Customer Reviews

Sailboat

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

 

 

I enjoyed Jonathan Edwards earlier work with "sunshine", "everybody knows her" and "stop and start again" all of which received some radio exposure. I purchased this album unheard in 1977 based on the previous work. I was quite pleased on the first play.

Through the years i would dub "blow on chilly wind", "let the rough side drag" and my favorite "carolina caroline" to cassette and distribute them to my friends for their listening pleasure. Everybody enjoyed the music.

I was sorry to note that the album was deteriorating over the years and held no hope the music would make it to cd since it was hardly a chartbuster. I occasionally do a search on amazon for music that i hope might be available on cd and was thrilled to see this music available again. The quality is just fine and without the hiss and ticks of the lp.

I would suggest that if you enjoy what has been termed California AOR you acquire this piece. It's not going to jump out and grab you but if you find yourself sitting on a balcony overlooking the gulf with the breeze in your hair and the sound of waves breaking in the background this is a dandy cd to just veg out to.

As one reviewer said, Sailboat won't "jump out and grab you", but it will slowly get under your skin and into your brain and it won't let go. Originally released in 1977, the musicians on it are Emmylou Harris's Hot Band of the time, including Rodney Crowell, Hank DeVito, Emory Gordy, Glenn Hardin, Albert Lee, John Ware and Herb Pedersen. The Hot Band lineup alone should interest you. All these folks turned out to be superstars in the alt-country/country rock genre of the 70's and 80's. Edwards uses them to great effect, never overwhelming but always tasteful. There is simply nothing to fault on this record in terms of musicianship, vocals (Emmylou and Pedersen contribute harmony), production, engineering, sequencing or selection of material. Edwards choose three of Jesse Winchester's catchiest tunes ever - Blow on Chilly Wind, How About You and Let the Rough Side Drag - and gives each his own treatment, rivaling, perhaps surpassing Winchester's own interpretations. Edwards contributes three of his own - Sailboat, Girl from the Canyon and Carolina Caroline. Girl from the Canyon could have been made into a "Gunsmoke" episode; the tale is vivid and sweet. Carolina Caroline is beautiful with steel guitar work by DeVito creating and sustaining a haunting mood. Edwards then picks out a few more chestnuts - Evangelina (Hoyt Axton and Kenneth Higgenbotham), People Get Ready (Curtis Mayfield), Weapon of Prayer (Ira and Charlie Louvin) and Never Together (Rodney Crowell) - and sprinkles them through the album. Each one is a gem. Oh for the days when singer songwriters were willing to contribute a bit of their own material and use covers for the rest. It allowed for consistent quality rarely achieved by any but the very exceptional few. There is simply nothing here to complain about. You will find yourself playing this one over and over, putting it away for a couple years, pulling it out again and finding it as refreshing as the first time you listened to it.

carolina caroline is a great song. i find myself playing it over and over again.