Capitol Years [Box set]

Kingston Trio | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 26, 1995)
• Original Release Date: September 26, 1995
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000002TOY
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #203,131 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good collection hurt by poor song selection, December 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Capitol Years (Audio CD)

I was somewhat disappointed by this collection. It is great hearing the Trio's music remastered and on CD rather than on 40+ year old mono recordings. But the selector chose to spend equal time on the Trio's entire Capital career rather than highlighting their best work. This approach might be justified if the Trio's outstanding works, such as "The Kingston Trio," "College Concert," or "Live From the Hungry I" were available. But they are not, and thus the decision to include marginal songs or outtakes simply because they are novel will disappoint many fans. For example, why include Guard's badly recorded version of "Fast Freight" and not the revised and far superior version? Why leave off classics such as South Coast or Zombie Jamboree or They're Rioting in Africa and include the six lugubrious dirges that begin Disc 3? Unfortunately, this collection only partially conveys the Trio's very considerable talent. Whoever did the selection did them a disservice.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Are these the discs that try men's souls?, August 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Capitol Years (Audio CD)

There are a few things you should know about this set, and then you should buy this set if you love the Trio.

Having read the other reviews, I am reminded that I was first very disappointed by this set. I had already seen the play list, so I knew what was (and was not) on the set.

Some of the remastering choices surprised me. My major surprise was the total lack of reverb on the cuts from College Concert, one of my favorite albums, which unfortunately, is not available on CD. One primary reason I bought this set was to get CD quality versions of songs from College Concert and Time to Think, "Stewart era" albums I particularly enjoy. The College Concert cuts sound strange without reverb, but it is also apparent that the reverb was added to the mix in post production. Had the room sound picked up in the mikes at the concert, it could not have been taken out.

And boy was I surprised at the EP version of Patriot Game which includes the spoken verse FIRST, and then the rest of the song.

However, after initial shocks like these, which took a while to get past, I realized that the quality of recording on this set is the best I have ever heard for Trio material. No, I'm not refering to the funky version of Fast Freight (which is a pre-Trio recording), but on the whole these recordings are of unbelievable quality. It is hard to imagine that recording of this fidelity is forty years old.

I guess I have failed to mention performance quality, but that is a given with the Trio. I agree that the song selection is slightly problematic, but only in relation to what is NOT here. I second the vote of the previous reviewer who would like To Be Redeemed to show up on CD.

Overall, this set is a gem. Whenever I have a friend over and want to impress them with what these guys did back in the 50's & 60's, these are the discs I use. I only hope we can get another release of this quality, and if we get the Stewart Era cuts that were missing (all respect to Dave, it's just that John's era has been neglected), I'll pay another $50 bucks.

Now that I have had Time to Think, maybe that's what Capitol has been planning all along. I can hope.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars hearing this music again was an incredible experience!, July 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Capitol Years (Audio CD)

I've been a rabid Trio fan since 1962 (when I was 10 years old). As my turntable went the way of the dinosaur, I had to be content with listening to the Guard-era "double album" CD's, and the occasional compilation CD that was worth a damn (yeah, I know they had to overdub that word in "Greenback Dollar", but times have changed). When I first played "The Capitol Years", it gave me a rush that I hadn't had in a long time. There were favorite songs that had been forgotten, and unreleased versions that added to the personality of the Trio.

Some may quibble over song selection (I missed "To Be Redeemed", for example), but hey..... when over 100 songs are selected, it will be noone's "perfect" list. I found the selection outstanding.

This is probably the best money I have ever spent on CD's.... I recommend it without reservation.