A Life and Time

Mary Mccaslin (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 14, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Flying Fish Records
• ASIN: B0002RQ2YO
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #163,958 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available.
Genre: Folk Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 14-SEP-2004

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inventive, smart, and stylish (other than the haircut--yikes!), July 22, 2009

By 

J. C Clark "eanna" (Overland Park, KS United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Life and Time (Audio CD)

I cannot imagine how I first learned of this two-sided vinyl LP back in the early 80s, but living in Boise, Idaho, I had to order it via paper letter delivered by the US mail to a real-live brick and mortar record store in far-off Kansas City. Wow, lots of fading technolgies in that one acquisition! I loved it upon its first trip around my turntable, and have never lost my affection, despite the demise of all the things that brought it to me or the B&O beauty it played it on.

Mary is a unique talent, an amazing instrumentalist and memorable vocalist with a knack for uncovering the unseen in pop music. She has recorded several Beatles' tunes over the years, with incredible results. On this LP, she plays a number of covers, making each one distinctly hers, including the startling "You Keep Me Hanging On." I have heard Diana zip through this several times since and I've always felt bizarre. Why does she sound so happy? Because Mary takes the lyric and turns it into a poignant and painful demand, which is what the words actually say. A sad song, sadly performed. This is the supreme interpretation.

There are no weak cuts, the musicians are all delightful, and all I can say is that I wish the re-released version (at this price!) included a bit more than the contents of the LP. But a treasure restored. Sounds great; way better than my homemade CD complete with innumerable scratches and a skip in Shelley's Blues that I am now finally learning to not anticipate. The most satisfying of her recordings that I own.

5.0 out of 5 stars Another McCaslin Triumph, March 30, 2011

By 

C. Langlois - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Life and Time (Audio CD)

The CD, A Life and Time, by the wonderful Mary McCaslin, provides yet another beautiful example of what the combination of a lovely, lilting voice and innovative, engaging lyrics can do. McCaslin wrote three of the songs, including Northfield, my favorite. My goal: to own and enjoy every album she made1

5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of Memories Here, July 9, 2010

By 

Columcille "Southern Celt" (Mountains of Tennesee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Life and Time (MP3 Download)

I love this album. Was introduced to it nearly 30 years ago by an old friend from high school when we reconnected 10 years after graduation. This collection is a real gem; as another reviewer mentioned, there isn't a weak cut in the lot. And my original Lp was lost quite a few years ago, so I'm thrilled to get this on MP3.

My favorites here are "Northfield", "Santana Song" and especially "Farewell Lone Ranger" since Clayton Moore was special to me and lots of kids in my generation; the way he was treated by the owners of the trademark and the movie was terrible. Poetic justice that the movie failed.

Not on this album but also worth having is Mary's version of Paul McCartney's "Things We Said Today" from 1964's Lp "Something New". Not too many people beat the Beatles at their own game, but she comes really close.

I'm so glad to get this on MP3. "Hi ho Silver! Away!"