Customer Reviews

Young Men Gone West / Book Early

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

 

 

In my estimation, I have probably listened to City Boy's Book Early over two thousand times, which must make me some kind of expert, I guess. I've even owned it on three different formats, including 8-track, LP, and this version backed with Young Men Gone West. And even after 20-plus-years of living with this album, I still get something out of it every time I give it a spin.

I wouldn't even have known about this band if I hadn't been obsessed with recording the American Top 40 show (on my home Juliette 8-track deck) for one summer. Casey played "5705" exactly once (peaking at number 40), and I was hooked. Even that was a fluke in itself, since the song was originally released as "Turn On To Jesus," which I would not have been likely to do at the time as I was busy studying for my bar-mitzvah!

Anyhow, I won't go in to every song, except to say that there is something outstanding in each one. Whether it is the shimmering vocal harmonies, blistering guitar work, or a clever turn of phrase, for one shining moment in the late '70s, these guys could do no wrong. Unfortunately, in America, sales-wise they could do no right, and Book Early went straight to the cut-out bin, where it has been sitting ever since.

Young Men Gone West is also a fine album, although it lacks the cohesive style and punchy production that puts Book Early over the top in my book. There are nevertheless some great songs on this album as well, and it is interesting to contrast the two albums and see just how subtle the difference is between good rock and great rock.

It is too bad that City Boy were unfairly compared to bands like Queen and 10CC during their time. Because back in 1978, when most bands were hitting their thumb with the hammer, these guys hit the nail on the head with Book Early.

City Boy is a band whose music got better with every album. "Young Men Gone West" is one of my favorite albums. This band was light years ahead of its time and it beats most of the current music on the charts. Of course, that's a matter of opinion, but this music is so inventive. Best songs on the album are:

Bordello Night
She's Got Style
Young Men Gone West
Millionare

"Book Early", on the other hand, contains the band's biggest hit, "5.7.0.5." It's often regarded by critics as the group's best effort. Personally, I like "YMGW" a little better - but not by much. Stand out songs are:

Goodbye Laurelie
Cigarettes
What a Night
Moving In Circles
Dangerous Ground

After listing to these two albums, you'll be asking yourself why this band never made it to the big time. Excellent stuff!

Made in USA in 1998, Serial# RMED-00217, Playing Time 82:01

These albums were originally released back in 1977 and 1978, giving the band 4 albums in a little over 2 years. The music presented here is a logical progression from their first 2, with a little more commercial appeal, with "5-7-0-5" receiving a fair bit of radio airplay way back when.

Their style is a bit difficult to describe, and the production has a nice polish, rich sounds, and crisp textures. It's rock with a touch of "art", where every song has its own personality.

All I can do is suggest that you listen to some samples, and you'll be surprised at what you hear, not understanding why they didn't have a more successful career...

Close your eyes, and listen carefully and you'd think you were hearing Dennis DeYoung, Freddie Mercury & Jeff Lynne all on the same album! An eclectic mix of awesome vocals & music that sounds alot like tunes from 3 of the greatest "old school" 1970's-1980's groups of all time... STYX, QUEEN & ELO! I don't think CITY BOY got the credit they deserve but they're getting the last laugh now as their hard-to-find CD's are selling for as much as 5 times more than these other super groups today! This album is worth every penny!

What can be said but a sad and unfair world. The art mosaic is a battlefield of the ever popular tortured artist effect.Todd Rungren,10cc,Badfinger,Joe Jackson,Warren Zevon and add City Boy.
Singing,biting songwriting with great chops and they get 2 songs to play on the Radio,Radio??? I'm not going to write song for song essays but read the other reviewers and believe. If u like sophistcated rock/pop ie- Squeeze,CrowdedHouse,SplitEnz,Boston and 10cc run and order the double cd's from Renaissance Records or Amazon. All bands less gifted stay in the garage with the light on!
P.S. don't believe the low scores for The Day The Earth Caught Fire here or at Allmusicguide.This lp rocks harder and more consistantly than their more poppy earlier releases.

band in the world. Make no mistake City Boy's 1st album and Dinner at the Ritz are their best. These two albums nevertheless are good. How do you describe City Boy? Difficult to - which makes them great. They are melodic with a hard rock pop to them at times. Song to song they are varied. Maybe they are Queen meets Crosby, Stills and Nash with Squeeze thrown in for quirkiness.

City Boy is one of the few bands from the 70's that truly had their own unique style. Only a few bands or musicians had the abilty to have a sound that was so "their own", that the second a song started playing, you knew who it was even if you had never heard the song before. Santana, Styx, Led Zepp were some, and City Boy is right there with them. This multiple CD is a great deal, since you get two of their best. Dinner at the Ritz will totally blow you away, while Book Early is a little more commercial (What a Night, 5.7.0.5., Cigarettes, Summer in the Schoolyard, all deserved airplay). I also highly recommend their album The Day the Earth Caught Fire....every song is a masterpiece on that one!!