Customer Reviews

Area Code 615 / Trip in the Country

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I ordered this album after learning the banjo player on the record is the guy who played "Eastbound and Down" from Smokey and the Bandit. I had no idea what I was buying, but WOWEE, what a great album! It's difficult to categorize, really. I would not call it bluegrass, exactly. Maybe "rockgrass". Just when you think it's going to be dull, the music takes off, lead by Bobby Thompson's righteous banjo picking, into a funky mix of Southern rock, soul, and bluegrass. It's kind of like Marshall Tucker "drivin' music". Every song is good, there are no clunkers. Bobby's version of "Classical Gas" more than does credit to the original version. It's BETTER, actually. If you like Southern rock, folk rock, or just feeling good-GET THIS ALBUM!

This album is strictly one of a kind. I had the original vinyl when it first came out and played it until the needle wouldn't stay in the groove anymore. What a thrill it's out on CD! Especially check out "Stone Fox Chase" an amazing bluegrass/African drum dance groove. You won't believe it's over 30 years old. As an owner of several thousand pieces of vinyl and CDs, I put this one in my top 10.

I had the album Trip In The Country thirty year ago when I was in the Air Force and wore the album out. I never imagined that this would be available again on CD. It was one of the better days in my life, the day I received this CD in the mail. I would not try to categorize this as the Nashville sound, country or bluegrass or what ever. This is simply great music, played by accomplished musicians. Get this CD while you can, it may never come around again.

If you're from the UK or Ireland and are old enough to have been a small child during the 1970s, you almost certainly know something by Area Code 615. Their effortlessly cool mouth-harp/rhythm groove 'Stone Fox Chase' was, for years, the theme music to the much-missed (by me anyway) and very serious, very hushed-voice rock programme 'The Old Grey Whistle Test'. Altogether now: 'Nice!' Somebody sampled it not that long ago; hell, Mantronix sampled it during the 1980s. Anyway, the clips from other tracks here show that this was a pretty funky band, and one whose not very big discography - this CD is all they ever did - deserves to be re-released at a more affordable price.

This is by far one of the best supergroups ever. A bunch of extremely talented Nashville session players got together to record mostly intrumental music with influences from country, bluegrass, R&B, Rock and roll and classical. For a long time, it has been a cult classic. The players involved were responsible for the sound of legends players such as Bob Dylan and Roy Orbison among others back in the 60's. The only band I've heard with a similar sound is the Dixie Dregs. No doubt about it, Dregs' fans and southern music fans will dig this if they don't own it already. Highly recommendable.

Damn. I can't believe that this is available on CD. Get it while you can. I, too, played my vinyl till it was grooveless. This album has been on my long lost and longing for list since 1973. MAN! I CAN'T BELIEVE BOTH ALBUMS ARE ON ONE CD FOR THE PRICE OF ONE!!! This is some of the best damn music you will ever in your life hear. Just these great, pristine, foot-tapping, toons -- I can't wait to play it in the car heading down Highway 1. If you appreciate lovely, happy, easy, groovin' toons -- you MUST add this to your collection today. You will blow your friends' minds! It'll make any party take notice and you can put it on and do whatever. A JEWEL. A CLASSIC. And virtually unknown ....

I first heard this album when I bought it on vinyl many years ago. In those days we used to get totally wasted and listen to it. The musicianship used to completely astound me. During many moves and many years later I found I didn't have a copy any more. I recently bought another copy on C.D. and the music just jumped out at me once more. It hasn't got one bad track on it. It's bluegrass, country, rock and ballads and it still holds up against any music today. By the way I don't get ripped any more and this music still sounds really good. Buy this album while it's still affordable because one day it will be out of production and will become very,very collectable.

Great psych/bluegrass music.Well packaged with prompt delivery. My compact disc did not have a front cover so I had to organise one. Would have preferred more vocals on the album but overall good music.

absolutely incredible band. definately whats labeled a supergroup!these 2 albums were made right after dylans nashville stuff. group went on to form barefoot jerry. i believe was the backing band for nashville cats fron mid to late sixties. very much the equivalent to the funk bros. from motown,atlantic cats from muscle shoals, funklords the meters from nola, and the best band ever booker t and the mg's from stax

When I first bought Area Code 615, I had no idea what to expect. I recognized the names of the players from plenty of other records but I wasn't prepared for something so unique. This saw my turntable all through my freshman year in college and plenty of folks would often walk by, stop, and ask me "Who is that!?! Trip in the Country was more of the same and by the end of the year three other people on my floor had the album. It's pretty hard to describe it, you just hear it and know it's right. Only two albums but several of the players later showed up in Barefoot Jerry, another great band, whose CD's are sadly unavailable. Of course all of these guys continued in the Memphis/Nashville scene, but these two albums were honest-to-goodness hidden gems. I can't afford the prices they fetch these days, and the chances of their being re-issued is pretty slim. My albums disappeared long ago but I still remember them as clear as a sunny day.
This is available as a CDR for about $20, so you can get an affordable copy online. I found it at CD Baby, but how long it's there, I don't know.