Customer Reviews

Native Son

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Over the course of their 5 years together, Loggins and Messina released 5 albums of original studio material. The last of these, "Native Sons", was by far the worst. And as much as I loved the first four, listening to this lackluster album makes me think it really was time for these guys to go their separate ways. Though it's not easy to say exactly what is wrong with this album, there are some clear differences from the earlier material. For one thing, there are some personnel changes. Long time collaborators Al Garth (violin, horns) and Michael Omartian (keyboards) are gone. The resulting overall sound is much more lite-rock/pop. The country influences have been downplayed, the band seldom jams, the playing is almost never "hot", and Jimmy Messina's excellent guitar work is barely in evidence. Instead, we get more flute, less sax, more string orchestration. The vocal sound leans more heavily on hired-gun harmonizers. In fact, Messina doesn't sing at all on most of Loggins' songs. To me, it seems that the songwriting doesn't hold up as well, either, although perhaps it is the arrangements that make me feel this way, rather than the songs themselves. A lot of the changes in the sound would later be further amplified on Kenny Loggins' early solo albums, so if you like those a lot you'll probably like this album more than I do. But if, like me, you find Loggins as a solo artist less appealing than Loggins & Messina, then you may very well be better off passing on this one.

I bought this album because of the single "My lady My love". I remember when I first heard it and thought it was so special that I had to have it. I thought the instrumentation was excellent and the lyrics really captured a feeling that I had for a girl I was dating. As with much of the music I listened to at the time it was very uplifting and positive.
This song I felt was the best of L&M and I listened to it repeatedly. I don't really know what genre it is but it had a feeling similar to another of my favorites at the time, " Smoke of a distant fire" by the Sanford Towsand band. These songs bring back such great memories and make me wonder why most of the pop music today is dominated negative lyrics and no musicality. Where has all the uplifting, positive, hopefull music gone??

I have most if not all of Loggins and Messina's work. Together, I feel they did their best work. This album was not a chart topper but has some of the best stuff they ever did. Pretty Princess puts chills up my spine everytime I hear the horns in it. I have had this record for years and am finally upgrading to a CD. If you don't have this album and are a fan, you should buy it. You will be very happy you did.

With all due respect to the other reviewers of this CD, "Native Sons" is my favorite Loggins & Messina album. Maybe it's because this was the first L&M album I bought. Prior to getting this album, I was only familiar with Loggins & Messina through their top 40 hits (which I liked well enough). But after hearing this album, I realized there was a lot more to these guys. I quickly gathered their entire discography.

Granted there were no hit singles from "Native Sons", but I much prefer an album of consistent quality to one with a few hits surrounded by filler. And I like the quality of this album. Play "It's Alright" and see if the message Jim Messina is saying is still true today. "Politician's reasoning is downright confusing - and now their rationing gas..." It slides right into "Boogie Man", a fine boogie-woogie number. "When I Was a Child" is a touching ballad about loss of a parent. "Sweet Marie" is a great song with a funky bass saxophone line. "My Lady, My Love" is a waltz that evokes the feel of the late 1800's depicted on the album cover and liner notes (faithfully reproduced on the CD from the original album art and inner sleeve). "Native Son" is a Kenny Loggins song that is in a vein similar to the title cut on his future first solo album, "Celebrate Me Home". "Fox Fire" and "Wasting Out Time" also work quite well for me. And I have particular affection for "Peacemaker" from this album which Kenny Loggins also used as the opening song during his first solo concert tour after the "Celebrate Me Home" album came out (which I was fortunate enough to see).

As a big follower of horn bands (BS&T, Lighthouse, et al.), I always take note of the brass/reed section on an album. In this band on saxophone/reeds you have Jon Clarke and Vince Denham, both veterans of the Don Ellis Orchestra (Jon on "Live at Fillmore" and "Tears of Joy"; Vince on "Connection" and "Soaring"). That alone should tell you these dudes can play. One particular solo by (I believe) Jon comes in the Jim Messina piece, "Pretty Princess" which is about an extra-marital affair. The solo could be described as a musically graphic portrayal of a portion of that story (wink-wink, nod-nod, say-no-more.) This expressive solo knocks me out every time I listen to it. Recently (while watching the Loggins & Messina DVD "Live at the Hollywood Bowl") I was saddened to find out that Jon Clarke passed away in 2005 at a rather early age of 54. Peace, Jon.

While other Loggins & Messina fans may have their favorite albums, "Native Sons" remains mine. Listen. Enjoy.

This is by far the best work by Loggins and Messina. Several great songs (It's Alright, Pretty Princess, Fox Fire, Peacemaker) are both melodic and soulful. This is a definite "must by" by the duo. I rate it an A+

The question marks is because I'm wondering why others think so little of it?

Is it their best album, no, is it their worst... no way.

Is Mother Lode their best... likely, and this one comes in a close second (for me any ways) (Full Sail is up there as well, mostly Mother Lode stuff, but a fine alblum none the less.)

I might have to confess... I'm a real big fan of Loggins & Messina, and have all of their album's as a group as well as solo stuff.

I think they are much better then most folks got to hear. I'm not a big fan of "Your mama don't dance (except "Outside- from the Redwoods version" and feel folks need to listen to more of their music. Once they do, they too will be big fans, of this and the other albums they recorded.

In any case, Native Son is much more then a 2 1/2 star rating, buy it, listen to it, enjoy it.

the material on this album is vastly different... Messina's writing is not the best.. all the Loggin's songs, on the other hand, show an artist at his peak of innovation, risk taking, and expertise... and Messina's production is the same... superlative... the good stuff on this disc is the best they made, in terms of sophistication, production, and very deep, thoughtful, and soulful music. Wastin'our Time, Firefox, Lady be Good, Peacemaker, the title track... this is NOT music for 'radio play' ... it is music for those who have the depth to understand and appreciate it.

To me the best L&M albums were Full Sail and Motherlode. I just purchased Native Sons recently as I had never heard it. Don't ask me why because I don't know. So now, over 30 years since it came out I have heard it. It is not nearly as bad as some of the reviewers feel. With due respect to them I say this as we all have our own tastes. I like it and would recommend L&M fans buy it, but don't forget Full Sail, Motherlode, and their fairly recent and superb concert dvd and cd where they put on a great show in Santa Barbara.

are the majority of the reviewers for this album exisiting in a parallel universe, a universe where an album called NATIVE SONS by a different LOGGINS & MESSINA really sucks? They must be, because the NATIVE SONS album that exists in this world is a wonderfully underappreciated collection; melodic loggins ballads side by side with messina's longish rocking rambles....there is nothing in this album that should make any fan stand up and declare it as a horrible record! it's really no different from their mid-period work such as FULL SAIL...this was the only missing loggins and messina album in my collection and after reading the reviews of how horrible it was i just had to know....well what a surprise to find this album which rates as my favorite by this duo...they hadn't,as conjectured, run their course, just went on their seperate ways.

This is Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina {went Motown} at thier very best, When I first heard this album back in 1976 I was in college, I
bought and still have the album. The CD is as clear and crisp as the
original I love all the somgs but my favorite song os all is Native Son.... Buy this CD you will not be sorry..... 4 real... Jerry