"I Know Love" -- 3/5 As with previous SSB tracks, it's a little tough for me to rate this because it's slightly outside of my wheelhouse and not what I particularly want from a Peter Tork recording -- but it absolutely accomplishes what it sets out to do. Other people do this type of thing much better, but I don't seek those artists out either since it's not really my thing. I agree this does sound more professional than much of the earlier SSB stuff. In fact, I think this album is a leap forward in that area -- probably their most polished and well-rounded. Off to a pretty good start here.
I Know Love - 3/5 This one is alright and probably is a good road trip song. I feel kinda like @intv7 does about SSB. The music is OK, but not really in my favorites' category.
This is pretty good - it's pretty much generic bar band stuff but it sounds decent and it doesn't go out of its way to shoot itself in the foot. The two vocals hang together nicely, too. 3/5
I Know Love This is a solid piece of blues or blues rock. All instruments and vocals work well, and it's good song too. I would like to hear a bit more Pete here. I wouldn't recognise this as by him if I heard it unattributed. 3.5/5
Today's song is One More Heartache: One More Heartache, by Peter Tork & Shoe Suede Blues Oh dear... If you're going to cover a Marvin Gaye song, then you'd better be pretty confident in your own singing ability. Sadly, even by the standards of the solo stuff that we've discussed in this thread, the vocals here aren't good enough at all. There are issues with the timing, tone, pitch and staying anywhere near in tune. Musically it sounds thin and anaemic. 1.5/5.
One More Heartache - Not a bad cover of the Marvin Gaye classic. Not sure if those are real horns in the mix, but the work well in the tune as does the guitar solo. Peter’s vocals are a little weak but still fine for the song. 3/5.
One More Heartache - 2/5 Sorry, Peter, this is not in your range to sing. The arrangement is good for what it is. But man - I gotta say No to the vocals here.
One More Heartbreak This to me sounds a fine song, and a reasonable arrangement. I like the horns too. As mentioned Pete's vocal isn't quite up to it. However, the strength of the song itself and the guitar solo carry it to a: 3.4/5
I dig this a lot. I like the arrangement - it takes the smooth Motown rhythm and rearranges it around the central riff, the instruments have some air around them, the bass and drums are pretty solid, the guitar solo is pretty cool and unexpected, and I THINK those might actually be real horns (they sound like the horn riff on Joe Cocker's "The Letter" played backwards, regardless). And, I mean, we all know going into this that Peter's voice is objectively going to suck but all things considered, I think he does a pretty good job here. 4/5
A quick aside that's probably already been addressed somewhere in these 840 pages: "Good Looker", which is on Cambria Hotel and was a near-constant in Peter's live repertoire since the '70s, was written by Riley "Wildflower" Cummings, who played bass in Release. Who knew? Not me!
Today's song is Bound to Lose: Cambria Hotel, by Peter Tork & Shoe Suede Blues I can't say that I know too much about this track or the songwriter Richey Kevin Craig. I do know that it is another vocal from Peter that is painful to listen to. He was capable of singing better than this, as we've heard previously, but maybe he needed someone like James Lee Stanley to work with to tell him when something was unacceptable. The style of music is more fitting than the previous track and acoustically it is listenable. 2.5/5.
"Bound to Lose" -- 2.5/5 Yeah, Peter's vocal is pretty bad at times here, but this type of material feels closer to what I want to hear from him. Nice to hear him break out the banjo for this one. I'd be able to see past his vocal shortcomings if it was just a better song.
Bound to Lose The banjo intro was really promising, but then I read the previous posts. Overall I like the song, but it needs a better lead vocal. The backing vocals sound a bit generic. I like the banjo and steel guitar. I could imagine Nez singing this. However, I imagine him singing this better than Peter does. This song could fit on a later Monkees album. In my opinion. It would make a nice change of pace. But, with a better vocal. 3.3/5
Bound To Lose - Having seen Peter many times in solo concerts, I’m not bothered by his vocals on this song, I think his quirky style suits it. The Folky instrumentation is right up his alley along with the background vocals and the pedal steel guitar which is mindful of Red Rhodes. This is the type of song I’d expect Peter to perform in concert and I believe I have heard him perform it. It’s definitely suited to his Folk roots. 3/5.
I'm really digging this album - Peter's in his element, relaxed, doing his thing, and not trying to sound "contemporary". Bound To Lose is no different. Even the backing vocals are done tastefully. And by 21st Cemtiry solo Monkees standards, this sounds like it was produced by Rick Rubin. Again, really solid stuff. 3.5/5
This is exactly the kind of material I want from a Peter Tork solo album. A lot of the backing vocals on stranger things have happened we’re overproduced in my opinion. This is perfect. Yes, his vocal could’ve been improved in a couple of spots… But it is also delivered in a way that serves the lyrics. Kind of a desperate but hopeful sound. I also think I rated yesterday’s cut too low. I am going to make up for it by giving this a 4/5
