Honeysuckle Dog

Chris Smither

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 9, 2004)
• Original Release Date: March 9, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Okra-Tone Records
• ASIN: B0001CCXIO
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #259,219 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Whether you call this previously unreleased collection Chris Smither's lost album or just an artifact of the early-'70s singer-songwriter scare, the pleasures it offers are evident, if not always essential. Some of the songs would be rerecorded in tighter versions for 1984's It Ain't Easy (although Lowell George's slide work on "Rosalie" and "It Ain't Easy" is brilliant) while others are reprised and improved versions of songs from Smither's first two records (I'm a Stranger Too and Don't It Drag On); the wistful original "Braden River" has never been heard before or since. The jazz-folk settings on half the cuts echo early Tim Hardin or Tim Buckley, but Smither's signature, delicately ornamented guitar work is in full-bloom--no other singer-songwriter at the time could begin to transform Bessie Smith's "Jailhouse Blues" the way he does. Die-hard fans will likely find this set a modest revelation. --Roy Kasten

Product Description
A gorgeous lost treasure from 1973 reissued courtesy of Heavenly's Jeff Barrett, Chris Smither's Honeysuckle Dog is a great singer/songwriter album in the musical tradition of Tim Hardin, Gene Clark, Townes Van Zandt and Tim Buckley. Rich in country soul and featuring great players like Mike Mainieri (vibes), Ralph McDonald (percussion), Patti Austin (vocals) and the guitar genius of Lowell George, Honeysuckle Dog is an absolute listening treat dominated by Smither's delicate, intricate guitar work. Forever Heavenly. 2005. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's 1973, not 2004, March 16, 2004

By	Theresa J. Alsup "lw4447" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I thought this album was a follow on to the excellent Train Home, but once I got past the shock when I played the first track (Smither's voice is higher and less mellow in 1973) I loved it. It's like being shown photos of your lover as a child-- this one is so sweet you just want to carry it around with you. Lonely Time is seriously sexy, and Braden River sparkles. This is great stuff.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Long Time Comin' !, April 3, 2004

By	Frank Connolly (Arvada, Colorado USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

31 years late . . . but VERY COOL!

I've been waitin' on this release for quite awhile.
The intrigue of the guest artists alone starts you thirsting.
A few choice licks by "The Greatest Feat of them" all is a special treat!
I've noticed that 5 Stars are thrown out there far to frivolously on this site. There are two reasons that hold that last star out of my rating . . . . .

1: This album could've started on song #2 and instantly improved.
( Not that song #1 sucks, but it just doesn't fit the feel of the rest of the album).

2: The background noise is much more tolerable with no snaps, crackles or pops . . . but it's still background noise.
( In fairness, it does "bring you back to the day" a bit).

Bottom Line . . . this is an excellent album, and I'd recommend it to most anyone.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blast from the Past, May 9, 2005

By	Lee Armstrong (Winterville, NC United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Chris Smither's "Honeysuckle Dog" was recorded to be his 3rd album for Poppy, the follow-up to "Don't It Drag On." Of the 12 songs here, Chris recorded 10 of these on other releases; so the music is familiar to those of us who have followed his work. On what is cited in the liner notes as the first recording of Randy Newman's "Guilty," Chris' voice shakes with vulnerability & is like a gentle apology from a guy who knows he's messed up. With the backing vocals of Maeretha Stewart, Hilda Harris & Patti Austin, his take on "It Ain't Easy" carries a gospel fervor for the downwardly mobile. Lowell George's electric lead snakes through the track. The classic "Homunculus" is one of Chris' best melodies. This stripped-down take with just Chris & guitar ironically sounds full & rich. "Braden River" is cited in Michael Cuscuna's liner notes as one of the first songs Chris wrote and shines here with Mike Mainieri enchanting on vibes, Dave Holland's acoustic bass and Ralph Mcdonald's tasteful percussion. There's a lot of hiss on Chris' reading of Bessie Smith's "Jailhouse Blues." Whether intentional or not, it makes the track seem related to Bessie's own recordings. The title track pulses like a cousin to Jimmy Reed and is very easy on the ear. Chris has a knack for taking another writer's material and totally embodying it as if it were written just for him. On Eric Von Schmidt's "Rattlesnake Preacher" he tells the tale of Diamond Joe, "He's the rattlesnake preacher marching through the land; If you ain't got the grace of God, he'll strike you where you stand." Chris' take on "Rosalie" is a rollicking good time. It may have taken 31 years, but this is a set well worth exploring for Chris' longtime fans and those just discovering this marvelous singer. Enjoy!