Customer Reviews

Trio II (Two)

5 star:		(71)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

This album might not have been as successful as the original TRIO album from 1987, but I think it's even better. The song selection is very strong, and the songs suit these ladies very well. The harmonies are beautiful. There's nothing more I could ask for from this album. It opens with the beautiful "Lovers Return", which is a Carter Family song. "High Sierra" is a beautiful song, Linda sounds wonderful on this song. Emmylou takes the helm in a cover of Dolly's "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind". They do a great version of Neil Young's "After The Goldrush" which is just stunning. Linda is lead on "The Blue Train", which is a very nice song. Other highlights include "When We're Gone, Long Gone", "Feels Like Home", "You'll Never Be The Sun" and "He Rode All The Way To Texas". This album was originally recorded in 1994 but there was problems with the release and other factors, so it wasn't released until early 1999. Definately a gem!

The follow-up to their 1987 "Trio" album, 1999's "Trio II" by Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt doesn't disappoint. In fact, it builds on the earlier work and expands outwards to music beyond country. Beginning with the Carter family's "Lover's Return," these ladies set the tone with a beautiful rendition of a classic. Sounding as though they're hanging out on the porch on rocking chairs, Harris, Parton and Ronstadt make their extraordinary collaboration sound easy. The harmonies are flawless. There's no grandstanding here--the point is not for any single voice to stand out, but for all three to melt together in an emulsion of vocal purity. They take on Neil Young's grand "After the Gold Rush" and transform it an eerily beautiful anthem of hope and fear. And Ronstadt on the quiet but propulsive "Blue Train" uses the long, lean line of her voice to vocally paint the picture of a train going, going, going. Gorgeous stuff.

I bought the first Trio CD when it came out and enjoyed most of the songs there. I have to admit, I only bought this second Trio release because of one song "After the Goldrush". This has to be one of the most beautiful, breath-taking, chills-down-your-spine song ever recorded. Most remakes usually aren't as good as the originals, but I beg to differ on this one. This is one of those songs that I crank up as loud as my speakers and ears can stand it - I feel like I'm hearing music and vocals from heaven. It's just astounding. I did finally give the rest of the CD a listen to, and it's fairly decent. But, even if all these other songs sucked, to me, it would have been worth the price just to have "After the Goldrush".

The album is so great, I can't believe I never knew about this one earlier. The album is so moving, the music & the singers on here are totally haunting. The songs get to where they never leave your mind and it gets you where your listening to it over & over again, of course the most haunting and beautfully sad song on here is "After The Goldrush", I really can't understand what it's about, but all I know is that's the one song that sticks in my mind. "Trio II (2)" also gives you three different kinds of music, there's Country, Bluegrass, & a little bit of rock/pop especially on "5. The Blue Train", "8. He Rode All The Way To Texas" & "9. Feel's Like Home". Emmylou Harris & Linda Ronstadt are the lead singers on here & their great, But! Dolly Parton (one of my favorite's ever!) only sings for the leads on track 4 & 8, the rest is either back vocals are all together. Overall it's an A- album.

Trio II is a long awaited chapter in the Trio series. Dolly, Emmylou and Linda are back, with a new collection of songs they have recorded. It will be compared to their successfully 1987 Trio album, but I believe this one stands on its own, as they are both excellent albums.

1. Lover's Return - I love the harmonies on this song, they are beautiful and its just a perfect way to start the CD, to showcase the beautiful harmonies we will hear on this album.

2. High Sierra - Beautiful voices, beautiful lyrics, beautiful song.

3. Do I Ever Cross Your Mind - Emmylou takes lead on the cover of Dolly's own hit. Very nice!

4. After The Goldrush - A cover of the Neil Young song, they do it wonderfully, its my favorite on the album. The lyrics are so poignant and meaningful and they truly bring new light to this classic.

5. The Blue Train - Linda sings lead on this one, its beautiful and another highlight of the album.

6. I Feel The Blues Movin In - A nice fun country song to sing along with and dance with, real nice.

7. You'll Never Be The Sun - Remake of the classic, they do it wonderfully with sunny vocals and harmonies.

8. He Rode All The Way To Texas - Another highlight of the collection, shows off their harmonies in a tragic tale about a travelling man who moves on effortlessly without a tear.

9. Feels Like Home - From Linda's 1995 album, a nice song, basically the same but with Dolly and Emmylou as an added bonus.

10. When Were Gone, Long Gone - Nice song to end this collection, beautiful music with great vocals and lyrics.

A nice collection, with some great harmonies all throughout. A lot will compare it to Trio, but if you just listen to it objectively, you will see it stands on its own as a great collection of standards, as well as some of their own hits remade.

As a young listener at the time this CD was released, I liked the CD alot as I came to know every song by heart. This is a pleasing effort from the trio with each lending their own unique qualities and abilities to the group. Linda is the loud belter; Dolly handles the bird-like, songbird songs and Emmylou takes the traditional country songs that require an authentic country voice. The material here is varied ranging from pure country to Adult contemporary, more in Linda's league. HIGH SIERRA shows the AC as Celine could get away with singing this song. There are some very touching songs that mean alot to me and they are toward the end. It is great to see these veteran performers come out and perform great material as such.

What a shame that this album was shelved for four years before being able to be released. I am a huge Dolly Parton fan, so I knew the story of Trio II from her interviews. I also loved Trio so was very excited to hear the sequel would finally be released. I was somewhat disappointed in the "remakes" of previously released material (of course these weren't remakes, they were the originals!!)but I only recognized "After The Gold Rush" from Dolly's "Treasures". I didn't even realize that others had been released on Linda's album -- but now it makes sense why so many of the cuts sound like solo pieces for Linda Rondstadt with "unknown" backup singers you can barely hear in the background! Definitely not the rich blend of voices found in the first album. I was surprised at the "adult contemporary" flavor to this album, but I like anything these three ladies do, so I can't be picky. "You'll Never Be The Sun" brought tears to my eyes the first time I heard it -- it seems very appropriate for a funeral/memorial service -- very touching and heart-wrenching vocals. I heartily recommend this album, but just don't expect the traditional country sound of Trio I.

Some people are complaining about the duplication of songs on this cd and Linda Ronstadt's Feels Like Home cd. When these tracks were recorded, there were conflicts with schedules and an argument took place between Ms. Parton and Ms. Ronstadt (I remember reading an article that Dolly told the details). After the feud, the recordings were shelved and it looked very grim that this cd would ever be released. Ms. Ronstadt's company was pushing for a cd to release and since there didn't seem to be any hope of another Trio recording, she used the tracks of her and Ms. Harris (and in her linear notes on her cd, she thanks Ms. Harris for her loyalty because of the feud between her and Dolly.) They decided to record other singers for the 'Trio' affect, they recruited Alison Krauss (a frequent Dolly collabirator). Dolly used one track for her Treasures cd and also used Ms. Harris but also used a third singer for the 'Trio' affect. After several years, things worked out so that they could release the Trio cd but of course some of the tracks were released on previous cd's. When the trio was promoting the cd, you could sense some tension between Ms. Parton and Ms. Ronstadt.

Even with all the drama, the cd is terrific and they sound perfect together. The original concept was to have each lady take lead on a cd. The first one has Dolly being lead on most songs and the second one has Linda taking lead on most songs. Doubtful that a third cd will be released using Emmylou as the lead, which is a shame because these ladies combined can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. Angelic is the word that comes to mind when I hear the three of them harmonizing.

The original Trio album was a traditional folk-country album and this is similar in style - even the same producer (George Massenburg) is at the helm. It did not have the impact of the original album, nor did it match that album for sales, yet the quality is still there.

This set opens with Lovers return, a Carter family song, which sets a brilliant standard for what follows. Among the songs here are covers of Dolly's Do I ever cross your mind, Neil Young's After the gold rush, Del McCoury's I feel the blues movin' in and John Starling's He rode all the way to Texas.

This is a well-balanced collection of songs in which each of the ladies get their turn as lead singer, with the others providing great harmony vocals.

I regard the original Trio album as being one of the finest albums ever, by anybody, in any genre of music. This does not quite match it, but it comes very close.

Parton, Harris and Ronstadt have put together a beautiful CD, one I find myself listening to on repeat for hours. I come at this album more from the folk angle than the country, and so I find it even more to my liking than the original Trio album. I highly recommend Trio II.