Customer Reviews

Another Mayberry

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I started listening to BHT when they had this and Midnight Radio out, and I could not put them away for months. The sound is not always smooth but it is pure, and these two albums paint an accurate picture of what the early live shows around Boulder were like. Must admit that I like the first two much more than most of the following efforts which were much more commercial friendly, but the latest studio and live albums are much closer to this raw, bluesy, bar-band sound. I like it so much I have a backup copy in case I kill my first.

What makes the first two albums from Big Head Todd so great is their rawness. Their small-label success allowed them to create the music they wanted to play without letting corporate big-wigs dictate their sound, or overproduced albums. This is pure musicianship at its finest - playing just for the love of it. This is their roots.

The album opens with the up-tempo "Flander's Fields". Todd Park Mohr's voice is energetic and soulful, and his guitar work is intricate. His soloing is a mix of melody and rhythm playing both at the same time. Although he is not flashy with the guitar, his solos are well phrased and short, tending to focus more on the song. The title track is slower and Mohr keeps his rhythm playing interesting by mixing in arpeggios, and finishes with a short outro solo. "Blue Water" carries a bluesy, nearly country-ish, feel to it. The album closes with the ballad "Hymn", which is built around Mohr's growling vocals and cries. Other greats on this album are "American Boy", "Salvation" and "Blues for Annie".

This is simple music, raw, and from the heart and soul. They would repeat this formula again with the release of "Midnight Radio", actually recording several of their tracks live. These two albums are the kindling that started the fire of BHT&M career, and I think this is still some of their best work.

BHTM's "Another Mayberry" is a great album amongst a collection of BHTM's efforts that got lost in the 90s amid a sea of 'alternative' schlock and poor bands that made it huge. IMO the reason is that the band has no poser skills, no memorable cliche, and no sexy MTV exposure (I actually used to catch their videos on CMT!). Their reviews in mags called them "writing over their heads" "not as good as made out to be.." and other such tripe. On this effort the boys bring to light a collection of songs that fit no narrow AOR format corporate radio forces us to listen to, but boy, does this effort shine. The title track, "flander's fields", and "I willl carry" are all top-notch efforts dripping with emotion and soul, but the big daddy here is the amazing "Geography of a Horse Dreamer" a powerful atmospheric song that builds to an incredible climax, a near perfect song for its intentions. Most any BHTM album is good starting point for the novice, but "Another Mayberry" is my favorite.

This album delivers a glimpse of what BHT has come to stand for: soulful bluesy-rock with great rhythm and sound. Definitely not as commercial friendly as their later works, but if you want to find their true roots, look no further. Live favorites such as Flander's Fields mixed with the heart-ripping scenes painted in Geography of a Horse Dreamer and Annie.

This CD is the best that BHTM has to offer and if you have high expectations, it won't let you down! I went to CU Boulder in the late 80s when Big Head Todd and the Samples were regulars on the local band scene and this CD captures the essence of this artist at his prime.

The guitar riffs on Flaunders Field rival that of legendary blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughn. Another Mayberry carries a cool easy groove which leaves you coming back for more.

If you're thinking of buying your first CD of BHTM, look no further!

Great, raw sound, but not untutored; listen for the REM and Mark Knopfler influences, among many others. The moving indictment-of-war poem "Flander's Fields" gets top billing here; "Blue Water" is a good preview of BHTM's "Midnight Radio" and even "Sister Sweetly" sound; and all Big Head Todd-heads should have "American Boy," "Another Mayberry," and "Salvation." A good listen, and a good indication of greatness to come from the country's most popular, mysteriously unknown talent.

This CD was offered as a discounted bonus when replacing my Midnight Radio CD. I thought it was a new release that I had not heard. It was actually older, and true to the sound of Big Head Todd that I remember. A little raw, but real. What a score.

They have since learned their lesson, so don't judge BHT by this review, but this album, their first effort, is, outside of 3 songs, way lame