Less Than the Song / Life Machine

Hoyt Axton | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 9, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Raven [Australia]
• ASIN: B000VAQX6Y
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,963 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Sweet Misery

2. Less Than the Song

3. Sweet Fantasy

4. Days Are Short

5. Mary Makes Magic

6. Peacemaker

7. Nothin' To Lose

8. Oklahoma Song

9. Mexico City Hangover

10. Hungry Man

11. Somebody Turned On the Light

12. Blue Prelude

13. Maybelline

14. Life Machine

15. That's All Right

16. Geronimo's Cadillac

17. When the Morning Comes

18. Good Lookin' Child

19. I Dream Of Highways

20. Pet Parade

See all 23 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

The late, great HOYT AXTON remains a country, pop and folk music icon, and Raven presents for the first time on one indispensable CD two of his finest ever albums: Less Than The Song (1973) and Life Machine (1974). Best known as a hit songwriter (‘Joy to the World', ‘The Pusher', ‘No No Song', ‘Never Been to Spain' etc), Axton signed to A&M Records in 1972 for a string of high quality albums. Less Than The Song features a set of beguiling songs with just his acoustic guitar and gravely baritone to the fore over subtle instrumentation. On the other hand, Life Machine literally leaps out of the speakers with energetic takes on ‘Maybelline' and ‘That's All Right' and also produced his first solo hits in an engaging duet with Linda Ronstadt ‘When the Morning Comes' (Country #10, also Pop #54) and ‘Boney Fingers' (Country #8). This release follows on from Raven's previous Axton collections: Gotta Keep Rollin': The Jeremiah Years 1979-1981, Joy To The World/Country Anthem (2-for-1) & Flashes Of Fire: Hoyt's Very Best 1962-1990. Axton was able to produce a consistently engaging body of work over a long and distinguished career. With superb quality audio and detailed liner notes this CD is an indispensable addition to his enduring catalogue

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE UNKNOWN GENIUS OF 60S & 70S MUSIC, May 27, 2009

By 

FELICIA - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Less Than the Song / Life Machine (Audio CD)

Hoyt wrote lyrics that were prayers, and are still deeply moving and personal. His voice was better than anyone else singing his songs--even more famous singers. Hoyt is a solid chunk of life and many of his songs can gently lift you out of depression or despair, just because he had been there himself when he wrote them.This is his all time best album, and many of the songs on it have saved my life during hard times.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars over and over, April 30, 2009

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Soh Whardego (MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Less Than the Song / Life Machine (Audio CD)

As a teen I loved this lp and wore out two hissing tape copies. A few years ago A&M years came out but cost too much. When this came out I put it on my wish list for a while and finally bought it when it occurred to me that it might be removed. I've been singing these songs in the shower for years and it is so nice to hear them from Hoyt. If you like this, also try Bruce Springsteen the Seeger Sessions and Bob Dylan Modern Times.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Less Than The Song ? Life Machine, March 10, 2008

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E Brown (Blue Ridge, GA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Less Than the Song / Life Machine (Audio CD)

These 2 albums contain our very favorite Hoyt Axton Songs: "Boney Fingers" & "Sweet Misery". "Less Than The Song" is one of our all time favorite albums, and I'm so glad to see it is finally on CD -- We have the original well worn record album, which has been listened to many times. I can't wait to hear this music again without skips & scratches! This album is funny, poignant, spiritual & uplifting, with the wry humor Axton is known for. When he sings of being hung over in Mexico City, you know he's been there, watching the sun come up through bleary eyes and listening to the sounds around him, his head pounding at every blast of the taxi's six tone horn.
He knew about life, it's ups & downs, and lived it to the fullest; and he knew something about redemption -- it's all woven between the lines of these wonderful songs that I've been humming for the past 30 years!