Customer Reviews

Less Than the Song / Life Machine

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

 

 

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.

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.

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!

This CD contains two albums that present contrasting views and styles of the artist. It is a good overview of styles, and only one track didn't really appeal to me. For best effect, listen to it with the player set on "random" or "shuffle".

I bought the original vinyl albums within days after their initial release. I still own both yet due to wear and tear that even audiophile machinery cannot prevent wanted pristine sounds again - that is: no noise where it does not belong. Alas, all dreams fulfilled and another 38 years of good music (if I were to live that long, though...)