Customer Reviews

Leavin It All Behind

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

 

 

First time on CD! And it's a very limited run so obtain while you can.
We've been waiting forever for the non-compilation Grass Roots CD's to see the light of digital day (only 3 others so far) and Hip-O Select has done a great job with this one.
It was here on this album that the formerly folkie/pop group completed the transition to punchy pop. Given the full Jimmie Haskell horn treatment and radio friendly pop production fourishes, Steve Barri turns The Grass Roots into an irresistable hit making machine. And it's not just the 3 Top 40 hits that shine here.
(1. I'd Wait a Million Years 2. Heaven Knows 3. Walkin' Thru The Country)
There are other delights that could easily have been hits, like "Out Of This World" and "Back To Dreamin' Again." New keyboardist Dennis Provisor makes his debut and his contributions are noteworthy, although he would become more of a presence later. He's got 2 songs here but on the next project "More Golden Grass" he would write or co-write about half the album. Provisor's soulful pipes added a new dimension to the group on both lead and shadow vocals.

This group had 14 Top 40 hits and their Best Of compilations always sold well but their regular album releases were marginal sellers at best. And that's a shame because there is lots more to enjoy BEYOND THE HITS if you like 60s/70s feel good pop as "Leaving It All Behind" proves. This is a very satisfying listen from start to finish and there are 2 or 3 essentials here that didn't make the cut for the excellent Grass Roots "Anthology" on Rhino (now out of print).

Here's hoping that more of the Grass Roots catalog will come to CD. There are still several titles that are begging for release. Especially:
"Move Along" (probably their best album)
"More Golden Grass"
"Lovin' Things"

It would be nice to have the other two obscure albums as well,
("Alotta Mileage" and "Grass Roots") but don't hold your breath on that.

The Good News:
One of the better Grass Roots releases with plenty of satisfying songs beyond the hits. First time to CD for top drawer songs like Melinda Love, I'm Living For You Girl, Out Of This World and Back To Dreaming Again. Any one of which could have been another hit. This is feel good sunshine pop at it's best.

The Not as Good News:
This is a limited run release with 5,000 marked copies. As of July 07 mine is 3600. The pricetag is high for Hip-O Select releases and for the money you expect optimum results. However HOS spent all their money on the packaging and little on the sound. If the budget was tight, why not get the audio right. For most of us, if forced to choose one or the other we'd rather have it re-mastered.
As is, the entire CD is very muddy. Quite heavy handed on the bass and the high end just isn't there.
However it CAN be remedied by simply cranking up your EQ. Way Up. First drop the bass at 32, 16 & 8 khz a bit, leave most of the mid-range alone and start boosting at about 4 khz. Some serious boost is needed at both 8 and 16 khz. If you'll do that this actually sounds pretty good.
But the typical person probably won't have the time or savvy to mess with it, and if you're listening on a portable player you don't even have your own EQ anymore thanks to those geniuses who think they know more than we do.
'Tis a shame. Hip-O could have done better. How hard would it have been to just run the final dub thru an equalizer with the aforementioned specs? And that wouldn't have added much to the cost.

As far as I'm concerned this is the best album ever released by the band as they were at the peak of their sound. There are some truly great songs on this release that never became popular, the best being --and probably the best song by the band-- is "Out Of This World", I can't believe it was never a hit.

As for the quality of this release, it's pretty much excellent, but I have to agree with another reviewer in that it is a little muddy (not much though) in that it could have used more high end and less bass.., I lowered the low end starting at 80 Hz to the bottom (levels 0 dB to -1.5 dB) and raised the high end starting at 4 Hz to the top (0 dB to 2.5 dB). Any more then that and it starts sounding tinny and unnatural. Of course EQ is subjective so some purists could argue that the remastering of this CD is very faithful to the EQ levels of the original recording.

In terms of other quality "Grass Roots" CD's, there aren't many...I have about a dozen and, after comparing all of them through Sennheiser headphones, found the following to be the only ones worth having:

- the remastered "Leavin' It All Behind" CD (this review)
- Rhino's "Anthology" CD's 1 & 2
- the "Feelings/Let's Live For Today" 2-on-1 Repertoire CD
- the "Let's Live For Today" Rev-ola CD
- and finally, and surprisingly, MCA's "All Time Greatest Hits" CD, which I think sounds better (fuller, better EQ) than the revered Rhino "Anthology" (which, though it does sound very good, has a little too much high end for my taste, and, sounds somewhat flat and lacks midrange).

Don't have the CD remaster but I have a very good vinyl copy of this album . This is definetly the best normal Grass Roots release . Really not a weak cut on it . highly reccomend this if you are a Grass Roots fan .

Finally, this GREAT LP by The Grass Roots is available on CD...
"Leaving It All Behind" is loaded with some great songs... not only 3 of The Grass Roots major hits, Wait A Million Years, Heaven Knows, and Walking Through The Country... but some of their best pop songs, like Out Of This World, I'm Living For You Girl, Melinda Love... This LP was also the start of Dennis Provisors history with the band... Dennis was the most prolific song writer of the band...
This CD is great and hopefully only the start of other GREAT Grass Roots lps being released on CD... like: "Move Along"
"More Golden Grass", "Lovin' Things", "Alotta Mileage" and "Golden Grass"...

Songs are good but the sound quality leaves much to be desired as another reviewer said which is why I docked it one star. I also didn't like the different verse on Walkin Through The Country. Finally there seems to be a track missing. Back of box lists 12 tracks, on CD there is 11. Missing is Hold On To What You Got. Sheesh I pay 18 bucks for this disc and I dont even get the whole album!

Just got this in the mail yesterday.....WOW, totaly re-mastered and it sounds GREAT...alot of great songs on this LP too...and to the reviewer who wondered why the "Walking Thru The Country" single sounded a little different like it had something added from the airplay single,it DOES!!! A second verse or "Album Cut" makes this a rare item to have, just like the intro for "Wait A Million Years"....you'll only find it on this album!!!!! And the country-rock "Don't Remind Me" gives a hint as to where these guys could have gone if they'd had their way in the beginning. Another MUST HAVE if you love the 'Roots!!!!! This is a limited edition with only 5,000 produced, so you'd better hurry!!!

I've got a well preserved vinyl copy and I jumped at the chance to get a limited edition remastered CD of what I think my be the best Grass Roots album ever. So far I've listened to it through Sennheiser headphones off a computer CD drive and I'm just blown away by the sound quality.

Every tune on this album is great listening. One of the "non hits" sort of reminds me of The Doors, and another of The Grateful Dead, but it's all 1960's rock heaven.

The true highlights are:

First, the full length version of "Walking Through the Country" which I've heard many times, but there seems to be an "extra verse" or two on this album. A great tune!

And best of all, the original version of "Wait a Million Years" with the haunting keyboard intro that got cut off the end on the version that got played on the radio back in those days.

Anyway, this was a pricey one as CD's go these days, but I'll bet a nickel to a buck it'll be a lot more after it's sold out!