What does it sound like?:
It’s many years since I last heard this album, so it was interesting to check out this reissue to confirm if my memory of it was correct. This was the debut album by this short-lived collaboration between those West Coast stalwarts JD Souther, Chris Hillman and Richie Furay, and is reissued as it was back in 1974, with no extra material on offer. On paper, it seemed a good idea, but the results were perhaps a tad disappointing overall. There are ten fairly radio friendly, pleasant but mostly unremarkable tunes in the country rock vein. There are glimmers of former glories from each member, with Furay’s contributions the strongest – see the Poco-ish opener Fallin’ In love and the beautiful Believe Me. In contrast, Souther and Hillman’s songs are fairly lightweight, perhaps with the exception of Border Town. Even Hillman’s Heavenly Fire, a tribute to the recently deceased Gram Parsons is rather a lacklustre effort in comparison to the Eagles My Man from the same year. Overall, although this is a perfectly ok sort of album in the West Coast vein of that period, it doesn’t live up to the high expectations the line up had generated. A second album, Trouble In Paradise, appeared the following year, but its lukewarm reception heralded the demise of the band.
What does it all *mean*?
A case of the whole being less than the sum of the parts
Goes well with…
Lazin’ on a sunny afternoon.
Release Date:
Might suit people who like…
The Eagles, Jackson Browne
Carl says
JD Souther is someone whose reputation seems much larger than his talent.
I have his Best Of compilation, titled Border Town and containing three more SHF tracks, and I struggle to understand why he is held in such high regard.
He’s pleasant, inoffensive and I think rides on the coat tails of his good mate Jackson Browne. I think some see an equivalence between the two, that doesn’t exist.
But that’s me. I’m sure Mr Souther has his champions.
Junior Wells says
I hear you @Carl, on a number of occasions I’ve had a go at exploring JD’s catalogue and been underwhelmed every time.
H.P. Saucecraft says
Yup. Meh.
retropath2 says
There was a desperation in some of these trios, all, I think, hoping to be the next Crosby, Stills (&) Nash, my feeling that sometimes it was more the idea of management than inspiration. See also Barbata, Ethridge, Hill
Rufus T Firefly says
John Barbata. Chris Ethridge. Graham Hill?
retropath2 says
Joel Scott Hill: Canned Heater turned Burrito.
deramdaze says
The elephant in the room is surely … “when did graphic design/clothing/hair styles become utterly and completely shite.”
Is it a cocaine thing?
Mike_H says
Almost certainly.
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/frankzappa/cocainedecisions.html
Especially these bits:
“I don’t wanna know
‘Bout the things that you pull
Outta your nose
Or where they goes
But if you are wasted
From the stuff you’re stickin’ in it
I get madder every day
‘Cause what you do ‘n’ what you say
Affects my life in such a way
I learn to hate it every minute!”
“While your accountants tell you Yes Yes Yes
You make EXPENSIVE UGLINESS
(How do you do it? – let me guess . . .)
Cocaine decisions . . .
Cocaine decisions . . .
Cocaine decisions . . .”
Junior Wells says
Wot Frank said. Plus that tinny metallic sound another coke-fuelled outcome.
Vincent says
Green kryptonite to me. The cocaine Cowboys with their harmless songs and hideously white schtick failed to appeal to me when there was the glamour, shits and giggles of glam, funk, and progressive rock. It wasn’t a problem with singer-songwriters: Joni Mitchell was great. Little Feat were incredible (bar ‘willin’). But earnest country rock? As a zappa youth living through a time of ‘3 day working weeks (not for school), ‘ attending a large bog standard catholic comprehensive, and no central heating at home (nor car, nor colour TV, nor holiday trips), I scoffed at “take it easy”, “laid back”, double denim, and the kind of folk rock the religious indoctrinators used to convey how down with the kids they were. Other views are available, one mans meat, Jack spratt, and all that.
Jorrox says
I went through a phase of buying anything connected to The Byrds. I got this, and loads of other 70s ex-Byrds tosh, second hand in the late 80s. Played it once.
retropath2 says
I feel your pain, falling for that trick, as well as anything relating, over here, to Fairport Convention. Actually I think I was addicted to Pete Frame (family trees), with no coincidence that 2 LPs bought, at age 14 on the same record token, were History of the Byds and History of Fairport Convention.
Kindling by Gene Parsons I love, however, returning to it time and time again.
Jorrox says
Thanks for the recommendation. I don’t know that one.
Badlands says
Kindling is superb, as is Gene Clark’s ‘No Other’. Check out “Slippin’ Away” by Chris Hillman. I think it’s worthwhile. A few gems in there amongst the anodyne country-rock, particularly when his bluegrass roots show through.
Oh, and the track ‘Love Is The Sweetest Amnesty’
retropath2 says
Chris Hillman is an odd cove, capable of the worst sentimental yuck, often with hefty overtones of God bless America that curdle my CSF. Yet he is also ex-Byrd/Burrito/Manassas/SHF*/DesertRose Band with a stack of good solo stuff, if interspersed with said yuck.
*Not really: see separate thread.
Carl says
You can hardly be disappointed with any Gene Clark albums you bought, other than the crappy quasi-bootleg Live At Ebbets Field (should you have bought that one).
BTW, if you have bought and are disappointed with So Rebellious a Lover
PM me and lets see if we can make a deal on it.
Jorrox says
Gene Clark is class, no doubt. I can’t remember what I have but I liked most of his stuff.
Moose the Mooche says
Chris Hillman emerging as a songwriter, even as his curly hair emerged from his straightened bob, to add things to the Byrds canon as subtly brilliant as Time Between and Thoughts and Words, is one of the great stories of 60s rock.
H.P. Saucecraft says
I like a whole lot of country rock, moi. Good songs, good singing, good playing. Sometimes that’s enough. Poco, New Riders, Pure Prairie League, Eagles (first album), Area Code 615, Nesmith, Barefoot Jerry, Seatrain, Beau Brummels (Bradley’s), Blue Velvet Band, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Brewer & Shipley [enough country rock already – Ed.]
I’d take any of these over any of the Afterword’s usual sad old favourites.
Carl says
How do you know your list above doesn’t comprise part of the Afterword’s usual sad old favourites?
Most of those are familiar to me and, I should think, those others round here who like this genre.
But thanks for descending from Olympus to deign to share your contempt for us.
H.P. Saucecraft says
I have zero contempt for any Afterword contributor, Carl. But if you insist on being such a snowflake, I’m willing to make an exception in your case.
Carl says
Oh no, no! Please, please whatever you do, please don’t scorch me with the incandescent heat of your withering contempt.
I just don’t think I could stand it.
O me misererum!
H.P. Saucecraft says
Your avatar is you, right, Carl? Nicely representative detail from a holiday snap. Your name is your real name, I’m guessing. That’s the way you present yourself here. Fine. My avatar is a detail from a Robert Crumb cartoon (you knew that, of course), but it does resemble me to a degree. The word balloon reads “I’m not here to be polite”, which evidently applies to you as much as to me. The point is, Carl, that it’s a cartoon. You know, as in funny? Funnier than your picture, anyway. The name I’ve chosen is also funny. It’s a funny name. Funnier than yours, anyway. That’s my approach to this place. I can’t make you laugh, Carl, although I’m sure you enjoy a good joke as much as the next man, what with your robust sense of humour, but you might give me the benefit of not taking myself seriously (a charge I would never level against you) and make the necessary allowances to avoid taking or causing offence in the future.
The only contempt evident in this thread (about the relative merits of country-rock) is yours for me. Following it up with some bonus sarcasm is perfect.
Carl says
You’ve asked a couple of question, and made a a point or two, which I will address.
Your avatar is you, right, Carl? Yes, it is.
Nicely representative detail from a holiday snap. Again, yes.
Your name is your real name, I’m guessing. It is.
My avatar is a detail from a Robert Crumb cartoon (you knew that, of course). I didn’t
The word balloon reads “I’m not here to be polite”, which evidently applies to you as much as to me. I have to disagree, there as I generally try to be polite.
The point is, Carl, that it’s a cartoon. You know, as in funny? Funnier than your picture, anyway. The name I’ve chosen is also funny. It’s a funny name. Funnier than yours, anyway. I’m not trying to be funny with either my name or avatar. I don’t see the point in a pseudonym, but have no trouble with the fact that the vast majority of contributors here go under a nom de plume
That’s my approach to this place. I can’t make you laugh, Carl, although I’m sure you enjoy a good joke as much as the next man, what with your robust sense of humour, but you might give me the benefit of not taking myself seriously (a charge I would never level against you) and make the necessary allowances to avoid taking or causing offence in the future. You can and have made me laugh. I still fail to see the humour in your original remark about sad old favourites
The only contempt evident in this thread (about the relative merits of country-rock) is yours for me.
Obviously my sense of humour deficit failed to recognise the epithet snowflake as a term of endearment.
Following it up with some bonus sarcasm is perfect. There was a lot of hyperbole there too.
Fine. In future I will regard all of your contributions as wholly humourous, though I’m sure you’ve made serious points yourself and may wish to make serious points again.
Let us put this behind us. I apologise for any over-reaction on my part. I hope we can conduct any future interactions with civility, grace and humour.
Moose the Mooche says
“….in which an easily-ignored thread on the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band quickly descends into a bloody bear-pit of senseless rage and churning carnage… Followed by a jolly nice cup of tea!”
mikethep says
Poor old Bargepole, having his well-intentioned efforts derided as easily ignored. What kind of monster are you?
Moose the Mooche says
Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!