Customer Reviews

Facets

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

 

 

I have all of Jim Croce's work that's been available over the last 32 years in my collection! "Facets", unavailable since 1966, is another gem that traces the early talents of Jim Croce and it is an essential title in filling in a missing piece of Croce's musical history! As these early recordings become available it is now possible to listen to Croce's musical progression from the 60's to the early 70's chart topping artist he became before his all too early death in 1973. I give this recording 4 1/2 stars because of the 7 song bonus disc but the rating system doesn't account for fractions so that's why it shows as a 4 star rating. Thanks to the Croce family for yet another new release in about a 4 month period! I only wonder why they waited 30 years since Jim's death to issue "Americana: Home Recordings" and now "Facets", both of which were long overdue!

If you are a Jim Croce fan like I am the "Facets" album is an incredible find. This album is a rare collection of some of Jim earliest work. The album was originally released in 1966 when Croce was only 22 years old. There were originally only 500 copies of this album made. The album includes all the original tracks as well as seven rare bonus tracks which were chosen by Jim's son A.J. and wife Ingrid. I had never even heard some of these songs, but they all possess Jim's lyrical and melodic magic. The first disc includes tracks like "Steel Rail Blues", with a with smooth harmonica sounds and "Hard Hearted Hannah (the Vamp of Savannah)" with a bluesy guitar and 16 more amazing tracks. This two disk album is an incredible collection from who I believe is one of the greatest songwriters of our time. I hope you guys like it as much as I do.

We received this CD as a gift from a good friend of Jim Croce's, who also happened to master the original recording (which we also have). While the music is excellent, of course, and a "must" for all fans, it's a shame that our friend and the other musicians who played on the original recording (also friends of ours)were given no credit at all.

This is the earliest Croce work available, and those of us old enough to buy our own music back in the days when he recorded these folk-flavored songs will get a nostalgic kick from this two CD set. (It could have fit on one disc, however, and should have been issued that way.) Jim is in good voice, but the recording quality isn't always perfect. Recorded in 1966 in a limited edition of 500 LP's, "Facets" does reveal a powerful singer with a compelling but pleasant vocal quality. Jim does Gordon Lightfoot's "Steel Rail Blues" and Billy Edd Wheeler's "Coal Tattoo" to kick it off. We get Jim's musical arrangement of the famous poem by Rudyard Kipling, "Gunga Din" (possibly influenced by the Phil Ochs recording of Alfred Noyes "The Highwayman"?) He also performs "The Blizzard" a sung/spoken tale of weather-related tragedy which had been previously released by Jim Reeves and Eddie Arnold. His version of Buffy St. Marie's "Until It's Time for You to Go" is not as wonderful as her own hit version, but it does showcase Croce's versatility. Jim's fun, funky side is represented by "Hard Hearted Hannah" and "Charlie Green" and brings to mind his version of "Junkyard Dog" which would be created a few years down the line. The second disc has seven of the songs from the 1969 release "Jim and Ingrid Too" featuring his wife. These tracks are quite nice, although a shade below Ian and Sylvia and Jim and Jean, competing couples for the folk music market in that era. A year after that LP failed to sell much, Jim Croce was a huge success, and Ingrid was a mom. If you are a real Croce fan, don't pass this up. If you have only mild interest in Jim due to his greatest hits, you might not need this one.

Jim Croce's first solo project,"Facets", 1966, only 500 hundred copies were pressed with an independent record company. Jim paid 500 dollars to cut this album - listening to this recording the songs reveal the potential from the young promising Croce, who's classic style are within each song - the big difference is the musical arrangements. - "The Sun Comes Up", a Croce original, features an annoying organ, listening, the song would have sounded much better without. The Gordon Lightfoot original, "The Steel Rail Blues", admirable, the best track on here. The most interesting Croce original, "Gunga Din", is a definite sign of Jim Croce's brilliant songwriting, with a statement of the singer's folk influence. This album is lacking originals, three to Croce's name, for some reason there's a bluegrass instrumental on here, would rather have heard another original. FACETS, an essential for the Jim Croce collectors like me, an interesting early look at this true blue musician before the days of "Time In A Bottle."

If you're a Jim Croce fan(atic) you should get this album to complete your collection. But it was poorly mixed/recorded to the point where even rank amateurs like me get annoyed. I love the types of songs here and I loved Jim's music so I'm glad I got it but the production values really are a pebble in your shoe while you're listening.

My goal was to find as many Jim Croce hits on as few CDs as I could. "Facets" not only rounded-out "The Definitive Jim Croce" to cover five albums I have memorized, but provided selections that I had never heard. Amazon made it easy for me to take the best of the best singer-songwriter along.

The simplicity of Jim Croce is what made me an instant fan in 1970 from the first time I heard "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" on my transistor radio back in the day. Collected all of his albums as a kid, and eventually on CD. After his death, like many fans have craved for more. Thanks to the Croce estate, these rarities are finally released. These are for the ultimate Croce fan. Enjoy and Stay 2nd :-)