Customer Reviews

Roadmaster

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD is made up primarily of sessions Gene Clark, co-founder of the Byrds, did on A&M records, which were abruptly cancelled by the record company. Several years later, some of the songs from these sessions, along with two Gene Clark songs recorded by the original Byrds, "One In a Hundred" and "She's the Kind of Girl" were released in Holland - where Clark has always had a strong following - under the title, ROADMASTER. Needless to say, the entire entire album is Gene Clark in his prime, once again ahead of his time with a soulful mix of country, folk, and rock sounds. Songs from this CD such as "Here Tonight" and "In a Misty Morning," have become underground classics, while the two Byrds tunes are considered by many to be the best reunion work the original group ever did. A classic.

A delightful odds 'n' sods collection; a couple of lovely tracks cut with the original Byrds in '69 or '70, one with the post-Parsons Flying Burrito Brothers, and eight tracks from a solo album attempt in '72 with various Byrd/Burrito types playing backup. 'In a Misty Morning' in particular will get right under your skin, and qualifies this for inclusion in any 'Grievous Angels' collection. Fans of Gram Parsons, early Joe Ely, and/or Whiskeytown will like this one.

Listening to this disc, it's hard to believe these are a group of outtakes. The songs, overall, are strong and some of Clark's best. The original members of the Byrds backed Clark on two songs, while assorted members of the Flying Burrito Brothers backed him on several other songs.

I prefer the sound of "Roadmaster" to the sparse and acoustic "White Light," but others may disagree. Both have stand-out tracks. The title track itself is a slow bluesy rocker, which feels out of place and is the weakest on the disc. Also, Clark may have felt the need to re-make the classic Byrd song "She Don't Care About Time," but the re-make can't match the Byrds version.

Despite these two drawbacks, the rest of the album is wonderful. Songs such as "Full Circle Song," "I Remember the Railroad," and "Shooting Star" are some of the best Clark ever wrote. For these three songs alone, it's hard to fathom that this album wasn't even released in the U.S. Of all of Clark's albums, this one has some songs that could have been hits. Thankfully, Clark's discography is being re-evaluated and re-discovered. For Gene Clark fans, this is an essential disc.

In a burned out basement back in 1986, bare-bulb ceiling and a fan in the window (as I recall it was an unusually hot summer, we sat mesmerized listening to Roadmaster. There is something haunting about Byron Berlin's fiddle as it weaves together Gene's smooth vocals... In a Misty Morning... Captivated, we spoke of Gene as a savior (though some would call him a slave). We drove endlessly through our memories and desires, capturing the occassional glimpse of the beauty of the cosmos offered in his voice. I have almost every song that Gene recorded (at least those which have been released), and still I return and find this recording, at once, as compelling as a stranger's smile, and as close as my own thought. Gene was a mystic for he speaks directly to our soul.

While called "Roadmaster" this wasn't the album that Gene Clark had intended to release after "White Light" (aka "Gene Clark"). The "Roadmaster" sessions collapsed admit chaos due to drugs. Evidently Sly Stone came in while Gene wasn't working on the album and ran up the tab in the same studio (with Gene's producer at the helm)causing the project to go overbudget (food and drugs contributed to that) and A&M ultimately cancelled the album sessions.

The late Jim Dickson convinced A&M to issue this on vinyl back in the day overseas because Clark had such a huge European following. The Bob Irwin remaster improves slightly on the Edsel from twenty years ago. The album was unfinished with only eight completed tracks so Dickson filled out the album with two reunion tracks with Clark's former bandmates The Byrds and a track where Clark was backed by The Flying Burrito Brothers.

I'm not sure if Irwin had better tapes to work with or not but the EQ choices here are certainly a bit more pleasing. The difference isn't huge between the two versions and this would be an essential rebuy IF they had included Doug Hinshaw's mixes (two of which were included on Flying High) where you could hear Clarence White's guitar parts better and even hear other musicians that are not evident on Dickson's mixes.

Nicely housed in a digipak we get liner notes that gives us a bit of background on the album (although for the definitive info on the making of the album I'd readMr. Tambourine Man: The Life and Legacy of The Byrds' Gene Clark (Book)).

Should you buy this and will it sound better? Well I suppose it depends on your ears and equipment. It has also been reissued on vinyl by Sundazed as well.
Highly recommended if you don't have it.

Released in 1973 by A&M Holland and not released in the UK until 1986(and later still in the US) this is essentialy an archival compilation of unissued studio material. Not perhaps the most promising of prospect but when Gene Clark is in the equation you learn to expect to find nuggets of gold in the most unlikely places.

The first two tracks(She's the Kind of Girl' and 'One In a Hundred')are Byrds backed(from a shelved 1970 album project)and would have been stand out tracks on any Byrds album.'One In a Hundred' appears on the 'White Light' album in a pared down form (which is very different but also excellent)and was actually recorded after this version.One can only echoe the thoughts voiced by others, what if he'd been allowed to remain with the Byrds?
'Here Tonight'(track 3) was recorded with the 'Flying Burrito Brothers'and is one one the sweetest and most instantly lovable melodies I've ever heard.It's followed by two more high quality Gene Clark originals 'Full Circle Song'(sequestered onto the Byrds reunion album with a slightly shortened title) and the fantastic 'In a Misty Morning' a country tinged gem.
To be honest the rest of the album doesn't quite match the first five songs (no disgrace in that) following on are a couple of pleasant covers and the title track itself, probably the least 'Gene Clark' song you could imagine; a rather basic R&B workout with lyrics to match("I'm a roadmaster baby and I spend my life on the road...").
The final three tracks feature are all Clark originals two of which are performed in a delicate country style and sandwich the track I was most intrigued to hear; a reworking of one of my favourite ever songs:'She don't Care About Time'.Sung at about half the speed of the original and with, as with most of the album, that country feel, I still prefer the original version but it certainly casts the song in a new light.

The packaging is a slight disappointment as it appears to be a poor reproduction of the vinyl sleeve.This is crying out for the 'remastered and expanded' treatment but since it is quite possible it might not even be available we shouldn't complain too loudly.

Overall I would say this is an essential purchase for any fan of Gene Clark and is good enough to satisfy the uninitiated looking to make a first purchase too (although "White Light" and "No Other" would rank ahead of it).Strongly recommended.

This album was orignally released in 1973, sandwiched between 'White Light' and 'No Other' - generally considered to be the two best albums Gene ever made - while 'Roadmaster' was overlooked and unfairly consigned to history as 'an out-takes album'. In my opinion this album is at least the equal of these two albums and is a fine introduction to Gene's post-Byrd work. 'White Light' was a little sparse in the production department, while 'No Other' went the other way with Tommy Kaye's "everything but the kitchen sink" production getting in the way of Clark's songs in some cases. 'Roadmaster' though was baby bear's porridge, 'Roadmaster' got it just right. The songs are among the best Clark ever wrote, the supporting musicians (the original Byrds, the Burritos, Clarence White etc.) complement Gene's warm country-tinged voice perfectly, and the production by former Byrdmeisters Chris Hinshaw and Jim Dickson is excellent - I just wish they had worked with Gene more during his career. This 'out-takes album' is in my opinion Gene Clark's best, every track is good, three in particular - 'Here Tonight', 'In A Misty Morning' and 'Shooting Star' - are as good as any Gene ever released and are worth the price of the album several times over. I wholeheartedly recommend this album. Buy it, you won't be disappointed.

I only had to play this album once to know I was in love with it, and that Gene, as someone else has stated, is truly the Roadmaster. This is, by far and away, the best of all of his solo works, and I think I may need to purchase at least two more copies to keep up with the degree of wear and tear I expose this disc to. I simply cannot stop playing it!

This is simply the most beautiful folk-country-rock album I've purchased in ages, and Gene's vocals are superlative on every track. Not only do we have a veritable Byrds reunion going on with "She's the Kind of Girl" and his remake of "One in a Hundred" from White Light, but we have a roster of impressive musicians such as Byron Berline, Rick Roberts, and Bernie Leadon joining him for a very strong collection of soul stirring, romantic songs that are enough to melt glaciers into a puddle of bubbling goo.

That winsome, tremolo-heavy voice full of longing is too friggin' appealing for yours truly and, sorry kids, but I think I have myself one huge jones going on here. Nobody can deny the commercial appeal of a great, underrated classic like "Full Circle Song" (Ask Dan Fogelberg who treated it very nicely.), but my personal favorite is "Here Tonight," which is pretty straight forward about his loathing of touring. "In a Misty Morning" and "Shooting Star" are some more of his beautiful, gentle poetry at spellbinding work. He proves he can have some cool, sexy, soulful fun on the title track, but what really gets me, surprisingly enough? Beautifully passionate covers of the Flatt and Scruggs song "Rough and Rocky" and his gorgeous gospel reading of "I Don't Really Want to Know."

I know some of you think No Other is God's ultimate gift to the Gene Clark arsenal, but I don't happen to agree. As far as I'm concerned, Roadmaster is the quintessential best of the man, and anything less than a 4-star rating is pure folly. Trust me, you want this album, and you want to listen to it FREQUENTLY. I am passionate about it and, if you give it a listen, you will be too.

This is by far Gene Clark's finest hour in and outside of the BYRDS. The songwriting is impeccable. There is even a full Byrds reunion within the first two tracks on this album. Anyone who is a Gene Clark fan must track down this album.

When it comes to Gene Clark's music, I have pretty high standards--if you've listened to White Light, No Other, or The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark, you know just what magical, stellar songwriting and performing Clark was capable of. Listening to Roadmaster, which is somewhat of a collection of partially finished takes and outtakes rather than a complete, whole album, it's hard not to be disappointed and wonder why the album between White Light and No Other doesn't quite have the magic that the others do. Regardless, it's still Gene Clark, which means it's worthwhile if you're willing to give it your attention and a chance.

In a few ways, Roadmaster is a record of growth for Clark--there's some interesting experimentation with his arrangements and production, like the addition of flute on "She's The Kind of Girl," some interesting strings on the spaced-out "In A Misty Morning," and some great pedal steel that gives the music a sort of Bakersfield country-rock flavor that wasn't really there before, but would get pulled-off much more successfully in No Other. As usual, Clark's songwriting shines, with some great new tunes like the contemplative, mid-tempo "Full Circle Song," the mysterious "She Don't Care About Time," the cool vocal harmonies in "Here Tonight," and the aforementioned spacey "In A Misty Morning."

I really have to agree with Wayne Klein's review though, in saying that the production on Roadmaster doesn't really help the songs shine through. The mix sounds a bit flat, with nothing really standing out at any point. Probably the weakest quality is in the arrangements--most of the songs are really downbeat and quiet, with few moments of intensity or variation that make other Clark records stand out, making the album a bit lugubrious. Additionally, there are a few missteps with song selection--"Roadmaster" the song doesn't really live up to the quality of Clark's usual writing and the lyrics are kind of vapid, set to a stock blues rock tune. Likewise, "One In A Hundred" is vastly outshone by the version on White Light--I know he's backed by the Byrds on this one, but it sounds like that standard Byrds sound and lacks most of the aching, burning vitality present on White Light. I should add, too, that the sound of the CD reissue is good, but the liner notes are spare and leave a lot to be desired.

I have to stress, though, that these criticisms don't mean that Roadmaster isn't worth buying--there's plenty of good material to check out and keep you interested. Roadmaster is not the place to start getting into Gene Clark, though, and it certainly isn't one of his masterpieces. The fact that it holds together despite its ramshackle nature is indeed a testament to Gene's abilities at the time.