“...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...
