Record Reviews

CROSBY & NASH ~ GRAHAM NASH / DAVID CROSBY ATLANTIC 081227992538 (Barcode: 081227992538) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1972 Released: 2008 This is the debut album by the celebrated team of singer / songwriter friends, American David CrosbyFind albums by this artist and British Graham NashFind albums by this artist. After the first split of Crosby, Stills, Nash & YoungFind albums by this artist following the release of the seminal "Déjà VuFind albums with this title" album, all four members released solo albums and later on Crosby and Nash decided to form a duo and started to perform together with great artistic and commercial success, which led to the decision of formalizing the Crosby & NashFind albums by this artist moniker by recording an album together. After all it was the special affinity, both musical and personal, between Crosby and Nash, which led to Nash leaving The HolliesFind albums by this artist and moving to the US to join Crosby and Stephen StillsFind albums by this artist in order to create the magical triumvirate of Crosby, Stills & NashFind albums by this artist. On the album, in addition to both of them singing, Crosby also played guitars and Nash played keyboards. Many friends and musical peers took part in the recording, like guitarist Dave MasonFind albums by this artist, members of The Grateful DeadFind albums by this artist, the famous quartet of studio musicians called The SectionFind albums by this artist, which consisted of guitarist Danny KortchmarFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Craig DoergeFind albums by this artist, bassist Leland SklarFind albums by this artist and drummer Russell KunkelFind albums by this artist, and many others. The album presents eleven songs, six by Nash and five by Crosby. The album is dedicated to Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist. The songs written by Crosby were quite different from those Nash wrote; Crosby, a dreamer and melancholic, wrote heartwrenching, Bluesy tunes, which caused depression and gloom, whereas Nash was his spiritual "nemesis" and wrote absolutely perfect love songs and romantic ballads. It was the combination of the two, which created the special magic, which this album exemplifies, expressed by their vocal harmonies, which are unparalleled to this very day. These songs are all absolutely timeless and withstand the tides of time like stainless steel. Perfectly crafted, beautifully executed, full of harmony and offering meaningful lyrics, they are the epitome of song weaving, which is simply beyond trends, fads and fashions. In retrospect this album stands among the best achievements of the fruitful legacy created by Crosby and Nash, both individually and collectively. It is an absolute must in any decent Rock record collection and a part of music history that is out there waiting to be discovered by younger generations of music lovers. They don´t make music like this any more, but at least we can still enjoy these gems, before we are all covered by heaps of garbage and dirt.

Updated: 21/01/2019Posted: 03/06/2018

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DELANEY & BONNIE & FRIENDS ~ LIVE IN DENMARK 1969 ROX VOX 2165 (Barcode: 5292317216525) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1969 Released: 2020 This is an archival live album by American singer / songwriter couple Delaney BramlettFind albums by this artist and Bonnie BramlettFind albums by this artist, known as Delaney & BonnieFind albums by this artist and later on as Delaney & Bonnie & FriendsFind albums by this artist. This album was recorded during the band´s European tour in 1969, capturing two concerts at the Copenhagen Falconer Theater on 10 and 12 of December 1969, immediately following the three shows that were recorded on 1, 2 and 7 of December 1969 during the UK leg of that tour and released in 1970 as the "On Tour With Eric ClaptonFind albums with this title" LP. The music was recorded by a dream team of top American and British musicians, which included Delaney Bramlett on guitar and vocals. Bonnie Bramlett on vocals, Rita CoolidgeFind albums by this artist on vocals, Eric ClaptonFind albums by this artist on lead guitar and vocals, Dave MasonFind albums by this artist on guitar, George HarrisonFind albums by this artist on guitar, bassist Carl RadleFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Bobby WhitlockFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Bobby KeysFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Jim PriceFind albums by this artist, drummer Jim GordonFind albums by this artist and percussionist Tex JohnsonFind albums by this artist. The album presents original songs, which were penned by the Bramletts, as well as classic Rock And Roll numbers. The set list of the two shows is almost identical. The "On Tour With Eric Clapton" album brought Delaney & Bonnie to the center of attention of many listeners, who missed their two earlier albums entirely, most probably due to the fact that if featured Clapton, who was already a superstar. But the music of Delaney & Bonnie was of course stylistically very different to what earlier Clapton recordings offered and presented an unprecedented mixture of Rhythm And Blues, Soul, Blues and Gospel with Rock and Pop, creating an entire new musical universe. This album turned out to be a huge commercial success, but in retrospect failed to establish Delaney & Bonnie as major artists and their career disintegrated after their divorce in 1973, after they managed to record three more excellent albums. This album, although less carefully recorded, offers the same fire and genuine Rock spirit as "On Tour With Eric Clapton" and is an invaluable addition to the rather limited recorded legacy by Delaney & Bonnie & Friends and the rest of the musicians present herein, and as such is a Classic Rock gem. Side Note Obiterdictum Ltd, a company based in Cyprus (oh well you know the story… copyright laws and legal issues) releases mostly live recorded radio broadcasts from the 1960s on and offers an amazing source of music which was never officially released by some of the best Classic Rock and Jazz artists. The catalogue offers five hundred releases, which is an absolute treasure chest of music history, often appearing for the first time. Although the sound quality and sometimes also music quality range from absolutely brilliant to pretty poor, most of the material is surely listenable, especially after being remastered recently, and more importantly offers music which is not available elsewhere. The company releases the albums under several sub-labels: Air CutsFind albums on this label, EchoesFind albums on this label, Hi HatFind albums on this label, HotspurFind albums on this label, InterferenceFind albums on this label, KeyholeFind albums on this label, KlondikeFind albums on this label, Live On VinylFind albums on this label, London CallingFind albums on this label, OrbitFind albums on this label, Rox VoxFind albums on this label and Sound StageFind albums on this label. There is no ironclad logic as to what material appears on which label, except perhaps some internal considerations by the Obiterdictum owners. Approach with caution, but keep in mind that some of these releases are absolutely brilliant!

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: 07/01/2021

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DELANEY & BONNIE & FRIENDS ~ MOTEL SHOT (EXPANDED EDITION) REAL GONE MUSIC 0516 (Barcode: 848064005162) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1970 Released: 2017 This is fifth album by American singer / songwriter couple Delaney BramlettFind albums by this artist and Bonnie BramlettFind albums by this artist, known as Delaney & BonnieFind albums by this artist and later on as Delaney & Bonnie & FriendsFind albums by this artist. This album, their third and last release on AtcoFind albums on this label Records, was recorded in 1970 and released in 1971 with a new version of "Friends", which includes, keyboardist Bobby WhitlockFind albums by this artist, bassist Carl RadleFind albums by this artist, drummer Jim KeltnerFind albums by this artist and guests like pianist Leon RussellFind albums by this artist, guitarists Duane AllmanFind albums by this artist and Dave MasonFind albums by this artist, vocalists Gram ParsonsFind albums by this artist and Joe CockerFind albums by this artist and others. The original album presents twelve songs, which are the usual mixture of Bramletts´ originals and Rock / Rhythm And Blues classics. This expanded and remastered version adds eight bonus tracks, taken from the earlier recording session of the same material, done during the couple´s short lived ElektraFind albums on this label days. Musically the album presents the already established Delaney & Bonnie formula, mixing Rhythm And Blues, Soul and Country music with Rock instrumentation and featuring the duo´s vocal harmonies and Bonnie´s heartwrenching vocal pyrotechnics. Combined with superb instrumental work by the "Friends", the music is full of energy and genuine enthusiasm spiced with talent and good taste, which at that time was still around. The concept of this album being almost entirely acoustic and "informal", recorded during impromptu jam sessions in motel rooms, is nor really reflecting the reality. In spite of the success of a couple of singles taken out of this album it did not sell well and remained highly regarded by some critics and Delaney & Bonnie devotees, but in retrospect disappeared into oblivion, which is a great pity as the music it offered was excellent all through and certainly worth being remembered. On the other hand considering the quality of music that was being produced at an incredible rate at the time, many classic Rock albums shared the faith of this one. It is great to see that the album is available on CD thanks to the outstanding work by the Real Gone MusicFind albums on this label reissue label, which means it can be enjoyed by people who still remember it when it happened in real time as well as being (hopefully) discovered by some younger listeners. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: 13/07/2018

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

DELANEY & BONNIE & FRIENDS ~ ON TOUR WITH ERIC CLAPTON (EXPANDED EDITION) RHINO HANDMADE 603497949885 (Barcode: 603497949885) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1969 Released: 2010 This is a reissue of the third album by American singer / songwriter couple Delaney BramlettFind albums by this artist and Bonnie BramlettFind albums by this artist, known as Delaney & BonnieFind albums by this artist and later on as Delaney & Bonnie & FriendsFind albums by this artist. This album, their only live recording and their first release on AtcoFind albums on this label Records, was recorded during the band´s UK tour in December 1969 and released in 1970 as a single LP. This reissue considerably expands the scope of the album offering entire 4 CDs full of music, presenting four entire concerts. The album was recorded by a dream team of top American and British musicians, which included Delaney Bramlett on guitar and vocals. Bonnie Bramlett on vocals, Rita CoolidgeFind albums by this artist on vocals, Eric ClaptonFind albums by this artist on lead guitar and vocals, Dave MasonFind albums by this artist on guitar, George HarrisonFind albums by this artist on guitar, bassist Carl RadleFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Bobby WhitlockFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Bobby KeysFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Jim PriceFind albums by this artist, drummer Jim GordonFind albums by this artist and percussionist Tex JohnsonFind albums by this artist. The album presents original songs, which were penned by the Bramletts, as well as classic Rock And Roll numbers. This album brought Delaney & Bonnie to the center of attention of many listeners, who missed their two earlier albums entirely, most probably due to the fact that if featured Clapton, who of course was a superstar. But the music of Delaney & Bonnie was stylistically very different to what earlier Clapton recordings offered of course and presented an unprecedented mixture of Rhythm And Blues, Soul, Blues and Gospel with Rock and Pop, creating an entire new musical universe. This album turned out to be a huge commercial success, but in retrospect failed to establish Delaney & Bonnie as major artists and their career disintegrated after their divorce in 1973, after they managed to record three more excellent albums. This album belongs to the small and exclusive "club" of the best live Rock albums, which also includes Joe CockerFind albums by this artist´s "Mad Dogs & Englishmen: The Complete Fillmore East ConcertsFind albums with this title", Humble PieFind albums by this artist´s "Performance Rockin` The Fillmore: The Complete RecordingsFind albums with this title", Allman Brothers BandFind albums by this artist´s "The 1971 Fillmore East RecordingsFind albums with this title" and a few others. Luckily for the music connoisseurs all these essential albums have also been released in expanded multi-CD versions, which allow the listener to witness the entire performances from which the original albums were assembled upon their original release. This limited edition lavishly packed Box Set, which is a mock of a road case, includes some of the most vital music Rock And Roll produced at its peak, and is a must have in every comprehensive Rock record collection and an essential piece of music history. The same set in a "fat boy" CD case was reissued by RhinoFind albums on this label Records in 2017, which makes it much affordable than the original, now out of print, release. Essential stuff!

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: 01/06/2018

CD 4 Digipak Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

GRAHAM NASH ~ SONGS FOR BEGINNERS ATLANTIC 081227977078 (Barcode: 081227977078) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1971 Released: 2011 This is the debut solo album by British singer / songwriter Graham NashFind albums by this artist, one of the 20th Century Classic Rock icons, who is still active today. After a glorious career in the UK as a member of the legendary group The HolliesFind albums by this artist, Nash moved to the USA to join David CrosbyFind albums by this artist and Stephen StillsFind albums by this artist (and later Neil YoungFind albums by this artist) to form one of the most influential Classic Rock bands in history: Crosby, Stills & NashFind albums by this artist (and Crosby, Stills, Nash & YoungFind albums by this artist). Nash was decisively the catalyst and bonding element of these bands, with his British Cultural background, lyricism and superb feel of vocal harmony, as well as his personal manners and attitude, which was often in complete contrast to his American partners. This album was recorded in wake of the success of the CSN&Y debut album "Déjà VuFind albums with this title" released in 1970, which prompted all four members of the band to release solo albums, all of which were superb pieces of musical ingenuity. In retrospect, however, this album and David Crosby´s "If I Could Only Remember My NameFind albums with this title" stand out as icons of the era. The album presents eleven original songs, all written (music and lyrics) by Nash, except for one which was co-written with the British guitarist Terry ReidFind albums by this artist, an old friend and partner. Nash is supported by a formidable team of musicians, which includes vocalist Rita CoolidgeFind albums by this artist, Jerry GarciaFind albums by this artist, David Crosby and Dave MasonFind albums by this artist on guitars, Neil Young on piano, Bobby KeysFind albums by this artist on saxophone, bassist Calvin SamuelsFind albums by this artist and Phil LeshFind albums by this artist, drummers John BarbataFind albums by this artist and Dallas TaylorFind albums by this artist and numerous others. The songs exemplify not only his exceptional harmonic and melodic qualities but also his social awareness, which is strongly present in the fabric of the lyrics, many of which would become an integral part of the protest songs sung by the young generation in the early 1970s, when lyrics were meaningful and could move mountains. In retrospect this album is one of the absolute top achievements of the Classic Rock era, and remains completely relevant today, not losing an iota of its splendor and power over time. Almost half a Century after this music was created, it is still fresh, moving and exceedingly beautiful. How sad that nobody makes music like this any more…

Updated: 09/09/2018Posted: 09/09/2018

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GRAHAM NASH ~ WILD TALES ATLANTIC 075678143229 (Barcode: 075678143229) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1973 Released: 1985 This is the second solo album by British singer / songwriter Graham NashFind albums by this artist, one of the 20th Century Classic Rock icons, who is still active today. After a glorious career in the UK as a member of the legendary group The HolliesFind albums by this artist, Nash moved to the USA to join David CrosbyFind albums by this artist and Stephen StillsFind albums by this artist (and later Neil YoungFind albums by this artist) to form one of the most influential Classic Rock bands in history: Crosby, Stills & NashFind albums by this artist (and Crosby, Stills, Nash & YoungFind albums by this artist). Nash was decisively the catalyst and bonding element of these bands, with his British Cultural background, lyricism and superb feel of vocal harmony, as well as his personal manners and attitude, which was often in complete contrast to his American partners. The album presents ten original songs, all written (music and lyrics) by Nash. Nash is supported by a formidable team of musicians, which includes vocalist Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist, guitarists David LindleyFind albums by this artist, David Crosby and Dave MasonFind albums by this artist, Neil Young on piano, bassist Tim DrummondFind albums by this artist, drummer John BarbataFind albums by this artist and numerous others. The songs are somewhat darker and more introvert that those on his debut album, but all are superbly crafted and executed. Each and every one of these songs is a microcosm of inventive songwriting and lyrical sensitivity that Nash is blessed with. His exceptional harmonic and melodic aesthetics and his social awareness are strongly present in the fabric of the lyrics, as always. At the time of its release this album was received coldly by the music critics and to this very day is not considered as one of his best achievements, which of course is a complete poppycock, as this music withstands the test of time formidably and remains an archetypal example of Classic Rock. How sad that nobody makes music like this any more…

Updated: 26/10/2018Posted: 10/09/2018

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

TRAFFIC ~ TRAFFIC (EXPANDED EDITION) ISLAND 546498 ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1968 2nd album by the seminal UK band TrafficFind albums by this artist, which many consider as one of the most innovative pioneers of the psychedelic and then the Prog movements. The group suffered from personal problems with Dave MasonFind albums by this artist leaving and re-joining (sounds familiar in Prog!) but the album finds them in the peak of their creative abilities. Pure gold!

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend