Customer Reviews

Ferguslie Park

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

 

 

The description for this album states that it includes 'one bonus track 'Everything Will Turn Out Fine' (7 inch edit).'. This led me to believe that the original version of this song, recorded with the original lineup of the band or at least a form of the band that didn't exist by the time the second album was recorded, would finally be available on CD. I had purchased a Best of Stealers Wheel and a Best of Gerry Rafferty and both of them included the 'Ferguslie Park' version of the song. I ordered the album, received it today, and there is NO bonus track, nothing other than the original album. The description here is totally untrue. Having said that, the rest of the album was superior to the first in my opinion. This was the kind of approach that I would have expected John Lennon to take in his solo work based on his best moments in the Beatles. As Badfinger, one of the other major Beatles-influenced bands of the early seventies, was primarily dominated by the McCartneyesque Pete Ham, Egan and Rafferty both had Lennonesque vocal inflections and many of their songs had similar melodic constructions to some of John's. They also had their share of management and promotional difficulties as well as interpersonal instability although neither of them went the suicide route of Pete Ham or Tom Evans. Aside from the mistake of rerecording 'Everything Will Turn Out Fine' or at least departing from the original arrangement, one of the most fascinating and inventive pop singles I've ever heard, Ferguslie Park is one of the more memorable albums of the seventies for me, unjustly negelected while dozens of critics' darlings bask in their glow of praise. Don't simply write these fellows off as second rate Beatles ripoffs. This kind of pop craftsmanship is a rare breed these days.

The sad thing is that Stealers Wheel here in America usually means "Stuck in the Middle with You," which is what the "oldies" stations seem to play ad nauseam, as if that were the only song they ever recorded.

For my money, just about any track on Ferguslie Park eclipses "Stuck in the Middle" (perhaps that is because I've heard it hundreds of times beyond endurance).

Something else should also be said: Joe Egan is all the singer-songwriter that Gerry Rafferty is, though he never went on to the same illustrious post Stealers career as did Rafferty. Listen to "Star" and "Wheelin'," or "Nothing's Gonna Change My Mind." Why Egan didn't go on to better things boggles the mind.

I know that "timeless" is an overused phrase, but this album (yes, I still think of these records as albums) is just that. Buy it, even if you've never heard of Stealers Wheel before.

And for the fans, the Lemon reissue is a well put together package, with very good artwork and liner notes including full lyrics.

Enjoy.

Woo Hoo! Finally, 31 years later, this obscure release sees the light of digital day. And had these tracks been the ones on the first Stealers album...backing up their smash hit "Stuck In The Middle With You", the future would surely have been a lot brighter for the Wheel. As it was, there was considerable disappointment for buyers expecting more on the debut and most weren't willing to take a chance on the sophomore. What a shame, because even without a big hit - Cut for cut, Ferguslie Park totally dukes the debut and is LOADED with top drawer Brit bop.
All 12 songs make the grade and the tempo balances weaving their way thru the collection makes for a superb listening experience with a sweet aftertaste.
Highlights include Joe Egan's "Star", a minor hit that should have been major, "Blind Faith", the rocker "What More Could You Want?", "Wheelin'" and the soft Rafferty folk tale "Steamboat Row". The only letdown here is the inclusion of a re-recorded version of "Everyone's Agreed That Everything Will Turn Out Fine" that doesn't measure up to the original single version.
If you think you already possess all the great "lost" classics from the 70's and you don't have "Ferguslie Park" by STEALERS WHEEL, get your credit card number ready. This is it.

Stealers Wheel was a band that almost bought the farm soon after their first album was released. Gerry Rafferty had already exited the group and Joe Egan was holding the group together..until the mega-hit Stuck In The Middle made Stealers Wheel a household (or music lovers) name!
Gerry Rafferty came back to the group, three others were dismissed and the Wheel recorded their second big hit Everything Will Turn Out Fine. On the heels of the second hit, the duo of Rafferty and Egan wrote a second LP augmented with session musicians and released this platter in 1973. This record was not as huge a favorite as the first, but very good nonetheless (much like saying that Abbey Road was not quite Sgt Pepper, but still a good record!)
Now that Gerry has shed his mortal coil, I was prompted to get his Stealer Wheel recordings while they were still available at reasonable prices, to remember, reflect, and just sit in awe of his music, his voice and his time in the limelight.
This record is well mastered. Comfortably louder than the Best of (which was abnormally quiet), this recording is not a victim of the loudness wars. No listening fatigue here.
Why four stars? The item is described as having "bonus tracks" which is not true. The "7-inch edit" of Everything Will Turn Out Fine is not the single version played and bought in the US. That final track has an extended intro and a different mix... not a bad thing, but not what was touted or expected. That note cost the review at least a half star, unfortunately, Amazon does not allow "half stars"
Still, this album is well worth the purchase price!

I had a similar experience as "Coon from Alabama" did when I played my CD copy of "Ferguslie Park," and found that it did not contain single version of "Everyone's Agreed Everything will Turn Out Fine" as advertised. So I reccommend you update that description. That being said, it was good to finally hear this album again after so many years, especially "Steamboat Row." When Universal finally gets around to re-issuing Stealer's Wheel in U.S., hopefully they will include the complete catalogue.

This is yet Another Great Rafferty Egan Release. It is to Bad they did not remain together longer as a Duo, because with each release they just Got Better. It is about time they Released these three Classic Albums on cd, now if they would just Release Joe Egans two Solo albums as well on cd.

I owned the album, when released, in the 1970's and have waited a long time to own it and the other Steeler's Wheel releases on CD. Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty are extremely good song writers and performers both together and individually. Owning their works, as Steeler's Wheel, is one of the high points in my music collection. This album/CD was/is one of my personal favorites.