Customer Reviews

Best of Friends

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

 

 

There are several great songs here. The flaws with this CD are (1) there are only 10 songs on the CD, (2) the total length is less than 39 minutes, and (3) most of the great song "Angry Eyes" is chopped out, cutting it down to only 2:23. With nearly 40 minutes of unused space on the CD, why not include the entire song (and some bonus tracks).

There have been some comments in previous reviews regarding this album's length/number of songs, and about the "Angry Eyes" "edit".

First, this was originally a vinyl album, which explains its length, and as a "Greatest Hits" album, it does contain the songs that L&M were most known for at the time, at least to casual radio listeners.

Second, the notes on the album jacket explain that "Angry Eyes" was, in fact, NOT edited (cut) for this album. Rather, the version on this collection is an alternate "short" version that was recorded at the same time as the original "long" version for their second album. I, too prefer the full version, but at least this short version has a more cohesive feel than most songs that get cut down (by engineers) for time.

Anyone who is really into L&M, of course, won't be satisfied with just this collection, but it has a few things to recommend it. It IS, after all, a collection of L&M songs, and you can't go wrong with that - no matter how you slice it. If (as was my case many years ago) a casual listener buys this collection and then seeks out more L&M albums, then it has done its job. After all, I didn't become the really avid L&M fan that I am until I started listening to and appreciating the entire "Loggins & Messina" album, which I had bought specifically for the full version of "Angry Eyes".

Also, this album contains a stand-alone "single" version of "Peace Of Mind". The song here is identical to what's on their "Sittin' In" album, except that it begins on its own, rather than beginning as a segue from "To Make A Woman Feel Wanted". Having this version is handy if you wish to make your own expanded "best of" compilation, but don't wish to include the entire "Trilogy: Lovin' Me/To Make A Woman Feel Wanted/Peace Of Mind".

At any rate, this is a good taste of Loggins & Messina's (and their band's) fine songwriting and musicianship, and it whets the appetite for more.

For three generations their laughing faces on this cd have been looking out at us from the record store racks: Furball Kenny Loggins in that hideous velour sweater, and denim semi-clad Jim Messina looking like he just let off a terrific sneeze. They've been there for three generations because this very slender collection of L&M favorites is a good an early Seventies music milepost as there is. Male listeners of a certain age may have dismissed this as girly music from their big sister's record collection, but it's time to give another listen. It's enough to make you take the much-derided singer/songwriter era seriously again.

At only ten tracks, it's not quite right to talk about "highlights". But my favorites include the wonderful nautical fantasy "Vahevala", Messina's arts-&-crafts fair acoustic confection "Be Free", and Loggins' two childhood meditations, "Danny's Song" and "House at Pooh Corner." I never could stand "Your Mama Don't Dance", but it was a huge enough hit to demand inclusion.

An excellent bit of judgment here is to delete the long instrumental section of "Angry Eyes", and present a simple A-A-B-A version. It is a good tune, but it is at heart an AM radio pop song, and should never have been inflated to "Low Spark of High Heel Boys" dimensions in the first place.

Too short? Maybe, for many fans. But most fans will agree that there's not a wasted bar of music in this collection. See? Your big sister had good taste after all!

When I bought a vinyl copy of "Sittin' In" back in 1972, I did it mostly because of Messina's name being on the album. He was, after all, a founding member of one of my favorite bands of all time--Poco. I knew Kenny Loggins only as a songwriter from the Dirt Band's "Uncle Charlie Album," which included four of his songs. [One of them, "House at Pooh Corner," is included here from L&M's debut.] I was expecting a more country-rock sound considering their connection to that particular genre, but other than "Listen to a Country Song" from their debut, this is primarily a pop act. So once I accepted that, I recognized the duo for the excellent pop craftsmen they were.

I still enjoy their uptempo numbers best ("Your Mama Don't Dance," "My Music"), but Loggins wrote some lovely ballads also ("Danny's Song")as did Messina ("Be Free"). My only complaint is that with a running time of under 40 minutes, this 1976 release is long overdue for a CD update. The length could easily be doubled to include tracks from either of their live albums, something from "Native Sons," (which came out the same year as this "best of" and so as to not hurt sales, didn't get represented here), include minor hits like "Nobody But You" and also include album versions of songs rather than single edits. Until Columbia decides to expand this anthology, you should also consider their first two albums (which contains six of the 10 songs here). This is infectious music. RECOMMENDED

...when they cut out the instrumental portion of "Angry Eyes"? I was furious when I discovered that fact after buying the CD ( I got it before reading the reviews here). Yeah, yeah, some of their other nuggets like "Vahevala" are here, but messing up "Angry Eyes" totally tripped me out. Save your money unless you have no use for "Angry Eyes" but if you ask me (well, you didn't, but I'll say it anyway), that's the magnum opus of this band.

Every song on this disc is memorable, such great songwriting. They also are great singers. If you would like an introduction to Loggins and Messina, here's the perfect place. "Peace of Mind" is a beautiful song and one of my favorites. P.S. Get the original album for "Angry Eyes" if you've never heard the entire song, you are really missing out. This is an unforgettable jam.

This is nice introduction to Loggins and Messina, but it is far too skimpy to purchase. I find no Loggins and Messina album truly excellent, but I do believe that the duo produced 15-18, even 20 songs that should be on a single disc Best of CD. 'Listen to a Country Song' from the first LP is but one song that should be added to this meagre 10 song CD. Certainly another song or two from Mother Lode belongs. In addition, the full length album cuts should be used rather than the shortened vinyl singles edits.

I can remember hearing this album (yes, vinyl!) through the wall of my bedroom while my older sister played it end to end, over and over. Just hearing the "Real Audio" samples of some of the songs brings back fond memories and I can still remember every lyric to every song as if I were singing along with them 20 years ago. Sure, it's a little dated, with some ideals and principals that were left back (with good enough reason) in the 70's, but the music itself is as timeless as any Beatle's song. Emotion runs high from start to finish. You can't lose with this record!

Luis Mejia (son) - Avoiding some confusing facts that die-hard fans and other reviewers have noticed (the short compilation, the edit of "Angry Eyes" which has been edited several times), The Best Of Friends manages to be a solid and really captivating introduction to Loggins And Messina. Among all the soft rock styles that had roamed the world, Loggins And Messina provided maybe the best quality and comfort of the sides of soft rock and some refreshing pop tunes, with such a soulful effort in each song you'll be inmersed into their music talent; for pop standards, pieces like the overwhelming spirit and craftmanship of the "Be Free", the shaky and escapist ambient of the beach-like "Vahevala" and the delicate, childish oriented but sentimental "House At Pooh Corner" are completely revolutionary, each of these kicks me out of my seat or burst me into feelings each time I hear them, I hope so you feel this too. But the other pieces are great too; the R&Bish "Peace Of Mind", the reflectives "Watching The River Run" and "Danny's Song", and the both rock and rollers "My Music" and "Your Mamma Don't Dance" are all fabulous. After listening to this album you won't be satisfied by just 10 songs, luckily I got this one with Full Sail and their self titled, along with 3 Loggins solo albums, so buy some of their stuff if you like them, which I asure that no mater your flavours, Loggins And Messina will get through your soul.

This is nice introduction to Loggins and Messina, but it is far too skimpy to purchase. I find no Loggins and Messina album truly excellent, but I do believe that the duo produced 15-18, even 20 songs that should be on a single disc Best of CD. 'Listen to a Country Song' from the first LP is but one song that should be added to this meagre 10 song CD. Certainly another song or two from Mother Lode belongs. In addition, the full length album cuts should be used rather than the shortened vinyl singles edits.