Lost link between country-rock and West Coast country to be reissued:
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THE GOSDIN BROTHERS "SOUNDS OF GOODBYE"
Reissue Producer: Alec Palao
Available: October 2003
Big Beat announces the forthcoming and most eagerly anticipated volume of
its acclaimed vintage country-rock reissue programme, past instalments of
which have anthologised Guilbeau & Parsons and Clarence White. We now take
great pride in presenting the first-ever retrospective devoted to The Gosdin
Brothers, a duo best known as the launch pad for future country superstar
Vern Gosdin, but in hindsight one of the finest and unwittingly cutting edge
acts of the late 1960s Bakersfield country rock renaissance.
The Gosdin Brothers 1968 album "Sounds Of Goodbye" is nowadays regarded as
one of the most satisfying blends of country, pop and folk-rock that the era
produced, yet because at the time it was aimed at the country market rather
than the hip scene, the record, and indeed the acts importance, has been
overshadowed by the frankly more copy-worthy Byrds and Burritos. As charter
members of the country rock brotherhood that included Clarence White, Gib
Guilbeau and Gene Parsons - all of whom provided the sparkling musical
support for the duos studio recordings - Vern and Rex Gosdin brought a
knowing savvy to the music that was tempered by the innocent freshwater
sensibilites of their stunning harmonies, and the unsurpassed warmth of
Verns lead vocal. With its array of fine songs, and sympathetic production
by maverick Gary Paxton, "Sounds Of Goodbye" is a true jewel of early
country rock.
Paxton had steered the Gosdins to success in the country field with the 1967
hit "Hangin' On", but the popularity of this plaintive country ballad
obscured the fact that Vern and Rex had shared management and toured with
the Byrds for two years prior, most famously contributing to Gene Clarks
eponymous solo LP, but also recording superb folk-rock of their own, on
obscure singles and unissued sessions.
This compilation collects together the contents of the "Sounds Of Goodbye"
album and its attendant non-LP Bakersfield International sides, along with
unreleased material and esoteric singles, including the Gosdins legendary
Edict 45. Produced by Chris Hillman, this record was cut in December 1966,
features accompaniment from Hillman, Michael Clarke and Clarence White, and
is thereby tantamount to an outtake from Genes LP or even "Younger Than
Yesterday". Additionally, we are most proud to include a previously unknown
outtake from the session, "Tell Me", the jaw-dropping final thirty seconds
of which are concrete proof that technically and melodically, Clarence was
already in a class of his own on electric guitar. Yep, it's that good.
As with the previous volumes, the package comes with lengthy liner notes
detailing the career of the Gosdins in the mid-1960s, with contributions
from those involved, and plenty of visuals too.
TRACKLISTING
1. SOUNDS OF GOODBYE
2. TELL ME*
3. THERE MUST BE A SOMEONE
4. WOMAN'S DISGRACE
5. MULTIPLE HEARTACHES
6. LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
7. THE VICTIM
8. UNCOMMITTED MAN*
9. CATCH THE WIND
10. SHE'S GONE
11. NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO
12. HANGIN' ON
13. WISHIN'*
14. LOUISIANA MAN
15. I'LL LIVE TODAY*
16. FOR US TO FIND
17. ONE HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW
18. BOWLING GREEN
19. I'LL LIVE WITH GOD*
20. THE FIRST TIME
21. LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE
22. SHE STILL WISHES I WERE YOU
23. HAD A LOT OF FRIENDS
24. LET IT BE ME*
* previously unissued. All tracks recorded 1966-68
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Here's a review of the original album via the All Music Guide: www.allmusic.com/
AMG REVIEW: The Gosdin Brothers' obscure 1968 LP Sounds of Goodbye is an overlooked country-rock milestone, and one that owes as much to the sound of the 1966-1967 era Byrds as it does to country music. That's unsurprising, perhaps, given that the Gosdins helped out a lot on Gene Clark's debut solo album in 1967, and sometimes shared bills with the early Byrds, as they shared the same management. In truth, this will appeal far more to the early Byrds fan than to the straight country fan. That's not damning with faint praise, far from it; it's actually high praise. It's a fair guess, too, that anyone who likes Gene Clark's early work will enjoy this record, as it has a similar low-key, hurt, vulnerable mystique to the melodies, vocals, and harmonies. The material, though sometimes average, is also sometimes outstanding, as on "Love at First Sight," which actually comes quite close to the classic 1966 Byrds jangle rock sound; the melancholy, graceful "She's Gone," with the kind of unexpected compelling chord changes you'd expect from the Gene Clark songwriting school; and "The Victim," with its pungent burned-by-love lyrics, and an odd (though not displeasing) dash of psychedelic echo on the chorus. The covers cast an eclectic net ("Catch the Wind," "Let It Be Me," the Everly Brothers' "Bowling Green") and are not as distinctive as the originals, but even so there's an excellent reading of Ewan MacColl's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face." As the new millennium begins, it's very hard to find, and is of a high enough caliber to demand CD reissue. — Richie Unterberger
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Personally I've been after this one for years, so it will be nice to finally get a copy.
Ace/Big Beat is an import label for those Stateside, the decent indie stores should be able to get a copy. This has long been overdue for a release.
The Gosdin Brothers "sounds of Goodbye"
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