This Ain't Hollywood/This Time Thru

Degarmo & Key (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Label: ForeFront
• ASIN: B0007M6NXO
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #514,845 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars You want it for their debut, April 6, 2006

By 

Greg Brady "columbusboy" (Capital City) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: This Ain't Hollywood/This Time Thru (Audio CD)

Eddie DeGarmo and Dana Key were members of rock band Globe in the late 1970s and had just inked a record deal to put them (they hoped) on the fast track to fame and fortune. Those plans changed when Eddie found a new faith in Christ and shared it with Dana. The duo then turned their musical efforts toward sharing that same experience with others in song.

You get 2 early outings here: debut THIS TIME THRU offers touches of Southern rock atmosphere, occasional bluesy licks from Dana Key and a generous dollop of Eddie DeGarmo's Moog a la Keith Emerson. THIS AIN'T HOLLYWOOD was the start of the band's turn toward poppier fare with their Christian radio duet hit "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do" with tourmate Amy Grant. The album's not awful but it's definitely only 3 stars by itself.

HIGHLIGHTS:

THIS TIME THRU is usually rated as a Christian rock classic and I think that assessment is pretty fair. Really no out-and-out stinkers on it and several top-notch tunes. "Addey"'s tale of a 'working girl' is one of those, a gritty lyric that doesn't candycoat the reality of prostitution. ("The thought of what she's got to go through/Makes her cry to be free/Addey, wipe those tears from your eyes/You wouldn't want him to see...") It's only at the end that Key points toward a better life. ("Trust in God for a new kind of life/Honey, He won't lead you astray..") The band would later update it for the 80s on their STREET LIGHT album. Country twang flavors "Only the Meek Survive", a celebration of the reverse hierarchy of God. ("You said that God was a God of goodness/That He only helped those who helped themselves/But you see I've found that God/He helps the helpless/And He leaves all the rest/to help themselves..")Gospel standard "Wayfaring Stranger" sounds almost like Steely Dan with a dash of blues and Key's solo is a masterpiece of economy. Eddie takes a rare vocal on "Chase the Wind" which is the most Emerson, Lake and Palmer influenced number here. "Stella, This Ain't Hollywood" is a good biting attack at superficial and self-important people. ("We don't need your autograph/Around here you're just plain riff-raff/Stella, you don't need your makeup here") The change toward pop is evident though as the coda turns to a near disco rhythm that segues into "When He Comes Back". "Love is all You Need" is a taut rocker distilling the Gospel into its bare essence ("When you're down and you got no hope to carry on/There's Someone who's always there/you can lean on/Take it from me/Love is all, love is all you need..") This tune also was later updated on little heard album LOOK UP! [If you listen closely you can hear LOOK UP's Mylon LeFevre singing backing vocals..] "Over and Over" combines an insistent funky guitar riff, "more cowbell", a tasty horn chart and a good lyric about the repeated need for cleansing from sin as we strive to be more like Jesus. ("Over and over/I'm down on my knees for the same sins/Over and over/Forgive me over and over again")

LOWS:

The culprits on THIS AIN'T HOLLYWOOD are many: Lack of bite saps "You Gave Me All". On "All Night" it's overemoting from Key and the lurching drum pattern of John Hamptone. "Nobody Loves me Like You Do" was the Christian radio hit but it's a guilty pleasure at best: no substance and way too lightweight to really fit the group well. "Light of the World" is a HORRID lyric ("You're the Light of the world/You're the Light of the world/Ah, the Son shines bright/Even in the night..") riddled with cliches.

BOTTOM LINE:

It's a lot of money to pay so if you can find THIS TIME THRU by itself for thirty clams or less, I'd get that one. If you can get this for thirty or less, go with this one because there are some worthy numbers on T.A.H. despite my lesser enthusiasm for it.

3 1/2 stars (4 stars for THIS TIME but docked 1/2 star for THIS AIN'T)

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic D & K, August 30, 2010

By 

B. Ross (Colorado) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: This Ain't Hollywood/This Time Thru (Audio CD)

It's great to get both albums on one CD. I received this album shortly before hearing of Dana Key's death - such a loss! He was a brilliant talent.

2.0 out of 5 stars The beginning of the end for DeGarmo & Key, May 18, 2010

By 

Tom Richards (Vienna Austria) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: This Ain't Hollywood (MP3 Download)

After two solid and interesting albums of prog rock, DeGarmo & Key start their transformation into a pop band, putting together a mediocre album of dated early 80's pop. The snarl and blues guitar are gone, as are the Emerson, Lake & Palmer synth workouts. Maybe it would rate 3 stars if this was the best the band could do, but it was a major disappointment for fans like myself when it came out.