Customer Reviews

Come on Back

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the latest fantastic album from Jimmie Dale Gilmore, the only kind I've heard, and I've heard them all! COME ON BACK is a "memorial and tribute to my father," says Gilmore -- "it consists of songs that he particularly loved." There are 13 tracks here, and every one is a gem. Joe Ely produced, and the musicianship is incredible, with Chris Searles on drums, Gary Herman on bass, Eamon McLoughlin on fiddle, Robbie Gjersoe on all manner of guitar, Jimmie Dale on acoustic guitar, Joe Ely on various and sundry, and of course Jimmie Dale's unbelievable voice.

Here's a little of what Gilmore says about his father, Brian Gilmore, who recently died of ALS (amyotropic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig's Disease): "My dad was not a materialistic man. He was unimpressed by fancy houses, stylish clothing, expensive automobiles, or any of the other trappings of our status-conscious society. The drive to seek power, prestige and wealth was not part of his makeup." And he goes on to describe his father's deep love of music, and his singing and guitar playing.

Several of the songs reflect the attitude Jimmie Dale describes -- "Pick Me Up on Your Way Down," "Saginaw, Michigan," and "Jimmie Brown the Newsboy" in particular contain a perspective sympathetic to working people and disdainful of the haughty wealthy class. The only song on the album that I am personally familiar with is "Gotta Travel On," which I recognize from my childhood, and I have no idea where I heard it or whose version, but it brings back pleasant memories:

"I've layed around and played around this old town too long -- summer's almost gone and winter's coming on. I've layed around and I've played around this old town too long and I feel like I've gotta travel on."

Jimmie Dale says his favorite is the Hank Williams tune "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive," a wry truth if there ever was one, and I can see why -- I think I might agree. The best line is when the protagonist inherits from an uncle "quite a batch," and then "one fateful day a lawyer proves I was never born, but only hatched." Other highlights are "Don't Let the Stars Get In Your Eyes," which the band takes at a breakneck pace, the Hank Snow tune "I'm Movin' On," the Johnny Cash tune "Train of Love," and of course the beautiful closer "Peace in the Valley," in which the lion lies down with the lamb, a vision of peace.

Jimmie Dale Gilmore is one of my favorite artists -- COME ON BACK deepens my love of his music and stands with his finest records!

For a guy who looks like an old hippie (he's 60) Jimmie sure is a fan of traditional country music. This outstanding album is composed of some of his late father's favorite songs. Here's the list of songs and who originally sang them:

Pick Me Up On Your Way Down (Charlie Walker)
Saginaw Michigan (Lefty Frizzell)
Memphis Blues (Jimmie Rodgers)
Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes (Slim Willet / Skeets
McDonald / Ray Price / Perry Como)
Four Walls (Jim Reeves)
I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive (Hank Williams)
Walkin' The Floor Over You (Ernest Tubb)
I'm Moving On (Hank Snow)
Don't Worry About Me (Marty Robbins)
Train Of Love (Johnny Cash)
Jimmie Brown The Newsboy (Flatt & Scruggs)
Gotta Travel On (Billy Grammer)
Peace In The Valley (Red Foley)

Those reviewers who lament that Jimmie isn't adding any new dimensions to these songs are missing the point. This is back porch music, not made for revelation but for pure enjoyment. While I find Jimmie's records to be a bit uneven, this album is almost pure strength and warmth. Joe Ely's production is occasionally a bit sanitary for my tastes (ex: Flatlanders' "Now Again") but this time he hit the bullseye. Highly recommended!

I love "Come On Back". Jimmie Dale Gilmore keeps the integrity of these classics while adding his touch. He improved music I would have considered perfect. Jimmie's songs should be played on the radio, they should be in the Top 10. I have played this CD over and over. Keep them coming Jimmie.

I would have to agree with the reviewer that called this CD a Masterpiece. Country/Folk/Alternative just doesn't get any better than this. There is absolutely no "filler" on this CD. Each of these songs stand on their own. Some of the songs are inspirational, some thought provoking, and some just plain addicting. I've "auditioned" this CD for friends of mine who would never be caught dead with a "Country" title in their CD player - and they were all hooked! And did I mention that JDG has a killer voice? This is one sweet CD.

After first becoming aware of this talent as part of the trio comprising THE FLATLANDERS, I began my search for this unique and interesting sound from this voice and guitar player.

A true master of the craft of songmanship...arrangements, lyrics, and sound...it is nice to hear some of his original compositions with a few old classics thrown in.

For the Flatlanders fan and the Jimmie Dale Gilmore fan, this is a must have. For the curious, this is a must have that will turn you into the aforementioned fan.

Jimmie Dale Gilmore cd's have always treated me fine, and sometimes his songs sound better during one listen than they do the next. For example, I picked up 'Come on Back' this past Sunday afternoon and couldn't wait to put it into my car cd player. And, yeah, it sounded good. But the next night, when the moon was up, as I was driving down the road, the second listen filtered its way deeply into my nervous system, calmed and warmed me, and got me dancin' in my car during certain songs as I was experiencing this album in ways I do not with many other albums I own. It vibrates with spirit and attitude and the more I hear it the more hypnotic it becomes. There's no way this could be back-up music for me since it is most enjoyed when I'm practically focusing in on it, concentrating.

There are so many good things about it, from the choice of covers to the musicianship to the awesome production by Joe Ely. I'm not always thinking of how an album was produced when I'm listening to it, but the job was done so wonderfully (to help the listener enjoy the music more) here that I was constantly thinking about it. And it did the opposite of taking me away from the music; it drew me in even deeper.

The harmonizing vocals along with the excellent musicianship gave me overpowering 'tingly' feelings on a numer of these tunes. I simply love the guitar and bass grooving in and out of each other after the first two verses of 'Train of Love.' And the range of vocal hooks in songs like 'Standin' on the Corner,' 'Walkin' the Floor Over You,' and 'Gotta Travel On' are, again, sometimes the cause of making my body sway in relaxed, yet excited fashion, and there's a freedom in the mind that goes right on with all this. It's joyful.

How much you like this album may or may not depend on how much you like Jimmie Dale's country honk as compared to his more spiritual, blissful compositions (most notably on Spinning Around the Sun, Braver Newer World (my overall favorite of his) and One Endless Night). The tunes have a dirtier country sound but it still is produced so crisply that, along with Jimmie's voice, it equates to the deep vibes of his more other-earthly tunes.

And this mixture of (oftentimes on 'Come on Back') rock-n'-roll-rhythm-driven country and his spiritual approach make for a listen that is, literally, out of this world.

These songs are Jimmies late fathers favourites....It is an absolute masterpiece... Thank's Jimmie....

Jimmie Dale (and producer Joe Ely) have made a gem of an album! Inspired by the "time tested" great honkeytonk songs by some of C&W's greats - and most loved by Jimmie's father, his unique voice sounds as clear, direct, and heartfelt as ever - truly wonderful. The arrangements are also perfect to the occasion - I can't think of a more fitting tribute to a kind of country music which speaks to a more authentic past - one which, as Hank said best, he'll never get out of alive! Good for all of us though, that his (and others) great spirits, live on in these wonderful songs forever!

I admit that I bought this album soley because it made the No Depression magazine's Top Albums of 2005 list, despite the fact that I have a bunch of Jimmie Dale Gilmore's older albums. He had sort of flown under my radar until I saw the recommendation for "Come On Back" in ND issue #61 (Jan.-Feb. 2006). What an apt title, as I've 'come on back' to Jimmie's rootsy and authentic honky-tonk country music that I loved listening to so much back in the early 1990's. Thanks No Depression! The playing is superb and Jimmie's singing is enthusiastic. I (and hopefully you) have read all of the prior reviews and many good points are made by all the reviewers. Just to clear up one question, the original version of "Train of Love" can be found on the great 1990 Rhino single disc compilation, "Johnny Cash: The Sun Years". "Train of Love" was released as Sun single #258 in November 1956. I'm not sure whether it charted but it apparently was partly the inspiration for the "Ride This Train" segment of Cash's early 1970's television show. Johnny Cash's is the version of the song I'm familiar with but Jimmie's faithful rendition definitely does it justice. Much has already been made of the issue of whether a covers album should contain faithful 'true to the original' versions of the songs or whether an artist should make the songs his/her own. Probably there will be no solving of that ongoing debate here, but to my ears, Gilmore has delivered one of the better covers records. A very good to great covers album, despite some occasional mis-steps, should pique a listener's curiosity so that one might perhaps search out the original songs and maybe incidentally discover the other work of the musicians who originally wrote and/or recorded the songs. Gilmore's "Come On Back" does just that, as I'm going to check out the original version of "I'm Movin' On" by that "great Canadian singer-songwriter", Hank Snow. Well done Jimmie!