Pure Prairie League 2fer Hybrid Multichannel SACD from Dutton/Vocalion

Dutton/Vocalion does it again!

These underrated 70's classics are now available on one disc as a Quad/Stereo hybrid SACD.

You can order direct from the label.

I'm looking forward to hearing these Quad mixes in pristine sound.

 

I wasn't really familiar with PPL before Vocalion asked me to write the liner notes for this reissue, but these two albums really grew on me - especially Two Lane Highway. I think you can really hear producer John Boylan's gift for capturing harmony and melody (he produced Boston's self-titled debut right after this) on these two albums, and the band is as tight as anything - really nice country-rock in the vein of Poco and Souther, Hillman, Furay and bands like that. Not to mention the fact that these two albums were two of RCA's last quadraphonic releases and are rare as hen's teeth, especially on quad 8-track - a bargain to get both albums in stereo and quad for only £10.99.

More info here: Vocalion August SACD Release - duttonvocalion.co.uk

 

wow...!! had a hard enough time hunting down the CD-4 LPs of these two Quad albums., the Q8s proving impossible to find at this point.., another instant no hesitation MultiCh SACD purchase.

 

Not the two best titles in PPL's catalog IMO.

 

Agree. I have an old CD twofer, featuring the two I like the most: self-titled and Bustin' Out.

 

One of them is!

 

I'm in!

I wish Sony/Legacy would issue PPL's RCA catalog as a set, with bonus tracks.

 

I would be more excited if the SACD consisted of these two, especially S/T.

 

Maybe if this sells well, those two could be next

 

Not bad. My favorites are Bustin' Out, Two Lane Highway, Firin' Up, and Something in the Night. I love the Vince Gill era as much as the others.

 

It would be great to have the first two albums (self-titled and Bustin' Out) released as SACDs as well, but believe the idea here was to focus on the quads. If this is the case, maybe they could do the Poco quads eventually too.

 

Quite inferior to the first two PPL albums, which are excellent (and the second side of Bustin' Out is one of the best country rock sides EVER).

 

Don't know much about PPL, just know I really liked this song in the 70s and still do.

 

Good song!

 

Have never heard these before, but at less than $13 for a quad sacd with two LPs, I was willing to take the risk. Just ordered this and two other titles.

 

Maybe they'll do those first two Nesmith albums that came out as quad...that would be sweet.

 

Write them a quick e-mail about this. The more people ask for these the more chances we have of these being released, unless Nez would said no.

 

I bought 'Two Lane Highway' when it was first released, in 1975, and it remains my favourite album of theirs and a favourite album, period! I also have a CD-R which I made from my U.K. vinyl copy which sounds superb. I think this is truly a great album, great songs and fantastic musicianship. Somebody also mentioned melody and this album has melody in spades. This record gets frequent playing time on my SME and Ayre vinyl and digital players, respectively. I have most of the PPL catalogue, all on vinyl, but only picked up a first U.S. press of 'If The Shoe Fits' while in Germany in May of this year.

I will definitely spring for this SACD! Thanks for posting.

 

I like the first two albums also but I cannot see that 'TLH' is inferior. I suppose it marked a change in direction for the band. Mind you, there was a decline in quality with their later efforts. But, 'PPL', 'Bustin' Out' and 'TLH' are all very fine efforts in my opinion. I went ahead and ordered the SACD. I hope they had access to a good source/master tape!

 

I agree that Two Lane Highway is indeed a really good album, especially given that the band had a new lead vocalist, and been unsigned and in the musical wilderness for pretty much two years. I never really understood the complaint when something's announced for reissue and people say 'well, x and y other album are better' - just because one thing is good it doesn't make another bad, things should be judged on their own merits. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't see music as a race where a quality victor needs to be declared, variety and breadth are part of the enjoyment. Led Zeppelin II (or IV or PG or whatever you think) may be their best album, but that doesn't mean that sometimes I don't want to listen to Presence, or even Coda. Same with PPL - there's no denying that their first two albums are great, but Two Lane Highway is really good too, and along with If The Shoe Fits, boasts an excellent quad mix - which neither of the first two albums have.

Both the stereo and quad on this new disc are DSD transfers from the original tapes, and Mike Dutton tells me that of the four new SACDs they're releasing, the PPL disc is the best sounding, which I think is saying something as the Santana/Coltrane disc (engineered by Glen Kolotkin) and Musicmagic (recorded at Caribou Ranch) are no slouches in the sound quality stakes.

 

I have to agree about your comment re: Bustin' Out.

 

I'm in for this SACD

 

For anyone who's ordered from this UK website, does the checkout process eventually deduct the VAT? Or is the price shown the price we pay (converted to our local currency)?

 

The main difference between the recently re-issued albums, “Two Lane Highway”(’75) and “If The Shoe Fits”(’76), and their first two, “Pure Prairie League” and “Bustin’ Out”, (both’72), is Craig Fuller, who dominated those earlier efforts, writing the great majority of the songs, and performing most of the lead vocals. In my opinion these two albums are by far the best they ever recorded, and superior to anything else attempted in later years. For various reasons, Fuller had gone by early 1973, and what was left was a completely different band. George Powell was the only person who appeared on all of these first 4 records but with the greatest of respect, he wasn’t quite in the same league as Fuller.

There are however, a few good songs on the latter two, particularly on “Two Lane Highway”, Emmylou Harris’s vocal on “Just Can’t Believe It” is sublime and “Sisters Keeper” and “Memories” are both excellent. There’s also some dross, a completely pointless version of Gene Clark’s “Kansas City Southern”, and a dreadful tribute/nod to Merle Haggard.

I think the whole early PPL situation is similar to what happened to Poco in 1977 when Timmy Schmit left after “Indian Summer”, (bringing together the end of a great run of 5 albums that started with “Seven”, (personally, I always thought this was the definitive Poco line-up). One could also mention The Flying Burrito Brothers, who struggled on, but were never the same, after Chris Hillman and Rick Roberts finally jumped ship, and I’m sure there are many other examples out there somewhere.

None of this in any way is to suggest PPL didn’t continue to make some fine music, Vince Gill joined for a few albums in the late 70’s/ early 80’s, but for me, nothing could compare to those first two releases, which I still think are two of the greatest country-rock albums made.

 

nice to see these non muzak titles getting a quad release. ....lots of RCA quad stuff to be mined, hoping for more!