Don Heffington

One thing that's obvious about Dave Alvin if you've followed his career at all is that the man loves music. He's a fan as much as an artist, and the joy derived from the simple act of playing and singing a song that moves him is palpable and infectious. He also loves musicians who feel the same way he does, and his best recordings are full of moments where the interplay between Alvin and his partners is taut and just short of electric. From an Old Guitar: Rare and Unreleased Recordings presents 16 tracks from Alvin's personal archives, 13 of them covers, and according to his liner notes, most of them were recorded for no other reason than he and some friends went into the studio, got to playing, and walked out with some magic preserved for the ages.

In the 60s and 70s, it was not rare to see Jerry Yester’s name on classic albums. Whether producing acts like The Association, The Turtles, Tim Buckley or Tom Waits, or hearing him in bands like The Modern Folk Quartet, Rosebud, The Lovin’ Spoonful or with Judy Henske on the (now) classic Farewell Aldebaran – aside from a pair of 1967 singles, there wasn’t a Jerry Yester “solo album” from that period, as he was so busy creating music with and for other artists.

This 14-track collection is a retrospective from Buddy and Julie Miller's recordings solo and together on High Tone. There are six cuts from their self-titled duet album including a scorching unreleased take of "You Make My Heart Beat Too Fast" two from Buddy's Cruel Moon, and one each from Midnight and Lonesome, Poison Love, and Your Love and Other Lies. "Take Me Back" and "Out in the Rain" represent Julie's two albums on the label, Blue Pony and Broken Things. The pair sing together on all cuts.

Released in 1992, Hollywood Town Hall wasn't a hit, but it received enough rave reviews to considerably raise the Jayhawks' profile, and it certainly heightened expectations for their next album. On 1995's Tomorrow the Green Grass, the Jayhawks found themselves in the tricky situation of trying to match the quality of Hollywood Town Hall without simply repeating themselves, and they came remarkably close to achieving that daunting task.

Leo Kottke - Time Step (1983) {Chrysalis BGOCD255 rel 1995}
XLD rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks) +CUE+LOG -> 194 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 83 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 10 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1983, 1995 Chrysalis Records / BGO Records | BGOCD255
Finger-Picked Guitar / Progressive Folk / Jazz Blues / Contemporary Folk / New Acoustic

Having followed Leo Kottke since 1974 I can honestly say this album is a keeper. All the tunes are vintage Kottke but "Rings", written as sort of a joke by Alex Harvey and Ed Reeves, is fantastic. Time Step is Kottke's last recording on the Chrysalis label. It is the first of two Kottke albums produced by T-Bone Burnett, the second being My Father's Face. Guests include Albert Lee and Emmylou Harris. After the release of Time Step Kottke went into a three-year seclusion. When he returned later in 1986, it was as a guest musician on The Blind Leading the Naked by Violent Femmes, then his own releases with a new direction and picking style.

Maria McKee - You Gotta Sin To Get Saved
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 289 MB | Full Artwork | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Geffen Records # GED 24508 | Country/Year: Europe 1993
Genre: Rock, Blues, Folk, World, & Country | Style: Country Rock, Singer/Songwriter

A few years after an underappreciated solo album, former Lone Justice leader Maria McKee returns with You Gotta Sin to Get Saved, her best album yet. With Black Crowes and Jayhawks producer George Drakoulias at the helm, You Gotta Sin to Get Saved evokes the country-rock vibe of the early '70s (much like the aforementioned groups) without sounding like a studied replica. McKee sings a dynamic mix of originals and covers with genuine conviction, making You Gotta Sin to Get Saved an album that demands repeated plays.