Post by Pete70s on Sept 29, 2003 10:21:50 GMT -5
This weeks review is for one of my absolute favorite albums of all time.
America, 1971
1. Riverside
2. Sandman
3. Three Roses
4. Children
5. A Horse with No Name
6. Here
7. I Need You
8. Rainy Day
9. Never Found the Time
10. Clarice
11. Donkey Jaw
12. Pigeon Song
Like most fans, I first got into the band when I got the Greatest Hits tape. I wore it out my junior year of high school (at a time when the hottest things in music were Tiffany, George Michael and Whitesnake). Usually when I really like an album or greatest hits compilation of a particular artist, I’ll want to check out more by them.
So two years later, I picked up a beat-up copy of this album for a buck at a flea market. I really enjoyed the first side, but side two was so scratched it wouldn’t play. What I heard I liked enough to buy the cassette. But this album had to grow on me, I’d listen to it here and there over the next few years, but never really dove head-first INTO it for quite some time..
The more I did listen to it though, the more I really connected with it. Over the years I’ve grown to love this album immensely. I found myself saying “Damn the Greatest Hits, it only has three of these songs!” I can’t pinpoint exactly when it became a favorite, but right now it’s probably my second favorite album of all time!
As an acoustic guitarist/songwriter, this album inspires me like no other. I strive to create music that’s this good. I’m not even close. However, when I was working on one of my songs called “Sunshower”, my friend Randy was in the studio with me listening to a playback. His response: “You know who that reminds me of? America!” It was exactly what I was going for.
The album itself was the group in its most minimalist phase. With the exception of an occasional electric guitar solo, 95% of the guitars are acoustic. Only 5 of the albums 12 songs feature drums. Yet this album rocks just as hard as any other, there is SO much feeling in their playing technique. The three acoustic guitars blend well throughout (drumless!) tempo shifts, key changes, and mood swings. The overall feel of the album is very dark, whereas later albums would be more upbeat. Dewey Bunnell wrote 6 of the songs, Gerry Beckley and Dan Peek each wrote 3.
The sound is incredible, the warmth of the guitars resonates well throughout each song. The voices are perfect, the harmonies are powerful. They are truly among the great harmony groups. I’d love to find out some of the recording techniques used, like how the guitars were miked and so forth..
Interesting to note is that the first pressing of this album did NOT include “A Horse with No Name”. And even without it, the album is perfect!
They would expand their sound to be more “band” oriented on their second album “Homecoming” and eventually work with the great George Martin. But the first album was the best, in that it was the three of them and little else. The most DESERVED Grammy ever won!
America, 1971
1. Riverside
2. Sandman
3. Three Roses
4. Children
5. A Horse with No Name
6. Here
7. I Need You
8. Rainy Day
9. Never Found the Time
10. Clarice
11. Donkey Jaw
12. Pigeon Song
Like most fans, I first got into the band when I got the Greatest Hits tape. I wore it out my junior year of high school (at a time when the hottest things in music were Tiffany, George Michael and Whitesnake). Usually when I really like an album or greatest hits compilation of a particular artist, I’ll want to check out more by them.
So two years later, I picked up a beat-up copy of this album for a buck at a flea market. I really enjoyed the first side, but side two was so scratched it wouldn’t play. What I heard I liked enough to buy the cassette. But this album had to grow on me, I’d listen to it here and there over the next few years, but never really dove head-first INTO it for quite some time..
The more I did listen to it though, the more I really connected with it. Over the years I’ve grown to love this album immensely. I found myself saying “Damn the Greatest Hits, it only has three of these songs!” I can’t pinpoint exactly when it became a favorite, but right now it’s probably my second favorite album of all time!
As an acoustic guitarist/songwriter, this album inspires me like no other. I strive to create music that’s this good. I’m not even close. However, when I was working on one of my songs called “Sunshower”, my friend Randy was in the studio with me listening to a playback. His response: “You know who that reminds me of? America!” It was exactly what I was going for.
The album itself was the group in its most minimalist phase. With the exception of an occasional electric guitar solo, 95% of the guitars are acoustic. Only 5 of the albums 12 songs feature drums. Yet this album rocks just as hard as any other, there is SO much feeling in their playing technique. The three acoustic guitars blend well throughout (drumless!) tempo shifts, key changes, and mood swings. The overall feel of the album is very dark, whereas later albums would be more upbeat. Dewey Bunnell wrote 6 of the songs, Gerry Beckley and Dan Peek each wrote 3.
The sound is incredible, the warmth of the guitars resonates well throughout each song. The voices are perfect, the harmonies are powerful. They are truly among the great harmony groups. I’d love to find out some of the recording techniques used, like how the guitars were miked and so forth..
Interesting to note is that the first pressing of this album did NOT include “A Horse with No Name”. And even without it, the album is perfect!
They would expand their sound to be more “band” oriented on their second album “Homecoming” and eventually work with the great George Martin. But the first album was the best, in that it was the three of them and little else. The most DESERVED Grammy ever won!
This is a superb album - fantastic review as well. I have the album on 8 - track (I guess I really should upgrade 
- Although I do have the Definitive Collection on CD. BTW the songs on the 8-track are in different running order.
