"Southwest /Sandman" by HERB PEDERSEN (June 2014 Beat Goes On Reissue - 2LPs Remastered Onto 1CD) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…If I Can Sing A Song…"

In Country Rock - Herb Pedersen - is not exactly a legendary name – one that rolls off the tongue of every aficionado. I can just about remember seeing a Banjo credit to him on The Doobie Brothers "Minute By Minute" album from 1978 as I scoured the inner sleeve for sessionmen I knew – and nothing else. 

Yet he’s turned up on Linda Ronstadt albums from back in the day and even contributes to CDs by supremo guitarist Sonny Landreth in the Naughties. Quietly in the background you might say...

Which brings us to this beautifully remastered 2014 Beat Goes On CD that makes available two obscure albums by Pedersen for the first time since their US release in the Seventies (1976 and 1977). Here are the plucky fingerpicking details…

UK released June 2014 – "Southwest /Sandman" by HERB PEDERSEN on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1151 (Barcode 5017261 211514) offers 2LPs from 1976 and 1977 Remastered onto 1CD and breaks down as follows (63:17 minutes):

1. Paperback Writer

2. Rock And Roll Cajun

3. If I can Sing A Song

4. Our Baby’s Gone

5. Harvest Home

6. The Hey Boys

7. Jesus Once Again

8. Younger Days

9. Can’t You Hear Me Callin’

10. Wait A Minute

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album “Southwest” – released in 1976 in the USA on Epic Records PE 34225

11. Sandman

12. When She Makes Love To Me

13. Cara Is Gone

14. Is That Any Way To Love

15. Fair And Tender Ladies

16. Tennessee Sal

17. About Love Again

18. Bring Back The Smile

19. My Little Man

20. If I Lose

Tracks 11 to 20 are the album “Sandman” – released 1977 in the USA on Epic Records PE 34933

The CD is housed in a pretty card slipcase and the 24-page booklet is packed with info, photos, lyrics and in-depth liner notes by noted writer JOHN TOBLER. The Audio is a gorgeous ANDREW THOMPSON Remaster in High Def from real tapes.

The musical style is solo Ozark Mountain Daredevils (Randy Chowning or Steve Cash)  - fiddles, banjos, country themes and melodies. Some of it works – a lot of it is terribly dated and seriously cheesy. However if you are a fan – the sound quality is truly gorgeous – remastered to perfection.

“Rock & Roll Cajun” rocks it out but his cover of The Beatles classic “Paperback Writer” is not a wise choice. Both Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt provide lovely backing vocals on the mid tempo “Our Baby’s Gone” while “The Hey Boys” is a faithful Dillards cover. Larry Carlton and Mike (Hill Street Blues) Post add guitars and keyboards to “Jesus Once Again” and “Younger Days”. The ballads work best – “Is That Any Way To Love You” and “My Little Man” (about his kids).

Another quality reissue from Beat Goes On with superb presentation and genuinely gorgeous sound...