"Ain’t Living Long Like This/But What Will The Neigbors Think/Rodney Crowell" by RODNEY CROWELL (2015 Beat Goes On 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Sounds Like A Breeze Dying Down..."

Over the last two years – England's Beat Goes On Records having been dipping their dainty Blighty toes in the muddy waters of Country and Country-Rock with CD reissue successes like The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Dan Fogelberg, Guy Clark, Linda Ronstadt, George Jones, Charley Pride, George Jones and many others. So it was always going to be the turn of Texan Tunesmith and Grammy Award winner Rodney Crowell next...and you have to say that BGO has once again done a bang-up job.

Like John Hiatt, John Prine and Karla Bonoff – Texan RODNEY CROWELL is the kind of singer-songwriter that sees his songs covered by serious names like Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris and lifelong friend and serial Texan Troubadour – Guy Clark. Why even Norah Jones and The Grateful Dead have had a go at Crowell songs.

This newly remastered 2015 2CD reissue offers up three albums from his Warner Brothers years  - 1978, 1980 and 1981. Here are the American Dreams by way of a New Orleans Bar and a Louisiana Honky Tonk...

UK released June 2015 – “Ain’t Living Long Like This/But What Will The Neighbors Think/Rodney Crowell” on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1188 (Barcode 5017261211880) features 3 albums on 2CDs and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (38:56 minutes):

1. Elvira

2. (Now And Then, There’s) A Fool Such As I

3. Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight

4. Viola, An American Dream

5. I Ain’t Living Long Like This

6. Baby, Better Start Turnin’ Em Down [Side 2]

7. Song For The Life

8. I Thought I Heard You Callin’ My Name

9. California Earthquake (A Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On)

Tracks 1 to 9 are the studio album “Ain’t Living Long Like This” – released September 1978 in the USA on Warner Brothers BSK 3228 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56564

Disc 2 (74:16 minutes):

1. Here Comes The 80’s

2. Ain’t No Money

3. Oh, What A Feeling

4. It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll

5. On A Real Good Night

6. Ashes By Now

7. Heartbroke

8. Queen Of Hearts

9. Blues In The Daytime

10. The One About England

Tracks 1 to 10 are the studio album “But What Will The Neighbors Think” – April 1980 in the USA on Warner Brothers BSK 3407 and in Europe on Warner Brothers WB 56 778

11. Stars On The Water

12. Just Wanta Dance

13. She Ain’t Going Nowhere

14. Don’t Need No Other Now

15. Shame On The Moon

16. Only Tow Hearts

17. Victim Of A Fool

18. All You’ve Got To Do

19. ‘Til I Gain Control Again

20. Old Pipeliner

Tracks 11 to 20 are the studio album “Rodney Crowell” – released September 1981 in the USA on Warner Brothers BSK 3587 and in Europe on Warner Brothers WB 56 934

There’s a card slipcase, a chunky 22-page booklet with full musician and recording credits, lyrics to all three records and superb new liner notes by noted writer JOHN O’REGAN. The 2015 remasters have been newly done by ANDREW THOMPSON at Sound Mastering in London and are beautifully transferred – fully showing up the quality Production values that each album received. Even the 2^nd record that admittedly sounds the most 80s of the three (and unfortunately not in a good way) – has benefitted from the sonic upgrades (even if the tunes aren’t as good as albums 1 and 3). It’s another exemplary job done by BGO...

The 1978 album “Ain’t Living Long Like This” has a very impressive line-up of backing musicians and big names – Dr. John plays Keyboards on “Elvira”, “Viola, An American Dream” and “California Earthquake”, Willie Nelson sings on “Song For The Life”, Ry Cooder plays his trademark Slide on “Elvira” while Emmylou Harris adds great Country backing vocals to “Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight”, “Viola, An American Dream” and “I Ain’t Living Long Like This”. Other notables include Vocals by Nicolette Larson, Guitars by James Burton, Fiddle and Vocals by Ricky Scaggs, Guitars, Keyboards and Vocals by Albert Lee, Guitars by Amos Garrett and Michael Raphael on Harmonica.

It opens with the slinky “Elvira” – a lurching Bluesy tale where our hero wants to find the preacher man to join him and his heavenly “Elvira” together in steamy matrimony (great fun). Crowell then does a languid cover of Dallas Frazier’s “(Now And Then, There’s) A Fool Such As I” which of course was a huge Elvis Presley hit. Crowell’s version is less Pop and more pure C&W feel (Burton contributes a sweet acoustic solo). But Crowell’s first great song comes in the shape of the shuffling “Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight” – a tale about Mary who took to running with a travelling man – joining the highway – gone mama forever. I first heard “Viola, An American Dream” on Guy Clark’s self-titled 3^rd album “Guy Clark” that came out in May 1978 also on Warner Brothers (they’ve been lifelong friends). Clark took the Jamaican rhythms out of it – but Crowell’s version keeps them – and even though that might sound like some awful mind-meld of Calypso meets Country – it works so well – in fact it’s the kind of album song that you keep coming back to when you know you shouldn’t. The funky keyboards of “Baby, Better Start Turnin’ Em Down” open Side 2 – but far better is the lovely ballad “Song For The Life” (lyrics from it title this review) – as sweet a tune as he’s ever penned. We then gets a pure Country cover of Lee Emerson’s “I Thought I Heard You Callin’ My Name” with Ricky Scaggs and James Burton giving it some Fiddle and Guitar while Emory Gordy, Albert Lee and Larry Willoughby provided those aching backing vocals where someone sounds like they’re going to die of heartbreak any second (“...by now you were many miles away...”). Albert Lee’s Mandolin makes “California Earthquake”.

After the tunes-fest of the first LP – you have to say that the Craig Leon Produced second LP “But What Will The Neighbors Think” comes (mostly) as a disappointment. First it goes more Bright Pop than Soulful Country (“Ain’t No Money” and “It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll”) and much of Side 1 feels cheesy but not in a good way. Things improve a lot with the single “Ashes By Now” and his version of Guy Clark’s “Heartbroke”. I loved Dave Edmunds cover of Hank Devito’s “Queen Of Hearts” on his 1979 album “Repeat When Necessary” – here we hear it in pretty much the same vein. The Bluesy boogie and echoed-vocals of “Blues In The Daytime” gives the album a bot of long-needed mojo and swagger but the day is saved by the finishing ballad “The One About England” about Mary and Caroline in Notting Hill near Ladbroke Gate. Crowell gives it some clever Simon & Garfunkel vocals towards the end of the song that gives the tune an American longing for the colourful streets of London.

The 3^rd and final album for Warner Brothers almost broke the top 100 in September 1981 but stalled at 105. As if knowing the previous album wasn’t quite up to muster – “Stars On the Water” opens “Rodney Crowell” with a real chugging presence - Vince Gill does a great Guitar solo while Roseanna Cash and Albert Lee provide the sweet backing vocals. Crowell rocks it out big time with “Just Wanta Dance” where the combo of Hank DeVito and Richard Bennett on zippy-lick Guitars join forces with Booker T. Jones on Organ and the Memphis Horns. We’re in Lyle Lovett territory on the lovely “She Ain’t Going Nowhere” where his vocals are a force to be reckoned with (lovely guitar solo from Albert Lee). “Shame On The Moon” is another winner – cleverly arranged and beautifully produced – the kind of tune you could listen to again and again and not tire of it. The old heartstrings get tugged again on “'Til I Gain Control Again” where he pines for a woman he knows he can’t have (none of us have ever done this so we won’t understand what Rodders is on about). It ends on a bopper “Old Pipeliner”.

The 3^rd album is very, very good as is the 1^st and makes up volumes for the slight slip up inbetween. A quality reissue from Beats Goes On and fans will love the gorgeous audio...

"The Yes Album: Definitive Edition CD + DVD-A" by YES (2014 Steve Wilson CD/DVD Remaster On Panegyric) - A Review By Mark Barry...

“…Speak To Me Of Summer...”

After the incredible tape transfer and audio restoration work STEVE WILSON of PORCUPINE TREE did on the remasters of KING CRIMSON and JETHRO TULL’s early catalogue – the other big Proggy Monster was always going to be YES. And with their 3rd breakthrough record “The Yes Album” from 1971 - man has our Stevie stepped up to the Topographic plate. This 2014 CD and DVD-A reissue is awesome stuff and worthy of the praise so far heaped on it. No harm then in a little more - here are the details that are no disgrace…

UK released April 2014 – "The Yes Album: Definitive Edition CD + DVD-A" by YES on Panegyric GYRSP40106 (Barcode 633367900326) breaks down as follows:

Disc 1, Definitive Edition CD, 2014 Stereo Mixes, 50:55 minutes:

1. Yours Is No Disgrace

2. Clap

3. Starship Trooper (a) Life Seeker (b) Disillusion (c) Wurm

4. I’ve Seen All Good People (a) Your Move (b) All Good People

5. A Venture

6. Perpetual Change

Tracks 1 to 6 are the vinyl LP “The Yes Album” – released March 1971 in the UK on Atlantic 2400 101 and Atlantic SD 8283 in the USA

BONUS TRACKS:

7. Clap (Studio Version) – the version on the album is a Steve Howe ‘live’ acoustic instrumental recorded at the Lyceum in London, 17 July 1970. This is the rare unused ‘Studio Version’

8. A Venture (Extended Mix) – the album track runs to 3:19 minutes – this longer version extends towards the end to 4:46 minutes

Disc 2 is the Definitive Edition DVD-A. It’s a NTSC Region 0 Hybrid DVD-A compatible with all DVD Players and DVD-ROM Drives. From the visual/audio menu on your television or computer - it allows you to choose from 4 variants of the album as follows:

1. 2014 Stereo Mixes: 24/96 MLP Lossless (tracks 1 to 6 above)

2. 2014 5.1 Surround Mixes: 24/96 MLP Lossless/dts 96/24 (tracks 1 to 6 above)

3. Original Stereo Mix: Flat Transfer From Original Master LPCM Stereo 24/96 (tracks 1 to 6 above)

4. Alternate Album:

1. Yours Is No Disgrace (Live, London 1971)

2. Clap (Studio Version)

3. Starship Trooper (a) Life Seeker (Single Edit)

4. I’ve Seen All Good People (Live, London 1971)

5. A Venture (Extended Mix)

6. Perpetual Change (Live, New Haven 1971)

With a gatefold digipak within an outer card wrap - the reissue feels classy right from the off. CD to the left, DVD-A to the right and booklet loose between them – each disc pictures different parts of the albums original artwork while the photo on the albums inner gatefold is beneath the see-through trays. The well-stocked 20-page booklet offers photos of rare 7” picture sleeves from Germany, France, Italy, Portugal and Japan dotted through the text - as well as the original UK LP on the Atlantic Records plum label beloved by collectors (US originals pictured too). There are British and American trade adverts, reel-to-reel boxes and tape files, a white label promo of the LP – even the lyrics to the songs for the first time. SID SMITH gives us superb liner notes on the creation of the album while STEVE WILSON explains about the master tapes and the new Stereo/5.1 Surround Mixes. It’s exemplary stuff…

Yet all of that presentation icing on the cake is not what fans are really after – it’s the audio. And having listening to “The Yes Album” for 40 years of my life – I’m amazed at the clarity on offer here compared to previous Rhino versions. Some of the tracks are so clean it’s almost disconcerting - they’re not supressed nor trebled for effect – just treated with care and attention to transfer detail.

As the opener “Yours Is No Disgrace” goes into that Chris Squire Bass break – it’s so good – and that Howe solo still amazes. Listening to the rather dry and somehow uninspired ‘studio’ cut of “Clap” – it’s easy to see now why they chose the live version – there’s just something extra in the playing that lifts it up into the realm of special. There’s real muscle now in the swirl of “Starship Trooper” and “Wurm” kicks in – Wilson captures the build up and spread across the speakers perfectly. As opposed to the album version – I have to say that I’m loving the ‘Extended Mix’ of “A Venture” with its loose and funky King Crimson finish – Yes tripping out. But if I was to single out just one track where the audio improvement is magnificent – it’s the Side 2 opener “I’ve Seen All Good People”. It’s layers and beautiful arrangements are even more magical now – and those fantastic vocals by Jon Anderson – genius. I have a friend who has his stereo rigged to his television’s surround kit – and I can’t tell you how utterly brilliant the 5.1 version sounds – wow! I’m going to have to bleeding invest-damn! I thought the ‘Alternate’ version of the album was interesting if not a tad gimmicky – but I don’t if it’s just that I’m too used to the original (relistens methinks)…

I can imagine that nowadays there’s probably a queue of Prog band’s sat outside Steve Wilson’s front porch clutching bags of master tapes – hoping to catch his eye as he exits for a latte. And on the strength of this groovy reissue – I can totally understand why…

"Relayer: Definitive Edition CD+DVD-A" by YES (2014 Panegyric CD/DVD-A Reissue - Steven Wilson Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...One To Seek And See In Every Light..."

After the incredible tape transfer and audio restoration work STEVE WILSON of PORCUPINE TREE did on the early catalogue remasters of KING CRIMSON and JETHRO TULL – the other big Proggy Monster was always going to be YES. I've heaped praise on Wilson's fabulous work on their 3rd breakthrough album from 1971 "The Yes Album" – but for many the beast was always going to be the dense and problematic "Relayer" from 1974 (for many their last truly great record). And as I deliriously stated before - man has our Stevie stepped up to the Topographic plate. 

This November 2014 CD and DVD-A Reissue (there’s also a CD and BLU RAY variant on Panegyric GYRBD50096 – Barcode 633367900623) is awesome stuff and worthy of the praise so far heaped on it. No harm then in a little more – because this is one Sound Chaser you need in your Gates Of Delirium…

UK released November 2014 – "Relayer: Definitive Edition CD + DVD-A" on Panegyric GYRSP50096 (Barcode 633367900524) breaks down as follows:

Disc 1, Definitive Edition CD, 2014 Stereo Mixes, 48:13 minutes:

1. The Gates Of Delirium

2. Sound Chaser [Side 2]

3. To Be Over

Tracks 1 to 3 are the vinyl LP "Relayer" – released December 1974 in the UK on Atlantic K 50096 and Atlantic SD 18122 in the USA

ADDITIONAL TRACKS:

4. Soon (Single Edit) – issued as the A-side of a 7" single in the USA on Atlantic 45-3242 in January 1975. It runs to 4:14 minutes and is an excerpt of a slow passage towards the end of "The Gates Of Delirium" on Side 1. The edited "Sound Chaser" was its B-side.

5. Sound Chaser (Single Edit)

Note: Booklet mistakenly credits these as Tracks 7 and 8 when they’re 4 and 5. The two single edits appear to be the 2002 Rhino remasters (unaltered).

Disc 2 is the Definitive Edition DVD-A. It’s a NTSC Region 0 Hybrid DVD-A compatible with all DVD Players and DVD-ROM Drives. From the visual/audio menu on your television or computer - it allows you to choose from 4 menus:

1. 2014 STEREO MIX:

96 kHz Sample Rate/24 Bit Depth - MLP Lossless 2.0 Stereo Mix of the album

2. ORIGINAL STEREO MIX and 5.1 SURROUND MIX:

48 and 96 kHz Sample Rates/24 Bit Depth – LPCM 2.0 Original Stereo Mix (Flat Transfer of the album)

3. 96 kHz Sample Rate/24 Bit Depth - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround Mix of the album

4. ALTERNATE ALBUM:

1. The Gates Of Delirium (Studio Run-Through)

2. Sound Chaser (Studio Run-Through)

3. To Be Over (Studio Run-Through)

A gatefold digipak with two see-through trays is housed within an outer card wrap/slipcase giving the reissue the same 'boxed' look as the two other Reissues in this Steve Wilson Remaster Series - "The Yes Album" and "Close To The Edge". It looks and feels classy - although I’d say that the spine on future issues should state more clearly which 'Definitive Edition' it is – CD and DVD or CD and BLU RAY?

CD to the left tray, DVD-A to the right and the 20-page booklet loose between them – each disc pictures the albums original ROGER DEAN label artwork - while the album’s inner gatefold is beneath the see-through tray for the CD with the Donald Lehmkuhl poem under the DVD-A tray to the left. The well-stocked 20-page booklet offers photos of rare 7” picture sleeves from France, Spain and US promo labels dotted through the text - as well as a lot of colour photos from the 1976 American "Relayer" Tour with the Crab Nebula set design by Martyn Dean. There are clusters of concert tickets, local posters for gigs (with Gryphon as the support act) and a Village Voice trade advert thanking Madison Square Gardens for a successful show. Lyrics are reproduced and there are detailed paragraphs on the 'audio sources' that explain how the new 2014 Stereo Mixes were made (some of the Battle sound effects in "The Gates Of Delirium" are missing from the master tapes) and the 5.1 Surround Mixes. As with "The Yes Album" and "Close To The Edge" – noted Prog Music lover and Writer SID SMITH gives us superb liner notes on the creation of the album. The artwork for the original vinyl album alone was a thing of beauty (gatefold sleeve and inner) - and cleverly both the booklet and the onscreen display for the DVD-A use a Roger Dean painting that wasn’t used on the original inner gatefold – a sort of squatting Relayer 'Fly' that bears a passing resemblance to the Fly creature that used to adorn the Motown Chartbuster LP covers of the early Seventies. Apart from that sloppy typo-error in the booklet re the track numbers on the CD - it’s all exemplary stuff…

Because of its density (particularly the near 20-minute opus "The Gates Of Delirium" on Side 1) – Yes's 8th studio album "Relayer" has always had a so-so reputation on original 1974 vinyl copies. The Rhino CD remaster of 2002 had a fair stab at it – but again many felt that it was still muddied in places. Wilson has no doubt been aware of these 40-year complaints and his 2014 Remix/Remaster can only be described as an awakening (if I might get so profound on a Tuesday) – a de-cluttering that will thrill fans of this brilliant Progressive Rock LP to the very core. I’m amazed at the clarity on offer here –in fact some portions of "Sound Chaser" and "To Be Over" are so clean that it’s almost disconcerting - not supressed nor trebled for effect – just treated with care and attention to transfer detail.

With the Jon Anderson (Vocals), Steve Howe (Guitars), Patrick Moraz (Keyboards), Chris Squire (Bass) and Alan White (Drums) line-up at the helm – there was a concerted effort by YES to get back to the glory of "Close To The Edge" after the slightly indulgent four long sides of 1973's "Tales From Topographic Oceans". Relistening to "The Gates Of Delirium" now (minus its Battle Sequence bits from some studio effects library LP) is a blast (can't say I missed the bits). If I was to identify one aspect that hammers home how good the 2014 version is – once again it’s the rhythm section of Squire and White. The drumming that rattles from speaker to speaker is amazingly clear - as are the perfectly playing bass parts – and this is even in the wild centre-passages where Howe and Moraz are letting rip on the Guitars and Keyboards. When that huge drum/keyboards break occurs at 12:53 – ushering in the musical repeat that finishes off the piece (just before the soothing "Soon" passage) – it’s power is utterly amazing (not to mention the playing).

The glory continues on Side 2. When Jon Anderson’s vocals first come in on the surprisingly lovely "To Be Over" – the wallop of them comes as something of a shock. And again you notice the clarity of the rhythm section – Chris Squire’s Bass and Alan White’s Drumming. Then there’s Howe’s wonderful Pedal Steel followed by Rock bursts on his axe that he never lets get out of control (this is Yes at their mad Proggy best). The big synth and moog tones flesh out the centre-passage as all the voices chant "...child like..." – Moraz getting his moment towards the end (clarity is amazing). And as all those guitars and synths erupt in that fabulous melodic last passage (joined slowly by complimentary voices) – I’m blubbing freshly-minted Proggy tears - newly moved.

I nipped round to my mate's house for a 5.1 Surround moment and 'Mother of God' was heard to be uttered on quite a few occasions – the dreamy soundscape that precedes "Soon" is gorgeous and full of space. The drumming that precedes the Guitar Break on “Sound Chaser” where Howe gets funky is whacking the speakers like it wants to start a fight. But I must admit I found the Flat Transfer just that – flat.

So there you have it – a genuine triumph. I can imagine that nowadays there’s probably a queue of Prog band’s sat outside Steve Wilson’s front porch clutching bags of master tapes – hoping to catch his eye as he exits for a latte and a croissant. And on the strength of this strangely groovy reissue – I can totally understand why…

“Guy Clark/The South Coast Of Texas/Better Days” by GUY CLARK (2015 Beat Goes On 2CD Set – Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

“...Lone Star Hotel...”

With his first two favourably-received albums under his belt at RCA Records – “Old No.1” in August 1975 and “Texas Cookin’” in October 1976 – Singer-songwriter GUY CLARK signed a new deal with Warner Brothers and slowly sneaked out this trio of affectionately-remembered Country LPs across the next five years (1978, 1981 and 1983). Quickly acquiring a reputation as a Texas-Born Troubadour down with the drunks, the broken marriages and the outlaw fringes of society – Guy Clark saw his biggest chart success in the early Eighties. But more than that - his albums (like those of say John Hiatt, Chris Smither and John Prine) were also greeted with huge affection by other artists and became a wellspring – a provider of catchy tunes for the likes of Johnny Cash, Vince Gill, Waylon Jennings, Nicolette Larson, Emmylou Harris and Ricky Scaggs (to name but a few). Fellow Texan and lifelong friend Rodney Crowell produced both the 80’s LPs – co-writing “The Partner Nobody Chose” and the US Country No.1 “She’s Crazy For Leavin’” on “The South Coast Of Texas” album.

England’s Beat Goes On Label has licensed these three long-deleted albums from WEA and presents them here in their usual classy way – a card slipcase, quality remastered sound and decent liner notes. There’s a lot on offer – so let’s get to the jailhouse now...

UK released June 2015 (July 2015 in the USA) – “Guy Clark/The South Coast Of Texas/Better Days” by GUY CLARK on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1190 (Barcode 5017261211903) provides 3LPs onto 2CDs and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (69:29 minutes):

1. Fool On The Roof

2. Fools For Each Other

3. Shade Of All Greens

4. Voila, An American Dream

5. One Paper Kid

6. In The Jailhouse Now [Side 2]

7. Comfort And Crazy

8. Don’t You Take It Too Bad

9. The Houston Kid

10. Fool On The Roof Blues

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 3^rd studio album “Guy Clark” – released May 1978 in the USA on Warner Brothers BSK 3241 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56565

11. Who Do You Think You Are

12. Crystelle

13. New Cut Road

14. Rita Ballou

15. South Coast Of Texas

16. Heartbroke [Side 2]

17. The Partner Nobody Chose

18. She’s Crazy For Leavin’

19. Calf-Rope

20. Lone Star Hotel

Tracks 11 to 20 are his 4^th studio album “The South Coast Of Texas” – released February 1981 in the USA on Warner Brothers BSK 3381 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56902.  

Disc 2 (31:30 minutes):

1. Blowin’ Like A Bandit

2. Better Days

3. Homegrown Tomatoes

4. Supply & Demand

5. The Randall Knife

6. The Carpenter [Side 2]

7. Uncertain Texas

8. No Deal

9. Tears

10. Fool In The Mirror

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 5^th studio album “Better Days” – released 1983 in the USA and Europe on Warner Brothers 9 23880-1.

The card slipcase that is now standard with all BGO releases lends the whole thing a classy feel and look while the pleasingly chunky 24-page booklet features the original album credits, inner sleeve artwork spread across the text and the lyrics to all three records at the rear. Inbetween is a typically superb and detailed analysis of his whole career by noted-writer and long-time BGO-collaborator JOHN O’REGAN. The “Better Days” album sleeve is used as the back inlay on the inside. The remasters are by ANDREW THOMPSON and sound gorgeous – the production values of NEIL WILBURN (“Guy Clark”) and RODNEY CROWELL (the other two) shining through – not to mention the long line of quality players including names like Buddy Emmons, Albert Lee, Don Everly and KT Oslin.

The self-titled Warner Brothers debut has six Clark originals with the other four being covers of old and new songs – “In The Jailhouse Now” (Jimmie Rogers), “Voila, An American Dream” (Rodney Crowell), “One Paper Kid” (Walter Cowart) and “Don’t You Take It Too Bad” (Townes Van Zandt). Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell and Irishman Phillip Donnelly provide the acoustic and electric guitars for most tunes but England’s Albert Lee puts in lead (once with Heads, Hands & Feet and later The Crickets). And along with Dave Briggs and the legendary Buddy Emmons on Pedal Steel Guitars and Mickey Raphael on Harmonica – the sound was slicker and dare-we-say-it more radio-friendly Country than that of the first two records. There are a lot of broken-hearted lovers in these tunes and people who are just plain out of luck – the accusations fly in slyly lovely “Fools For Each Other” as Clark croons with a side-order of blasé “...who took off when their heart got broke...” while an innocent local dreamer is taken out by a drunk-driver in “One Paper Kid” and now sings in a place where “...it’s legal to dream...” The prettiness of “Shade Of All Greens” is about as languid as Country Rock gets with Buddy Emmons adding so much to the song as he slides up and own those pedal steel strings in the background. For me one of the album highlights is the sad yet hopeful “One Paper Kid” which Emmylou Harris would cover that year on her “Quarter Moon In A Ten Cent Town”. Side Two opens with Jimmie Rogers’s fun as he camps up the pace with “In The Jailhouse Now” which the Coens would have Tim Blake Nelson sing in their 2000 movie “O, Brother Where Art Thou?” (as “The Soggy Bottom Boys”). Soft and gentle comes at you twice on Side 2 – his own “Comfort And Crazy” and his delicious cover of Townes Van Zandt’s “Don’t You Take It Too Bad” with both Don Brooks on Harmonica and Kay T. Oslin on Duet Vocals making the song.

His 4^th album “The South Coast Of Texas” from 1981 saw some high-profile (soon to be stars) contributions – Ricky Scaggs plays Fiddle and sings on “Heartbroke”, Roseanne Cash sings on “Crystelle” and Vince Gills puts in Vocals too. Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band made up the backing musicians – Hank DeVito on Guitars, Ricky Scaggs on Fiddle, Emory Gordy and Glen Hardin on Keyboards. “The South Coast Of Texas” has pleasing tunes on it like the chipper “New Cut Road” and the line-dancing shuffle of “Rita Ballou” – but on the underage song “Crystelle” and the title track – there feels like some of the magic of the “Guy Clark” album is somehow lost. The almost poppy “Heartbroke” is a clear aim at commercial Country but again it feels ordinary – while I find it inexplicable as to why “She’s Crazy For Leavin’” made it to Number One. Perhaps his love for his wife Susanna Clark (his lifetime partner) imbibed the Warners debut with something special that the follow up three years later didn’t have.

The “Better Days” album opens with a winning melody “Blowin’ Like A Bandit” where taking a boat out to sea will guarantee all occupants become shark-bait in the morning (Reggie Young on Lead Guitar). Once again Vince Gill and Hank DeVito bring their guitars to the backing group and the remaster is gorgeous on the “Better Days” title track. Paul Kennerley (who worked a lot with The Judds) provides Bass Vocals on the ever-so-slightly hick “Homegrown Tomatoes” but better is the side finisher “The Randall Knife” where Clark sounds and sings like John Prine’s younger brother (a great storytelling song about his father). Crowell sings on “Uncertain Texas” where again he sounds like John Prine circa 1991’s “The Missing Years”. It ends on the funky guitar chug of “Fool In The Mirror” where he bemoans that he’s putting on a little bit of weight because his “baby’s gone”.

So there you have it – three good albums sounding real sweet on one 2CD quality remaster/reissue. In 2014 Guy Clark’s album “My Favorite Picture Of You” pulled the Grammy for ‘Best Folk Album Of The Year’.

20-albums into a 40-year career and still a class act...