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COUNTRY,
BLUEGRASS & OLD-TIMEY
Lost
& Found -> Loretta Lynn
| JOHN D. LOUDERMILK |
Bear Family BCD 15421 |
Blue Train |
● CD $21.98 |
26 songs recorded by this Nashville singer/ songwriter
including his teen pop hits Language Of Hits/ Thou Shalt Not Steal/
Callin' Dr Casey & Road Hot and his country hits Bad
News/ Blue Train/ Th' Wife/ That Ain't All & It's My Time.
Usual superb Bear Family sound plus 20 page booklet with
biographical
details, song lyrics and discography. (FS)
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| JOHN D. LOUDERMILK |
Bear Family BCD 15422 |
It's My Time |
● CD $21.98 |
23 original RCA recordings + 24 pg. booklet
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| JOHN D. LOUDERMILK |
Bear Family BCD 15875 |
Sittin' In The Balcony |
● CD $21.98 |
24 tracks cut for Colonial and Columbia by this talented
singer and songwriter. Includes his original versions of the title song
(covered by Eddie Cochran), Red Headed Stranger (which became
Willie Nelson's signature song) plus Teenage Queen/ That's All I Got/
They Were Right/ Yo Yo/ This Cold War With You/ Midnight Bus/ Tobacco Road,
etc
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| IRA LOUVIN |
King KSCD 5120 |
The Complete Recordings Of Ira Louvin |
● CD $10.98 |
15 tracks recorded by one half of the legendary Louvin
Brothers recorded for Capitol in 1964 and '65 after he and brother Charlie
went their separate ways. Ira distinctive and expressive voice is used to
good effect on a selection of mostly mainstream country with a bit of a
Bakersfield feel to them. Includes three previously unissued sides. Songs
include Empty Wallet And A Broken Heart/ It Ain't Funny Enough/ Make
Believe It's Me/ Life Is Too Short/ Something Has Just Got To Give
(particularly nice)/ Right Side Of the Road/ This Is The Door/ You're
As Welcome As The Flowers In May, etc.
|
| CHARLIE
LOUVIN & CHARLES WHITSTEIN |
Copper Creek 119 |
Hoping That You're Hoping |
● CD $15.98 |
12 tracks, 33 min., fans only. This disc represents Charlie
Louvin's return to the duet format after the break up of the Louvin
Brothers' in the early 60's. Here he's teamed up with Charles Whitstein,
who, with his brother, performed and recorded in much the same style. Hoping
That You're Hoping covers selections from the Louvin repertoire. The
vocal harmonies are a bit edgy and rough, sometimes lacking the blend that
Ira and Charlie's records had, but the performances are sincere and
emotional. I would suggest going back to a reissue of the Louvin material
before getting this one. GR)
|
| THE LOUVIN BROTHERS |
Bear Family BCD 15561 |
Close Harmony |
● CD $189.98 |
Like their fellow Alabamians the Delmore Brothers, Ira and
Charlie Louvin (born Loudermilk) of Sand Mountain, Alabama, long ago
became legends for their exquisite vocal harmonies. Their influence in the
bluegrass field and on both the music of the late Gram Parsons and Emmylou
Harris was immense. Various reissues of their Capitol and MGM recordings
have existed on LP in the past along with the fine live recordings
released by Rounder and Copper Creek. This collection, however, makes past
reissues of their studio sides irrelevant. You have here 220 songs on
eight CD's, starting (like the Johnnie and Jack) with the duo's first
recording for Apollo, done at a 1947 Eddie Hill session. Their sole 1949
Decca single is included along with their dozen 1951-52 MGM recordings
including Weapon of Prayer, The Get Acquainted Waltz and The
Great Atomic Power. The over 200 Capitol recordings span 1952 to 1963,
when the act broke up. 1965. This collection encompasses their classic
LPs, including their gospel sets, the Delmore Brothers and Roy Acuff
tributes and secular albums along with their single hits like My Baby's
Gone, Cash on the Barrelhead, When I Stop Dreaming, You're
Running Wild and Knoxville Girl (a traditional song those who
decry violent rap lyrics should check out!). Those harmonies are further
enhanced by the typically faultless Bear Family remastering. Again like
Johnnie and Jack, a violent auto accident claimed Ira Louvin in 1965. The
booklet by Charles Wolfe, based on recent interviews with Charlie Louvin
and others is loaded with rare photos, outtakes from album cover picture
sessions along with discographical and song data as well as session
anecdotes. The stories about the Louvins' high and low times and Ira
Louvin's complexity could spawn a movie. Ira, a gifted gospel composer
could, in a foul mood or in his cups, become the mandolin player from
Hell. He smashed mandolins onstage before any rock group ever thought of
smashing guitars. His behavior not only ended the act, but Ira once nearly
duked it out with Elvis on a tour after criticizing the trash the King sang
onstage. An essential set worth every penny for the music and the booklet.
(RK)
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| THE LOUVIN BROTHERS |
Capitol 37378 |
Satan Is Real |
● CD $11.98 |
12 tracks, 32 mins, essential Finally on CD. If you like
old-fashioned hellfire and brimstone fundamentalist music, this may be the
best Capitol Louvin gospel album. Kicking off with the Louvin original Satan
Is Real, complete with a stomping re-creation of a wild-eyed sermon.
The music is more primitive than a lot of their later gospel works. And as
such it's a lot more authentic than you'd expect, with plenty of
mouthwatering Atkins/Travis guitar, probably from their regular guitarist
Paul Yandell. There's A Higher Power has the kick of the old
Carlisles sides and The Christian Life is the original version of
the song the Byrds later recorded on their
Sweetheart Of The Rodeo. The Kneeling Drunkard's Plea has to be
heard to be believed. I do have to admit that though SATAN may be real,
the construction paper rendering of him that was done for the cover looks
like some fifth-graders did it. However, the notes indicate that the
Louvins nearly scorched themselves posing for the cover photo, complete
with real fire. Note the nervous smiles on Ira's and Charlie's faces.
Maybe Satan was getting back at them for the portrait! Reissue of Capitol
ST-1277 from 1960. (RK)
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| THE LOUVIN BROTHERS |
Razor & Tie 82068 |
When I Stop Dreaming |
● CD $15.98 |
24 tracks, 65 min, essential. At last, a domestic single CD
reissue of classic Louvin Brothers songs, for those of us unable to afford
or digest the 8-CD Bear Family set (BCD 15561). In the long line of
singing brother duets of country music, they rank right at the top, with
their models, the Monroes, Delmores & the Blue Sky Boys, as well as
contemporaries like the Stanleys & Everlys. Ira & Charlie first
applied their divine vocal harmonies to gospel music with devout, if
sometimes strident paeans to Christian values like Family Who Prays/
Broadminded/ River Of Jordan & Great Atomic Power. In 1955,
like many in black gospel, they went pop with When I Stop Dreaming,
which started a string of top country hits like I Don't Believe You've
Met My Baby/You're Running Wild/If I Could Always Win Your Love/Cash On
The Barrelhead a.o., aided by the best Nashville musicians like Chet
Atkins & Hank Garland. A fine tribute to the Delmore Brothers and more
gospel followed until their breakup in 1963 & Ira's death in 1965. One
CD can't include all their classics (where's Must You Throw Dirt In My
Face?), but this makes available the lovely harmonies and great songs
of one of country's finest acts. (JM)
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| THE LOUVIN BROTHERS |
Rounder 1030 |
Songs That Tell A Story |
● CD $15.98 |
One of the finest brother duets in country music, Charlie
& Ira nevertheless found themselves without a recording contract in
1952. But they did have an unsponsored gospel radio show that lasted for
just three weeks. The show, Songs That Tell A Story, aired on WZOB
in Alabama and featured guitar, mandolin, vocals, and nothing more. This
approach offered Ira's excellent mandolin work a chance to shine, unlike
the later Capitol LP's which tended to cover up the beautiful simplicity
of their sound with a deluge of superfluous instruments. Winners here
include I Have Found The Way/ The Weapon Of Prayer/ The Gospel Way/ The
Family That Prays/ Jesus Is Whispering Now and many others. Between
songs they hawk copies of their new song book which was the sole support
of the show. 38 minutes long, this is a reissue of the Rounder LP of the
same title. (JC)
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| PATTY LOVELESS |
MCA MCAD 6401 |
On Down The Line |
● CD $10.98 |
Another winner from the lovely Ms Loveless. This set is very
much in the spirit of her last album featuring a balanced mixture of
upbeat rockers, intense ballads and the occasional hint of bluegrass,
Highlights are the powerful and moving The Night's Too Long written
by Lucinda Williams and some driving rockers from Kostas including the
clever title song and Overtime. Though perhaps not quite as
consistent as her last album this one is, nevertheless, excellent in every
respect with superb instrumental backup and scintillating production from
the indefatigable Tony Brown. (FS)
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| PATTY LOVELESS |
MCA MCAD 10336 |
Up Against My Heart |
● CD $10.98 |
Another fine one from the powerful and expressive voice of
this singer from Kentucky. This one is not quite as strong as her last two
but is still better than most with fine vocals and crisp backup. The best
songs here are the heart wrenching ballad I Already Miss You (Like
You're Already Gone) and the uptempo Hurt Me Bad (In A Real Good
Way) and Waitin' For The Phone To Ring - the rest of the songs
are unexceptional and even the usually dependable Kostas has a couple of
forgettable songs her. However, well worth a listen. (FS)
|
| PATTY LOVELESS |
MCA MCAD 42092 |
If My Heart Had Windows |
● CD $10.98 |
I liked Patty Loveless's debut album (MCA 5915) a great deal
but I am sorry disappointed with this one. Gone are the hard driving
rockers and the heart breaking ballads of that first album to be replaced
with coy swing numbers, mushy pop ballads, pop blues and Eagles type
country rock. The only decent songs on the album is the updating of Dallas
Frazier's If My Heart Had Windows and Steve Earle's jaunty A
Little Bit Of Love. Hank Williams's I Can't Get You Off My Mind
is done to death by slickness. It sounds like Patty wants to be the next
Linda Ronstadt. What a drag! (FS)
|
| PATTY LOVELESS |
MCA MCAD 42223 |
Honky Tonk Angel |
● CD $10.98 |
Patty Loveless's debut album in 1987 was one of the best new
country releases of the year. Her second in 1988 was a real disappointment
with its overly pop overtones. With her third album she has returned to
the feel of her first and what may be her best yet. There is a wonderful
selection of songs here including the rocking Blue Side Of Town
(also recently recorded by Rosie Flores), her own powerful Go One,
the fine moving Chains, a wonderful version of the Stanley
Brothers' bluegrass tune I'll Never Grow Tired Of You and others.
When she sings the Texas flavored Timber I'm Falling In Love I can
see the ghost of Buddy Holly smiling down. Patty is accompanied by a great
band including Albert Lee on guitar and mandolin, Mark O'Connor on fiddle
and mandolin. Digitally recorded and mastered with superb production
thanks to the talented Tony Brown. (FS)
|
| LYLE LOVETT |
MCA MCAD 10475 |
Joshua Judges Ruth |
● CD $15.98 |
Often casually brilliant in the way John Prine's Missing
Years always is, Lovett's latest juxtaposes big, rolling, goodtime
songs with quiet, acoustic-based ballads of love and family and life and
death. The resulting contrast is as striking as that of the books of the
Bible for which the album is named. But Lovett lets the boundaries blur
where they will. The harmony vocals from Emmylou Harris, Rickie Lee Jones
and Sweet Pea Atkinson is entirely appreciated but nonessential, as is the
guitar from Leo Kottke. Lyle should go into the studio with just his
guitar, his voice, and a handful of songs as good as these. Recommended.
(JC)
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| LYLE LOVETT |
MCA MCAD 31307 |
Lyle Lovett |
● CD $11.98 |
Another good debut from 1986. Lyle Lovett is a fine singer/
songwriter from Texas. All but one of the songs here is a Lovett original
and range from tender ballads like The Waltzing Fool to western
swing flavored items like Cowboy Man to honky tonkers like Farther
Down The Line . Lovett is not a great singer but is an effective one
and has some solid no nonsense accompaniments.
|
| LYLE LOVETT |
MCA MCAD 42028 |
Pontiac |
● CD $11.98 |
Let me be one of the first to nominate Texas singer/
songwriter Lyle Lovett's sparkling "Pontiac" for Top Ten album
of the year (1989) honors. It's that exciting - rich, unique imagery,
beautifully sung and embroidered with a variety of musical setting that
will no doubt garner high accolades in both the country & rock camps.
Lovett's golden timbred voice might bring to mind shades of Jesse
Winchester, but his sly, tongue in cheek observations about the human
condition reveal a sense of humor in tunes like If I Had A Boat
& She's No Lady . On the serious side, there's a stunning duet
with Emmylou Harris, Walk Through The Bottomland , which is
followed by a toe-tapping, honky tonk L.A. County , with Emmylou
& Vince Gill. Side two features more introspective & bluesy songs,
with piano, sax & even cello on a few tunes, like cool jazz. M-O-N-E-Y
is provacative and Simple Song is haunting. The abundance of
musical diversity to be found on
Pontiac guarantees many repeated trips in this smooth and elegant ride.
Also available in cassette and Compact Disc. (SG)
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| LYLE LOVETT |
MCA MCAD 42263 |
And His Large Band |
● CD $11.98 |
I never was as enthused about Lyle Lovett's first two albums
as many were. But this time in letting his eccentric, quirky vision run
wild, he may have created an eccentric classic: original compositions that
mix country, blues, folk and bebop--sometimes all at once. Audaciously
kicking off side one with a churning big-band instrumental version of
Clifford Brown's The Blues Walk tips you off. From there he segues
into some spoken, half-sung blues numbers including the brilliant Joe
Williams-styled I Know You Know. Side Two switches to honky-tonk
country and folk with I Married Her Just Because She Looks Like You
and other numbers including a masterful reworking of Tammy Wynette's Stand
By Your Man. Already on my top ten for '89. (RK)
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| LULUBELLE & SCOTTY |
Old Homestead 168 |
Early & Great, Vol. 1 |
● CD $16.98 |
24 tracks, 67 mins, recommended Expanded version of LP
issued many years ago. A delightful collection traditional country music
recorded in the 30s by this fine and popular duo. The material is varied -
traditional ballads, novelty songs, sentimental songs, religious songs and
even a country instrumental. The arrangements are just as varied including
solo guitar, guitar & banjo and occasional added harmonica and fiddle.
This collection of 24 sides features Scotty's first two solo songs from
1933 while the rest of the album features both of them. Songs include Madam
I've Come To Marry You/ Prisoner At the Bar/ Tildy Johnson/ Whoah Back
Buck/ That Crazy War/ From Jerusalem To jericho/ When I Yoo-Hoo In The
Valley/ Homecoming Time In Happy Valley, etc. Sound is decent and
there are informative notes by John Morris. (FS)
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| LULUBELLE & SCOTTY |
Starday 206 |
Sweethearts Of Country Music |
● CD $9.98 |
Re-recordings of some of their early hits
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| BOB LUMAN |
Bear Family BCD 15898 |
Luman - 10 Years |
● CD $113.98 |
5 CD box set with book featurins all of Luman's recordings
from Epic and Polydor between 1968 and 1977. Includes his "return to
roots" LP produced by Johnny Cash, an unreleased session from 1974
and his later hits like When You Say Love/ Lonely Women Make Good
Lovers/ Neither One Of Us/ Still Loving You and more.
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| BASCOM LAMAR LUNSFORD |
Smithsonian Folkways 40082 |
Ballads, Banjo Tunes & Sacred Songs Of
North Carolina |
● CD $15.98 |
19 tracks, 57 mins, highly recommended
Bascom Lamar Lunsford
was a remarkable man. Not only a fine singer and banjo player, as heard
here, during his long life he was a fruit tree salesman, honey bee promoter, publisher, lawyer and political advisor. He also organized the
first Folk Music festival in Nashville, North Carolina in 1927 - an event
which continues to this day. He recorded for commercial labels and more
than 300 songs for the Library Of Congress. The 18 songs and tunes on this
collection reflects only a fraction of his repertoire but provides a good
cross section which included traditional British and American ballads,
banjo shouting songs, parlor songs and more. Lunsford was an immensly
engaging singer and his banjo playing, while not flashy is spot on. Some
cuts feature him playing a mandoline which combined a mandolin-shaped body
with five-string banjo neck and the result is a lighter more melodic
sound. He also plays some powerful fiddle on Ten Steps. This
collection features five of his commercial recordings for Brunswick &
Vocalion in 1928 including the wonderful I Wish I Was A Mole In The
Ground, Old Mountain Dew an original composition that has
become a folk standard plus Little Turtle Dove/ Dry Bones, etc. The
rest of the performances were made for the Library Of Congress in 1949 and
include Swananoa Tunnell/ In The Shadow Of The Pines/ Bonny George
Campbell/ On A Bright & Summer's Morning and others. Lunsford was
diligent about giving credit to all the people who he collected his songs
from and his Library Of Congress recordings are frequently introduced with
a reminiscence of the person he collected it from. An excellent and
valuable release with good notes by Loyal Jones and a brief introduction
from one of Lunsford's daughters. (FS)
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| CLAIRE LYNCH |
Rounder 0464 |
Love Light |
● CD $15.98 |
12 tracks, 36 minutes, good Country/bluegrass performer
Claire Lynch returns for her third outing on Rounder. This album
highlights her songwriting talents as over half the tunes were written or
co written by her. While her vocals are as strong as ever and the
instrumental backing is fine, unfortunately the quality of the material is
not up to the standards of her previous releases and the arrangements
often have a formalistic feel to them. Part of the problem to my ears is a
shift from an emphasis on ensemble playing to a focus on Lynch as the
headliner. Lynch certainly has many strengths as a musician and I've
greatly enjoyed hearing her live in the past, so I will wait for her next
release and hope for the best. (DP)
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| LORETTA LYNN |
MCA MCAD 932 |
Greatest Hits Vol. 2 |
● CD $10.98 |
11 selections, including Coal Miner's
Daughter/You're Lookin' At Country/Love Is The Foundation.
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| LORETTA LYNN |
MCA MCAD 10083 |
Country Music Hall Of Fame Series |
● CD $10.98 |
While all the attention has been showered on reissuing Patsy
Cline at MCA, the next generation beyond both she and Kitty Wells was
realized by Loretta Lynn. Loretta's freshness and pure, unadulterated
country style thrived in a period from the mid sixties to the late
seventies when Nashville was so awash in pop- flavored country that
some cynics twisted the term Music City USA into Mucus City
(who, me? naaaah!). This one collects 15 of her dead level best and one
stupid mistake (more on that in a sec). There's Success, Mr.
& Mrs. Used to Be with Ernest Tubb, Blue Kentucky Girl, Fist
City, Your Squaw Is On The Warpath, You're Lookin' At
Country, The Pill, One's On The Way, When the Tingle
Becomes A Chill, After The Fire Is Gone (with Conway Twitty) Don't
Come Home A-Drinkin' and, of course, Coal Miner's Daughter. The
stupid move was including a 1968 Decca re-recording of Loretta's first
hit, I'm A Honky Tonk Girl, which originally appeared on the Zero
label. The CMF of all people, should avoids this kind of crap and it's
absolutely inexcusable. Programmer Chris Skinker, who also wrote some
excellent notes, blew it badly here. Better to have included You Wanna
Give Me A Lift or the #1 record Woman of The World. (RK)
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| LORETTA LYNN |
MCA (UK) 19040 |
Golden Greats |
● CD $9.98 |
Inexpensive import collection featuring 16 of Loretta's most
popular sides from the period 1968 to '77 - mostly #1s. Includes Before
I'm Over You/ Blue Kentucky Girl/ Fist City/ One's On The Way/ Trouble In
Paradise/ Out Of My Head And Back In My Bed, etc.
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| LORETTA LYNN |
MCA Special Products 22041 |
You Ain't Woman Enough |
● CD $7.98 |
1966 album
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