Customer Reviews

Two Classic Albums from The Amazing Rhythm Aces: Stacked Deck/Too Stuffed to Jump

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Some years back, somebody apparently made off with the master tapes to the Amazing Rhythm Aces early albums. Since the advent of the compact disc, thousands of devoted fans of great music have been waiting in vain for CD reissues of the Aces stellar early albums. The wait is OVER!

This compilation presents the Aces landmark albums, Stacked Deck and Too Stuffed To Jump on one shiny little disc. What were the source tapes for this project? Probably not the original masters. The sound is adequate, not great. However, the Aces in general, and singer Russell Smith and guitarist Barry Burton in particular, are in such fine form that I won't quibble about the fidelity. Again, the sound IS adequate.

The songs Third Rate Romance and The End Is Not In Sight alone are worth the price of this disc, but there isn't a clunker in the bunch.

This music is a tasty stew of country, Muscle Shoals R&B, rock, and bluegrass that has been mimicked by other bands, but never duplicated. If you enjoy ANY of the music styles listed above, buy this CD now and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

Finally, thanks to Amazon.com I found cd's by my favorite group. Being a fan of theirs since the "70's", My vinyls were all wore out. I've searched for years in music stores for other vinyl copies or cd's but I always came up short. Thought I'd give you a try and to my amazement there it was. I just couldn't believe it. I used to have all their albums, but now I will buy every one of their cd's. This cd is great for it shows the brillance, and talent of how versatile their music is. It ranges from country to rock to blues. I was very much impressed by "The Amazing Rhythm Aces" when I first heard them in the "70's", And I still feel the same way today. Being a lead guitarist myself, I really appreciate their originality of song writing,and the way they put their message across. There is not a bad cut on this double cd. I also bought "Chock Full Of Country Goodness" which shows their country side and humor. My next cd by the aces will be "Toucan Do It Too/Burning The Ballroom Down". Alot of the songs on that double cd I had on vinyl, and what a pleasure to know I can still get Them today on cd. I had just about given up looking for their music in stores thinking that the recording industry had forgotten about the "Aces". This cd is a must for any country rock fan. Just listen to "The End Is Not In Sight", "Third Rate Romance", "Dancing The Night Away" and their unique version of "Life's Railway To Heaven". Their harmony is superb,{very tight}. This cd features most of their hits and some that should of been. Well worth the money and more. To me, I finally found what I've been looking for and for a few years I thought it was lost forever. Thank You Amazon. Guitar Bob

Through the years of 1975-1977, as a teenager I heard a song called "The End Is Not In Sight" and was in awe that a country band could sound so good. Now 20 years later, after reminiscing with a friend about groups of the past, we both agreed that the group :The Amazing Rythm Aces" put out some unique hits during those years this started me on a two year quest to find the missing Aces. This year having searched in vain for original recordings of the Aces, my quest ended. This compilation of original recordings contain the real deal, not re-done versions. The sound quality is adequate, but your also transferring music from the 70's that was normally heard on AM radio to CD's, quite an accomplishment. If you were looking to find these missing country hits you need to look no further, this is it! The people involved in accomplishing this feat deserve our thanks. This will truly satisfy your nostalgic taste buds. Thanks again everyone.

Michael J. Law

These two albums were the grail for so many years when they were out of print. This cd has stayed on my changer, and I bought it the day it came out.

For so many people, and for so long, "Third Rate Romance" was all they knew, and know, about Russell Smith and the Aces. Well, they can rock harder, and they can be much more touching and emotional with their country. But they are that original.

Most of the california country rock sounds contrived compared to the Aces. These guys never really had a niche, and so never really made it, except for critical acclaim and a hard core following.

Join the critics and the fans and get this cd, you won't regret it.

This, fellow ARA fans, is the real thing. The recordings are clear, the production very good and the songs are just as good as we remembered. There have been other recordings released on CD which should have never seen the light of day due to terrible original recordings, but don't worry this time. These recordings are a delight!

Two complete classic ARA albums on one disc and every tune intact. For anyone who has only heard "Third Rate Romance" or "Amazing Grace (Used To Be Her Favorite Song)" you are very lucky. You're lucky because now you can hear other classic, and in many ways better, ARA cuts such as "Dancing The Night Away", "Life's Railway to Heaven" and "The Nail On The Head".

The musical styles vary from Carribean rhythms to bluegrass to country to rock to ragtime and they are all good. The group that was too rock for country, too country for rock and just too eclectic for anywhere else was before its time, but it's given us some great songs.

Pick this up along with another great two-album ARA CD, "Toucan Do It Too/Burning The Ballroom Down" and their later, self-titled CD. Who will these recordings appeal to? If you are a fan of "new country" or enjoy the clever lyrics of "Barenaked Ladies" you might want to give ARA a try. You could do a whole lot worse and it would be hard to do much better.

In the mid to late 1970's, WHN in NY was a country station that introduced me to Third Rate Romance, The End is not in sight,and Amazing Grace used to be her favorite song. I loved those songs then, and after NOT hearing them for 20 years bought this collection. This was truly a great, multi-talented country-rock group. They had a dry humor in their lyrics - Emma-Jean is hilarious and musically catchy - I cannot fathom why the radio stations don't give these guys their due. Third rate romance sounds better than ever. This versatile group has shades of Willy Nelson, Marshall Tucker, John Fogarty, Derek & the Dominos and Sam Cooke. They were adept at country, swamp rock, soul, Country Gospel etc. I simply cannot stop playing this collection. My, what a contrast to the cookie-cutter cardboard no-talents with black cowboy hats that Nashville churns out today. Long live the Rhythm Aces. Treat yourself to this musical pleasure.

This Memphis band broke the top-20 with their debut album's 1975 hit single "Third Rate Romance," which forever defined them through endless oldies anthologies and radio play. And as a calling card for a pop one-hit wonder it's actually surprisingly representative of the tuneful country-rock that was the band's stock-in-trade. Country fans gained a deeper helping of the band's hits, with "Amazing Grace (Use to Be Her Favorite Song)" and "The End is Not in Sight (The Cowboy Tune)" each charting, and the latter catching a Grammy(tm).

Fleshed out beyond the hits, this 2-LPs-on-1-CD release demonstrates convincingly that the Aces were much more than a Southern-fried version of The Eagles. They treaded some similar ground, but the Aces were more deeply immersed in the music of their native Memphis, with blues, soul, funk and gospel flavors rounding out their country and rock base. The debut LP, "Stacked Deck," is one of the 1970s lost classics, featuring stellar original songwriting, a fine R&B cover of Charlie Rich's "Who Will the Next Fool Be?," finely tuned vocals and harmonies, strong instrumental picking, and an organic blend of the band's influences that is truly inspirational.

The band's second LP, 1976's "Too Stuffed to Jump," followed the debut's musical formula, which may make it slightly less original, but doesn't detract from the fine songs and performances. The band continued to rely on the diversity of their southern roots, from funky blues-rockers like "Typical American Boy," "I'll Be Gone" and "Fool for the Woman," to country tunes like "The End is Not in Sight (The Cowboy Tune)," "These Dreams of Losing You" and "Out of the Snow."

Collectors' Choice two-fer has no liner notes (or songwriting or production credits), and the original album art is reproduced microscopically small, but the 22-track/74-minute running time is generous, and the remastering to digital is crisp and clear. An essential shelfmate for Linda Ronstadt's Capitol albums and The Eagles early works.[©2006 hyperbolium dot com]

I first heard "Third Rate Romance" on the radio in the seventies and had to have the album. I was a struggling guitarist going to college in Seattle, and couldn't believe those tasty riffs. If anything, the album (Stacked Deck) was even better than I expected. I bought the next album, "Too Stuffed to Jump", the day it became available. To my Amazement, (somebody say amazing?), no Sophomore Slump, I even liked it better. These guys mix styles and musical genres with an ease and virtuosity that really is "amazing".
Now almost 25 years after my original album of "Stacked Deck" mysteriously disappeared, and "Too Stuffed To Jump" got "Too Scratched To Play", they are both back with CD sound. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. (By the way, whoever ended up with my original "Stacked Deck" album. I would accept it's return with gracious thanks and no animosity).
Buy this CD. These guys have always been underrated, have never sold out or compromised, and deserve the money.

Actually enjoyed these guys when they first released these albums, saw them once in concert as a teenager, and after hearing a Band play one of their songs at a Wine Festival, it reminded me of how good these guys are so I ordered this CD. It's been 30 years since I first listened to them, and I'm am enjoying them even more now. The Lyrics sound classic at any age. From: "It ain't enough that your legs are long, as strong as you've been comin' on", to "I'm still drinkin' Gin when I can buy it, and I sure bought a lot of it today" and "Tell me why every time she gets a headache, she's always got to give it to you". I can relate to all of it.

The Amazing Rhythm Aces are still Amazing! I enjoyed them in the 70"s and now I can enjoy them again. It's great that the old albums are out on CD.