Customer Reviews

If an Angel Came to See You Would You Make Her

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This is my personal favorite BOA album.Its without a doubt their most serious, somewhat of a concept album with love,peace and nature being the central themes.The cover illustrates a man being attacked by demons of chaos.The only way that he can maintain his sanity in this chaos is to love his angel which he keeps in his personal protective sphere.The album opens with "Gravel Roads"an analogy that compares the way you live your life to how you may drive a new pickup truck on a gravel road.BRILLIANT!"Fertile Woman"is a breathtaking lesson in Biology.Also included here is the original version of the hippie-environmental classic,"Mutants of the Monster",which portrays mankind as "an animal gone mad".Even if you dont agree with the entire message of this album,it's a musical masterpiece.There's not a single boogie-dance number.What you will hear is a musical exploration into the meanings of life and the universe.The melodies are quite complex and interesting.This is a stand alone BOA classic.I highly recommend it.

Black Oak Arkansas is my very favorite band playing what is known as "southern rock". Actually, they've been one of my very favorite bands for over 30 years now, and this is one of their very best albums. Like its predecessor, Keep the Faith, this album tends to have an over all spiritual theme, and followed quickly on its heels, both being released in 1972.

Album opener, Gravel Roads, is a country number with some rockin' undertones and compares driving a new pick up truck down rough gravel backroads to how we should pass through this life. Rural metaphors abound in this band's songs. Second track, Fertile Woman, is quite possibly the most beautiful ballad, musically and lyrically, BOA would ever record. Gorgeous back pedal steel guitar from Stanley "Goober" Knight gives this a dreamy quality that takes you on a mental journey to the rural landscape that spawned these talented hillbilly hippies. Spring Vacation is pretty typical of this band's brand of southern rock, and is just about enjoying life. Next up, it's We Help Each Other. This is the first album with Tommy Alderidge alias "Dork Jackson" on drums, and he's already making his presence felt. Good lyrics proclaiming that we best help our selves by helping others. Nice bass from Patrick "Dirty" Daugherty. Full Moon Ride closes out side one. It's a number about vigilantes riding out to protect "our land and protect our kin" and in a historical context refers to the years after the War Between the States when Arkansas was occupied by Federal troops for the "sin" of exerting her right to self determination. Far from keeping order, this ruthless, immoral occupational force along with yankee carpetbaggers ushered in a time of chaos and lawlessness giving them "further justification" to plunder and steal from the weak and helpless. The full moon riders go out "to set things right" as Bloody Bill Anderson says in The Outlaw Josey Wales. Musically this rocks along at a gallop matching the horses of the story's protagonists. Nice twangy country leads add to the atmosphere.

Side two opens with Our Mind's Eye, countrifed bluesy rock about life after death, with a proggy middle and end. Next up, To Make Us What We Are, borders on progressive with very mystical sound and lyrics. Brilliantly layered guitars and backing vocals. Dream like atmosphere that builds as the song progresses. Great dual lead guitars at the end, each playing its own unique signature. William "Burley" Jett and the already mentioned "Goober" Knight were a great team. There is of course, more technically proficient guitarists, but these boys have a lot of heart. Underneath all this is the fine twelve string rhythm playing of Rick "Ricochet" Reynolds. A highlight on an album filled with excellent songs. Next cut, Our Eyes Are On You. Fine rural rocker about the need to live right, because you're being watched, and what you do has consequences in this life and beyond. And, man, no one sounds like Jim Dandy Mangrum. This guy has a style and delivery that are unique in rock music (though bozos like Axl Rose have tried to imitate him).

Album closer is Mutants Of The Monster, a real tour de force that's a highlight of their live shows. Basically a piece of rural jazz inflected rock about the deevolution of man. The modern world system (the monster) has made us into mutants. We no longer live off the land in harmony with nature, but instead have taken on an unnatural life style which is destroying us. A powerful conclusion to a brilliant record.

As for this edition, I'm thankful to Wounded Bird for releasing so many of Black Oak Arkansas's classic albums, but these are not remastered. For that matter, they don't sound as good as a lot of my vinyl I've had ripped to CD. I'm not sure what they did, but the sound is very compressed, for lack of a better word. It would be nice to see some decent re-issues. Until then, get it how you can. This is an Arkansas diamond.

This 3rd album was one of the 3 essential albums of BOA.
This band composed some really good solid original rock.
Great guitar work and themes. Tommy Aldridge was added on drums here
who as any would know if they saw him, was probably one of the greatest rock drummers ever.
however the 1st BOA album really sounded good and the 2ND, KEEP THE FAITH is my favorite.
Very underated band.

Well I finally found this one on CD, but the price is ridiculous! I didn't realize it had been released on cd, and now is out of print. Well, I got my LP (which I bought back in the day for 4 or 5 bucks!) until they remaster and release this gem. Like the other review, although I favor the first 2 LPs, musically this may be their best.