I struggled to reach a decision on my overall view, but generally the album is very good and is worth buying. With the eception of K.D.Lang I hadn't heard of any of the artists before and now I wonder why? I love track 5. Cool as I am - Dar Williams and it is the one I play the most. Other tracks I would recommend are, 3. I kissed a girl - Jill Sobule, 9. I'll be your shelter- Taylor Dayne, 10. Prey to you - Kristen Hall and 16. Twist in my sobriety - Tanita Tikaram. The only songs that I disliked were the last two, 50 ways to leave your lover - Sandra Bernhard and I spent my last $10.00 (on birth control and beer)- Two Nice Girls. All in all its a good album that every girl should have.

Not just for women.
I'm a straight guy. Matter of fact, I look like the bouncer who wouldn't let you into that bar in college. That having been said, let's chuck all stereotypes, theirs no room for them in music. I know the average buyer would dismiss this title without giving it a second look. But, Lesbian Favorites earns, at least a peak. We all know and respect K.D. Lang, Taylor Dayne, and Ani DiFranco. If you're a fan, chances are you already have these songs. But, it's the artistes who've been hiding in the periphery that make this collection required listening for folk/rock fans. Case in point: Gretchen Phillips who gained notoriety with Two Nice Girls in the early nineties. You remember, she was the architect behind the alt classic "I spent my last $10.00 on birth control and beer." What? Haven't heard it. No problem, it's track 18. As for Grech's previously unissued cut "Swimming", take my word that it would challenge the eroticism of any other song on the market. Another notable is Disappear Fear. A nifty duet from Maryland, that lives halfway between the Indigo Girls and Shawn Colvin. Others such as: Jane Siberry, Farron, Dar Williams, and Janis Ian have been making great music for a long time and deserve their day in court. If you're a folk/rock fan then check out this groovy sample of first-rate musicians.

I am not a lesbian, but this album may change my mind!
I love this album. I first became interested in female music when I heard Roshan Murthy sing about dookie. Basically, I hate this cd, but its worth listening to. Check it out and maybe you too will become a lesbian. Being a man, I dont think its possible for me to have any common interests with these women, but more power to you. I have guy friends who are interested in other guys....so I think I can understand the the women's struggle for equality.

More of a Bi favorites CD
My sister had the CD, and I loved it. I actually got it for the last song by 2 nice girls, but have enjoyed most of the cd. Many of the songs could easily be sung about a man or a woman, and some of them will appeal to both Bi's and lesbians. Perhaps because I am not a lesbian, about a fourth of the songs grated on my nerves after a few minutes, but the first five tracks and the last four are a good reason for any bi or straight woman to get this cd, or maybe a man who wants to encourage his girlfriend to try women.

Very Misleading
I bought this cd hoping for hot lesbian confessions, or at least a bunch of women moaning, and all I got was so terrible music. I guess a couple of the songs were good, but overall, it was just a waste of my money. No good lesbian stuff here. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Rare is the voice that is both as deep and as warm as Greg Brown's. Though the veteran troubadour boasts the most weather-beaten baritone this side of Johnny Cash, there's sunshine in the smile of his wry phrasing and a disarming playfulness in his work. This two-disc set includes recordings from six years of California's annual Kate Wolf Music Festival and, while it lacks the flow of a single performance, the easy intimacy that the Iowa bard enjoys with his audience offsets any disjointedness from track to track. The generous selection of material (more than two and a half hours) includes nine songs Brown has never recorded before. Highlights range from the sly sensuality of "The Way My Baby Calls My Name" and "Slow Food" to the social commentary of "I Want My Country Back" and the droll evocation of life's ironies in "Where Is Maria." The conviction he brings to Smokey Robinson's "You Really Got a Hold on Me" and the Beatles' "Don't Let Me Down" transforms familiar favorites into testaments of faith. --Don McLeese ... Read more

Reviews (5)

I swear I can almost smell his cigar!
This is the most fun I've ever had with a compact disc. Joe Bussard spent his entire life searching shotgun shacks for dusty old 78s. Now he lives to share them with anyone with an ear or two. I'm telling you, there should be a Saint category for this (Remind me to email John Paul II after I'm done here).

The music is completely joyous. The well-designed booklet holds many great tales of Bussard's record-hunting expeditions. Listening to the CD and reading his stories makes me feel like I'm in his damn basement, digging Stack-O-Lee right along with Joe and his cat.

If you want to hear some real honest-to-gosh beautiful roots music that you won't find anywhere else, go Down in the Basement; it's among the best the twentieth century had to offer.

Thanks Joe! And let's have a second volume soon!

Ed Kaz 1.20.04

Down in the Groove
This record is a complete blast, from the track selection to the packaging. Joe Broussard owns 50,000 78s of gospel, old country, blues, cajun, etc and 24 of them made it on this disc. The sound is sparkling and the only clunker track is "Give the World a Smile" by the Corley Family. Good to hear some obscurities alongside Rev Gary Davis and Big Bill Broonzy and I'm glad the world has at least a couple of pale record freaks who like to sit in their basements sniffing shellac and collecting pristine old-time music. Makes me want to go steal a Victrola!

Two dozen time machines that work
Joe Bussard has one of the coolest record collections on earth.
He started his own pirate radios station in his parent's basement when he was a teen in the later 40s. He later did real radio shows and still does. He started collecting records when he was 12 years old and he still does. He started his own record label called Fonotone and John Fahey recorded his first records in Joe's basement. This comes with a 74 page incredible illustrated an informative book. Too bad there's only ONE disc considering the size of Joe's collection, but we can all hope and pray for this to be the first in a loooooooong series of such anthologies. This set of 24 old-time songs, hillbilly whoops, jazz, country blues, gospel, jug bands, and more, feels as alive today as the moment it was created. This is so great, get it and you'll be rewarded with some incredible music and a cool visit with Joe Bussard by way of the extensive liner notes and images.

The Legendary Joe Bussard
Bussard is a legend among old record collectors and this opening of his vaults promises musical bliss. For the complete story on Bussard go to http://www.bluesworld.com/Bussard.html -- and after reading it you'll have to agree with the previous reviwer that one CD is not enough. Maybe there will be future volumes....

Why oh why only one CD?! Buy it anyways!
The only problem with this CD is we get nice big fancy packaging and only one CD. Joe Bussard has 25,000+ 78's in his collection and we only get 24 of 'em?! This should have at least been a two disc set, at least. But who cares, the music is amazing and the booklet is entertaining. If your a diehard old time music freak you probably already have everthing on this disc, but if you're like me and are just now discovering this music, buy it, along with all the other Old Hat CD's and everything on Yazoo Records. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

This two-disc, 49-song collection combines Lightfoot's firstfour albums into one specially priced package and offers acomprehensive look at the Canadian singer-songwriter before he achievedpop stardom. These late-1960s recordings are more pared down than hisbetter-known 1970s work, showing Lightfoot to be a thoughtfulsongwriter who was equally comfortable with personal love songs andmore political fare. A much stronger folkie sensibility is on displayhere, which may be a revelation to those only familiar to his glossierfolk-pop work, but a boon to his longtime followers. --MarcGreilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (27)

2 CD's Gordon's great early work
This compilation consists of Gordon's first four albums over 150 minutes, 49 songs which is a great deal and great listening. As noted in other reviews of this compilation, this includes the work that he recorded in 1966-1968. The singing and songwriting on this is classic and artists ranging from Marty Robbins, Peter, Paul & Mary, Bob Dylan, Elvis, Barbra Streisand, Sarah MacLachlan, George Hamilton IV, Glen Campbell, Kingston Trio and many artists have covered much of this work over the years. "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" is arguably one of the greatest songs Gordon ever wrote. He did re-record some highlights from this set on Gord's Gold but these versions remain the best versions of these songs. You can get this music on import CD's but you'll only be spending more money and also "Black Day In July" is a must hear protest song and is one of my favorite early Lightfoot songs.

A Bargain Classic
Even if you purchased Gordon Lightfoot's sprawling 4-disc Songbook box set like I did (which includes 17 of these songs), you will want to add this to your collection too. This set collects Lightfoot's four United Artists albums in their entirety beginning with his 1966 debut.

You get classic Lightfoot songs like "For Lovin' Me," "Early Mornin' Rain," "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" and "Did She Mention My Name." Also, the box set includes a live medley of "I'm Not Sayin'/Ribbon of Darkness" from the live album Sunday Concert. On this release you get the original studio versions.

Quite simply, Lightfoot is one of the best singer-songwriters of the last forty years and this belongs in any serious music library. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

the best songsmith ever
My musical tastes have changed alot over the years but I have always apreciated great songs. You could spend a fortune and not have a better compilation of songs than this two cd set. This is early Lightfoot,with bare recording techniques that strip away the layers of pop overproduction and leave just a Man and his wonderful music. Lightfoot was obviously younger here and his songs reflect that. from lost loves to social injustice, boredom and restlessness, Lightfoots songwriting skills combined with beautiful guitar work and his rich baritone create a listening experience I have never equalled on any cd. Just listen. What a treasure, and what an underappreciated musical talent.

the best work ever recorded by Gordon Lightfoot
This is a terrific collection of Gordon Lightfoot. To me, the wonderful guitar work and songs make this the best work of his career (along with "If You Could Read My Mind"). These early recordings have a very special, almost magical quality about them.

There are a few songs (mainly on the second CD) that are a little weaker than the others; so it is not totally consistent. But there is a lot of music here (4 albums) and overall it is very, very good.

All...
If ever I read a better song-writer, it has long escaped me. Mr. Lightfoot, you carried me through many a tough year and I do walk the high silent places you sing of. More?
Richard Charles Doucette. ... Read more

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Artists like Iris DeMent aren't supposed to exist anymore in this cynical world. Singing unironically about family, forgiveness, and other real-life mysteries, DeMent is accompanied on this great debut by little more than acoustic guitar, upright bass, piano, and an occasional fiddle. But the songs (especially the bittersweet "Our Town" and the grand dreams of "Mama's Opry") are more than smart and honest enough to bear standing so naked. And her singing--highlighting a sweet Ozark twang--is that rarest of gifts: a wise, friendly voice that can break your heart even as it's making it swell with a reason to love again.--David Cantwell ... Read more

Reviews (54)

As close to perfection as anything I've heard...
It's hard to find fault in Iris DeMent's first album. Her style is refreshingly simple and honest. Her melodies are oftimes breathtaking. And her lyrics: she has such an original way of expressing herself, and yet the listener will relate instinctively. Her voice... indescribable, but I'll try.

DeMent writes that she never thought of herself as a spectacular singer, and in one sense of that word her assessment is correct. She doesn't have one of those bursting-at-the-seams LeAnn Rimes voices. But what she has instead is much more extraordinary: DeMent has a set of vocal chords that can express a depth of emotion that will keep your heart in your throat for the course of the album.

The only fault you might find with Iris DeMent is her unfailingly positive vision of the world. One has to wonder is she naive or does she love life so much she sees it always for its possibilities and not its imperfect reality?

At any rate, Infamous Angel is as close to perfection as anything I've heard.

Sweet voice, beautifully simple arrangements.
Iris DeMent has one of the most beautiful country voices I've ever heard. The songs on this CD are sweet, simple and sound like they could have been written fifty years ago.

I bought this CD after hearing "Our Town" played as the final song on the television series Northern Exposure. If you enjoyed that series you will love this CD. It will make you feel like you're sitting in the Brick with Maggie, listening to Chris on KBHR, waiting for Holling to bring you a beer.

Great
THis young lady is great. A wonderfully refreshing voice, and a story to tell. She is a breath of fresh air.

Interesting to Listen to But........
No doubt Iris Dement has an interesting sound. And no doubt she can tell a story in song that can keep your interest. However, I don't need to be preached to on every track. Seems as though every song is about death and/or dying and/or going to a better place. After awhile, enough is enough, and you just want to hear something that isn't inspirational. But it never comes. And the last track, Higher Ground, is more of an homage to her late mother, with Iris lost in the "choir". I wish she hadn't bothered. Iris has a better voice than her mother.
While I would listen to the CD again, I would have to be in a special mood. Sometimes it hurts to be hit over the head with the same ideas over and over again.

But it all
There are not enough stars to award Iris DeMent's work. The other Amazon reviews will testify to this. Her's is the truest and most lovely American voice extant. Lovely. Buy everything by her available.
I wish she'd do "The Last Thing on My Mind," "Funny How Time Slips Away," "Today I Started Loving You Again," as well as any number of traditional gospel songs. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Foundation Of Folk
Make yer best claims about who's been the most influential artist in folk music.But if you're realistic and serious, either at the top or pretty-damn-close will be Dave Van Ronk.Here are 19 superlative reasons why. Rediscover the depth and emotion simple music can evoke.Or if you're uninitiated, you won;t find a better jumping-in point anywhere.

And anyone who sez it's possible to name the best tracks on this CD obviously needs to listen just a touch longer to every one of 'em.Top-notch start to finish.

Van Ronk was the boss!!
Dave Van Ronk's voice was amazing, you'll never forget it, and his music and songs are so varied you won't believe he could make you angry on the one hand and make you cry on the other. Don't even get me started about how he could make you laugh.This CD is a smorgasbord of styles and genres, spanning ballads, rock, blues, traditional folk and political song.They are all from 1957 to 1969 and have never been released, except the one oddity from a weird stereo recording session in New York City.You have to hear Van Ronk's version of "Both Sides Now" which Joni Mitchell has called her favorite of all time, even better than her own version. This truly astonishing compilation has come out at the same time an amazing memoir entitled "Dave Van Ronk: The Mayor of MacDougal Street" has been published by DaCapo. Check it out in the book section.

the great Van Ronk, one more time
Dave Van Ronk died on February 10, 2002, remembered only by friends and acquaintances who knew him as a one-of-a-kind character, and by the (only relatively) larger world of folk-music fans and scholars as an important figure in the mid-century revival.That revival produced, most famously and lastingly, Bob Dylan, whose genius Van Ronk was the first to recognize.

Van Ronk's role as a figure in America's cultural history and as influence on the direction of its popular music seems only now to be coming into scrutiny and appreciation. Perhaps in death Van Ronk will be more famous than he was when he was alive.I hope so.

This CD is a companion piece to his recently published posthumous memoir of the same title, written with music journalist Elijah Wald.Though often pigeon-holed as a blues singer, Van Ronk had a range of musical interests, prominently including traditional jazz, theater songs, singer-songwriters, and non-blues folk.This retrospective, taken from private and concert recordings from 1957 to 1969, is one that all Van Ronk fans will want to have.It showcases a dizzying range of material, from a serious reading of "On Top of Old Smoky" to unaccompanied ballads like "The Cruel Ship's Captain" to the scatological humor of "Shaving Cream."Not to mention Brecht-Weill's "As You Make Your Bed" and Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now," the latter a true stunner, perhaps the finest version ever recorded by anybody, including its composer.Or the biting and very, very funny parody of the Stalinists who dominated the '50s urban-folk movement, "Way Down in Lubyanka Prison," set preposterously and hilariously to the "Columbus Stockade" melody.

In a small number of instances, the sound quality is not good.One wishes, for example, that Van Ronk had recorded the Bahamianspiritual "All My Trials" in a studio.The jazz-band version of "Salty Dog" was recorded in a studio, but so badly as to be all but unlistenable.Still, Wald, who produced the disc and chose the selections, has done his best with what he had.If there is a Dave Van Ronk revival, maybe it will start here. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For his third album, John Prine returned to the fuller sound of his landmark debut while venturing into increasingly cryptic lyrical terrain. Songs such as "Mexican Home," "Accident (Things Could Be Worse)," and "Blue Umbrella" are open-to-interpretation explorations that reveal the songsmith's intrepid reflections; they're also among the 12-song set's best numbers. "Dear Abby" is a comical novelty number while "Christmas in Prison" is a doleful in-the-clink carol. The openhearted "A Good Time" slipped into the shadows after Sweet Revenge (like Prine's other Atlantic albums) failed to hit commercial paydirt, but it's as touching as anything Prine has penned. This outing isn't as musically distinctive as Prine's other albums from his early period, but as collections of songs go, it's first-rate. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (11)

My number-one favorite pop album
I have loved John Prine ever since being introduced to him by way of "Sweet Revenge" back in 1973 when I was a college senior. I haven't heard this album in a while but dug it out and played it again tonight. I still love it.

First and foremost, John Prine is a poet. The words to many of his songs could stand very well on their own, without music; in fact, I'd love to see a book published of just the lyrics he has written over the years. Many of his songs are about the lives of everyday people, in some cases people forgotten by society, but he manages to find deep social truths in their lives. Therefore, John Prine's songs certainly do repay close attention to the words. And such humor! Lines such as "All of my friends are not dead or in jail" from the title track are even funnier to me now than they were back when I first heard the song.

However, even though the words to many of his songs are sufficient unto themselves as poetry, his unique voice certainly adds an extra welcome dimension to them. And don't be fooled; he may sound as though he is just tossing these songs off, but behind that facade (and that craggy voice) is a fantastic musician who knows exactly what he wants from each song in terms of shading, dynamics and the rest.

Certainly the funniest number on the album is "Dear Abby," which also gives us a glimpse of John's throwaway spoken humor. My first reaction to this song, many years ago, was "She's giving the same advice to each person," but when I finally stopped to think about it, I realized that John, through the imaginary words of Dear Abby, is saying that many of us are the cause of our own problems, and often for the very same reasons. For John Prine, even humor has its serious side.

On the other end of the spectrum is my favorite track on the album, "Christmas in Prison." This song, which reflects the thoughts and experiences of a man who is incarcerated, is about a topic that is obviously very dear to John: the love relationship that, because of circumstances, is forced to exist mainly in the mind of the lovers for the time being; he also explored this subject in "Donald and Lydia" from his first, self-titled album. While the words resemble some of those "Redneck-Valentine's-Day-card"-type jokes that have been circulating on the internet recently, and certainly the song has its humorous aspect, the sincerity of John's voice and delivery raise the song way above the level of a mere joke. And the final line of the chorus, "We're rolling, my sweetheart, we're flowing, by God," shows us the narrator's ability to still be one with his beloved despite the enforced separation between them.

But each song brings its own unique perspective to the mix. "The Accident" is an early and humorous statement of the current cliche, "Don't sweat the small stuff; everything is small stuff." "A Good Time" is a touching and very understated love song. And so forth.

But the neat thing is about John Prine's art is that the songs can be appreciated without reference to their deep meanings. I can appreciate just about all of them for their surface value alone: the words in themselves are clever as words, while at the same time not drawing attention to themselves merely for being clever, as, for example, some country songs do.

John Prine often ends his albums with a song that someone else has made famous; it is here that we get to see a little of what he considers to be his roots. The final track of "Sweet Revenge" is "Nine Pound Hammer" by Merle Travis. While I most enjoy hearing John Prine performing his own unique material, it's still great to hear what he can do with another's music. But hell, I'd probably even enjoy hearing him invading Pavarotti's territory and singing "La donna e mobile" from Rigoletto.

John Prine is an artist, poet and musician well worth your time. And I personally can't think of a better place to start investigating his work than with "Sweet Revenge." But then again, since this album is where I started, I'm a little bit prejudiced.

John Prine "Sweet Revenge"
"Sweet Revenge" 5/5
"Please Don't Bury Me" 5/5
"Christmas In Prison" 5/5
"Dear Abby" 5/5
"Blue Umbrella" 4/5
"Often Is A Word I Seldom Use" 4/5
"Onomatopoeia" 4/5
"Grandpa Was A Carpenter" 4/5
"The Accident (Things Could Be Worse)" 3/5
"Mexican Home" 2/5
"A Good Time" 2/5
"Nine Pound Hammer" 3/5

"Sweet Revenge," the third album from John Prine, is a great effort. The album is littered with awesome songs, with the first four being among his best. Definately a record to check out.

Overall rating: Three and a half stars.

Songs' value lost in production
I love John Prine. He has the ability to make you laugh while you're crying. His songs are masterful blends of dark sorrow and light humor. Howerver, that magic is lost for me on most of this album. The production is way too thick for my attention to pierce to access songs like Blue Umbrella amd Mexican Home. These songs are better realized on "John Prine Live". Granpa Was a Carpenter and Please Don't Bury Me are staple Prine but in my opinion, best aquired in a collection like Prime Prine. Leave this one 'til last.

I got kicked off of Noah's Ark....
With this line John begins to take us on a wonderful ride of emotions, wit and sadness in the span of about 40 minutes. You might say "hey, this dude never had a hit record in his life" and you are right but that's one of his better qualities as far as I'm concerned. His slice-of-life songs are so memorable that you'll have a hard time forgetting them. "The Accident" and "Dear Abbey" are hilarious. "A Good Time" and "Christmas in Prison" are breathtaking. I could go on and on but the best advice is to just listen and soak it all up.

classic funky folk
Sweet Revenge was the first jp album I heard way back when.It was the way he told his stories that struck me I was always a fan of songwriter singers,like Kristofferson,but John Prine was a different brand.My favorites are the accident and dear abby.I really regret I dont have the opportunity to tell this fun loving musical genius how much enjoyment and smiles,he has given me over the last 20 years.I know this one isnt from Sweet Revenge,but it is a GREAT song,Jesus,the missing years,Ilove it.You can tell he really enjoys writing and performing these gems,its obvious in his voice! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Kentucky-born, Chicago-bred singer-songwriter John Prine was a battle-scarred veteran of the '70s "new Dylan" club and a superb craftsman whose modest commercial success found him without a major label deal in the '80s. Prine's solution was to move to Nashville and roll his own, setting up the tiny Oh Boy imprint and making records he wanted to hear, a survival game that paid off handsomely with this 1991 set, produced by Heartbreaker bassist Howie Epstein and boasting cameos from Phil Everly, Divinyls' Christina Amphlett, Tom Petty, old pal Bonnie Raitt, and another "new Dylan" alum, Bruce Springsteen. But it's Prine himself who holds your attention here, with his reliably fine songs mixing droll, dead-on narratives of recognizable Everymen, sweetly goofy parables, and unvarnished love songs that his craggy drawl inhabits with touching authority. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (15)

John Prine Misses Nothing on "Missing Years"
The Missing years is another great work from John Prine. Even among his true followers (of which I'm one), there clearly had been a spark missing in some albums preceeding this one. Like Dylan, Prine has at time made albums when he really had little to say. Such is not the case with the Missing Years. The songs are catchy, touching, and thoughtful. An album that you won't quickly outgrow.

The best John Prine album
John Prine hit his creative peak with "The Missing Years." There are so many fine songs, it is hard to choose a favorite. Prine has never been in better voice and his normally creative folk songwriting is particularly witty here. The verbal workout "The Sins of Memphisto," the playful "Daddy's Little Pumpkin," and the rockin' "Take a Look at My Heart" are among the best tracks. This is simply one of the best examples of folk rock available.

Another great album from a premier singer-songwriter
John Prine is one of those rare singer/songwriters whose literate work is more popular with fellow artists than with the listening public (Phil Everly, Tom Petty, Bonnie Raitt, and Bruce Springsteen show up to do background vocals on this album). Prine's work started with acoustic folk and then headed off in the direction of country, but the common denominator remains his quotable lyrics (e.g., "Unlonely") and his wry comic take on the world in which we live (e.g., "Daddy's Little Pumpkin"). Even when Prince gets a bit caustic, as with "All the Best," it is still a treat, but "It's a Big Old Goofy World" with all its clichés is more to my liking. Other songs, such as "Way Back Then" and "Everything is Cool", provide the emotional revelation that is Prine's true hallmark. "The Missing Years" is one of Prine's best albums (1991 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album), a shade short of his first self-title work but as good as "Sweet Revenge," "Bruised Orange," and the more recent "In Spite of Ourselves." Of course, Prine had a built in advantage with "The Missing Years" because it had been about five years since his previous album and the result was, as you would suspect, a stronger body of work.

A Prine masterpiece
This was a comeback album for John and in my opinion, it's his best ever, and boy oh boy,(no pun intended) that's saying plenty. This guy's responsible for my switch in music genre's some years ago with his early stuff. I never thought he'd top his classic self- titled and "Bruised Orange" releases, but he did it. The smartest storyteller around. Thanks John, "you got gold" inside of you.

A Prine materpiece
This was a comeback album for John and in my opinion, it's his best ever, and boy oh boy,(get it?) that's saying plenty. This guy's responsible for my switch in music genre's some years ago with his early stuff. To be honest, I never thought he'd top his classic self- titled and "Bruised Orange" releases, but he did it. The smartest storyteller around. Thanks John, "you got gold" inside of you. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Throughout his life, Jerry Garcia had an abiding fondness for the banjo, bluegrass, and roots-folk music. It not only helped shape the Grateful Dead's vast repertoire, but also led him on various musical excursions outside of the Dead. One of his most consistent collaborators in his extra-Dead adventures was "newgrass" mandolin master and bandleader David Grisman. The two of them formed the nucleus of the short-lived but influential bluegrass ensemble Old & In the Way in the early 1970s. These 13 delightful folk songs were culled from numerous laid-back Garcia-Grisman sessions that took place in Grisman's studio between 1990 and 1995, often joined by Joe Craven on fiddle and percussion and Jim Kerwin on bass. Garcia and Grisman pulled these songs--some of them quite obscure--from a variety of American eras and genres. Included is a vivid rendition of Mississippi John Hurt's "Louis Collins," as well as folk odes like "Casey Jones," "Whiskey in the Jar," and "The Handsome Cabin Boy." Throughout, the resulting music is mellow and evocative, likely to appeal to both neo-folkies and open-minded Deadheads. --Bob Allen ... Read more

Reviews (22)

This album happily re-enforces the musical power of Garcia
This is stunning! Garcia and Grisman at their best. I have always been a defender of Garcia's genious, and this recording proves it in an exciting and refreshing way. It's not just the same old "Dead" tunes one might expect. It's a wonderful collection of mostly traditional folk songs. If you like it raw, down-home and intimate, then Shady Grove is for you. Everytime I listen to it I almost think Jerry's in my living room with me; it's that for real. No overdubs, no edits, just unadulterated musical prowess. The mandolin is superb, the bonjo's superb, it's all just plain superb. Buy it, hear it, love it.

Absolutely wonderful collaboration with Grisman
This CD is an absolute essential for anyone who loves "old timey" music, acoustic music, Mississippi John Hurt's smooth Delta blues, Jerry Garcia/David Grisman together or alone, or English folk and sailing songs. Yeah, the CD is THAT eclectic. The CD kicks off with the old English classic, Shady Grove, which was made popular back in the late '60s when Quicksilver Messenger Service included a rocked-out version (with great Nicky Hopkins piano) on an album titled, Shady Grove. Then we slip off into so Stealin', Louis Collins, Casey Jones (not the Dead's version), Dreadful Wind and Rain and, from a '60s album of sea chanteys, the wonderful tale of The Handsome Cabin Boy. The CD closes with the American classic Down in the Valley. (Well, there's a bonus track after that, but you'll have to buy the CD to find out what it is.) I've owned this CD since it was released in 1996 and it has never gotten old. (A companion to this, in a way, is the equally enjoyable Pizza Tapes CD by Garcia/Grisman.) This CD captures Jerry in a relaxed atmosphere, away from the pressure of being JERRY GARCIA OF THE GRATEFUL DEAD, and his gentle humor and comments reveal the soft side of the Jerry many of us loved so dearly. Grisman balances Garcia wonderfully (the songs were recorded in Grisman's home studio), and there is a gentle friendship and love of music that the two share that comes across so sweetly on this album. For me, it's the best Jerry Garcia solo album. It shows a rare side of Garcia, and at 64 minutes, it's a nice hour of acoustic music with the listener having the honor of sitting in with two old friends. Highly, highly recommended.

For both trad. folk lovers and jerry fanatics alike
I fell in love with this album the second I heard it. This album captures the essence of two friends just sitting around and playing old time tunes. This album also affirmed by admiration for jerry garcia showing his true talent outside of the grateful dead.

tell me, how long . . . do i have to wait?
did anyone notice the "bonus" track?

on my copy of the disc, final Track 13 "Down In The Valley" is followed by about 30 seconds of silence . . . then--still contained inside Track 13--an ~2 minute workout on "Hesitation Blues" commences!

A Labor of Love ...
As I work my way through various Grisman & Garcia collabarations I continue to be astounded & elated. I am particularly taken w/this disc. It is as much a celebration of their musical powress as their friendship. This disc is the first of several volumes arranged by Grisman according to genre. These are traditional folk songs & ballads. Grisman is releasing them to showcase Garcia's musical depth & breadth. The same could be said of Grisman's artistry.Many of the songs here I heard for the first time but definitely not the last. The accompaning booklet is lovingly crafted. The history of each song is presented as are the lyrics. Grisman's & Garcia's friendship allow us to connect to a simpler & purer time that is very much a part of our legacy. As always the Acoustic Disc quality has to be heard to be fully appreciated. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Peter, Paul and Mary weren't the first folk group to scale the music charts in the early 1960s, but they were far and away the most commercially successful. Carry It On is a four-CD (plus one DVD) box set that gathers all of their hits, along with generous helpings of rarities, B-sides, and previously unreleased songs. Although they had a magical vocal sound, a camera-ready image, and strong songwriting chops of their own, perhaps the trio's greatest strength was their ability to recognize outstanding songs from then-unknown composers. They were the first major group to cover songs by Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, Laura Nyro, John Denver, and Tom Paxton, which helped introduce the work of these songwriters to a wider audience. Carry It On is a worthy testament to the legendary group that proved you could make a career out of singing songs of social protest, ancient ballads, modern heartbreak, and even magic dragons, as long as you did so with sincerity, humor, and gorgeous three-part harmonies. --Michael John Simmons ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Who mastered this evil piece of guano? Performance ruined.
What a steaming pile of skit! No, not the performances -- I'm sure they're pretty good. I wish I could hear them. But the boxed set itself is pure evil.

I listen to CDs while using the computer. I use the CD-RW drive to listen to CDs. I even use the CD-RW drive to (gasp! arrest me!) make "car copies" of new CDs, because they get scratched to bits in the minivan. So when this one came in, my wife asked me to immediately make a car copy for her.

Merely inserting this disk into the CD-RW crashes Windows. Poof, just like that. EVEN WITH THE SHIFT KEY DOWN it crashes Windows! The CD drive goes into an endless loop, hanging the system. The eject button is locked and the 3-finger salute is blocked. Nothing but the Reset button can end it.

Using Linux, I was able, eventually, to play it a little. I was able to make a car copy using k3b in paranoia mode 3 (full error correction). The 48X drive, a Sony that is amazingly good at reading through scratches that other players can't cope with, read the disk at between 1x and 2x. Obviously it was having a lot of trouble reading the disk. This wasn't in "clone" mode, just "normal" mode, yet the car copy was still able to crash Windows same as the original.

In the car, btw, the disks do not play right -- they play the first track, but don't allow tracks to be normally selected. Car drives are, of course, often based on CD-ROM drives, not cheaper "entertainment" CD drives, so crappy copy-protection hacks that let $49 dormroom stereos play a disk will block performance on car drives and many high-end systems. Note that the boxed set does not contain the "CDDA" marque, which normally ensures playability. But who sees that on Amazon?

I may send this back to Amazon. Time Warner has proven that they are either blazingly incompetent, evil, or both.

This review is about the Bonus Tracks
Peter Paul and Mary are my favorite group. I rate their music 5 stars; some people do, some don't. 'Nuff said about that. What I want to address is the bonus tracks. Another review mentions that one must cue them up in a not-obvious way. Let me elaborate on that review: You cue up a bonus track at the beginning of each of the 4 cds (the 5th, bonus disk is dvd) by cueing up song one, then pressing reverse until you come to the bonus track.

Well! This method is totally bizarre (if it is not bizarre enough to provide bonus tracks that are hard to figure out how to play in the first place--and the directions as to how to play bonus tracks are in tiny, obscure print within the printed book that accompanies the 5 disk set.) This backtracking-from-song-one method of cueing up a song works better or worse on various cd players. On mine, it is virtually impossible to hear the bonus tracks in completion, because pushing the reverse button "scrolls through" the song quickly. It is impossible to lift your finger from the button exactly at the beginning moment of the bonus song. If you don't stop pushing the button at exactly that magical moment, you either hear only a portion of the bonus track, or you have pushed too long and don't hear any of it and you must start a second effort at pushing the button until the perfect moment. Like I say, bizarro.

I suppose it is some marketing exec's idea of a cutesy gimmick. Peter, Paul and Mary, I hope you read this review. You have enough sense that you should have caught this dumb idea and nixed it. It's dumb and offensive. How fun is it, really, to sit over your cd player trying to push a button effectively. Come on, you guys!! Why don't you three write a meaningful song about the lunacy of this aspect of modern button-pushing life. (Ha!) Okay, I've spoken my piece on that! Except for the bonus tracks, it's a nice boxed set.

Great Collection of Songs!
While I'm a 28 year old listener and lover of PPM, with many of their cds, I love listening to the box set, even though I have many of the songs already. My only complaint is the way they've set up the bonus selections on each of the cds, it doesn't work with many players, in fact my Sony bookshelf cd player is the only thing that can play the bonus songs.
I thought the dvd was great, some of the sound quality on the songs is ok, like Leaving on a Jet Plane with John Denver, you can't really hear the vocals that well, and watching it looks uncorordinated. On the newer songs, Mary, oh Mary, I don't know what happened to her voice, I mean I think smoking has ruined her voice, she just doesn't fit well with Peter and Noel. Don't Laugh at Me (even thought its a remake) always makes me sad, it just seems like they sing with so much feeling and you can almost imagine the tears in Peters eyes. I would of like to see more songs from the REUNION album, it would of added nice touches.

Back But Never Forgotten
It's amazing to listen to 40 year old Peter, Paul and Mary songs that sound like they were recorded yesterday. Rhino did a great job with selecting the songs and remastering them on "Carry It On." The songs are among the best of Peter, Paul and Mary and few stones are left unturned. There are even some previously unheard versions of these classics. The bonus DVD makes this a real visual and sonic treat.

I do have one problem with the box set. There are bonus unreleased cuts on each of the CDs but they don't automatically play. You have to follow the directions hidden deep in the book that comes with the box set. The trick you have to use just doesn't work on my Sony combo CD/DVD player. It would have been better just to have allowed the bonus tracks to play normally. I thought about reducing my rating one star because of this--but "Carry It On" is just to good for that.

The times they are a'changin' And having this PP&M compilation in the CD collection helps connect us with where we've been so that we can see with some perspective where we going!

Simply Fabulous
For more than 40 years, Peter Paul and Mary have graced us with their amazing sound, and they have inspired us with their commitment to the progressive causes of our times. The CDs in this box set include virtually all of their fabulous music, and the narrative captures the spirit and the significance of their activism.

I have already listened to each disc several times, and I will continue to for weeks, months and years. The early recordings remain current and compelling. The recent ones reveal a marvelous maturity and power in their voices and personalities. There just isn't anything to compare with it.

Anyone who has lived through the remarkable history we share with PPM should own this set as a testament to our own lives. Anyone too young to have experienced their impact should own it to enjoy the music and to learn how music can produce positive change in our society.

If I were permitted to have but one collection of great folk music, this would be it. It is simply fabulous. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Stories" is the operative word here.The late Harry Chapin penned tales that touched a chord in listeners regardless of their age, background, or truth be told, regardless even of the type of music they normally listened to. Chapin always came across as a tough guy with a heart of gold, a brainy type who wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty--much like the protagonist of "Taxi" (a terrific rendition of which is contained herein). In addition to radio staples like "Cat's in the Cradle," the 1976 recording also sheds light on slightly lesser-known pieces like "Circle" and "Mr.Tanner." Chapin's affable manner shines through the entire album, giving it a disarming quality that's not always present on the studio versions. --David Sprague ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Very Good.....but seems to be missing something.
This is a fine "live" album and captures the essence of Harry's early work. From my college days, I have always listened to Chapin songs. While the studio albums are wonderful, it was in his live performances where he truly excelled. A large part of that success was due to his musicians. Not only their musical abilities, but their unique personalities shone through both in recordings and live performances. Two tracks which are my favorites are "Mr. Tanner," a work of depth and emotion and Stephen Chapin's "Let Time Go Lightly."

I gave this "only" 4 stars primarily because this is an incomplete album. While the sound quality is fine, the original vinyl had another track that is not included and I take exception (for what it's worth) to shortcuts which have often been taken when converting earlier works to CD in general, whether is in the arbitrary omission of album tracks or in the use of subsequent tapes rather than original masters.

That being said, this album is a fine example of Harry's early live performances. One can only hope that eventually the remainder of his albums will be released on CD (and properly mastered too). In particular, "Short Stories" and "Legends of the Lost and Found" (the latter of which reveals Harry's slightly older, "more mature" voice) as well as "Sequel" would be most welcome.

What an album, one of the Great Live recordings!!!!!
Harry Chapin was an artist that seemed to put out better live recordings, that had much more intensity then any of his studio work. I've listened to alot of his studio driven recordings but nothing will ever compete with this record. The album does have three studio songs pinned at the end but it doesn't disregard the magnitude of his songwriting.

Many folk artists strive for a catchy three minute song with backbeat and sensibility. Chapin never followed that formula. At times, his songs could be long opuses with not much of a chorus to backup. His songs were painted with a very personal, intimate picture of life's dark and virtuous side. This record captures everything anybody needs to know about the man.

The album captivates a very energetic side of exuberance with the opening track "Dreams Go By", but it also exhibits a beautiful portrait of bittersweet remembrance. Another classic, "Mr. Tanner" examines a singer's hopes and visions but with wishful sincerity towards confrontation of ability. The album wasn't just hippie influenced lyrics, but honesty to dreams deferred. Every track told stories of love lost, found and expectant. It seems like many live recordings fail to pickup on what an artist is trying to portray with thier music. This one nails it, seriously.

In a class by himself
There's a lot of songwriters with the reputation for telling a fine story in a song: Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Jim Croce, Van Morrison... But seriously, did anyone ever create on a level with Chapin? His songs remind us what humanity is all about. Isn't that the best thing a song can do?

Takes me right back to college
At the University of Nebraska in spring of 1972, we decided to go on a road trip to the University of Oklahoma, our rival. It was rainy the entire drive and every radio station played, "Taxi." Well, O.U. was a pleasant surprise...everyone was nice (I don't know what we expected) and we returned home to our finals. 30 years later, if I hear Taxi on the radio, I'm right back on that road trip to Oklahoma.

"Did I write that?" asks Harry Chapin
"Christ, it sounds like the theme from Godfather II!"
Chapin makes this comment after signalling his band to a halt during the intro to the opener "Dreams Go By", because of a banjo solo in that part, played vibrato mandolin style. A dead giveaway right from the start of how this live set is going to feature his often humorous approach to the material. This is also reflected later on in the set in this version of the song "30,000 Pounds Of Bananas", in which Chapin makes a departure just before the last verse, relating his trials and tribulations in coming up with that particular verse. But Chapin was always more than a comedian with a guitar--his material was mostly heartfelt and often as sentimental as anything the younger Billy Joel ever wrote. Quite at odds with the rules of pop music, Chapin came across more affable than charismatic. In that brief period of musical history, you didn't have to be a babe magnet to be a star. Today people think of the "Singer Songwriter Era" as an aberration. After all, pop music is supposed to be about sex or anger, right? Or if there's a "folkie" dimension to it as in the case of artists like Chapin, a sociology or poli-sci aspect. Or if you don't have any of that, you have to be like Joni Mitchell and be versatile in style and/ or one hell of a player. Harry wasn't any of those things. His guitar style was basic accompanist, his songs were more prosaic than poetic. Their arrangements were pretty much predictable. His voice was limited in range and tonal color (just like the man himself says of "Mr. Tanner", a song also present here). He didn't have the melodramatic, almost operatic delivery of Texan contemporary Shawn Phillips. Harry was basically The Man On The Street who had an uncanny ability despite his shortage of the stuff stars are made of to express himself in music. It has become a cliche to say that a musician "sings in a style you can relate to", but Chapin was one of very few artists about which that description is bang on target. Chapin did a later live set called "Legends Of The Lost And Found", which I see is no longer available. A shame, really--that set has a high percentage of material that was never released on any studio album. Anyway, if you're at all curious about any of Steve Earle's antecedents, look to Shawn Phillips and Harry Chapin. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Amazing
This CD starts out with a mesmorizing sound deep in an old sacrd site - the breathing you can hear just immediately give a calming sense. The cd is one long song that transforms, like with her other CD, Praises fro the World. Its just an amazing sound throughout the cd with the singing of Returning that runs throughout. There are some indian chants and other sounds on the cd as well. A real masterful work. It just makes you want to go outside barefoot, breathe deeply and grip the earth with your toes.

Transcending Experience
With this CD Jennifer Berezan turns listening into an experience that can open doors into the unconscious mind while she holds the sacred essence of what might be possible. I love it. The layering of sound, pulse, and voice is phenomenal. A must have for anyone doing moving meditation or ecstatic dance.

Heavenly Experience
The Temple setting provided for heavenly acoustics that brought me to a peaceful, wholer place. Jennifer's voice, along with many other talented folk singers from around the world make it a heartfelt and calming piece for meditation or ritual. My first copy vanished, so I'm getting a second because I miss hearing it.

Returing-Jennifer Berezen
This CD is a must have for any yoga practice.

Mesmerizing
A friend played this for me and then let me borrow it for a few days. The chant sings in my head even when the recording has ended. I can't imagine not having my own copy. It's wonderful for meditation and trance work. Also for long periods of concentration. The music is a ritual in itself -- invoking the Mother Goddess and honoring her with different names. The music was recorded in the Oracle Chamber in the Hypogeum at Hal Salfieni, built by the neolithic peoples of Malta. It starts out with tones sung through an aperture in the rock that causes sounds to resound throughout the Hypogeum. Then Jennifer adds her guitar and chant: "Returning, returning, returning to the Mother of us all." Other voices weave in and out with a chant to Yemayah, the African ocean mother goddess, a Navajo chant for Mother Earth, and a chant from the Buddhist Heart Sutra to evoke the Goddess of Perfect Wisdom. Enjoy! ... Read more