Customer Reviews

Peace on You

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

 

 

With his second solo album, former Byrds front man Roger McGuinn crafted a nifty slice of '70's L.A. song craft. "Peace on You" took until 2004 to make it officially to CD, so many thanks to Sundazed Records for bringing this one back. With the help of producer Bill Halverston, McGuinn nicely updated his sound while staying true to the folk-country-rock blend he pioneered on a dozen Byrds albums. The songs are uniformly strong, starting with Charlie Rich's rousing title cut. Other standouts include, "The Lady," "Without You" and Dan Fogleberg's "Better Change." Two songs are wonderfully autobiographical; "Same Old Sound," in which McGuinn sounds both thankful and weary of his signature 12-string Guitar, and "Gate of Horn," perhaps the best-ever tribute to the folk boom of the early 1960's. "Gate of Horn" is a vivid picture of the very young McGuinn watching his folk heroes play in the long gone Chicago club. Some fans have complained that the album is over-produced, but I think the rich textures work in solid compliment to McGuinn's singing. A great unreleased version of "Rock and Roll Time" (far better than on "Cardiff Rose") is an added bonus. Roger McGuinn is obviously a very intelligent musician and his comments in the liner notes are a treat for long-time fans. The 1970's were littered with bland solo albums from the "L.A. country-rock" scene; this is not one of them.

At last...Peace on You is available on CD. Unquestionably, one of the greatest of the folk-rock genre. There are few albums where every song holds up. This is one of the few. Ironically, this album never got the acclaim it deserves. Lots of 12 string, great arrangements, great vocals, a lot of variety and full of the signature sounds that make McGuinn a rock legend. This album is a must in every folk-rock lovers collection!!

O.K. folks, my review of this record is a very subjective one, because the year it came out (1974) I had my very first chance to ever hear an original Byrd live and to take a trip to England: so I took off with some friends and travelled to Hyde Park in London. My first introduction to the New World could not have been more magnificent: a free concert at Hyde Park featuring acts like Roy Harper, Kokomo, members of Pink Floyd among others, and of course Roger McGuinn & Band. They were the headliners in the sense, that McGuinn and his band played last and they were supposed to be the highlight. And they were! The set was outstanding, featuring many songs of the then new "Peace On You" album, along with some Byrds-standards and some unreleased stuff. In other words, it was a must for me to take a copy of "Peace On You" home to Germany. Compared to what I heard live though, the album was slightly disappointing, still it features great song material and musicianship: my personal favorites are "Without You" (incredible lead guitars on the fade out), "Going To The Country", "Do What You Want To" (listen to the interplay of steel guitar and bass), Dan Fogelberg's "Better Change" and the majestic "The Lady" by McGuinn himself. The rest of the album is nice, but not exactly Byrds- or Roger-McGuinn-music, rather reminiscent of better days that he had seen. A foresight to the mediocrity that was to come throughout the Seventies.

... but this Cd still had its strengths. It is more in line with his folk-rock Byrds legacy, but there is a sense in these recordings that McGuinn was tiring of that shackle. This record brought some attention to and made a momentary star out of Dan Fogelberg, who embodied that southern california brain dead style embraced by everyone from Gram Parsons through the Burritos and Eagles and Poco and L&M. It's not like we needed another one.

Still, McGuinn and Levy were generating strong material, most notably "Gates of Horn", a tribute to the club in Chicago where McGuinn got it going. This and THUNDERBYRD were not the strongest of his efforts, but like Harrison's weaker moments, still pack plenty to recommend them. I would steer you to CRADIFF ROSE, McGUINN AND BAND and the eponymous first disc. His recent projects are also terrific, and bear serious consideration of a tradition that would not have survived without Roger McGuinn.

I love this album - I listen to it a lot driving to work - It makes you feel happy listening to it too - every song is very good on here - Same Old Song will remind you that this is the very same Mr 12 string Roger McGuinn - ex leader of The Byrds - but it is really the only Byrds type song on here - I don't know why anyone would label this album in the folk catagory - this album is more contemporary rock - it sould have been on top of the charts back then - I really think his solo period 1973 to 1977 really was his best material over all - It sounds fresh even now 33 years later - McGuinn had some kind of magic in this era of his career I think - I have all the Byrds and McGuinn Albums so I feel I know his best material - This CD has a really good sound even mix wise - the songs are catchy and sound connected too - If you want his best buy this CD (Peace On You) with Roger McGuinn & Band and Thunderbyrd - That's his best - the 1977 Live at the BBC rocks and is great too - but if your a real fan buy all his stuff - every album has a good song on it - This CD rocks Buy it - Peace on You has a Eagle on the cover - perhaps a stab at the Eagles being on the Radio too much in 1974 - but it could just be the symbol of a Byrd on his own making really out of this world music - Peace on you may have some bathroom humor directed at the Eagles too - but it has a upbeat happy feel to this CD - I love this CD - I know everyone has their favorite albums - just give this CD a chance and play it all the way through - you will see what I mean - these songs will grow on you peace by peace and take you to the moon and back - good driving CD too

This album should have been on the wall not the cut out bin - Peace