Customer Reviews

Cryin Heart Blues

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Danko has always had that special joy and vulnerability in his material. This set is no disappointment, though he is less prominent in some of the tracks. Some are alternate takes of Danko/Band standards, but none are throwaways. The live cuts with Paul Butterfield are a welcome addition, especially the riveting version of Unfaithful Servant (with an incredible harmonica solo by Butterfield).

Singer/instrumentalist Rick Danko melded country and urban soul influences into a unique sound that some of us will always wish for more of. For us, this collection of previously unreleased material was issued some six years after his death. Three tracks here -- the Motownish "Turn to Stone" and "Cry Another Tear" and the pure-country "When I Get My Just Rewards" -- are among the most beautiful vocals he ever recorded and, alone, justify this disc. Given that chronic sobriety issues hampered his career, it is somewhat distressing to hear him so obviously hammered on certain tracks, including the four live tracks that close the album, but it can't be denied that those tracks rock hard.

Cryin' Heart Blues is another collection of tracks from the Rick Danko archives. It's a mixture of 17 live and studio cuts and demos and old favourites as well as tracks not previously released. 'When I Get My Just Rewards' and 'Lay Back In The Arms Of Someone' are polished studio works while 'New Mexicoe' is somewhat looser than the released version despite the possible presence of Eric Clapton and Ron Wood - not a very distinguished version, I have to say, so the guitarists could be Eric Wood and Ron Clapton for all the difference they make.

'Twilight' is in its compulsory second place in the running order and is a nice full band version. Among the live tracks 'Java Blues' and 'Unfaithful Servant' with Blondie Chaplin and Paul Butterfield both stand out and the CD is topped and tailed with two different live takes of 'Mystery Train'.

There can't be a lot left to release from any of the Band archives but what there is still sounds pretty good.

Great cd of music,especially if you are a Rick Danko fan.He was a great singer and even though some of these tracks sound unfinished,I would rather hear Rick Danko(or Richard Manuel)sing the ABC's then almost anything else that passes for music these days.Some of these songs are better than others."Cry another tear" is a great song written by Blondie Chaplin and sung by Danko.Blondie Chaplin is a highly underated musician.Not many people can say they have played with both "The Beach Boys" and "The Band".He is one of them.Since some of these songs were intended for a never released Danko solo album this collection may not appeal to everyone as it was not meant to be released unfinished.For what it is, it definetley works.I would also reccomend his self titled debut album which was probably his finest post "Band" moment(Before they reformed without Robbie Robertson).This is a great release.

A fascinating bag of Danko tracks. He's not always at his best - but there are some absolute beauties: 'Turn to Stone' and 'Lay Back in the arms of someone' show his Soul and Motown-influenced sides and there's a delicious display of falsetto on 'Cry Another Tear'. Boy, could that boy sing. What we need now is a proper re-release of his 1977 album, with any contemporary tracks from the vaults. But this is terrific for starters. We love Rick Danko!

I CRIED FOR RICK FROM BEGINNING TO THE END. AFTER HAVING READ LEVON'S BOOK, I AM INCLINED TO BELIEVE HIM REGARDING ROBBIE'S TREATMENT OF THE BAND MEMBERS IN COLLUSION WITH SCORSESE, AFTER THE LAST WALTZ. CAN IT BE SO, THAT RICK WORKED HIMSELF TO DEATH DUE TO LACK OF MONEY? OR WAS IT BECAUSE OF HIS OBESITY AND DRUG USE? TO ME IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE, BECAUSE HE SANG LIKE AN ANGEL AND WAS ONE OF THE TRUELY GIFTED ARTISTS THEN AND NOW.

Blondie Chaplin shines again with a total of 3 of his own compositions, 2 of which he sings lead on this album.

Cry Another Tear, Cheatin' Heart and Don't Make Promises are all very Blondie Chaplin songs with the familiar high quality standard his fans have become accustomed to. While Blondie sings on the Cheatin' Heart demo and Don't Make Promises, Danko handles the lead vocal duty on Cry Another Tear, which - while still a good song - would be much, much better had Blondie sang it.

A rare treat and the real highlight of this album is the Cheatin' Heart demo track which consists of just Blondie bangin' away at the piano in a real Beach Boys/Brian Wilson style!! It is much, much better than the finished Danko version that appears on track #8 and I can almost hear Carl Wilson singing this one...

For fans of Blondie's guitar work, you will be glad to hear he is credited with guitar and backing vocals on tracks 4 thru 10 as well as the jammin' live tracks 14 thru 17.

Blondie Chaplin has contributed many songs and lead vocals to other artists' albums and it can get expensive to try and put together a library of Blondie's work buying a whole album for just 2 or 3 tracks. The good thing with this Danko album is that outside the superb Chaplin tracks, the rest of the album is very listenable and in a style similar to Chaplin's own.

A HIGHLY recommended purchase for Chaplin fans and worth the price just for Blondie's demo track alone. Also, don't forget to pick up Chaplin's great work on the Anton Fig album titled Figments, another highly recommended CD for Blondie Chaplin fans...

This is a good reminder of what tremendous talent there was in The Band. Bare in mind now, this is a solo effort AND an Odds and Sods collection, AND it is great stuff. I can't think of a single contemporary musician that could approach Danko, even on this collection of leftovers. And yes he is a bit more than buzzed on several tracks but listen to his voice; that voice tells the story more than the lyrics. Grab it, music fans.