"Hand Sown…Home Grown / Silk Purse / Linda Ronstadt” by LINDA RONSTADT (2014 Beat Goes On 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...The Long Way Around..."

This stunning 21 July 2014 (UK released) 2CD set gives us Linda Ronstadt's three albums on Capitol Records between 1969 and 1972. There's a lot to get through so here's the details for Beat Goes on BGOCD 1156 (Barcode 5017261211569)...

Disc 1 (61:35 minutes):

1. Baby You've Been On My Mind

2. Silver Threads And Golden Needles

3. Bet No One Ever Hurt This Bad

4. A Number And A Name

5. The Only Mama That'll Walk The Line

6. The Long Way Around

7. Break My Mind

8. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight

9. It's About Time

10. We Need A Whole Lot More Of Jesus (And A Lot Less Rock `n' Roll

11. The Dolphins

Tracks 1 to 11 are her debut solo album "Hand Sown...Home Grown" - released March 1969 in the USA on Capitol ST-208 and September 1969 in the UK on Capitol E-ST 208

12. Lovesick Blues

13. Are My Thoughts With You?

14. Will You Love Me Tomorrow?

15. Nobody's

16. Louise

17. Long Long Time

18. Mental Revenge

19. I'm Leavin' It All Up To You

20. He Dark The Sun

21. Like Is Like A Mountain Railway

Tracks 12 to 21 are her 2nd album "Silk Purse" - released March 1970 in the USA on Capitol ST-407 and August 1970 on Capitol E-ST 407 in the UK

Disc 2 (31:47 minutes):

1. Rock Me On The Water

2. Crazy Arms

3. I Won't Be Hangin' Round

4. I Still Miss Someone

5. In My Reply

6. I Fall To Pieces

7. Ramblin' Round

8. Birds

9. Faithful

10. Rescue Me

Tracks 1 to 10 are her 3rd album "Linda Ronstadt" - released January 1972 in the USA on Capital SMAS-635 and April 1972 on Capitol EA-ST 635 in the UK

The outer card wrap is now a feature for Beat Goes On and gives the whole shebang a very classy feel. The chockers 24-page booklet features detailed histories by noted musicologist JOHN TOBLER with reproductions of the original liner notes, period photos and musician credits. The sound quality is truly superlative (Andrew Thompson 2014 remasters - tapes licensed from Universal) - incredibly clean and alive. Fans will love this.

The first two LPs have the feel of an artist trying to hit that sweet spot somewhere between Traditional Country and Country-Rock and not quite getting there. Her voice is fabulous on Randy Newman's "Bet No One Ever Hurt This Bad" and Mickey Newbury's "Are My Thoughts With You" - the same on Paul Siebel's "Louise". She goes full fiddle country with the bitter Mel Tillis post relationship classic "Mental Revenge" and vocal Americana on "Life Is Like A Mountain Railway". The sound quality is superb throughout - vocal, Dobro and mandolin.

"Rock Me On The Water" opens her 1972 album and this Jackson Browne cover (from his "Saturate Before Use" 1972 debut album) is the first real sight of a template that would serve her for decades to come - covers of great Rock songs by quality songwriters known and unknown. I love the keyboard slink of "I Won't Be Hangin' Round" (an Eric Kaz song) and "In My Reply" is a rare take on a Livingston Taylor song (James Taylor's brother). The whole album is everything the first two should have been.

But better than that - her 3rd self-titled album is famous for being an early Country-Rock classic and for bringing together THE EAGLES who were at the time dispersed between the bands SHILOH and LONGBRANCH PENNYWHISTLE while doubling -up as Ronstadt's touring band. Randy Meisner, Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Bernie Leadon play and harmonize of six of the tracks and would release their debut album later that year with Ronstadt's blessings. Other notable contributions to the record are Herb Pedersen on Banjo and National Steel with Sneaky Pete on Steel Guitar. Three of the songs on Side 2 are `live' - the Hank Cochran classic "I Fall To Pieces", a truly beautiful cover of Neil Young's "Birds" and a boppin version of Fontella Bass's 1965 Checker Records Soul Classic "Rescue Me" (which finishes the album on a high).

I've really enjoyed re-hearing these records - and especially in such wonderful clarity and with liner notes by someone who knows what's what.

Yet another top quality remaster/reissue by Beat Goes On - and I can only hope they can get access to her Asylum Records catalogue and deliver it with the same sonic results.

This review is part of my SOUNDS GOOD Music Book Series. One of those titles is CLASSIC 1970s ROCK - an E-Book with over 260 entries and 2450 e-Pages - purchase on Amazon and search any artist or song (click the link below). Huge amounts of info taken directly from the discs (no cut and paste crap). 

"Karla Bonoff / Restless Nights /Wild Heart Of The Young" by KARLA BONOFF (November 2013 Beat Goes On Reissue - 3LPs Remastered onto 2CDs) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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--> "...Sings Me Sweet Things..."

Like most people I came to Karla Bonoff and her affecting songs via Linda Ronstadt. I'd loved both "Someone To Lay Down Beside Me" and "If He's Ever Near" - Bonoff originals issued as singles by Linda in the USA. This excellent 2CD set is a great place to look for more...

UK released November 2013 – "Karla Bonoff/Restless Nights/Wild Heart Of The Young" by KARLA BONOFF on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1126 (Barcode 5017261211262) features 3 albums Remastered onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (74:20 minutes):

1. Someone To Lay Down Beside Me

2. I Can’t Hold On

3. Lose Again

4. Home

5. Faces In The Wind

6. Isn’t It Always Love [Side 2]

7. If He’s Ever Near

8. Flying High

9. Falling Star

10. Rose In The Garden

Tracks 1 to 10 are her debut solo LP "Karla Bonoff" released in September 1977 on Columbia PC 34672 in the USA and January 1978 in the UK on CBS S 82455.

11. Trouble Again

12. Restless Nights

13. The Letter

14. When You Walk In The Room

15. Only A Fool

16. Baby Don’t Go

17. Never Stop Her Heart

18. Loving You

19. The Water Is Wide

Tracks 11 to 19 are her 2nd album "Restless Nights" released in September 1979 on Columbia JC 35799 in the USA and January 1980 on CBS S 83587 in the UK

Disc 2 (37:56 minutes):

1. Personally

2. Please Be The One

3. I Don’t Want To Miss You

4. Even If

5. Just Walk Away

6. Gonna Be Mine

7. Wild Heart Of The Young

8. It Just Takes One

9. Dream

Tracks 1 to 9 are her 3rd album "Wild Heart Of The Young" released in April 1982 on Columbia FC 37444

The card wrap pictures all 3 albums and the detailed 16-page booklet outlines session details and a history of her career and associations (John Tobler liner notes). Quite apart from Ronstadt, the albums are littered with the West Coast session mafia - Russ Kunkle, Waddy Watchel, the Eagles, Andrew Gold, Steve Forman, Leland Sklar, Joe Walsh, and long-time producer and friend Kenny Edwards. ANDREW THOMPSON at Sound Performances in London did the remastering and they're beautifully clear and full of presence - reflecting the superb original production values.

The debut album is probably the best with gems like "Home" (lyrics above), "Faces In The Wind" and "Falling Star" as well as the fabulous "Someone To Lay Down Beside Me". In fact as the tunes and ace musicianship go softly by - you're hit over and over by her affecting song writing - rather like a female Jackson Browne on a good day. You could just imagine the Eagles recording an entire album of her songs and making them sound like their own compositions. Bonnie Raitt covered "Home" on her April 1977 LP "Sweet Forgiveness" and Warners even released it as a UK 7" single on K 16953 in May 1977 to promote the album. In the meantime Linda Ronstadt arguably took "Someone To Lay Down Beside Me" to even greater heights. She featured it on her April 1976 album "Hasten Down The Wind" (a top 3 record in the USA) and the song turned up as a US and UK 45 in late 1976 and early 1977 (it was also featured on her May 1980 "Greatest Hits Vol.2"). Bonoff is like this – a songsmith – picked up on by others who know a winning melody when they hear one. Her self-titled debut rose to No. 52 on the US Pop LP charts and had a 40-week run – but it's unfairly forgotten now and shouldn't be.

The second and third albums saw the tunes drop too many times into terrible late-Seventies Neil Diamond schlock territory. Jackie De Shannon provides backing vocals on her own song "When He Walked Into The Room" and another winner is her beautiful cover of the Traditional "The Water Is Wide" (James Taylor does a gorgeous version of it on his "New Moon Shine" album from 1991). The polished "Wild Heart..." from 1982 is unfortunately all production and too few actual tunes ("Just Takes One" is a lovely exception with nice slide guitar from Joe Walsh). And Kenny Edwards and Andrew Gold (long-time collaborators with Bonoff) have their talent and presence on almost every track (both are now sadly passed on).

It might not be everyone's idea of heaven - but those languid melodies I've mentioned will affect you. If you're a Karla Bonoff fan - this superlative sounding and well-presented reissue is a must own...especially for that lovely debut...

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