Customer Reviews

Republic Years

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

 

 

The Sons of the Pioneers with Roy Rogers did not disappoint me at all with this CD. Considering the age of the original recordings of this music (about 60 years ago), the sound quality is not bad at all. I was actually quite pleased. The western flavored songs/music are lots of fun to listen to and remind me of the old west B&W movies and shows from the 1940's and 1950's era. You can almost smell the sage and feel the trail dust when listenng to these tunes. If you are a real fan of the Sons of the Pioneers and/or Roy Rogers, then I think you would probably enjoy this CD. This is most suitable for the nostalgia types but not those that favor the new modern country singers of the present time.

I recently reviewed the "Under Western Skies" disc of Sons of the Pioneers (SOP) with Roy Rogers, and gave that CD only 3 stars, primarily because it really isn't the SOP music I've come to love, and which most readers would be expecting. The same is true of this disc -- even 3 stars being too generous -- because only about half of the tracks include the SOP at all (Roy Rogers with solo guitar or some other ensemble, and two tracks with a female vocalist). Also, the recording quality is awful. Many of the tracks are very poor fidelity, probably because they were recorded directly from the original soundtracks of movies dating from the mid-1940s (according to the liner notes). A few tracks are virtually unlistenable, with an annoying "tick, tick, tick" that sounds like an old vinyl 78. Even the half of the tracks that include the SOP are mostly weak, being excerpts from goofy "singing cowboy" movies. I would think that this disc would be of interest primarily to historical movie/record buffs who are used to poor sound and corny songs.

All of this is too bad, because the disc has two lovely pieces: the best version I've heard of "Everlasting Hills of Oklahoma" (regretably not on other extant compilations, and with unidiomatic flute accompaniment on the now-deleted "RCA Early Years"), and "Lights of Old Santa Fe." These two tracks have nice melodies, gently rocking tempos, decent lyrics, and the kind of tight harmonies we've come to expect from SOP.

My advice is to buy it, if you must, from a discount dealer so you don't feel quite as ripped off as I do.

Here's a collection that is sure to please any fan of Roy Rogers and/or the Sons of the Pioneers. These recordings are drawn directly from the Republic Pictures "B" westerns featuring Roy and company. Some of the material is quite familiar, while other tracks are on the obscure side. Overall this record from the wonderful folks at Varese Sarabande presents an enjoyable set of tunes filled with impeccable harmonies, and that oh-so-golden voice of Roy Rogers.

The sound quality of these selections ranges from "surprisingly good for their age" to "archival with minor distortion." It really doesn't matter, as flaws in fidelity should be expected. In fact, the aged tone of these performances actually adds an extra element of charm and nostalgia. This single release is, of course, not a definitive representation of the legendary group. There are much better anthologies out there for the devoted fan of SOTP and the King of the Cowboys. This offering should serve rather as a little extra and welcome icing on the cake. And to be sure, this icing is very sweet!

If you are looking for a CD that captures the romance of the old west, search no more. Filled with toe-tapping tunes about riding the range and the joys and sorrows of cowboy life, this collection by Roy Rogers and the Sons of the Pioneers is a classic. From old favorites to forgotten treasures, each track is a nostalgic delight.

A few of the selections in this collection are quite nice and a pleasure to hear; however, others are very poor and not worth the space they occupy on the disc. One is so bad it sounds like it was recorded under water. Even that could be an enjoyable novelty if it was consistent and didn't sound like it was also skipping. I transferred the good cuts and don't expect to listen to the entire collection a second time. A disappointment.

If it's harmony you're looking for this is the CD for you, bringing back happy memories of when you were a kid going to the Saturday matinee to watch all those good Roy Rogers westerns, boy they were good weren't they?, God bless Roy, God bless Dale Happy Trails

P.S. Lets not forget "Gabby" Hayes God bless him too.

I purchased this CD for My father in law who was wanting the song "Utah Trail". He loves this CD. It has so many of the old cowboy songs on it.