Neil Young - Silver & Gold
Hereís one I bet theyíre listening to on Sugar Mountain. A worthy throwback to the "After the Gold Rush" and "Harvest" glory days, this is Neil at his acoustic best. Itís great to hear that patented Neil Young harmonica sound cut through the speakers again, ainít it? A song called "Buffalo Springfield Again" could have come off rather silly, like Paul McCartney claiming to be the man on the Flaming Pie, but the sentimentality works and makes one hanker for either a Springfield reunion tour or the quick release of that promised box set. 

Patti Smith - Gung Ho
Itís hard to believe that Patti Smith released her first album way back in 1975, the same year Olivia Newton-John asked that musical question, "Have you never mellow?" No, I donít think the word mellow was ever used to describe the woman who opened her first album with the line, "Jesus died for somebodyís sins, but not mine." A lot of time has passed and Patti has twice dropped out of the public eye, but now sheís back again and Gung Ho is her third release since her second comeback began in 1996. Nothing fancy here really, just another great Patti Smith record. That means poetic lyrics that stand far above most of the mundane fare being played on radio today and vocals that pierce their way inside a listenerís mind and not bounce around the room like bubbles looking for a place to pop. The music is pretty cool, as well. (That didnít sound too Greil Marcus, did it?) Lenny Kaye is still on guitar and Jay Dee Daugherty plays drums. Michael Stipe adds some background vocals and Tom Verlaine contributes a guitar lead, but don't look for any thumb prints by todayís hot bloods smudging up the aural veneer. Gung Ho is a Patti Smith record, period. If you own her other albums, youíll want this one. If you donít own any, you are stinky. 


The Makers - Rock Star Gods
If youíre looking for an album to play "Spot the Influences" with, hereís a good choice. The Makers sound like a band thatís absorbed a lot of British pop music from the 60ís and 70ís, yet somehow manage to blend it all together for a seamless and enjoyable listening experience. The two most obvious inspirations that come to mind are the Kinks from their koncept krazed period and the glam powered edition of David Bowie. Rock Star Gods is a concept album, but you donít have to follow the plot to enjoy whatís going on with the music. In fact, itís better if you donít. This is a record about sound, not story. Play it, dig it, and play it again. 

Phish - Farmhouse
For some reason, this is what I thought this band always sounded like but didnít. This is the accessible side of Phish, an album filled with catchy hooks and simple short syllable lyrics that invite the listener to sing along with chirpy headed emptiness. Itís the type of album thatís a charmer for the first couple of listens and then grows more and more irritating with each additional play. These are some shiny happy people that just plain get on your nerves.            No rating.

Flying Burrito Brothers - "Hot Burritos!" Anthology
The critics christened it "Country Rock" while head Burrito Gram Parsons called it "Cosmic American Music." What it was, was country music played by long haired rock and rollers who werenít pledging their total allegiance to either format and in the process creating something new that was really as old as the legend of Hank Williams, Sr. It was country music that was more honest and faithful than anything being played on country radio stations and thus didnít fit on those stationsí tight ass play lists. It was too "hillbilly" for the rock and roll crowd, even though one of the bandís biggest admirers was none other than the patron saint of rock & roll, Keith Richards. This two disc set has been remastered from the original tapes using that fancy schmancy 24-bit technology weíve heard so much about and the sound is scrumptious. The bandís first two albums featuring Parsons are here as well as eight non-album cuts with GP and the their third LP, which was made after Parsons was no longer part of the group. The first album The Gilded Palace of Sin is a undeniable classic and a must for any serious music collector. Anything else featuring Gram Parsons is also a must have, so the inclusion of Burrito Deluxe and the rarities provide a nice bonus. (A whiskey soaked cover of the Bee Geesí "To Love Somebody" is especially enjoyable.) Without the involvement of Parsons, the rest of the material lacks spirit and comes across a little slick and ordinary. Sort of like having Bobby Wheeler in Taxi Driver instead of Travis Bickle. Maybe Iíd like it better if it wasnít butt up against the brilliance of the earlier material. Regardless, this release gets the highest rating just on the strength of the first disc and half of the second. 

 Ratings System