"But Seriously, Folks..." by JOE WALSH – May 1978 Fourth Studio Album on Asylum Records featuring Joey Murcia on Second Guitar, Joe Vitale of Barnstorm on Drums, Keyboards and Flute, Jay Ferguson of Spirit and Jo Jo Gunne on Keyboards with Willie Weeks on Bass – Guests included Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Don Felder and Timothy B. Schmit of Eagles with Jody Boyer on Backing Vocals and Production by Bill Szymczyk (December 2012 US-Only Audio Fidelity 24 KT Gold Audiophile CD Reissue in Die-Cut Numbered Card Sleeve (5000 Copies) with Original Artwork and a Steve Hoffman Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...Life's Been Good..."

 

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*** This Review for 2012 Audio Fidelity CD – Steve Hoffman Remaster ***

 

On first listen - and certainly without giving your stereo some welly - this rather pricey and now long-deleted American-only Audiophile CD comes on as a tad underwhelming. But crank it and the Audio is absolutely gorgeous (no hiss, all muscle).

 

The name of Audio Engineer STEVE HOFFMAN is enough to have most Audiophile aficionados gripping their arthritic knees in too much excitement – and on the evidence of this so subtly brilliant transfer on a really well produced album – it's easy to hear why. To the Boat Weirdos and the display windows at a Second Hand Store and the Maserati that does 185...

 

US-only released 11 December 2012 – "But Seriously, Folks..." by JOE WALSH on Audio Fidelity AFZ 079 (Barcode 780014207922) is a '24 KT + Limited Numbered Edition' CD Reissue with a STEVE HOFFMAN Remaster that plays out as follows (35:53 minutes):

 

1. Over And Over [Side 1]

2. Second Hand Store

3. Indian Summer

4. At The Station

5. Tomorrow [Side 2]

6. Inner Tube

7. Theme For Boat Weirdos

8. Life's Been Good

Tracks 1 to 8 are his fourth studio LP "But Seriously, Folks..." – released 16 May 1978 in the USA on Asylum 6E-141 and June 1978 in the UK on Asylum K 53081. Produced by BILL SZYMCZYK – it peaked at No. 8 in the USA and No. 18 in the UK. 

 

Tracks 1, 3, 5, 6 and 8 written by Joe Walsh – Track 4 co-written with Joe Vitale – Track 2 co-written with Mike Murphy of REO Speedwagon – Track 7 co-written with Bill Szymczyk, Jay Ferguson, Joe Vitale and Willie Weeks.

 

PLAYERS were:

JOE WALSH – Lead Guitar, Synths and Lead Vocals

JOEY MURCIA – Second Guitar

JAY FERGUSON – Keyboards

WILLIE WEEKS - Bass

JOE VITALE – Drums, Percussion, Synths and Flute and Backing Vocals on Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8

(Producer) BILL SZYMCZYK – Tambourine on "At The Station" and Backing Vocals on "Life's Been Good"

 

GUESTS were:

DON FELDER of Eagles – Pedal Steel Guitar on "Second Hand Store" and Guitar on "At The Station"

DON HENLEY, GLENN FREY and TIMOTHY B. SCHMIT of Eagles – Background Vocals (arranged by Frey) on "Tomorrow"

JODY BOYER – Backing Vocals on "Second Hand Store", "Indian Summer" and "Life's Been Good"

 

I am a self-confessed Joe Walsh worshipper - 1972's studio debut "Barnstorm", 1973's "The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get", 1974's "So What" [1975 in the UK] and the live platter from 1976 "You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind" – are all albums that make me wobble on the inside (his three with The James Gang before he went solo are the same - reviewed the lot). So the idea that I could nab a genuinely real Audio Upgrade of his underrated fourth studio platter "But Seriously, Folks..." was always going to get my headspace in a dither.

 

Audio Fidelity AFZ 079 certainly looks the part - the die-cut outer card sleeve showing the jewel case beneath, itself numbered in gold on the rear (5000 copies), the 8-page booklet repro'ing the US LP labels on Asylum Records, the inner gatefold and even that rather pointless table-cloth inner too. Unfortunately there isn't any new liner notes apart from the AF credits – Mastered for compact disc by Steve Hoffman at Stephen Marsh Mastering – but as an audio experience - it rocks and is wonderfully detailed (crank it). To the music...

 

The tunes come across as simple at first – like the soft opener "Over And Over" and the gorgeous "Second Hand Store" (which fades out and in again towards the end of the song) – Eagle Don Felder playing an absolute blinder on Pedal Steel. But perceived as slight or not, they get their hooks into you. I mean was there anyone out there making a single like "Life's Been Good" on the A-side with "Theme For Boat Weirdos" on the flip-side in 1978? Not really...

 

Truthfully, I have had my problems with Audio Fidelity releases – the Randy Newman one, the Rod Stewart and Faces issues all felt decidedly ordinary to me – better Remasters available Universal and at a fraction of the cost. But here – you crank "Tomorrow" and those Eagles harmony vocals come soaring out – that fantastic break in the middle – the huge riffage in "Life's Been Good" rattling the cones (as it should). But that floating keyboard ditty called "Inner Tube" – even at one-minute and twenty-five seconds sounds more substantial too. "At The Station" and it's guitar chugging is superb and at 4:20 when it fades out and returns with the "Over And Over" guitar refrain, it is so clean yet ballsy. And the instrumental "Theme From Boat Weirdos" is just magnificent – Bass, Guitars, all those swirling keyboard and flute ideas from Walsh and Vitale – fabulous. 

 

You could argue that it wouldn't have taken a whole lot of effort to include the 4:35-minute single edit of the near nine-minute "Life's Been Good" as a Bonus Track – but no such luck. Man what a great tune, knowing, funny as fuck and still relevant. About five minutes in – when all those guitars start to crescendo – what a glorious sound Walsh and his band made – including the very silly flock of wah-wahs at the end (8:56 minutes).

 

"I make hit records, my fans they can't wait, they write me letters, tell me I'm great, just leave a message, maybe I'll call..." – Joe Walsh sang on the fabulous "Life's Been Good". He was/is a journeyman who had made it out of the insanity alive. And in 2022, he is still with us and never stops thanking the Universe and Friends for being able to play and enjoy life in sobriety – a fate that was not to be for far too many of his contemporaries.

 

I love Joe Walsh – this world-class guitarist and songwriter - always have and always will. And CD Remaster of "But Seriously, Folks..." is a great way to celebrate one of his undervalued albums from that halcyon decade – the Seventies. Joe for President folks (and I don't mean Biden)...

 

PS: Check out my review for (Audio Engineer) Kevin Gray's equally magnificent Audio Fidelity Remaster of JW's second studio album "The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get". AFZ 059 was issued in 2009 and is also deleted, but in October 2022 – still remains the best version of a great album ("Rocky Mountain Way" and "Meadows")...

"Second Helping" by LYNYRD SKYNYRD (2009 US Audio Fidelity 24KT Gold Audiophile HDCD - Kevin Gray Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Dig You Georgia Peaches..."

Containing the epoch-making 9-minute "Freebird" - it's hardly surprising that Lynyrd Skynyrd's 1973 debut album "Pronounced..." usually gets all the plaudits when it comes to appraising their Seventies catalogue. But for me their next platter "Second Helping" has always been their Southern Rock masterpiece and a far better album overall. If anything the years have been more than kind to those 'Sounds Of The South' - up to a point where the album's legend continues to grow and regularly gets rediscovered as people dig out Classic 1970s Rock albums. I bought "Second Helping" in 1974 along with Joe Walsh's "So What" and Todd Rundgren's "Utopia" and all have been firmly wedged in my soft machine ever since.

There are three versions of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Second Helping" on CD of note – one cheap and the other two pricey (but worth it).

The star in a reasonably priced car is the American 'Expanded' CD Remaster on MCA Records B001171902 (Barcode 602517805125) issued in November 1997 (sells for as little as four quid at times - us the Barcode to get that issue). It was remastered by DOUG SCHWARTZ from the original two-track master tapes, features a nicely featured 16-page booklet and three bonus tracks worth having (53:55 minutes). I own this version and the Remaster is ballsy if not a little overly loud. The three bonus cuts however are a real treat for Skynyrd fans – "Don't Ask Me No Questions (Single Version)", "Was I Right Or Wrong (Sounds Of The South Demo)" (5:33 minutes) and "Take Your Time (Sounds Of The South Demo)" (7:29 minutes). The last two are barroom boogie outtakes and feature some tremendous slide and piano bolstered up here with fabulous audio ("...take my time and love 'em slow...") Ronnie assures the ladies. "Take Your Time" was also a non-album B-side in the USA to the 45 of "Don't Ask Me No Questions".

There's a 2014 Hybrid SACD reissue by the American company Analogue Productions on CAPP 413 SA (Barcode 753088041365) remastered by a Sound Engineer of real repute - KEVIN GRAY (see Joe Walsh's "The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get" and Randy Newman's "12 Songs" both on Audio Fidelity). The Analogue Productions issue features the straightforward 8-track LP in one of those round-corner jewel cases, restored artwork, wonderfully clear sound quality and doesn't require SACD playback to get the CD Remaster. However it regularly clocks in at thirty quid or more.

But my personal poison is the 2009 HDCD Audiophile straightforward transfer of the eight track album on Audio Fidelity AFZ 054 (Barcode 780014205423) – a limited Numbered Edition of 3000 (No'd on the rear) which is again a KEVIN GRAY remaster (37:16 minutes). Initial pressings of the HDCD had a glitch just ahead of the "Call Me The Breeze" track where it was mastered with a false start. Mistakes were quickly admitted – it was withdrawn and replaced with the AFZ 054 X suffix (same Barcode) and all was well. The die-cut black and gold card slipcase and the foldout inlay (reproduced artwork, Sounds Of The South logo etc) are both very pretty and the 24KT Gold CD itself looks and feels impressive.

1. Sweet Home Alabama

2. I Need You

3. Don't Ask Me No Questions

4. Workin' For MCA

5. The Ballad Of Curtis Loew [Side 2]

6. Swamp Music

7. The Needle And The Spoon

8. Call Me The Breeze

Tracks 1 to 8 are their 2nd studio album "Second Helping" – released 15 April 1974 in the USA on MCA/Sounds Of The South MCA-413 and June 1974 in the UK on MCA Records MCF 2547. It peaked at No. 12 on the US Album charts.

LYNYRD SKYNYRD were:

RONNIE VAN ZANT – Lead Vocals

GARY ROSSINGTON – Lead Guitar (Gibson Les Paul) and Acoustic Guitar

ALLEN COLLINS – Lead Guitar (Gibson Firebird)

ED KING – Guitars (Bass on "I Need You" and "Don't Ask Me No Questions")

BILLY POWELL – Keyboards

LEON WILKINSON – Bass

BOB BURNS – Drums

CLYDIE KING, SHIRLEY MATTHEWS and MERRY CLAYTON – Backing Vocals on "Sweet Home Alabama"

BOBBY KEYS, TREVOR LAWRENCE and STEVE MADIAO – Horns on "Don't Ask Me No Questions" and "Call Me The Breeze"

AL KOOPER – Producer - also Backing Vocals and Piano on "Don't Ask Me No Questions" and "The Ballad Of Curtis Loew"

But what gets you about this remaster is the clarity on all the instruments. You may have to give "Sweet Home Alabama" a bit of welly on your amp for sure – but when you do - the results are thrilling. This simple, funky and cool tune leaps out of the speakers at you rocking and ready to kick your teeth in (even old Neil would be proud of this). Listen close enough too and you’ll hear the dulcet tones of Merry Clayton who did that duet vocal with Mick Jagger on "Gimme Shelter" back in 1969. Their very best Blues song ever "I Need You" follows. I suspect many die-hard fans see "I Need You" as their penultimate track in truth – a gritty slow burning guitar Blues that captures their truly unique sound - Gary Rossington and Allen Collins battling it out on their Gibson Les Paul and Firebird. It's also a tune fans have had not heard in the live environment for over 45 years - check out the YouTube footage of the new band with Johnny Van Zant on Lead Vocals doing the song in Calgary in March of 2015 for the first time. 

The take-no-prisoners lyrics and boogie of "Don't Ask Me No Questions" still sounds so spiky – "...I don't ask you about your business...don't ask me about mine..." as those huge brass punches from Bobby Keys, Trevor Lawrence and Steve Madiao add real power. They issued a 7" 'Single Version' of "Don't Ask Me No Questions" April 1974 in the USA on MCA 40231 with the seven-minute non-album "Take Your Time" on the B-side. Ronnie warns of dodgy contracts and fast bucks "...Along comes some city slicker sayin'...you what I want!" on the staggeringly hard-hitting "Workin' For MCA". I remember thinking - kudos to the label for letting the band vent like that...

Side 2 opens with the life affirming and touching "Ballad Of Curtis Loew" – a young Ronnie enamoured with a black man who'd "...tune up his Dobro..." and play the Blues for a fistful of wine. His mama would whoop him –but Ronnie would go see him again – stunning stuff - and it still gets to me. "Swamp Music" is a down-home 'hound dog' rocker featuring zippy guitar pings and 'fills' from Ed King that will have you doing your best air guitar. The druggy cautionary tale of "The Needle And The Spoon" sounds so close to real life as to be frightening – a band fuelled by Bourbon and other upbeat substances. It ends on their truly fantastic cover version of J. J. Cale's "Call Me The Breeze" (originally on his 1972 Shelter Records debut album "Naturally") – a rollicking barnstormer that sees the trio of brass players come in half way through like a cool breeze. It romps this great Rock LP home in proper gobsmacking style (lyrics from it title this review).

The AF release has been deleted years now and acquired something of a price tag accordingly (as does much of the Audio Fidelity catalogue) – but if you can go the few extra quid – this is one 70ts Classic Rock LP that’s worth the few extra doubloons me hearties...

"One Man Dog" by JAMES TAYLOR (2010 Audio Fidelity 24- KT Gold Audiophile CD Reissue - Steve Hoffman Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Taking The Breeze…Just As Free As You Please…"

After a shaky start with Apple in 1968 - James Taylor hit the double-whammy with his next two albums on Warner Brothers – "Sweet Baby James" (1970) and "Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizon" (1971).

It was then something of a bitter disappointment to be presented with the incredibly patchy "One Man Dog" as a follow-up. Originally produced by Peter Asher - his fourth album was released November 1972 on Warner Brothers BS 2660 in the USA and Warner Brothers K 46185 in the UK. The album peaked at Number 4 and featured his much-covered ballad and chart hit "Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight".

Which brings us to this Audio Fidelity 24 KT GOLD CD Reissue on AFZ 101 (Barcode 780014210120) of "One Man Dog" by JAMES TAYLOR - released late November 2010 in the USA. It’s a Limited Edition (numbered on the rear) Audiophile CD and has been mastered by engineering legend STEVE HOFFMAN. It sounds beautiful in the truest sense of the word. All the tracks are acoustic based and have a lovely air about them now.

The outer card-wrap houses the gold CD in a jewel case – the 8-page booklet reproduces the recording info insert that came with first pressings - while Page 7 reproduces the Side 1 and 2 labels of the original US LP. There’s no notes on the album, history etc…it’s a straightforward reissue (37:55 minutes).

1. One Man Parade

2. Nobody But You

3. Chili Dog

4. Fool For You

5. Instrumental 1

6. New Tune

7. Back On The Street Again

8. Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight

9. Woh, Don’t You Know

10. One Morning In May

11. Instrumental 2

12. Someone

13. Hymn

14. Fanfare

15. Little David

16. Mescalito

17. Dance

18. Jog

Most of the 18 tracks are very short – snippets really – and a lot of it feels too slight by far. Having said that highlights include "One Man Dog" and "One Morning In May" which feature the backing vocals of CAROLE KING and LINDA RONSTADT respectively. "Instrumental II" has superb reproduction on it and the "...holy children..." tune "Hymn" now sounds so sweet too. The Tenor Saxophone solo by Michael Brecker on "Don’t Let Me Lonely Tonight" is gorgeous also.

I’ve found AF releases very hit and miss – I’ve reviewed their superb Joe Walsh issue of “The Smoker You Drink…” but there’s also the dullard Randy Newman, Faces and Rod Stewart issues – all of which have had derision quite rightly thrown at them. Not so here…

To sum up – this is a beautiful remaster - a 5-star presentation of a 3-star album.

If you cant find this now deleted Audio Fidelity item (which will undoubtedly have a price tag to match its rarity) - I’d plum for the Japanese SHM-CD version from October 2010 (reissued 2014) on Warner Brothers WPCR-13821 (use Barcode 4943674097340 on Amazon to find the right issue). For about the same price you get full Mini LP Repro Artwork and the better SHM-CD format inside. The Audio on it is truly gorgeous also and SHM-CDs play on all machines…

“Never A Dull Moment” by ROD STEWART (2009 Audio Fidelity 24 KT Gold Audiophile CD Reissue) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…It Appears To Be Raining Again…You Know I Wouldn’t Tell You No Lie…"

Half way through the second song on this CD "Lost Paraguayos" - I turned it off. I thought to myself maybe it's my CD player, maybe it's me, because the sound on this supposed audiophile CD reissue is incredibly muffled and dull and nothing like what it should be.

Audio Fidelity AFZ 058 is a 24 Karat Gold CD (HDCD encoded) of "Never A Dull Moment" by ROD STEWART issued November 2009 in the USA and is a numbered limited edition of 3000 (33:36 minutes).

AF's releases have had very mixed reviews despite the blurbs all over their gold die-cut card-wrap packaging about "Ultimate Sound Quality", no "compression" and analogue masters being put through "digital converters" etc. It's odd, because I raved about their Joe Walsh CD "The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get" which is fantastic - so why are some of their issues so underwhelming (Faces, Montrose, Randy Newman jump to mind as well).

I then dug out my "Reason To Believe - The Complete Mercury Studio Recordings" 3CD set from 2002 with its stunning SUHA GUR remasters (has done loads of great work for Hip-O Select on Motown and Verve recordings) - and there's the sound I want - full, lively, every instrument alive - kicking like an audiophile title is supposed to do.

I now find that there's controversy about their recent Simon & Garfunkel CD for "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme" too which sounds exactly like the Columbia CD on a few years ago that you can get for a few cents. And to ad insult to injury - Audio Fidelity have even removed the "From The Original Master Tapes" wording from the card sleeve of their new 2010 "Talking Book" reissue by Stevie Wonder! An audiophile reissue company that doesn't want to have the words "original master tapes" on their reissues - how ludicrous can you get.

The packaging too came in for flack, it's a CD single jewel case inside and not an album one - with the original album artwork reproduced in card form - but you can't read anything off it. But that's not what any punter is buying this for - they're looking for the best sound - and for me - it's just not there. The "Reason To Believe" set with 5 full albums, non-album single sides and previously unreleased outtakes and a decent booklet is the winner you want - with genuinely great remastered-sound from an award-winning engineer.

With it's iffy packaging, high price tag and above all suspect sound - I would say that this is a reissue to avoid I'm afraid.

“The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get” by JOE WALSH (2009 Audio Fidelity 24-Karat Audiophile CD - No'd Ltd Edition - Kevin Gray Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Oh Yeah! AAGH! AAGH!"

As a war-weary veteran of over 3000 posts/reviews across 8 years of Amazon and Blogger postings - like many music fans purchasing remastered CDs - I grow tired of record companies and their blurbs about 'meticulous transfers' and 'painstaking restoration'...  So it was with a certain amount of gonad-holding trepidation that I approached the latest Audiophile reissue of one of my favourite Joe Walsh albums – his 2^nd studio effort - 1973’s album "The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get."

But I'm so glad that I bought this because ‘seriously accomplished transfer’ jumps to mind. I'm properly blown away - I really am. But to the voice-box details first...

Original Produced by Joe Walsh and BILL SZYMCZYK - the musicians were:

JOE WALSH - Lead Guitar, Lead Vocals, Keyboard and Synthesiser

JOE VITALE - Drums, Flute, Vocals, Keyboards & Synthesiser

ROCKE GRACE - Keyboards and Vocals

KENNY PASSARELLI - Bass and Vocals

Guests:

JOE LALA - Percussion

CLYDIE KING and VENETTA FIELDS - Backing Vocals

1. Rocky Mountain Way

2. Book Ends

3. Wolf

4. Midnight Moodies

5. Happy Ways

6. Meadows [Side 2]

7. Dreams

8. Days Gone By

9. Daydream (Prayer)

His second solo vinyl album "The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get." by JOE WALSH was originally released September 1973 in the USA on Dunhill/ABC DSX-50140 and on Probe SPBA 6275 in the UK in October 1973. This US-only 24 KT + Gold CD (HDCD encoded) on Audio Fidelity AFZ 059 (Barcode 780014205928) is a December 2009 straightforward reissue of that Seventies rock classic (36:10 minutes). Engineer and disc-cutter KEVIN GRAY (over 150 credits to his name) has remastered the original first generation tapes using AF's "analogue to digital converter" system. Without any further 'sonic manipulation', the disc is then cut in 'real time' to get the very best sound achievable.

The inlay is placed behind the CD in the card wrap - some people have found that this left it with indentation on other AF releases - all I can say is that it hasn't done so here. Other buyers have also complained about the AF version of The Cars "Heartbeat City" - songs that were segued together on the original LP were clumsily separated with jarring breaks on the CD reissue - again not so here. Rocke Grace's funky flute instrumental "Midnight Moodies" segues into the crystal clear bass opening of "Happy Ways" and while the rock of "Meadows" fades out, the drum and cymbal count of "Dreams" sneaks in so sweetly - there are no gaps - the transition to each is seamless and beautifully handled.

The outer card wrap is numbered on the rear (a limited edition of 3000), the fold-out inlay reproduces the outer and inner gatefold artwork of the original US sleeve (pictures Side 1 and 2 of the Dunhill/ABC labels too), but disappointingly doesn't have any further liner notes nor historical appreciation (this is something AF really should address). But as ever, the real fireworks on a release like this, lies in the sound...

Having been a rabid fan of this album for over 35 years and having parted with a hefty wad of cash to acquire this Audiophile CD, the temptation of course is to 'hear' stuff because you desperately want to. But that's a no-brainer with AFZ 059. The sonic improvement is so absolute and so obvious as to render that argument completely mute. The reproduction is clean, muscular and staggeringly detailed. Every instrument seems to be `there' all of a sudden - especially on the lethal double of Vitale's "Bookends" followed by Walsh's "Wolf" - the synth on the first pounds out of the speakers, while the spacious echo of Walsh's guitar on the second sounds glorious - just huge. 

The album's opener "Rocky Mountain Way" was always going to be a sonic tester for this reissue - and it doesn't disappoint - guitar riffage everywhere - drums and bass so sweetly complimenting - it's astonishingly clean and full of power. "Happy Ways" was written by Kenny Passarelli and Joe Lala's lifelong friend BERNARD "BUDDY" ZOLOTH (of Blues Image fame) and it has Latin-based acoustic guitars that are so Stephen Stills' Manassas - the sonic clarity is simple breathtaking on it. The flanged guitar of "Days Gone By" coupled with the flute and keyboards - again wonderfully vibrant. There's a keyboard flourish about one minute into "Dreams" which literally made me stop in my tracks - gorgeous clarity - then it rocks about 2:18 and I'm blubbering like a fool. The album finishes with the quiet piano of "Daydream (Prayer)" which is perhaps the prettiest song on here - the girly vocals of King and Fields now so beautifully clear.

I own the AF versions of "Montrose" by Montrose and "A Nod Is As Good As A Wink..." by Faces and thought them great in some ways, but slightly underwhelming in others - not so on "Smoker". The words "meticulous transfer" actually do apply here because every single second of every single song screams it. If I met Kevin Gray on the street, I'd shake his hand, pat his kids on the forehead and stick a medal on his chest.

Joe Walsh talks babble at the beginning of "Meadows" and eventually screams "Oh Yeah! AAGH! AAGH!" On thrilling to this fabulous CD reissue, I now know exactly what he means. A stunning job done…

PS: see also my reviews for the Hip-O Select version of his 1972 debut album "Barnstorm" and BOTH the 2004 Japanese Card Repro and the 2009 Japanese SHM CD versions of his 3rd album "So What" from 1974...