Customer Reviews

Town & Country

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Humble Pie - Town and Country, 1969.

I need to first mention that in this newly remastered release (also being the first version of this album to appear on Amazon when you search for 'Humble Pie') it seems to include every song from their first album 'As Safe As Yesterday (1968)', so it would be wise to never purchase this with the 'Better Together' selection, since it's just the first album. Which is on this album. Strange, but honestly, having both on one disk safes space and gives you extra awesome to listen to.

Anyway, on to the review.
This is the second album from Humble Pie, consisting of Steve Marriott on guitar and vocals, previously of 'The Small Faces,' Peter Frampton, also on guitar and vocals, previously of 'The Herd', but not even I have heard of them, so if you have, then I have to assume his prowess is very much known to you; Greg Ridley on bass guitar, previously of 'Spooky Tooth,' and drummer Jerry Shirley. With an album put together by the guys who had put out songs like 'Tin Soldier' (Marriott), or helped with the entire Spooky Two album (Ridley), you know you are in for a treat of musicianship and powerful, spirited vocals.

This is exactly what this album has to offer. Great rhythm section, killer bass lines, searing leads traded back and forth by Marriott and Frampton, great vocals not only by Marriott but also an incredibly rough-voiced Frampton, shown here in a completely different light than he is on his post-Pie solo records and even more so than on his 'Frampton Comes Alive!' album. The only song in which all of these elements does not come together is probably 'The Light of Love,' which is a attempt at experimentation, but just is not able to meld in with and falls quite short of the songs from the rest of the album.

Of noteworthy mention though, however, is the entirely acoustic piece, 'Every Mother's Son,' to my ears there is only the duel leads of Frampton and Marriott on guitar, no bass, no drums, no percussion. Every little bit of emotion is squeezed from both players and especially from Marriott's voice - leading to the magnificent crescendo that starts about halfway through and peaks at the very end with shouts of ecstasy from Marriott (that's one hell of a build up.)

Other tracks worth noting: 'Sad Bag of Shaky Jake,' probably the purest rocker on the album, but not in any sense of the word straightforward or bland. The fabulous mid-tempo rocker, 'Cold Lady,' with rough harmonies from at least two or three of the band members (the roughness is a good thing, adds to the song's already raw quality.) The thoroughly raucous and warmly emotional 'Down Home Again,' in which Steve Marriott's got a girl back home that calls him her own, but he calls his wife.

All in all, worthy of every 5 star I've given it, and it is a shame that more people seem to know nothing of this, or the album preceding and the one following. This, 'As Safe As Yesterday' (1968), and 'Humble Pie' (1970), are also both highly recommended.

Browsing through your reviews, the Humble Pie catalog seems particularly beset by "star inflation". Five stars come cheap these days. So "only" four stars may seem verging on the mediocre to some of your reviewers. Not so, I just reserve five stars for really outstanding records.

Not quite outstanding, but this is a fine record, as good as anything in the Humble Pie catalog. This was one of their two early records (1969) with the original lineup, including Peter Frampton. Overall, this is probably the Pie's quietest record, with a definite bent toward acoustic numbers. Frampton's songs hint at his early solo work to come (Take Me Back and Only You Can Say stand out). Marriott quits screaming for long enough to contribute some fine numbers (Every Mother's Son and Silver Tongue especially). Nice cover of a Buddy Holly forgotten chestnut (Heartbeat). The album ends with a flourish, Home And Away, co-written by Frampton, Marriott, and bassist Greg Ridley. One wishes Frampton and Marriott had truly collaborated more after hearing this. Alas, only a couple of more albums remained before they splintered, and Humble Pie as never the same (sorry all you Smokin' fans).

This disc will probably not change your life. But it's historically important if you like Frampton, Marriott, or the later Pie. And it stands up quite well on its own merit. This is not quite as good as Rock On, but it's close.

The early signs of the great band they were to become are on show here. A bit softer and more country flavour than later albums , but nevertheless still well played, interesting compositions and also great value for money as it is almost 2 albums in one. A lot of people just prefer the popular, big selling releases, but I like collecting the whole catalogue to see how bands progress from their ealy days. This is worth getting as the basic Humble Pie ingredients are there, Marriot, Frampton, Shirley and Ridley, who I believe should be viewed by history as one of the top 4 or 5 rock bands of all time, especially their live performances.

great early cd by the pie.this particular cd has two albums in one.all the extras are actually their next album.this is early and not the nut-thumping performance type of pie, but still good album.

I've been listening to Humble Pie since my brother brought home Rockin' The Fillmore. I was 9 years old back then and I always thought that was the best live album ever created! Then as I got older now in my late 40's I discovered this album! What a gem! It amazes me how you can listen to music written 40 years ago and have it sound so fresh as if it was written today! I always liked Pie's harder music but I was blown away by the simple almost Crosby Stills and Nash type Songs on this album! Just great soul piercing music for those long cold winter nights!

"Town and Country" is Humble Pie's second album. You'll hear less 'heavy' rock on this album, but that's not a bad thing when it comes to this band. It really is the 'sister' album to "As Safe As Yesterday Is" and compliments that first album so well. Brilliant musicians/songwriters/singers that these guys were, they merely continued with the more 'country' and 'folk' oriented music that they occasionally performed on their first album. They are still searching for and working on forming a cohesive, collective identity here. Town and Country is a bridge to their third, self-titled effort "Humble Pie" [1970]. It's a pleasure to hear the tight rhythm section backing the excellent guitar playing and singing of Marriott and Frampton. This record is a necessity for all fans of Humble Pie. It serves as a great document showing how the entire band was only getting better with each effort. Highly recommended... you won't be disappointed.

This review is of the Remastered 2008 Repertoire Records [REP 5052] edition issued with two Bonus tracks: "79th Street Blues" (Which, showed up two albums later on 'Rock On' with the title "79th And Sunset") and a great instrumental entitled "Greg's Song" composed by Greg Ridley.

The 2008 Repertoire Remasters are highly recommended for their great packaging, liner notes, pictures and, most importantly, their overall sonic quality and faithful reproduction of these classic albums: "As Safe As Yesterday Is", "Town And Country" and the self-titled "Humble Pie" [1970]. If you want these albums and wish to spend less than half of the price of the Universal/Japan Imports, I highly recommend them. Hopefully, Repertoire will remaster and release the rest of the Pie's catalog. Peace!

"Town and Country" is Humble Pie's second album. You'll hear less 'heavy' rock on this album, but that's not a bad thing when it comes to this band. It really is the 'sister' album to "As Safe As Yesterday Is" and compliments that first album so well. Brilliant musicians/songwriters/singers that these guys were, they merely continued with the more 'country' and 'folk' oriented music that they occasionally performed on their first album. They are still searching for and working on forming a cohesive, collective identity here. Town and Country is a bridge to their third, self-titled effort "Humble Pie" [1970]. It's a pleasure to hear the tight rhythm section backing the excellent guitar playing and singing of Marriott and Frampton. This record is a necessity for all fans of Humble Pie. It serves as a great document showing how the entire band was only getting better with each effort. Town and Country is waiting to join your Humble Pie collection! Get it now... you won't be disappointed.

This is a review of the 2008 pressing by Snapper Music/Charly Studio. The package is a standard jewel case, not a digipack as advertised. Extensive liner notes and pictures are included and it's a nice addition to have the cover of the album actually printed on the CD!

Also, contrary to what some have written, the "bonus tracks" included here are ONLY 6 of 10 tracks taken from "As Safe As Yesterday Is". The missing tracks are 'Growing Closer', 'I'll Go Alone', 'A Nifty Little Number Like You', and 'What You Will'. You are missing almost half of the original album here... This is not a "two-fer" compilation. The last two "bonus tracks" on this pressing, "Natural Born Bugie" and "Wrist Job" were the A and B sides respectively of the single released prior to Humble Pie releasing "As Safe As Yesterday Is". Those two tracks can truly be called a "bonus". In other words, you DEFINITELY need to purchase an actual copy of "As Safe As Yesterday Is" or you'll be missing out on 4 great tracks to round out your collection!! You'd also be missing 4 slices of Humble Pie's great, recorded history that has been left for us to appreciate. Don't let it happen to you!! Peace.

You've probably read that early Humble Pie is too acoustic, too uneven, too this and that, but I find their early stuff to be some of their most enduring music. Two albums released in the course of about eight months back in '69, and they could have been released as a double album because they are so similar in sound. Don't let the reviews scare you off, this is the Pie as they were recorded out in the country before excess and the wear and tear of the rock lifestyle caught up to the band. I love ALL Pie, but the first two still rank as my favorites after all these years.

I have the original 1969 Immediate LP release and the 2001 Sanctuary records CD. I see that this version of Town and Country has extra tracks. It would be nice to be able to see what and how many they are. It would be nicer to know where they came from.

Unlike the uninformed reviewer in the previous entry, this was actually an album all its own released in 1969, after their first release called "as safe as yesterday is".

This album tried to meet the middle between Marriots' boggie and blues and Framptons' more melodic interludes. The mix is very interesting and Marriot even manages to throw in a couple of countryish song in "The sad Bag of Shaky Jake".

All and all this is a very good album. Too bad Mr. Marriot has left us, who knows when he and Mr. Frampton had begun tlking about things to do I'm sure that Humble Pie ressurection was one of the ideas they shared.