 "unremarkable" | 2009-08-22 |
| - Reviewed By User: A35GH5PEIZ2CX5 |
| Wish I could see what the others have in this. For a groups that got it right, I'd choose New Riders of the Purple Sage and Souther-Hillman-Furay [and some Grateful Dead]--which treated us to original compositions branded with distinctive sound and conviction. I hear beautiful harmonies and the masterful steel guitar of session man J.D. Maness on Sweetheart, otherwise nothing that most bar bands of the era could've done on songs that sound like B sides. The signature 12-string jangle that launched an era is gone, replaced by steel guitar on a set of primarily 40s-50s laid back honky-tonk and traditional, uncomplicated western songs [though the typical flat, country shout-hollerin' is replaced with MUCH better harmonies]. If this had been a first album from a no-name group, I'd conclude that they show promise and potential, but lack a distinctive style and passion. There IS an unbelievably well done Chuck Berry sound-alike song, but it seems sorely anachronistic on this album. Sorry, Byrdmaniacs. |
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 "Often Overrated - But Still Essential" | 2009-03-26 |
| - Reviewed By rpfelton |
| I have mixed feelings about Sweetheart of the Rodeo. It's hard to imagine any fan of country music, or any rock fan tolerant of country music, not enjoying this album. The songs are generally very good. "You Ain't Going Nowhere" is folk-country at its best, and "Hickory Wind" is absolutely beautiful. McGuinn is a great folk singer, Parsons a great country singer, and Hillman a fine third vocalist. And the musicianship, especially from guitar virtuoso Clarence White and the eclectic multi-instrumentalist John Hartford, is uniformly excellent. On the other hand, I could live without the last three tracks on the original album. And there are only two original songs on the album, both written by hired-hand Gram Parsons. A minor complaint, that is mostly resolved by the bonus tracks, is that McGuinn should have left the country vocals to Parsons and Hillman. This may be the first country album by a major rock band (if you consider that two of five members constitute a band), but it is not the first country-rock album (former Byrd Gene Clark released the mostly country-rock album With the Gosdin Brothers in early 1967 and Parsons released the country album Safe at Home in early 1968), it is not the most original or innovative country-rock album (Clark released The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard and Clark later in 1968), nor is it the best country-rock album. (I would rate Fanastic Expedition, the Dillards' Wheatstraw Suite, also released later in 1968, and the Flying Burrito Brothers' Gilded Palace of Sin, released in early 1969, all more original, more innovative, and overall better than Sweetheart.) It is nowhere near as creative as four of the five preceding Byrds albums. Still, Sweetheart of the Rodeo is among the most influential albums ever released and an essential listen for anyone who likes country and/or country-rock music. |
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 "You Don't Have This Already?" | 2009-01-08 |
| - Reviewed By benjaminmeltzer |
"Notorious Byrd Brothers" notwithstanding, *this* is Gary Usher's masterpiece as a producer. Every stroke proves masterful (e.g. Clarence White and Jay Dee Maness doubling one another on the "Christian Life" solo).
Give credit to Gram Parsons for bringing in Jay Dee and for shaping the sound and spirit of the record. But it is Roger McGuinn's vocals, just as used on the original album, that are in fact the more infectious ones, even on "Chrsitian Life" (apologies to all Gram Parsons true believers).
I for one could not care less that Roger is "affecting" or whether the vocal is "real." It WORKS, as does every second of this brilliant album: a coming together of heaven and earth, of the right people in the right place at the right time.
As good as the genuine articles? Maybe so, maybe not, but no matter. A brilliant album that will make you say "Wow I forgot how great this is" every time you listen to it. One that will soak into your soul and become a part of you, and thank goodness for it. |
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| "Cherished--A true "gem"" | 2008-12-10 |
| - Reviewed By User: AGRHEXZ7D0PGD |
| After a recent conversation with my 14-year-old son, I got struck by the notion of writing reviews for some of the "gems" of my CD collection, probably to avoid doing something less appealing--but that's another story. In this context, "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" was the first CD that came to my mind. I don't know why exactly, but I listened to the original vinyl record countless times in my younger days because I just loved the lyrics and the folk-rock twist on country music. I was very happy when it was re-issued in CD format. The extra tracks on the CD are truly a bonus, but for me just being able to listen to the original record again is the real attraction. A true gem. Not to be missed. |
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| "Gorgeous, beautiful, heartfelt, sincere, one of the greatest albums I've ever had the pleasure to own..." | 2008-10-12 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2UYAFQ40U2PHS |
This is one of all time favorite albums, one that I've never gotten tired playing. It is also, I believe, the best album the Byrds ever put out. It gets labeled country rock, but to me, it is country music, pure and simple. It's not an album of a rock band dabbling around with country music, it's an album of a rock band actually playing it and playing it superbly. The feeling and love of this music comes through every note. If you didn't know better, you could have sworn this album was made by a real country band performing at the Grand Ole Opry.
The opener, You Ain't Going Nowhere, is one of the best Dylan covers the Byrds ever did. The song wasn't even recorded by Dylan by this time (it eventually appeared on Dylan's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 in a vastly inferior version to the Byrds's rendition). I always think of it as a Byrds song first. The version of the folk classic I Am a Pilgrim is the best I've ever heard. I love The Christian Life. Gram Parsons's vocal is so heartfelt that even non-believers can enjoy the song. Their rendition of You Don't Miss Your Water (a blues/country classic) is the best I've heard as well. Otis Redding covered this song too, but the Byrds give it more soul than Otis (which is not easy to do). I could go on praising every song, but I'll digress for now.
This is as great as any classic country album out there. It's a really special, moving, heartfelt, and beautiful album, made by a very underrated band. It's their best album, and one that grows even more profound and gorgeous everytime you listen to it. |
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| " Rodeo,Overrated" | 2008-08-06 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1LZ4Q5FQ6IUM2 |
| So this started country rock,it wasn't the Byrds,it was The Beatles,..Gram Parsons started this trend,if you listen to the vocals on this recording they're not that good, probably due the change of the genre for the Byrds,not just anybody can sing a country song with authority and sound sincere,with the exception of Parsons who takes the mike on only three tracks,due to C.I.A. legal matters. The instumentation is excellent,especially the steel which also carrys this album,where as some of the songs are weak,such as,I Am A Pilgrim,and they also should've left Guthrie's,Pretty Boy Floyd alone,the Dylan covers are excellent,and the best part of this Columbia compilation is the bonus tracks on here featuring the Parsons recordings that were cut from the original recording,the rehearsal versions,and featuring a Parsons original called,Lazy Days,the last track an instrumental,All I Have Are Memories,excellent,kind of sounds like Haggard's Strangers,if you dig Gram Parsons start with GP/Grievous Angel or the Flying Burritos,The Gilded Palace Of Sin,Sweetheart Of The Rodeo is a good Byrds album,just slightly overrated. |
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