Customer Reviews

Hourglass

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

America is one of my all-time favorite groups and I still see them once or twice a year when they come to the Northern Virginia area (they were just at the Birchmere in October). Dewey and Gerry are just two nice, down to earth guys who really appreciate their fans and always go out of their way to talk to them after the show and sign autographs.
Hourglass is one of those CDs that have stayed in constant play since I received it and will for some time. ALL the songs are good but "Young Moon" and "Mirror to Mirror" particularly stand-out.
If you're an America fan, trust me: buy it, play it, love it!

I cannot understand why this album wasn't a hit when it was released in 1994! An excellent easy listening album. Young Moon and Hope were released as singles. Dewey Bunnell seems to standout on this CD. His songs Sleeper Train, Whole Wide World, and Garden of Peace are great. Gerry Beckley's best is Call of the Wild which is very strong. The only question I have about it is why did they re-record You Can Do Magic? They didn't even experiment with it, they just re-recorded an almost note for note performance of the orginal 1982 hit. But all in all, I strongly recommend this CD. Falls into my shudda been a hit category!

This is a must-have for any serious America fan. It broke a ten year drought between albums, though still picking up pretty much from where they'd left off with "Perspective", one of their most underrated albums.

The second half of this album is not as strong as the first, but the first seven tracks are all as good as anything they'd ever done before, so that is entirely forgiveable. There's not much wrong with any of the other songs either. Dewey Bunnell shines throughout, his "Sleeper Train" and "Whole Wide World" recalling the glory days of "Ventura Highway". He collaborates with Beckley on my two very favourite tracks though, namely "Young Moon" and the glorious "Garden Of Peace".

Sadly this album failed to find its audience, but if you missed it when it came out it's not too late. You certainly won't regret the purchase.

One star is docked for the continued use of drum machines (Did they learn nothing from "Your Move"?) Otherwise perfect.

I saw the title and "American Gramaphone" and assumed in was some dreamy Mannheim Steamroller tripe. Was I ever knocked out to hear those vaguely familiar voices singing some of the best songs I've heard in years. I can't find a "throw away". Sleeper Train and Close To The Wind are my personal favorites while my wife favors Garden of Peace. Brian Wilson and Chip Davis didn't hurt the effort, but why this wasn't a commercial success and I had to stumble on it by mistake in 1999 is the biggest disappointment of this CD.

Make no mistake, Hourglass recaptures the magic of America in it's prime, circa 1972-1976. Production is great, the songs are all top drawer and Gerry and Dewey never sounded better. Hourglass kicks off with a stellar "Young Moon" that sets the tone for a release that should have put the boys back on the charts. The only question here: The unnecessary and unimaginative remakes of the two oldies but at least they are performed very well.
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The next chapter in latter day America history is a sad one however. The followup to this masterpiece is called "Human Nature" and is easily their worst album. So bad in fact that dozens of people are selling their copies for pennies on Amazon. And it is noteworthy that after the abysmal failure of that project, America has ceased recording.

HOURGLASS, A MUSICAL OFFERING IN THE MID-1990'S BY DEWEY BUNNELL & GERRY BECKLEY OF AMERICA, IS BEAUTIFUL MUSIC. ALL OF THE SONGS ARE CAPTIVATING. 'GARDEN OF PEACE' SOUNDS LIKE A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY INTO THE SOUL. CARL WILSON OF BEACH BOYS FAME ADDS HIS ANGELIC VOCALS TO BACK UP DEWEY'S LEAD VOCALS AND THE RESULT IS WONDERFUL.
GERRY'S VOCALS ON 'PORTS OF CALL', 'CALL OF THE WILD'AND 'MIRROR TO MIRROR' ARE EXCEPTIONAL AND HARKEN BACK TO HIS YOUNGER DAYS. IF THIS GUY WASN'T INFLUENCED BY THE LATE, GREAT BUDDY HOLLY, THEN I DON'T KNOW WHO WAS.

DEWEY'S VOCALS ON 'YOUNG MOON' AND 'GREENHOUSE' ARE STRONG AND ROCKIN'. THE BEST THINGS ABOUT THIS CD IS THE INTELLIGENT SONGWRITING ABILITY AND THE TALENTED MUSICIANS WHO HAVE COME TOGETHER TO CREATE THIS UNFORGETABLE OFFERING.

BELIEVE ME, THIS CD, HOURGLASS, IS A TRUE CLASSIC OF ROCK, POP, FOLK ROCK AND RYTHM AND BLUES. THERE ARE ALSO NEWER VERSIONS OF 'YOU CAN DO MAGIC' AND 'EVERYONE I MEET IS FROM CALIFORNIA' TO ROUND OUT THIS CLASSIC MUSIC CD. A NOTEWORTHY ITEM IS THAT FORMER AMERICA MEMBER, DAN PEEK, HAD A HAND IN THE MAKING OF THIS CD, AS DID LOST IN SPACE'S BILL (WILL ROBINSON) MUMY, A GIFTED MUSICIAN IN HIS OWN RIGHT.

BUY THIS CD. YOU'LL WANT TO RUN OUT AND BUY A GUITAR SO YOU CAN STRUM ALONG TO THESE GREAT TUNES. GO FOR IT!
AMERICA, THE BEAUTIFUL!

This album is solid proof that America is an on- going and vitale band that is constantly being innovative, yet resemblent of their past. Highlights include "Young Moon" which should have been a hit single, and "Close To The Wind" which shows Beckely contiuing his legacy of writing "non-slushy" yet beautiful love songs...that don't neccesarrily resemble your typical "I love you , you love me" edict of songwriting.This album is a must have for any fan of the band's older stuff.

Six years after I heard Beckley and Bunnel promote this disc on Howard Stern, I still find it to be wonderful. Superbly recorded, the sound quality blows away the analog to disc reissues by America. Longer songs than the 2-3 minute hits they created in the '70s, each title is pretty spectacular. I suppose it was not a commercial success because of the changed tastes of youth and record buying masses. If released in the '70s or '80s, I suspect it would have been a huge hit. And for this I am sorry because it meant so many have missed out on, perhaps, America's best record. I highly recommend it.

BUY THIS ONE! I loved listening to America growing up and after recently purchasing "The Complete Greatest Hits", I realized how much I missed listening to music that tells a story and has lyrics with some significance. I bought Hourglass and wish I'd bought this album years ago - it's great! "Garden Of Peace" is my favorite, a very beautiful song which I'd like to hear played at my wedding. "Young Moon" and "Hope" are great tunes also. As a whole, this is a very enjoyable album with no disappointing spots!

An impressive collaboration with the help of Chip Davis on string arrangements and the late Carl Wilson lending background vocals makes this CD a truly unique addition to any America fan collection. With songs like "Garden of Peace" who needs Xanax!!! You will be pleasantly suprised by this one!!! America just keeps getting better!!!