into the historic confines of Tremont Street’s Boston Music Hall on a Tuesday night in December, the New Riders had their engines primed and delivered a powerful set of originals that included "Sutter’s Mill," "Groupie" and "Whiskey" from Gypsy Cowboy, and fan favorites "Truck Drivin’ Man," "Hello Mary Lou" and the stompin’ show closer "Willie And The Hand Jive." With Buddy Cage now firmly entrenched behind the pedal steel guitar and taking the band to a new sonic plane, you can feel the energy and excitement of the night come solidly through on NRPS staples "Whatcha Gonna Do," "Portland Woman," "Last Lonely Eagle," " Louisiana Lady," "Glendale Train" and "I Don’t Know You." A rollicking version of Chuck Berry’s "Sch...  (less)

of New Music Series that has served since 1972 to bring new music to the college campus. He has established close ties with musical audiences throughout the country but with a particular focus around Philadelphia and throughout Pennsylvania. He has composed works for solo instruments, chamber ensembles, orchestra and the electronic medium. In describing his music Nelson says, “I utilize mathematical strategies or formal systems and I use computer technology in the creation of my music while, at the same time, my music is very much grounded in traditional concepts of lyricism and harmonic motion.” A reviewer described Nelson's music as “having an open and easy approach to tonality- neither insisting on it nor rejecting it. Musical intuition is supplemented...  (less)

Beck. In a 1971 interview, Buchanan confided, "This star business scares the hell out of me." That remark says much about both the guitar phenom's humble mindset and promising yet oft-troubled career. Buchanan apprenticed with '50s rockabilly star Dale Hawkins (and later, Hawkins's cousin Ronnie in the Hawks, soon to become the Band), but was in his 30s before he got the attention he so richly deserved. Buchanan's solos here often seem to bypass his conscious mind and connect directly with his complex, conflicted soul (he committed suicide in 1988). Contrasted with his plaintive, near-spoken vocals on spiritually disparate tracks like "The Messiah Will Come Again," "Hey Joe," and a live take on "I'm E...  (less)

Harvest a hit album, singing backup on the follow-up.) Young name-drops Hank Williams, Jimi Hendrix, and his old dog, King, in rich reminiscences about the musical ride he and his fans have shared since the late '60s. The album, as Young sings in "One of These Days," is "a long letter to all the good friends I've known." --Steve Knopper  (less)

sell up to expectations and, for that, the band found themselves on thin ice at Warner Brothers. Turning to another red-hot WB staff producer in Ted Templeman (Doobie Brothers, Van Halen, Van Morrison), they were able to further hone Lowell George's bent and surreal writing and elevate Bill Payne and Richie Hayward's contributions into more hook-laden tunes, while maintaining the unique rock, blues and country blend that defined the quartet. Showing authority, confidence and indeed, major cojones (including a re-arranged Willin', a song from their first album, on their follow-up!), 1972's Sailin' Shoes firmly established Feat as a major force in pop music. The Flying Burrito Brothers' #1 Sneaky Pete, perfectly seasons b...  (less)

known as a hit songwriter (‘Joy to the World', ‘The Pusher', ‘No No Song', ‘Never Been to Spain' etc), Axton signed to A&M Records in 1972 for a string of high quality albums. Less Than The Song features a set of beguiling songs with just his acoustic guitar and gravely baritone to the fore over subtle instrumentation. On the other hand, Life Machine literally leaps out of the speakers with energetic takes on ‘Maybelline' and ‘That's All Right' and also produced his first solo hits in an engaging duet with Linda Ronstadt ‘When the Morning Comes' (Country #10, also Pop #54) and ‘Boney Fingers' (Country #8). This release follows on from Raven's previous Axton collections: Gotta Keep Rollin': The Jeremiah Years 1979-1981, Joy To The World/Country Ant...  (less)

and a common love of country and R&B music. In short order, they began working together while sharing a small apartment in Los Angeles' Echo Park area (their downstairs neighbor was Jackson Browne with whom both Souther and Frey would collaborate on numerous projects). Shortly after meeting, Souther and Frey formed a folk duo called Longbranch Pennywhistle. Their lone album, released in 1970 on Jimmy Bowen's Amos Records, featured significant contributions from guitarists James Burton and Ry Cooder, fiddler Doug Kershaw, drummer Jim Gordon, pianist Larry Knechtel and bassist Joe Osborn. After recording an eponymous solo album in 1972, persuaded by David Geffen, Souther formed the Souther Hillman Furay Band with Chris Hillman and Richie Furay. The group re...  (less)

who had little to no hype preceding her. An astonishing 750,000 copies of the single flew from record store shelves nationally. In 1972, Gentry issued her fifth and final album, with a smattering of individual songs surfacing over the next few years. She spent the remainder of the ‘70s performing in Las Vegas and Reno before turning her back on the music business and disappearing from sight. Although Bobbie Gentry no longer records or performs, her legacy continues to inspire contemporary musicians. Lucinda Williams, Shelby Lynne and Beth Orton are but a few artists who cite Gentry as a major influence on their work. "‘Ode To Billie Joe’ fit right into this Southern Gothic tradition. It had that mystery, that darkness. It was a different voice, a blend o...  (less)

steel guitarist Ben Keith, and Rick Rosas on bass, CD2 manages to sound both home-grown and experimental. It's the work of an artist still not afraid to take chances, who also knows what his strengths are and doesn't stray too far from them. Trainspotters will note that three of the ten songs were written but never released before, while we all might puzzle over the title. Chrome Dreams is the name of an unreleased album from 1977. So, why is this Chrome Dreams II ? Is it a similar case to 1992's Harvest Moon , when Young went back to the virtual land of his 1972 hit Harvest to write more material in that vein? As the original was reportedly lost in a fire, we may never know. Chrome Dreams II offers up gorgeous, plaintive laments and country-tinged num...  (less)

songwriter ('Joy to the World', 'The Pusher', 'No No Song', 'Never Been to Spain' etc), Axton signed to A&M Records in 1972 for a string of high quality albums. Following Less than the Song (1973) and Life Machine (1974), Axton emerged with his two best-selling albums in Southbound (US Country #27) and Fearless (US Country #26). Southbound yielded the Country hits 'Nashville' and 'Lion in the Winter' (featuring Linda Ronstadt on guest vocals) and found Axton in a rowdy mood with tracks like 'Roll Your Own', 'Whiskey', 'Speed Trap' and his own version of 'No No Song'. With superb quality audio and detailed liner notes this CD is an indispensable addition to his enduring catalog.  (less)

sell up to expectations and, for that, the band found themselves on thin ice at Warner Brothers. Turning to another red-hot WB staff producer in Ted Templeman (Doobie Brothers, Van Halen, Van Morrison), they were able to further hone Lowell George's bent and surreal writing and elevate Bill Payne and Richie Hayward's contributions into more hook-laden tunes, while maintaining the unique rock, blues and country blend that defined the quartet. Showing authority, confidence and indeed, major cojones (including a re-arranged Willin', a song from their first album, on their follow-up!), 1972's Sailin' Shoes firmly established Feat as a major force in pop music. The Flying Burrito Brothers' #1 Sneaky Pete, perfectly seasons b...  (less)