Customer Reviews

Ready For The Flood

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What strikes me first about this homespun collection is how naturally these two singers' voices mesh together still, after all this time apart. It's been fourteen years since Tomorrow the Green Grass, after all, which is the last recorded Jayhawks effort helmed by this pair. For those unfamiliar with the story, Mark Olson left the Jayhawks after that album's release to record with his wife Victoria Williams. Gary Louris continued to lead the Jayhawks through a more musically adventurous period before the group disbanded after 2003's Rainy Day Music. Since then, Louris has released one solo album (last year's spectacular Vagabonds). A few years ago, the pair reunited for a brief tour (which I sadly missed).

So here they are recording again, which is a dream come true for Jayhawks fans. Their new material almost sounds like something recorded live in an intimate venue. Producer Chris Robinson wisely keeps the focus on the singers' harmonies and the spare, stripped-down instrumentation rather than adding anything distracting to the mix. The breezy, self-assured songs amble by at a slow pace, taking their time to unfold. There are the typical tales of woe but also songs of hope and faith. This is music at its most timeless, folk in its purest form. These two musicians have seen life's ups and downs over their respective careers, and their music can't help but reflect that.

If there are any drawbacks to Olson and Louris's new approach to their musical partnership, it would only be that there is a certain sameiness to much of the material. Although the band does break up the quieter acoustic numbers with some mild foot-stompers ("Chamberlain, SD" is the closest thing to a rocker on here), many of the songs do take a similar tone and blur together upon a first or second listen. I am thinking that this album will require multiple listens to fully reveal all of its virtues, which is something that I have found to be true for the Jayhawks' material as well (the same can also be said for Gary Louris's other band, Golden Smog). In fact, sometimes it is this type of album that ends up making the most lasting impression on me (Weird Tales and Hollywood Town Hall have in fact become two of my very favorite albums over the years).

I think overall this new release sits nicely alongside the duo's other efforts from the Jayhawks years. If you enjoy this type of music, the strong compositions and carefully crafted lyrics will subtly weave their way into your consciousness. That is the mark of a truly great work of art, which is what this pair have once again produced.

It doesn't sound like the Jayhawks, other than in the obvious vocal "univoice" this duo was known for on those albums. It's two fellas singing and playing together (actually recorded without headphones). Lots of fingerpicking on accoustic guitars.
As is, it's simply wonderful. Plainly presented, it was recorded mostly "live" so any "mistakes" were left alone by producer Chris Robinson.
You should own this. Seeing the live performance of this material confirmed it's as good as anything they did with the Jayhawks, but this one's a whole lot mellower. Think Everly Bros., Simon & Garfunkel, America and Gram Parsons by way of Incredible String Band. Recorded before each of their solo albums, which, incidently, are worth getting for sure as well.

Great new album from legendary members of The Jayhawks. It's so great to hear these two on the same CD again, they were born to sing togeather.

Plain and simple, this is a good record. Most are here because of their familiarity with these artist's previous works, but there is something here for anyone who enjoys singer/songwriter, lo-fi harmonies. It is really enjoyable listening to the tunes Gary and Mark conjured-up because you hear so many influences. For instance, I couldn't help but thinking that "Saturday Morning On Sunday Street" sounds like Simon & Garfunkel arrangement (Please don't hurl insults). "Black Eyes" and "The Traps Been Set" are great tunes that don't easily leave you head after hearing them. It would be nice if these guys would continue to record together because their songwriting and harmonies make them one of great duos of last 20 years, which this record displays clearly.

The Jayhawks quietly introduced Americana to mainstream America. "Hollywood Town Hall" and "Tomorrow The Green Grass" introduced Mark Olson and Gary Louris as a sort of sagebrush Lennon and McCartney. Suddenly Olson was bound for Joshus Tree with then wife Victoria Williams to become a Creekdipper. Louris was left to helm the band and took them in a more pop direction with spectacular results but increasingly diminished returns. Both men rememerged with solo albums which proved that neither had lost a step. Behind the scenes, they were resuming a friendship and with the help of Crowe Chris Robinson, have released "Ready For The Flood". The result is an understated, acoustic wonderment. Olson sounds ready to re-enter the public eye and the two men harmonize like a high desert Everly Brothers. It's not exactly the Jayhawks and that's just fine. Put it on, sing along and smile. A lot. I admit that I didn't even remember that Chris Robinson helmed Louris' "Vagabonds". Robinson shows a deft touch at the controls opting for a gentle approach the accentuates the talents of two men whose time has come. Again.

Bring on more of this!! Or even better make some more Jayhawks records. Or both!!! LOVE this record and Gary's solo record both of which are produced by Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes!!

I have done my best to get into this cd in the last 12 months and have tried to like it in different moods and weathers but something is missing here, everything is fairly well done: songwriting, playing, production but the magic is not there, it's close, it could have been a great album.
Lately I have listened to the "Tomorrow The Green Grass (2 CD Legacy Edition)" special edition and this cd sounds like the second cd of "green grass", good songs but just the songs that did not get into the CD.
It's still Jayhawks territory, and it's still good, but not magic, like many Jayhawks songs.

I loved Rainy Day Music & Hollywood Town Hall, & liked Tomorrow the Green Grass a lot. But this one seems flat (& I'm not just talking about Olson's singing). Frankly, so does Mockingbird Time.
Even the lyrics seem trite at best.
For a long-awaited reunion, these guys barely seem to be putting in much in the way of effort.
As someone said, this is still better than 90% of the stuff out there, but that's not the standard of review.
I'll treasure those early albums, but after these last two disks, I am done buying Jayhawks or Louris/Olson albums on faith or on any residual goodwill from those earlier wonderful efforts.

Took a few times listening to it for me to like it. Looser, less "produced" feeling than Jayhawks. Kind of mellow.

I was lucky enough to see Mark and Gary perform just about the entire album live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa at the beginning of 2009. I picked up the album that night as well, and I've listened to it quite a bit since then, and I feel that it's an extremely solid set of songs.

I've heard a lot of complaints that it isn't enough of the typical Jayhawks-style, but I'm fine with that. Seeing these two guys live, enjoying each others company and music once again, after several years of being apart...it had the entire audience in awe. The album does an excellent job of bringing me back to that night in the small venue, and perhaps that has something to do with my high ratings of the album.