Ian Matthews Stealin' Home (Vinyl, RTC Records, 1978) ***
Genre: Country rock
Places I remember: Amoeba Records (Hollywood) and Vinyl Countdown (New Plymouth)
Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: These Days (Valley Hi)
Gear costume: Shake It (Stealin' Home)
Active compensatory factors: I have a thing for Matthews' Southern Comfort and I love The Monkees, so when I saw a copy of Valley Hi at Amoeba and noticed it was produced by Mike Nesmith, it was a no brainer.
Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: These Days (Valley Hi)
Gear costume: Shake It (Stealin' Home)
It's great. Red Rhodes on steel and dobro! How could it not be great. Add in Ian's warm smooth vocals and Nez on guitar and ace production and it's a genuine gem from 1973.
Stealin' Home, featuring the near hit, Shake It, is an attempt at a more pop sound and it works well after a shakey opening track. Again Ian surrounds himself with quality musicians. This time Rick Kemp and Pete Wingfield are on board.
Where do they all belong? If I had an Americana section in my collection, I'd file this album there because Ian skirts expertly around country, folk, pop genres on these albums (especially Stealin' Home).
Where do they all belong? If I had an Americana section in my collection, I'd file this album there because Ian skirts expertly around country, folk, pop genres on these albums (especially Stealin' Home).
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