Bright lights and country music (Rick Nelson) (LP 340 - 341)

Rick Nelson Country (Vinyl, MCA, 1973) **
Rick Nelson and The Stone Canyon Band Windfall (Vinyl, MCA, 1974) ***

Genre:  American pop/rock 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records (Windfall); Vinyl Countdown in New Plymouth (Country)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Legacy; One Night Stand






Gear costume:  Mystery Train (on Country); Don't Leave Me Here (on Windfall)

Active compensatory factors:  The double Country album is a compilation of two albums - Country Fever and Bright Lights And Country Music. Those two came out in 1966 and 1967 and are a long way from his early seventies country rock style with The Stone Canyon Band.

Not to say there aren't some worthwhile moments on the double album but it feels rather tentative. Without a regular band behind him, there's a tendency to slick and soulless session versions compared to the Stone Canyon albums.

Windfall followed the breakout Garden Party album and was the last of the four albums that combined the two parties.

That laid back Nelson sound when aligned with some tasteful steel guitar is hard to beat. He's less successful, in my view, on the more rock styled songs. The exception is the boogie shuffle of Wild Nights In Tulsa.

Where do they all belong? The CD collection has more Rick and more of him with the The Stone Canyon Band.

Feel so good (Rick Nelson) (LP 235 - 236)

Rick Nelson Rick Nelson In Concert (Vinyl - Decca, 1970) **
Rick Nelson and The Stone Canyon Band Rudy The Fifth (Vinyl - Decca, 1971) ***

Genre: Rock'n'Roll  

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records (Auckland)  

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Sing Me A Song (a peaceful easy feeling).




Gear costume: Red Balloon and Louisianna Man and a hint of the country vibe that would become more prevalent as Rick went on. 

Active compensatory factors: In Concert is also with the same guys who became The Stone Canyon Band but it lacks atmosphere! Big time.

Curious because Rick Nelson is my go-to for laid back atmosphere. His voice is so damn easy! As in effortless and wonderful. 

Although the album was a success back in 1970 (the concert at the Troubadour was actually in 1969) it seems tentative with only three Nelson originals in the set. Playing it safe seldom works in the music world.

Rudy The Fifth is still Rick in transition - rock'n'roll moves like his own Gypsy Pilot, Feels So Good, a Honky Tonk Women cover and Dylan covers are mixed with some gospel (Thank You Lord) and, my favourite, country rock (Sing Me A Song).

Where do they all belong? Windfall and more Rick Nelson coming on CD.