Customer Reviews

Souther Hillman Furay Band

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

 

 

What can you say about an album that has more history in country rock than a slide steel guitar in ten country fairs. You have the founding father of Buffalo Springfiled and Poco in Richie Furay; You have a founding father of the Byrds and a perenial back up for everyone including Stephen Stills and the Burrito Bros in Chris Hillman, and you have a solid songwriter who helped form the Eagles in J D Souther. Add on the talents of Al Perkins on pedal steel, and Jim Gordon who's background included Eric Claptons Deric and the Dominos, and you can imagine how incredible this album is.
Setting aside the level of professionalism in its execution and delivery, we can look at the quality in song writing. Each song writer has tremedous experience, and placed on the table three or four of their best for this album. J D Souther presents his classic ballad style in his numbers, Richie furay presents his signature work, and Chris Hillman throws in his solid rock based compositions. ( But then, what else can you expect from a bass player with his portfolio.)
When you have listened to as many of these groups as I have, you find the same people playing for each group, and learn to expect this kind of quality; Only the songs and the group leaders change. This album is A-1, and should not be overlooked.

David Geffen's attempt to create a supergroup to compete with CSN and CSN&Y was driven by former Poco founder Richie Furay's frustrations with Epic Records failure to support Furay's masterpiece Poco LP in 1972 "Good Feelin' To Know". By Furay's own admission, he was upset and dismayed with how GFTK came and went on the charts, though the record's signature title tune was a crowd favorite at Poco concerts. Furay contacted Geffen, who was heading Elektra/Asylum/Nonesuch Records at the time, and the wheels were in motion for Richie to leave Poco before his last LP with the group "Crazy Eyes" came out in 1973. By then, Geffen had wrangled J.D. Souther, sometimes known as the "5th Eagle" for his collaborations with Don Henley and Glenn Frey, to hook up with Furay and Chris Hillman, one of the all-time great country rock musicians, who had been an original Byrd, co-founded the Flying Burrito Bros. with Gram Parsons, and had been Steve Stills' right hand lieutenant in Manassas. Furay and Hillman shared similar backgrounds and philosophies of life and music, drenched in the more "country" part of country-rock, and had known each other for years. Souther, on the other hand, was a loner and wild card, though enormously talented as a songwriter and decent singer as well. The Geffen formula seemed airtight for the SHF Band, especially when sidemen Paul Harris (keyboards,piano-Manassas), Al Perkins (pedal steel guitar, guitar-Manassas, Flying Burrito Bros.) and Jim Gordon (drummer for Eric Clapton/Derek & The Dominos) were added to complete the lineup. Most observers thought the band was a "can't miss" combination...and the first SHF LP did not disappoint. Furay's "Fallin' in Love" did well on the charts, and the contributions by Souther, especially "The Heartbreaker" and "Border Town" as well as Hillman's "Rise & Fall" and "Safe at Home" were strong enough to get the LP inside the Top 40. But the group suffered from the splintering effects of 3 very talented musicians trying to co-exist, with Souther being less than cooperative to many of the perspectives that Furay and Hillman shared. The music on this record is great, and the CD reissue is even better using today's recording techniques, and most of us who had been fans of the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, FBB, Poco and country rock in general felt like the SHF Band was a great alternative to the softer, more saccharine lyrics of CSN. With Neil Young pretty much out of CSN's picture during this era, it was a great opportunity for Geffen to get this new group exposure and make them as visible as the Eagles would eventually become. Unfortunately, that did not happen. The aforementioned personality problems, separate visions of musical direction, Furay's initial leanings to Christianity (he has been a pastor in Colorado for over 2 decades, originally converted by Al Perkins during this period)and their inability to effectively tour after their second album came out in 1975 due to an injury to Furay's hand, were seeds in the ultimate demise of the group. Nonetheless, this LP gets 4 stars easily, it is fun to listen to, and has a great mix of song styles, wonderful harmonies, and excellent lyrics by all 3 principals. All in all, it is a shame that the SHF Band did not hit it big. Furay was an outstanding concert frontman and maybe had the best tenor voice in this genre ever, Hillman was coming into his own as a singer, after spending years as a talented multi-instrument player, and Souther had the poetic sensitivity in his writing that also showed up on the Eagles "Best of My Love" and Linda Ronstadt's "Prisoner in Disguise". Both SHF Band LP's are worth purchasing, but this first effort is unmatched by the follow-up.

JD Souther, Chris Hillman and Richie Furay had a history in the musicbusiness before they joined the SHF-band and it didn't do any harm I have to tell you. The album was hyped at the time, maybe the reason the group didn't reach to its full potential. The album still hit #11 in the BB album charts in 1974 with Furays''Fallin' in Love' being their only hitsingle. There's more here than just that one 'Heavenly fire' 'Deep, dark and dreamless' being beautiful richly harmony filled country ballads 'Border Town' and 'Safe at home' hard rocking popsongs which might as well have been recorded by Poco or the Eagles. Maybe that was the main problem: although all 10 songs where written by groupmembers, the sound was not unique. Never the less this group deserves recognition for providing at an excellent collection of 10 beautiful songs on one album. A huge accomplishment in a period in which fans of the more succesful groups had to do with one or two gems on one lp. They could saved their money and just bought this one.

I SAW these guys on tour after the first album came out, and like another reviewer said of Buffalo Springfield, there may have been just too much talent in one place here for the band to last very long, but it was a great ride while it lasted. Both this debut and the followup "Trouble in Paradise" are full of the great stuff we've come to expect from everyone involved. There are no voices quite like any of these three great musicians, and country rock is that much richer for their having joined forces even if for a short period of time. That said, get the two albums, put the headphones on, and from the opening guitar notes of "Falling in Love" onward, get set for some great and truly enjoyable music. There may have only been 19 or 20 songs released from this band, but the names of the guys involved alone should tell you how great this music is.

The Souther, Hillman and Furay Band's first CD is a classic. if you are into the Eagles,
Byrds, Poco or any other country rock band, this is a must for your collection. It contains
great ballads as well as out and out rock and roll. Simply stated, buy it. There is
no need to provide a lengthy disertation as to this work of art. It is classic country
rock and roll by one of the founders of this movement.

I bought this on the cheap, unheard, having been a Poco fan. I was FLOORED by the musicianship, harmonies, and writing [I already knew Furay's vocal prowess]! These guys were clearly on their game--how they couldn't have made it big--but the Eagles did--is a mystery. My favorite--Fallin' in Love-- MORE than rewarded me for the cost. Heartbreaker, Border Town, and Safe at Home are gems, to me. If you like Eagles, the adult Rick Nelson, Poco, and Buffalo Springfield, add this to your collection! These guys are great!

When I first tried to get Souther, Hillman, and Furay on CD, this one wasn't available anywhere. I'm so glad it is now. I get a song from it in my head and can't get it out until I hear it again, and then another one sticks in my head!

Country based rock performed by these muscians was the style that led to so many southern rock and country music acts to follow. Not the best of JD Southers offerings, but allows the listener to hear Three good singer songwriters together performing their early music.

I can remember buying this album as a teenager back in '74, gutted that Richie Furay had left Poco after the release of the sublime 'Crazy Eyes'. I was also annoyed because this was the first time I'd ever paid more than three quid for a single album (thank you David Geffen), but excited thinking S.H.F might just be the new C.S.N.Y. The album starts with a great Furay track - "Fallin' In Love", which steams along at a great pace, and makes you think that maybe Richie knew what he was doing when he left Poco. Chris Hillman's "Heavenly Fire" follows, a slow and beautiful lament to a fallen comrade (Gram Parsons); so far so good. Third track - they were nothing if not democratic - was J.D.Souther's "Heartbreaker". Souther was very much the unknown quantitity in the band and his associations were with the Eagles, who at that time were just about the hottest act on the planet. Souther milked this for all it was worth, trying to sound like both Henley and Frey at the same time and failing miserably of course (I never liked him anyway 'cos at the time he was squiring the beautiful Linda Ronstadt - but hey, that's just me).The first three tracks tell the story of this album - three accomplished musicians (well two anyway) who don't really gell together. The contributions of Hillman and Furay on this album are excellent, Souther is a Karaoke Glenn Frey/Don Henley. The backing musicians, especially Paul Harris, Al Perkins and Jim Gordon are above reproach, but you never get that CSN/CSNY feel where talents combine to produce something greater than the sum of all the component parts. This is still a great sounding album and one I highly recommend (but avoid the follow up album "Trouble in Paradise" like the plague - it is truly awful).

one of the best CD's ever!!!I sure have missed it since I got rid of my albums