Hat Trick [IMPORT]

America

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 19, 1999)
• Original Release Date: 1973
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Warner Bros UK
• ASIN: B000006SF5
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #47,248 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Muskrat Love

2. Wind Wave

3. She's Gonna Let You Down

4. Rainbow Song

5. Submarine Ladies

6. It's Life

7. Hat Trick

8. Molten Love

9. Green Monkey

10. Willow Tree Lullaby

11. Goodbye

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Unavailable on CD in the U.S., this is the soft rock trio's third album, which broke the top 30 in 1973 thanks to the hit 'Muskrat Love' that the Captain & Tennille turned into atop five smash three years later. 11 tracks total. 1973 Warner Brothers release.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The whole is better than the sum of the parts, February 10, 2005

By	J. Hinshaw (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When I first purchased this album in 1974, it was more out of curiousity than any real expeactation that the songs would grab my attention in the same manner as the first two America LPs did. Of course, I was a child of the 1970's AM music period and my musical tastes were shallow and driven by the repetitive sound of the 3 minute single.

It is only in the last 5 years that I have come to realize, based on my evolving musical tastes, that this is easily the most accomplished and fully layered CD that America produced. Yes, Muskrat Love is a throwaway song, which the Captain & Tennille turned into AM hit several years later. But the fact that Dewey, Dan and Gerry had the moxie to self produce a record that features a nearly 9 minute "Hat Trick" offering ala the Beatles side 2 of Abbey Road, shows the group's yearning to be more than a singles artist. There are several polished pieces on this disc, most notably Dewey's Rainbow Song and Wind Wave, Gerry's Submarine Ladies and She's Gonna Let you Down and Dan's It's Life as well as his opening 2 minute offering from Hat Trick. Some of the songs cover the same ground as the first 2 releases, and the lyrics can sometimes by simple, even underwhelming, however the group stretches itself here as they never would again, as many of these songs attempt in the studio what the band could never perform on stage. I would venture that this record's tag is - the whole is better than the sum of the parts. It is only after repeated listenings that the ambiance, mood and individual and collective influences grab hold and you find yourself replaying snippets of the music in your mind at the most unpredictable and spontaneous moments.

After producing the first 2 discs in 1972, this offering was not released until the end of 1973, nearly a year after Homecoming. Given what I have read about their rather laid back working pace, it is not surprising, as they have said that George Martin put them on a schedule when he began to produce the group in 1974. I am thankful he was not involved in this production as the final product would have been different from what it is today.

Although Hat Trick may not be ground breaking in the scheme of rock records, it stands the test of time as a ground breaking 40 minutes for America.

A commercial disappointment, this collection of songs bears up well under the scrutiny of time. It would have made for an interesting change of career direction, if the record had been a success on the charts. Unfortunately, we will never know the outcome, given the course of history.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Their most underappreciated album!, June 16, 1998

By A Customer

Their most ambitious effort at the time it was released in 1973. Contains the original version of Muskrat Love, which was a minor hit, but it's the rest of the songs that make this a great album. It includes classic America folk rock songs like Windwave and Submarine Ladies, eligantly produced numbers like She's Gonna Let You Down, plus harder rockers like Hat Trick, It's Life, and Green Monkey (which features Joe Walsh on guitar). This is one of their best!!!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars America's Concept Album, August 2, 2004

By	M. Hummel "mh1957" (College Park, MD USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I agree with the other reviewers. This may be America's best album, although for sheer enjoyment, Homecoming (the group's second album) is hard to beat. America was moving into album rock territory and away from just songs. Hence the Hat Trick Suite, which is a beautiful, lengthy song cycle. I think the production here is first rate, highly layered, and loaded with interesting musical and instrumental variation. Song after song is perfectly produced--from the hard rock of Green Monkey to folky balladry of "Molten Love" to the pop strings of Wind Wave. Unfortunately, America really didn't score any hits with this album (I tend to think "Muskrat Love" is on this album merely to make the record company happy--hey, there IS a single, after all!), and I think that's why we see a sudden shift to George Martin and a much more commercial approach immediately after this. Too bad--if the band could have just scored one or two legitimate, band-written hits off Hat Trick, maybe they could have kept developing their art AND remained commercially viable. Buy this one and Homecoming...and yes, the rather rough first album. Those three are their best.