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Saturday 6 June 2015

"Let's Go/Acoustic" by NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND (2015 Beat Goes On CD Reissue - Andrew Thompson Remasters)




“...Cupid’s Got A Gun...” 

A cheesy 80s album combined with a quality Country set from the 1990s (a proper return to form). UK released May 2015 - Beat Goes On BGOCD 1186 (Barcode 5017261211866) by THE NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND gives you their “Let’s Go” album from 1983 on Liberty Records (Tracks 1 to 10) and their return set “Acoustic” from 1994 also on Liberty (72:12 minutes, Tracks 11 to 21).

This 2LPs on 1CD comes in BGO’s now standard outer card wrap that lends these releases such a classy feel, the 20-page booklet features full musician credits and new liner notes from noted music writer JOHN O’REGAN with some photos in between. ANDREW THOMPSON has done the remasters – beautifully transferred – the Audio is superb on both discs especially “Acoustic” (which was beautifully Produced by the band back in the day at Kerr/Macy Studios in Denver, Colorado.

The first album is one of those terrible 80s efforts where they reach for Andrew Gold and Kenny Loggins songs (“Heartaches In Heartaches” and “Goodbye Eyes”) and try their hand at radio-friendly songs in that schlock hick way. Much of the album also has that Eighties sound that is both polished but heartless in equal measure. Things improve immeasurably when they return to real instrument basics with 1994’s “Acoustic”. Vocalist and Guitarist Jimmy Ibbotson wrote “How Long?”, “Sarah In The Summer” and “One Sure Honest Line” which are straight up Country tunes that work. They do a warm cover of Dennis Linde’s “Hello, I Am Your Heart” while Bob Carpenter’s “Love Will Find A Way” is Eagles territory. In ends well in the Dan Fogelberg/Bruce Hornsby sounding piano of “The Broken Road” – a sincere and moving ballad penned by Jeff Hanna, Marcus Hummon and Bobby Boyd (they won a Grammy for the song and it was used on a tribute album for soldiers who’d suffered from landmines).

Not all genius for sure – but second album more than saves the day – and the Audio Remaster is gorgeous...

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