"...All The Lonesome Cowboys..."
A Country-Rock phenomenon in
the States (they charted nine albums there between 1975 and 1981 alone) –
Cincinnati’s PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE has never really meant diddly in the UK. Even
at the heights of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker Band, Ozark Mountain
Daredevils and Eagles Country-Rock dominance in the mid-Seventies - I can
recall PPL albums (on the ultra-hick RCA label) being reduced to pennies in
secondhand racks for years.
But that might change with
BGO's newest '4LPs onto 2CDs' reissue - a wonderful sounding transfer of their
first two, fourth and fifth albums from 1972, 1975 and 1976 reissued by
England's friend to Country and Country Rock music - Beat Goes On Records (the
third album missing here is "If The Shoe Fits" from February 1976 USA
and March 1976 UK). There is a lot to pedal steel through, so lets don our
embroidered shirts all you lonesome cowboys, pick up our zip codes and get
cuddly with our inner Kentucky Moonshine...
UK released 19 April 2019
(25 April 2019 in the USA) - "Pure Prairie League/Bustin' Out/Two Lane
Highway/Dance" by PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE on Beat Goes On (BGO Records) BGOCD
1376 (Barcode 5017261213761) offers 4LPs Newly Remastered onto 2CDs and plays
out as follows:
Disc 1 (68:15 minutes):
1. Tears [Side 1]
2. Take It Before You Go
3. You're Between Me
4. Woman
5. Doc's Tune [Side 2]
6. Country Song
7. Harmony Song
8. It's All On Me
Tracks 1 to 8 are their
debut album "Pure Prairie League" - released February 1972 in the USA
on RCA Victor LSP-4650 and in the UK on RCA Victor SF 8453 (reissued October
1975 with same catalogue number) - didn't chart in either country.
9. Jazzman [Side 1]
10. Angel No. 9
11. Leave My Heart Alone
12. Early Morning Riser
13. Falling In And Out Of
Love [Side 2]
14. Amie
15. Boulder Skies
16. Angel
17. Call Me, Tell Me
Tracks 9 to 17 are their
second album "Bustin' Out" - originally released October 1972 in the
USA on RCA Victor LSP-4769 and in the UK on RCA Victor SF 8417. After the
belated success of the "Amie" single - the album was reissued
February 1975 and charted with the same catalogue number on the US Rock LP
charts (their first entry, peaked at No. 34). It was reissued May 1975 in the
UK, also using its original British catalogue number of RCA Victor SF 8417.
Disc 2 (65:57 minutes):
1. Two Lane Highway [Side 1]
2. Kentucky Moonshine
3. Runner
4. Memories
5. Kansas City Southern
6. Harvest [Side 2]
7. Sister's Keeper
8. Just Can't Believe It
9. Give Us A Rise
10. I'll Change Your Flat
Tyre, Merle
11. Pickin' To Beat The
Devil
Tracks 1 to 11 are their
third album "Two Lane Highway" - released June 1975 in the USA on RCA
Victor APL1-0933 and August 1975 in the UK on RCA Victor SF 8445 - peaked at
No. 24 in the USA, didn't chart UK.
12. Dance [Side 1]
13. In The Morning
14. All The Way
15. Livin' Each Day At A
Time
16. Fade Away
17. Tornado Warning [Side 2]
18. Catfishin'
19. Help Yourself
20. San Antonio
21. All The Lonesome Cowboys
Tracks 12 to 21 are their
fifth studio album "Dance" - released November 1976 in the USA on RCA
Victor APL1-1924 and January 1977 in the UK on RCA Victor PL 11924 - peaked at
No. 99 in the USA (didn't chart UK).
The outer card slipcase that
is now standard for all BGO reissues lends the package a certain class (I
always think) and the 20-page booklet features all original artwork between its
pages with new liner notes by JOHN TOBLER that includes an interview conducted
with the band's producer for the first two albums BON RINGE (and Editor of
Omaha Rainbow magazine). The band's name is discussed (taken from an 1938 Errol
Flynn film called "Dodge City" - it was a fictional Temperance Union
group) as are the writing chops of the band’s principal tunesmith Craig Lee
Fuller (interviewed also) and the guitar work of Mick Ronson who guested on the
second LP "Bustin' Out". Guitarists George Powell and Larry Goshorn
took over the songwriting reins for the second two platters on offer here (on
Disc 2) with contributions from Bassist Mike Reilly.
It’s all impressively
thorough and informative - but fans will want the real deal - superb new 2019
Remasters by BGO's longstanding Audio Engineer ANDREW THOMPSON. Even if the
playing on the first two LPs in particular sounds a tad amateur at times -
there's no getting away from how good this twofer sounds - songs like the
gorgeous "You're Between Me" (their first US 45 in April 1972 on RCA
Victor 48-1028) and the aforementioned Mick Ronson on "Angel No. 9" from
the second platter (I’d swear that’s him on guitar as well as vocals and string
arrangements – just not credited as such). You can clearly hear Country legend
Chet Atkins guest on "Kentucky Moonshine" from "Two Lane
Highway" (guitar solo) while other tunes feature Don Felder of Eagles
(Mandolin) and Johnny Gimble (Fiddle). Backing vocals come from Emmylou Harris
on "Just Can't Believe It" and Dianne Brooks of the 50ts girl group
The Three Playmates on "Leave My Heart Alone". Clarence McDonald
arranged horns on the "Dance" album and Hugh McCracken plays guitar
on "Woman" from the 1972 debut.
The melody that broke PPL
"Amie" is a typically lovely acoustic tune from Craig Fuller and
along with tunes like "Harmony Song", "Tears" and
"Call Me, Tell Me", it's easy to hear why so many reviewers of the
day compared their style and sound to that LP selling juggernaut, the Eagles or
even a Countrified version of Ventura Highway America. "Boulder
Skies" is a bit Mickey Newbury while "Country Song" on the debut
is seven and half minutes of Matthews Southern Comfort, Plainsong and Flying
Burrito Brothers pedal steel vs. guitar (John Call is the player). At first it
seems to overstay its lengthy welcome, but the clever changes and instrument
battles keep it interesting. Not surprising either, that "Just Can't
Believe It" and "Kentucky Moonshine" were paired as an
A&B-side US 45 in September 1975. Disc 2 gives us other sweet peas like "Harvest",
"Fade Away" and their Side 2 ender "All The Lonesome Cowboys".
For sure this kind of fiddle
and pedal steel Country Rock will not be for everyone, but fans of melodies and
good songwriting should dig in and long time followers of PPL and their
cowboy-hat logo will love the great new audio and presentation. Nice one...
