Customer Reviews

Cardiff Rose

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Former chevron leader of The Byrds, Roger McGuinn, along with George Harrison, put out arguably the best albums of the seventies, although they were often underappreciated. His eponymous solo debut was letter perfect in every regard. This, his third, was even better. Sony has sweetened the deal with a studio demo of David Bowie's "Soul Love" and a live take on Joni Mitchell's "Dreamland."
His spirit is completely infectious throughout this disc. His collaborations with Jacques Levy were never finer. His humour, his jangling 12 string, his lusty and robust vocals give these songs vivid immediacey and compelling authority. Dylan would have been just another long winded songwriter in desperate need of an editor had McGuinn not disovered the gems hidden in the Minnesota tramp's rambling semi-tunes. And yet McGuinn never sought the limelight. He was always in service to the music. You'll get that from the opening track, "Take Me Away", a celebration of his participation in the Dylan-Baez Rolling Thunder Review. When I caught the Review in Toronto, McGuinn was clearly in heaven. He and Gordon Lightfoot seemed the two most enchanted with how wonderful the music was and how important it was for all of them to be anonimously involved in Rock's greatest one-off tour. "Jolly Roger" and "Pretty Polly" present McGuinn as lusty pirate. "Jolly Roger" emboldens the swagger and spirit as much as Stan Roger's "Barret's Privateers." "Friend" is quintessentially troubador music. "Rock and Roll Time" is pure new wave rock, stripped of all the corporate baggage that continues to drag music down. "Partners in Crime" is absolutely dead on parody of the hypocrisy among the Chicago 7. "Up to Me" takes an unremarkable Dylan song and turns it into a classic, as only McGuinn could do. "Round Table" is maybe now the most amazing track, describing as it does, a Crusade to convert the Islamic world and steal back the Holy Grail. Leave the Pyhton analogies alone, and consider what this song says and you have to wonder did Roger know something, even way back then...
All through this disc, you'll catch premonitions of punk, power rock, world music. It all reaches an astounding conclusion with his take on Mitchell's "Dreamland." It is worth remembering that at this point, Mitchell had begun to shed her fan base as she moved into a quasi-jazz styling of songs. McGuinn came through with this gem to remind everyone just what a protean writer Mitchell still was.
The bonus stuff is icing on an incredible cake. I still love this CD! The remastering is perfect. This had all the elements to it: great songs, perfect deliveries, wonderful sound. The Byrd was as high creatively as he could be and it was all about the Music. When everything else was bombast or corporate, Jolly Roger pirated what was still real about music and kept it afloat. Rock owes him an enormous debt, and this is the proof right here.

This album has something for every fan. With a superb backing band (including guitar legend Mick Ronson), Mc Guinn has crafted an entertaining group of songs. Of particular note are "Take Me Away," "Jolly Roger," and the gritty "Rock and Roll Time" (co-written with Bobby Neuwirth and Kris Kristofferson). The rendition of "Pretty Polly" included on this album has a much folksier edge than the version on the Byrds box set, and features some of McGuinn's excellent banjo work. There is not a bad cut on the entire album, which is worth the effort to locate. Well done, Roger!

Jolly Roger was going for broke on this 1977 release, the fourth of five albums he released in the 70's. He's playing and singing like a man with a pistol to his head on this one, like a man who's definitely trying to prove something after the disappointing commercial response to his previous solo efforts. And he delivers. His range of topics has never been broader, from the search for the Holy Grail ("Round Table"), to transforming Joni Mitchell's "Dreamland" to an ode to the angst of the space age, to raw punk rock ("Rock 'n Roll Time") before it became junk rock, to getting to the rock bottom of a murderer's intent with his searing vocal on "Pretty Polly", to looking into a pirate's soul on "Jolly Roger". All the songs are first-rate McGuinn, and that means first-rate, period. With the success of recent releases like LIMITED EDITION and THE FOLK DEN PROJECT, Roger is finally beginning to get his due, and people are discovering he's been flying in the stratosphere for a long time.

I first reviewed this album over a year ago after upgrading my old vinyl copy to CD when amazon.com made it available as a cut-out. It then went out of print, but it's good to see it available again. This is easily McGuinn's best solo album until 1991's Back from Rio. The songwriting is consistently strong with McGuinn writing solo ("Friend") and working with long-time collaborator Jacques Levy on "Take Me Away," "Jolly Roger," "Partners In Crime" and "Round Table." McGuinn also co-wrote "Rock and Roll Time" with Kris Kristofferson and Bobby Neuwirth. Also included is a then unreleased Bob Dylan song "Up To Me" (which would not be officially released until Dylan's 1985 Biograph box set). The other non-original is Joni Mitchell's "Dreamland" (which would appear the following year on her Don Juan's Reckless Daughter album). McGuinn also reaches deep into his bag of songs to re-record the traditional "Pretty Polly." The song was first recorded during the 1968 Sweetheart of the Rodeo sessions, but not released until 1990's Byrds box set. This new recording features a more prominent banjo which is provided by David Mansfield and not McGuinn, who is also an accomplished banjo player. This album rocked more than previous McGuinn solo efforts, due in part to the involvement of Mick Ronson as performer and producer. [Ronson had previously worked with David Bowie, Lou Reed and Mott the Hoople.] Even if you gave up on McGuinn and the Byrds after Sweethearts or Untitled, you'll find much to enjoy on this 1976 release. RECOMMENDED

This album is worthy of more acclaim, it delves back into traditional US Folk type songs but performs them in a gutsy electric sometimes punk gusto that is miles away from the Byrds that type music which the artist is more known for. A seriously good addition to any collection

The Byrds, of course, were one of the best folk-rock bands of all time. However, any truly great artist has an album like this one in him or her that goes beyond the "group". This album could not have been made with the Byrds. It has a raw edge that is fantastic. "Jolly Roger" raises a chill everytime I hear it. I want to explode with the raw emotion heard in it. "Rock and Roll Time" is a gritty tribute to the drive of real music. There is not a bad cut on the entire album. I strongly recommend this album to any and all music lovers.

This album is a classic in my opinion, although it was never air-played much, at least not in Oz. Great production values, not on-the-cheap like much modern music. Roger Maguin is in fine voice, and fine musicianship there too, from the session musicians. One of my favorite albums. My 'liccorice pizza' (vinyl) version was played until worn out long ago. Lots of different types of songs from ballads, to hard-rocking numbers. Great Album.

I consider this CD as Roger McGuinn at his finest. Some very good songs on this CD. I really enjoy listening to his music.

This is a jewell that I missed many years ago when it came out. I'm sorry I went all those years without it but grateful that it is now part of my collection.

As an original Byrd's fan, I have followed the career's of the various members over the years. McGuinn's folk output can best be heard here.
Enjoy.