First Million Miles

Bill Staines | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 7, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rounder / Umgd
• ASIN: B0000003ND
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,530 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #59 in Music > Indie Music > Folk > General

Track Listings

1. A Place in the Choir

2. Prairie Song

3. Yellowstone Winds

4. Wild, Wild Heart

5. Eyes to Eyes

6. Old Silver

7. Roseville Fair

8. October Winds

9. One Goodbye

10. Sueno

11. The Faith of Man

12. Bridges

13. Down the Road

14. Phoenix

15. Walk Down by the Water

16. The Ballad of the Maples

17. Sourdough/The Miner's Song

18. River

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear acoustic style with memories from some of his best., January 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: First Million Miles (Audio CD)

For those of us who grew up in the Boston folk music "scene" in the 70s and 80s, we will be transported back to those days when artists like Bill Staines were moving through the coffeehouse and folk concert curcuit. If you weren't there then, this collection will take you there and see why they really were good old times. The songs from this anthology reflect the diversity and clarity of Bill's style. Highly recommended.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Barroom Rock Meets Folk, April 14, 2001

By 

Jim (Fairfax, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Million Miles (Audio CD)

Let me make it clear from the start that I am very fond of Bill Staines. That is why I find this album so disappointing. Most of the cuts on this album are inferior to other performances by Staines of the same pieces. Staines' music is best with minimal accompaniment. Unfortunately, many of these cuts are overdone. The drumming on Ballad of the Maples is not only overly loud but it does nothing to support what may be the best example of a style of yodeling popularized by Elton Britt fifty years ago. (If you have never heard Britt's recording of "Chime Bells", you are missing a gem.)

When Staines sings with just his guitar, he can extend his performance as he does on other versions of Maples. The backup group here severely hamper his musicality, forcing him into a style which is all wrong for him. The earlier cut of Maples would alone be worth the price of a CD. If only it were available.

It is hard not to like many of the songs here. All God's Critters has become a staple for singing around campfires. Again, what is wrong here is that these are not the best performances. If you are new to Bill Staines, select a different album. All are better than this one. In fact, buy two or more. When Staines is good, it is hard to get enough of his music. Unlike many singers, his music wears well and two or three straight CD's leave you wanting more. That is, when the cuts are the good ones.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compilation of a Great Songwriter's Best, January 13, 2000

By 

James Skrydlak "mostlymozart" (Pella, Iowa) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: First Million Miles (Audio CD)

These recordings are drawn from about ten years' worth of Bill Staines's LPs and CDs. He sings of the open road, the stark landscapes of the American West, and of life and relationships, and he writes perfectly-crafted songs about them all. The recordings also feature great accompaniments by Staines himself and by the likes of Guy Van Duser. Every track on this CD is a winner.