Customer Reviews

The Great American Eagle Tragedy

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4 star:		(5)
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2 star:		(1)
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This album really should be a three and a half star recording. It's not as good as their debut album, which featured some of the best lyrics of the period. There are four fine songs here: the epic title track, the eerie and beautiful "Mad Lydia's Waltz", the early country-rock number "Home to you", and "All Winter Long." "Alfie Finney " is ok too.The other songs aren't very good however. Guest musicians on this album include John Cale of Velvet Underground fame. This album made the charts, which is kind of surprising when you consider that their eponymous debut album is a much greater recording, and yet that album somehow failed to reach the top 200. Perhaps the Boston area band suffered from the backlash against "The Bosstown Sound." Peter Rowan's vocals and songwriting skills aren't nearly as strong on this followup album, although the playing on it is still of a high standard. More kinds of instruments are used on this album, especially saxophones. Overall, a decent enough record, but get the eponymous album first

This is the second of Earth Operas two albums, released in 1968 and 1969. Their first was ornate, combigning tight songs with jazzy arrangements.

But between 1968 and 1969, rock changed. The Byrds replaced their fuzz-wrapped experiments with country. The Band became stars with roots Music From Big Pink. The Stones got shredded with Satanic Majesty's Request, but invited you to a Beggers Banquet, the stipped calling card to their peak years. Even the Beatles-who ushered in psychadlia and still undisputably ruled the henhouse-came back to base. Elvis joined in, making two masterpieces of Memphis soul.

The Great American Eagle Tragedy followed this parade. Peter Rowan, singer and mandolin player for Earth Opera, had bluegrass roots. The album's first side reflects this. "Home To You" could be straight from Nashville. "Alfie Finny" was a folk ballad. These and other tracks create a homey, rustic landscape.

But next is the title track, a long, driving peice about Vietnam carnage. Rowan sings operatically, building to a scream. "Stop The War. I can't take it anymore." Moving, almost violent, it still maintains an organic sound. The song was used in protest sets on FM progressive radio.

The album ends, returning to roots music. Rowans voice is searing, giving an ominus hue to even the lighter material. The title track is the only topical one here, and still works. The lyrics date it, but the music and the emotional impact is fresh.

Earth Opera may be buried in long-ago rock history, but both albums hold up.

Highly reccomended

I actually had the LP, back during the turbulent late'60s - early '70s. And here we are, more than 30 years later, and the sentiments expressed in the title song couldn't be more cogent in these days of a bumbling chief executive and more death, all around, in Iraq. We sure haven't learned very much in the interim. Sure, the song has an overwrought quality to it - but it's still quite effective, and beautifully sad in sections. Peter Rowan's voice isn't especially wonderful, but its strained, almost reedy quality serves this song well.

Beyond the title song, we have a mixed bag. "Home to You" has aged well, I think. "Mad Lydia's Waltz" is a little known gem. Only "Roast Beef Love" and "Sanctuary From the Law" seem like throwaways, to my hearing at least.

Overall, this CD is highly recommended. At only about 37 minutes in length, it's rather short. But there are several high points that will reward the listener.

The title song is much more than a late 60's college radio classic. What Peter Rowan and Dave Grisman did on this anti war song cannot effectivly be described in words. It is powerful, heart pounding and hand sweatingly visceral.

To listen to it is to feel the anger at the government and the frustration of knowing that the madness was continuing despite all efforts to stop it. And beyond belief was that while President Nixon was in the final stages of his own personal and political melt down he continued to send thousands of America's children to Viet Nam to die in an unnecessary war. He did all this while ignoring the voice of the majority of the people.

Rowan and his group must have collapsed after recording it. Ignoring parallels with the present administration and Iraq is impossible. Listen to it and weep.

I was excited to rediscover this album. But frankly, the years have not been kind to it. The title song remains strong, but the rest have faded to filler.

The title song was a classic 40 years ago and still has relevance today. It's worth the price of the CD. It plus 2 other cuts make this rare find a good investment. Glad I purchased it!

This was a one of a kind piece of music for its time. Even in the late sixties AM radio stations would not play longer songs (anything longer than three minutes)so you mostly heard "Home to You" late at night. This was also true of the Doors "Light My Fire" which is why a shortened version without the extended solos was dubbed for airplay. I was surprised to read the mention of Nixon and the Vietnam War as the song was written during the Johnson era and those of us who lived through that time as adults know that Kennedy and Johnson were the Presidents who got us into that. Nixon was just the follow up who despite many faults was able to end it. In any case this is a beautifully crafted and memorable piece of music apart from any of the context associated with its genesis.

Mark Bird