Customer Reviews

Buffy - Changing Woman - Sweet America: The Mid-1970s Recordings

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Contrary to what one critic said of SWEET AMERICA, cited in the enclosed booklet, that album is NOT "one of her weakest albums." As a fan who's followed Sainte-Marie's entire career, seen her live three times, and even collected one of her songbooks along with every one of her records, I put SWEET AMERICA way up there with the very best of Buffy's work. For one, it enjoys the distinction of being one of the first pop albums to successfully employ real Native American vocals. Two of the four songs using such chanting as backing vocals, "Qu'Appelle Valley, Saskatchewan" and "Star Walker" are easily among Buffy's most moving and effective performances. She would later re-record the latter for her wonderful COINCIDENCE AND LIKELY STORIES CD in 1992, but the version here is arguably better, and "Qu'Appelle Valley" just moves me to tears, beginning with Native American wailing and containing the line, "wrap me in your blanket, dance me around." Goose bumps every time! The rest of SWEET AMERICA features Buffy in a variety of settings, from country-blues to straight ahead rock 'n' roll, and from folk-rock protest songs to children's lullabies. There are a couple of missteps, but they aren't big enough to significantly detract from the overall strength of the record. Buffy's voice never sounded more assured or as beautifully accessible, especially on the sad and lovely "America My Home." This is patriotism in the form of honest observation mixed with wishful thinking, and it could have been written for the today's divided peoples and troubled environment.

Backtracking, the album that starts off this set is BUFFY, of the controversial breast revealing cover shot (no wardrobe malfunction, here; this was quite intentional - yet - tasteful - too bad the compilers of this set weren't bold enough to feature a photo of that cover big enough to really see it well). BUFFY is pretty much a straightforward rock album, and it is infectiously joyous. Yet sprinkled about, like stardust, are a few sparkling, ambient tunes with haunting melodies and mystical lyrics. "(Hong Kong) Star Boy" and "Waves" are really stunning. But the album's centerpiece is "Generation," a powerful protest song in a rock setting that still sounds fresh, and more relevant than ever. It is at once angry and hopeful.

CHANGING WOMAN is the musical soul mate of ILLUMINATIONS, with its predominantly electronic sounds. But whereas ILLUMINATIONS was a daring and groundbreaking achievement, CHANGING WOMAN goes for pure beauty. And it succeeds. Only "Mongrel Pup," with its anticipation of rap music, really rocks, but that does not mean there isn't plenty here to get the blood pumping. CHANGING WOMAN is both spiritually uplifting and sexy, always an interesting combination. Some may find several of these songs a little sticky-sweet, reminiscent, shall we say, of the great Sally Oldfield or perhaps Enya, but I, for one, rank CHANGING WOMAN and SWEET AMERICA in Buffy's top five albums, just below Little Wheel Spin and Spin (No. 1), Illuminations, and Coincidence & Likely Stories, in that order.

A few words about the playing and sound mixing on these three albums: Dr. John, David Briggs, Charlie McCoy, Reggie Young, Dan Fogelberg, Kenny Buttrey and The Memphis Horns, among others, grace BUFFY's energetic mix of sounds. Many of the same musicians also appear on CHANGING WOMAN, minus The Memphis Horns. Larry Carlton plays guitars on SWEET AMERICA, along with several lesser-known but very competent musicians, and that "pow wow chorus," headed by Buffy herself, is just spectacular. The mastering and stereo sound of these two discs are superb, SO: this is a quality product through and through.

Wonderful release, and so worth the long wait! Buffy fans, get it while you can...

I have had these 3 recordings on vinyl for many many years and have always wondered why they were utterly unavailable any more - UNTIL NOW !! I have absolutely everything that Buffy has ever recorded, and have always thrilled to her entire discography. But these 3 recordings are definitely amongst her very best. How anyone could regard them as "weak" is utterly beyond me. They are all wonderful. And all different from each other. It is a crime that it has taken over 30 years for them to come out on CD !!! If you like Buffy at all, buy these immediately. I guarantee that you will love them.

Ron Huttner
Melbourne
Australia

Today I thought I would do a search under Buffy to see if anything new had appeared and to my surprise came across this significant CD project!

This 2CD set digitally debuts Buffy's three obscure studio albums that she recorded for ABC Records and MCA Records between 1974 and 1976 (after departing her long-time label Vanguard Records). The songs she recorded for these projects follow in the vain of her lushly orchestrated 1972 album "Moon Shot" with just a little twang of country/soft-rock.

These albums represented a Buffy who finally had reclaimed her creative freedom (after her repressive latter years at Vanguard) and a Buffy who was at her most expressive, emotive in her songwriting, and singing.

This CD release acts as the missing jigsaw piece to Buffy's classic back catalogue of song, which has to date, been well serviced. Over the last 10 years, we have been spoilt with an array of CD re-issues from Vanguard but nothing from this era.

Although I tried on numerous occasions to engineer a CD re-issue I failed to my utter frustration, as I truly adore these albums and felt it a crime that they have long been out-of-print. I am therefore overjoyed that a deal has been done and this release will soon be upon us. How poignant that it is also due out on the same year that Buffy is due for a musical comeback with her new studio album produced by the Chris Birkett (producer of her 1992 "Coincidence & Likely Stories" album).

Highlights to watch out for on this CD set are: "Waves" and "Star Boy" (from "Buffy" [1974]); the original version of "Eagle Man/Changing Woman", "Can't You See The Way I Love You" and the absolutely beautiful "A Man" (from "Changing Woman" [1975]); "Sweet America" and the original version of "Starwalker" (from "Sweet America" [1976]).

PREPARE TO BE TAKEN ON A ROLLERCOASTER JOURNEY THAT WILL MAKE YOU SMILE AND BRING A FEW TEARS ALONG THE WAY. EXPECT TO BE ENCHANTED AND ENTRANCED BY A BUFFY WHO GIVES HER GREATEST PERFORMANCES OF THE 1970s!!

Before writing reviews I usually ask myself if I have anything to add to the conversation. After listening to the 3 album double-CD set & paying my $30 for the honor, the answer in this case was yes. I have loved Buffy for a number of years, though I discovered her career mostly in retrospect. Saw her live for the first time just a couple of years ago!!! (she was great)

Now, prior to getting this CD, I had a home-made collection of about 20 songs covering 5 or so albums (I have all those albums, but picked bits & pieces from them) that I absolutely loved, all of which -to my mind- set Buffy aside as one of the true innovators & originals to grace the world of music over the last 50 years. A genius, albeit undisciplined genius in a sense... No, that 'sometimes-scattered' quality is clearly part of her genius. But that voice, those lyrics, those gentle and sometimes fiesty and defiant melodies... she has that rare ability to entrance and weave worlds of magic with the simplest of musical structures.

That all proceeds just to say that the first CD (Buffy & half of Changing Woman) is a whole new greatest hits for me, and I have been playing it over & over back to back for weeks now. As she sings in one of her fine fine accomplishments in these recordings, "I've really fallen for you" ... I love her. Every song is SOOOO frighteningly beautiful that I can't bother to set aside favorites. The great Spirit Lady was just in full form & flight in those MCA years, and full-flight for her is an awfully high place to be.

In fairness I don't love the 2nd CD as much, but I guess what I'm saying is you are paying for real genius. Not the 'entertainment-variety' of it that the music industry always tries to peddle. Even if, like me, you well-prefer one half or the other, that half would eclipse 20 other purchases by other artists. So I say GET THIS GOOD STUFF WHILE THE GETTIN'S GOOD!!!! Unless of course you have something against getting mesmerized and staring at times at your stereo with awe and wonder at what magic emanates from your speakers.

As I searched for Buffy's latest album Running for the Drum [CD/DVD], I was ecstatic to find that her three albums after she left Vanguard were finally on CD. From "Buffy," "(Hong Kong) Star Boy" is a classic dreamy love song that has captured me with its haunting melody and Buffy's lovely vocals, "First time I saw your face, I knew the languages I knew would never do for you, Would they baby?" "Generation" is a scorching protest song about political stupidity, "Goodbye scars of Hitler, goodbye bankers' trust, Aquarius is shining & the sun is one of us; Me I don't want to go to the moon, I'm going to leave that moon alone; I just want to dance with the Rosebud Sioux this summer." "Waves" is another song that has played so often on my stereo over the years with a haunting meditative melody, "One with hair of golden, one with skin as deep as autumn burning leaves; One with eyes of ocean color, and ocean deep as ocean eyes can be." However, all of Buffy's previous albums did not prepare me for the stunning "Changing Woman" that is probably one of my all-time 10 favorite albums. The late artist Vincent Ventola was inspired to paint his glorious "Changing Woman" canvas. From "Eagle Man/Changing Woman" we are introduced to a sonic pallet of incredible beauty with the ethereal background vocals, "Snow woman climbing the wind, blue light of winter fills her baskets." The romantic "Can't You See the Way I Love You" is followed by the dreamy song of romantic acceptance, "Just come to me like who you are right now." "You Take Me Away" & "'Til I See You Again" are gorgeous flights of loving energy. When my wife and I married, we quoted a line from "Nobody Will Ever Know It's Real But You" on the invitations, "Love is a clock for eternity." What a beautiful truth! The final track "A Man" is such a sensual celebration of romantic joy, "Of all the ways to love a man, I believe the best is this: to feel him beside you, to hold him inside you & to know he's a man." From "Sweet America," I love the songs "Qu'Appelle Valley, Saskatchewan" and the anthem "Star Walker" that later appeared on Buffy's Coincidence & Likely Stories. Big Beat Records has done a wonderful job with the remastering and sound quality. This is well worth the money for these classic albums that have been out of print for so long. Bravo!

I've treasured these albums for decades and am thankful the music is finally available on CD as my old albums are scratched and tattered from much loved use. This 2/CD collection proves Buffy to be a one-of-a-kind, authentic artist. The music is rocking, beautiful, richly orchestrated, strong, varied.... and a signifigant part of the soundtrack of my life. Thank you Buffy!

Buffy - Changing Woman - Sweet America: The Mid-1970s Recordings If you're a long-time fan of Buffy Saint Marie and you've missed hearing some of those old songs, this album is for you! But anyone who has an interest in contemporary Native Americans would probably find something in this album to like. It has something for every taste...Country & Western, Folk Rock, hard-eged Urban Commentary and World Music.

Buffy made this album in the 1970s. Her tribute to our people and to American Indian Movement were edgy at the time. Worth every penny.

i love buffy she is a lady of the native only kind. roxanne from appleton wi.

I learned very early in life about the Mother Earth, Buffy has taught me even more through her music. Thank You Buffy and "Stay By The Fire".