Customer Reviews

Today

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

 

 

Today Dash Crofts (Nuance 54419)

Growing up in the early seventies, music was my life. During my high school years, I was into all matter of various sounds, from Alice Cooper and Kiss, to the heavy metal mayhem of Black Sabbath, the country music of Merle Haggard and Southern Rockers like The Marshall Tucker Band and The Allman Brothers Band. Somewhere within the nuclear core of all this madness lived Top 40 radio. I loved the music coming out of my Panasonic A.M. radio. I had blue one shaped like a ball. It was the coolest. It even came with flower power stickers you could slap all over it.

Dominating the airwaves during those days were artists like Elton John, Teh Eagles, Olivia Newton John and the hit-making duo of Seals and Crofts. Jim and Dash churned out hit singles on every corner, from the infectious "Summer Breeze" and "Hummingbird," to "Diamond Girl" and "We May Never Pass This Way Again." Ah, the summer memories these two guys voices exude.

Dash Crofts is back, and doing it solo, although Jimmy Seals is still very much present as a songwriter. Crofts' soaring tenor voice and distinctive mandolin are the core of the new collection, which was produced by veteran session man and producer Louie Shelton, who also flavors the music with his unmistakable guitar work.

Outstanding tracks include a pair of exquisite instrumentals, "Tree of Life" and "Blue Roses," and the up-tempo "Ridin' Thumb," an excellent tale of a man who hitch hikes across America from Macon, Georgia.

Much of the music here comes off as having a real jazz-fusion, new-age feel, from the opening sax of the very first tune, "Sunrise," which evokes images of Kenny G. There's no doubt that this is more of an easy-listening album than a rocker, but hey, isn't that what we all loved about Seals & Crofts to begin with? Nowhere is the Seals & Crofts smooth-groove more present than on "Cause You Love" and on "Robin," two of several decidedly "laid back" tunes on the album.

I think the best thing about Dash's solo album is that he recalls just enough of the magic and spirit that embodied Seals & Crofts, but with a whole new 21st century approach, filled with jazzy riffs and feather-light moods, blowing through the jasmine in my mind.

-Michael B. Smith

Being a big fan of Seals and Crofts, it was a wonderful surprise to come across this CD. I was getting by on the only CD's available: Greatest Hits, Hummingbird, and Diamond Girl. It was great to hear Dash signing again, and in superb voice, too. This CD has some very nicely produced and played songs. A couple are reprises from previous S&C offerings, but they were quite welcome. All in all, this is a very listenable CD with strong songs and good instrumentation, though perhaps a bit too easy- listening-jazzy. Most of all, though, several of the tunes really evoked that unique feeling and sound of the great S&C songs of long ago. I wish it had been more widely promoted. There is also a new CD by Seals and Crofts called, Traces. It was produced in 2004 but is difficult to find. Traces is also beautifully produced, and the boys are in fine voice. They reprise many of their old hits, but update them very tastefully.
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not only will this cd satisfy those who crave more from seals and crofts,it will appeal to those who respect well produced
music with superb harmony and sound.dash crofts does most of the harmonies, so you get alot of his superb voice.i cannot speak higher of any music i've heard in a long time.

For my money Seals and Crofts albums were remarkably consistent - and while they never managed an outright 5 star album, they almost always earned a solid 4. Dash Crofts solo album continues this trend two decades later.

While most of the songs are remakes of material from the early 70s, unlike the recently released Seals and Crofts album "Traces", Crofts decided to forego the hits and concentrate on new interpretations of lesser-known tracks, including four from "Down Home", widely regarded (though not by me, curiously enough!) as one of their best.

The result is very much an easy-listening affair, but there's nothing wrong with that - and this is definitely a classy album - even the constant presence of drum machines doesn't bother me like it usually would.

In the absence of the duo's regular albums on CD this is a fine addition to any fans collection - the joy that was clearly taken in making the album translates wholeheartedly into the listening experience.

As a child in the 70's, I grew up on the music of such groups as America and Seals and Crofts, and songs such as 'Summer Breeze' and 'I'll Play For You' are invariably linked to my best childhood memories. Though I'm now in my 30's, these songs songs are every bit as enjoyable to me as when, as a child, I hid under my blankets late at night listening to them on my transistor radio.

So imagine my surprise when, quite by accident, I stumbled upon 'Today'. Though I purchased the CD expecting a nostalgic trip down memory lane, what I found was a set of ten very contemporary, well crafted tunes that will appeal to old and new fans alike.

Overall, the album has a very smooth feel with a definite jazz flavor. Veteran producer Louie Shelton's lush arrangements make the most of Dash's wonderful voice and distinctive mandolin.

This is not to say that the album lacks the old Seals and Crofts charm. Dash shares writing credits with Jim Seals on six of the album's ten cuts, and songs like 'Golden Rainbow Girl' and 'Robin' show that both Dash and Jim have moved into the 21st century with their pop sensibilties intact.

This album has become an instant favorite of mine and I look forward to hearing more from Dash in the future.

This release from 2000 marks the welcome return of Dash Crofts, formerly of the hitmaking 70s duo Seals & Crofts, after a 20 year absence. What makes it especially appealing is the fact that very little of Seals & Crofts' catalog has ever been issued on CD, quite surprising in light of the chart success the duo enjoyed in their heyday. It is sure to please almost all S&C fans who pick it up, as Dash and producer/guitarist Louie Shelton have done an uncanny job of recreating the S&C sound. Shelton, of course, produced most of those old S&C albums, so it's not surprising that he and Dash seems to effortlessly evoke the spirit of past glories. Dash's mandolin is instantly familiar, and his voice (both lead and harmony) sounds like he hasn't aged a day. One thing that other reviewers have not mentioned is that the album mainly consists of re-recordings of old songs from the S&C catalog. There are 4 songs that originally appeared on the 1970 album "Down Home" ("Ridin' Thumb", "Robin", "Hollow Reed", "Today"), and one each from 1972's "Year Of Sunday" ("Cause You Love"), 1975's "I'll Play For You" ("Golden Rainbow"), and 1978's "Takin' It Easy" ("Sunrise"). So that makes 7 out of the album's 10 tracks. 2 of the remaining 3 are new instrumentals co-written by Crofts and Shelton, both with a somewhat new age-y sound. Finally, there is one especially fine new song, "Mystery Of Love", which closes the album. None of the 7 songs from S&C's back catalog have ever been issued on CD before. So if you are the kind of person who longs for some record label to finally issue CDs of all those out-of-print S&C albums, buy this, you'll love it. But if you're the kind of person who is content to just have "Seals & Crofts Greatest Hits", then you may find this one unnecessary.

Welcome back the return of at least half of the dynamic pair that created so many great songs.

While Jim Seals (of Seals and Crofts) is absent, Dash still has the goods. The beautiful voice, the mandilin work is flawless. Besides a number of new cuts, there are some old faves from the duo days. Plus an added treat for fans is the fact that his little girl has grown up and is singing with him on some cuts. The instrumenyals are very jazzy, just like the old days. This is a classic from a class guy who has been missed. Do another one SOON~!!!!!!!

It's great to know that Dash Crofts is still around and still picks the mandolin. That being said, TODAY is not his best foot forward back into the ring. It's practically a Kenny G album with mandolin. Dash is capable of better and hopefully the new, forthcoming Seals & Crofts album will prove that.
Standout songs: "Hollow Reed", "Today"

SO wonderful to hear Dash singing Seals & Crofts songs as well as new instrumental material. This CD is long overdue and I am eagerly awaiting a follow-up. A must for Seals & Crofts fans. Get this CD!! You'll love it as much as I do. This recording was originally available through the Baha'i Publishing Trust and they couldn't keep enough copies on the shelves.