Silent Letter/Alibi [Import, Original recording remastered]

America | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 20, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: Bgo
• ASIN: B000HT3KEW
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #126,423 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Only Game in Town

2. All Around

3. Tall Treasures

4. 1960

5. And Forever

6. Foolin'

7. All Night

8. No Fortune

9. All My Life

10. One Morning

11. High in the City

12. Survival

13. Might Be Your Love

14. Catch That Train

15. You Could've Been the One

16. I Don't Believe in Miracles

17. I Do Believe in You

18. Hangover

19. Right Back to Me

20. Coastline

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Digitally remastered two-fer featuring two albums from America, their first albums as a duo after the departure of Dan Peek. 1979's Silent Letter was the last that George Martin produced for them, while 1980's Alibi showed the band edging towards a slick adult contemporary sound. 22 tracks total. Comes housed in a slipcase with new liner notes. BGO. 2006.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A nice package, February 16, 2007

By 

A Fan (VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Silent Letter/Alibi (Audio CD)

This is a nice collection of two of America's lesser known albums, 1979's "Silent Letter" and 1980's "Alibi". Neither album was a hit in the US but they are not bad.

"Silent Letter" was America's last collaboration with legendary Beatles producer George Martin. It produced a few minor hits: "Only Game in Town", "All My Life", and "All Around."

While "Alibi" went vertually unnoticed in the US, it was a big hit overseas. "Survival" was a number 1 hit in Europe and it contains one of my favorite America rockers "Valentine".

This is not a bad collection to have if you do not already own the individual CDs.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I CAN'T BELIEVE THESE ALBUMS WEREN'T HITS!, January 12, 2008

By 

Anthony G. "Classic Rock Fan" (New York City) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Silent Letter/Alibi (Audio CD)

First of all, if you're an America fan, just buy this collection, you won't be disappointed. What first struck me when I played this anthology was how rocking this first album was for an America album: Silent Letter has a classic 1970s sound which is still probably my favorite period sound, when strong vocals were the rule, intruments were live, acoustic, and productions were so clear and yet experimental. The songs by both Dewey and Gerry are strong and meaningful, as well as the contributions from outside writers. Unfortunately, George Martin was not the problem or the reason for the lack of success of the 1st album...to be honest, no one was...it just wasn't picked up, why, I can't imagine. As well, the singles were some of the best tracks on the album, the vocals are pristine, yet powerful, w/ good range and harmony -- People, The Eagles (who are and will always be Classic and probably The Best)have got nothing on America in terms of melody and vocal harmonies! Silent Letter is a ***1/2 star album. Alibi, the second album on the disc is a *** star album (If you listen to the whole collection in one sitting, it seems like a rather unified double album, rather than two separate albums put on one CD), with songs of a similar quality, though not as rockish as Silent Letter. It's got a touch of that '80s sound that was just starting to make itself known. It's sad that neither one of these albums were successful in the U.S., but it seems that some of the best stuff being done isn't being snatched up the way that the very "commercial" is. The packaging is very good for this collection (good pictures and liner notes), only there seems more discussion about the period and the people who produced America than America itself (the George Martin material is interesting), and NO LYRICS! That's such a pain, since these two writers are rather poetic w/ their words and that these are probably the first reissues of these albums ever produced. This collection makes me think of how it has a kinship w/ their brand new album, Here & Now, which I strongly recommend -- It should've been nominated for some grammies. In some ways, as excellent as that new album was, I partly wish some of that rockishness of these earlier albums had been present, though Dewey Bunnell's "Ride On" certainly speaks to that conceit...Indeed, RIDE ON!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good for America fans, June 9, 2007

By 

geofos (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Silent Letter/Alibi (Audio CD)

It's nice having these lesser known America albums available on CD, my only beef is it doesn't include (I'm sure for time) the Alibi track "Coastline", one of my favorites from the LP which I still fortunately own. Having said that, it is a good package for America fans.