Relax Your Mind I won't numerically rate this album as I haven't had the chance to listen to it as a whole album a sufficient number of times. However, I think the concept of the album - Leadbelly Covers - is a good an interesting one. The songs are typically quite appropriate for Peter. On some of them he does a better job vocally than on others, but in the context of the entire album I'm happier to give him a bye on that than when considering individual songs. The band does a great job on the album, and many of the songs are taken in an interesting direction. As @FredV says, it's a fitting final album for Pete.
Today's song is It's Over: I hope nobody minds changing the running order to add this little track that we missed way back then. This Davy demo was recorded back in 2000 and is typically pleasant on the ear. It is clearly unfinished, but I kind of wish that Davy had recorded an unplugged album. 2.5/5.
No need to rate this one but, as the Davy demo is a triviality, this Mike production was added to Youtube this week: An interesting little example of Countryside's releases.
It's Over This is an interesting song, but I think that even the songwriting is not finished. The chorus has the same two chord progression as the verse. At least I presume that's a chorus. Far more work needs to be done. But, there is a germ of an idea there. 2.7/5 Sweet Heart is a nice song and production, but is a bit too C&W for me.
It’s Over - A nice demo by Davy, it sounds like it’s him on the acoustic guitar. I wish he had been able to develop it and recorded a finished version. I like Davy’s demos, he obviously had an idea for what he wanted. I definitely recommend searching out his Just For The Record Vol. 2 cd which contains his 70’s demos, it would have made a better solo album than the one he was contractually obligated to record for Bell Records. For the song - 3/5.
Sweet Heart - A nice sample of Michael Nesmith's work as a producer, you can definitely hear his touch, especially with Red Rhodes in the mix. 4/5.
It's Over - Davy had a way of elevating something completely pedestrian into something very listenable. It's Over is just a two-chord sketch but it totally reeled me in. 3/5 Sweet Heart - well-produced and always nice to hear Red but this type of C&W isn't my thing at all unless Mike's singing it. 3/5
Today's song is The Dance of Mother and Child: It's nice to hear some guitar on a Mike song which we haven't always been able to say about his later releases. Having said that, this feels rather messy and slapdash to me. Mike's voice sounds strong in places, but exhibits wear and tear elsewhere. Some of the lyrics, particularly those at the very start of the song, could have done with a slight rewrite. Not bad, but not great 2.5/5.
The Dance of Mother & Child 1.5 Sounds like he started with something with potential to something aimless. Sounds like he was just strumming and making up the lyrics as he went along. No muse here. After a couple listens ... there's something there .. a good song is in there .. he just loses it at some point. Sad after listening to The Prison.
The Dance of Mother & Child Good to hear Mike singing and playing guitar, even with a presumably programmed drum beat. His typical songwriting style is represented here. And, he hits the high notes despite being a bit wobbly elsewhere. With a fuller arrangement, this could be something. But, as it is, it's promising and given a full 'Radio Engine' production I think something could be made of this. 3/5
It's actually J. G. Rafferty on pedal steel. Red wasn't signed up to the Countryside band at that point. J.G. plays on the A-side, Cause I Have You, too. There's more info here: James "JG" O'Rafferty : The Steel Guitar Forum For everyone's info: Herb Steiner played steel for Jerry Jeff Walker's Lost Gonzo Band back in the mid 70's, after playing with Michael Murphey. Amazing how everyone is connected. There is a track that Red played on that has not yet surfaced. Cowtown, the opening track from Steve Fromholz's Countryside album, How Long Is The Road To Kentucky was sent out as a promotional 45 to radio stations just before the label folded but it has yet to appear on YouTube. More detail can be found in Jan Reid's book, The Improbable Rise Of Redneck Rock. The Dance of Mother & Child was written for a Terry Allen project a few years back. Great to hear that acoustic 12 string sound; it takes me back to his mid 70's UK gigs. The song has grown on me since first hearing it. The Dance of Mother & Child - 3.5/5
The Dance of Mother and Child - Nice to hear Nesmith on guitar again and that he was still able to hit the high notes. His vocal is a bit wobbly with age, but can still impart emotion into the lyrics. 4/5.
I like the guitar and the slightly skewed vocal but man, that bass drum (of facsimilie thereof) is just relentless, intrusive, out of sync, and undermines the whole thing. It literally sounds like you're at a coffeehouse listening to a folk singer and a car with a massive subwoofer is parked outside listening to house music. I'm not gonna ask "What was he thinking?" because the last decade has proven that to be an unanswerable question but this really seems almost like self-sabotage. That said, there's a good song in there. 3/5
It's Over - 3/5 This one is really enjoyable, I really wish it was professionally recorded - missed opportunity. Definitely there was potential here of a fine tune for Mr. Jones. The Dance of Mother and Child - 2.5/5 Overall I enjoy the melody of this one, but something about seems incomplete. I really like the title of the song, just wished it was more polished overall. Got super behind, I won't go back to far to rate the ones I missed. Life has been keeping me busy here of late!
"The Dance of Mother & Child" -- 2/5 This track's a bit of a mess. As @JuanTCB stated, "there's a good song in there", but it's buried beneath some really unfortunate dreck. This is poorly executed and the magic he once had in his music is sorely missing.
Davy's song had potential. I am glad I didn't get around to posting about the Nez produced track because I too was going to comment on Red's playing but alas DaveJ set me straight before I got a chance to post. Sounds like a Nez produced track and would have been cool to hear him on vocals. Those vocals in that time frame would have been great I imagine but now on this last track The Dance of Mother and Child, Mike sounds very out of pitch, tune or whatever. It really reminded me of Peter's effort on Christmas Party. I guess it does show how unbelievable Micky is to be able to keep these great vocals at this stage in like and career. I do agree with most, this song if recorded for Radio Engine or around that time had some promise.
Today we will discuss the album Live at the Troubadour: I remember that Mike mentioned in an interview with Iain Lee that he hoped to put together a new First National Band to tour with. It must have been kind of amazing for Iain that 7a were able to issue this album a few years later... This might be my favourite of all of the live releases of the past decade or so and Mike sounds amazingly strong and youthful. The band are also very tight and, while it could have been a disaster, the redux idea works very well. A smart decision to have a completely different setup to the 1970s band, so there can't be too many direct comparisons. Tengo Amore might be the most enjoyable song for me, but good to hear so many that Mike hadn't sung for years. Christian Nesmith's work on the album provides another stepping stone to the Dolenz Sings Nesmith release that we will discuss soon. 4/5.
Live at the Troubadour - 5/5 Outstanding. Great band, great setlist...love everything about this performance and this album.
