Flatlanders - Now Again on CD

Description

Review 30 years after cutting their debut album which, according to rumour at the time, was only officially released by Plantation Records as an eight-track tape, The Flatlanders return for a second tilt at the windmill. With the appearance of Joe Ely's eponymous, self-titled solo debut in late 1977, each of the three main protagonists--Ely, Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore--launched solo careers that enjoyed varying levels of commercial success. To date, the writing of unique and lyrically insightful songs on an individual basis, has been a given for all three. The soundtrack album for the Robert Redford movie The Horse Whisperer (1998), featured "South Wind Of Summer", a Ely/Hancock/Gilmore co-write and marked the resuscitation of The Flatlanders as a recording act. Which brings us to Now Again, and in truth, the two-word title is about as enigmatic as one would expect from this trio of wordsmiths. Of the 14 tracks, 12 are credited to the triumvirate of Ely/Hancock/Gilmore, whilst the opening pair, Bruce "Utah" Phillips's "Going Away" and Hancock's "Julia", are the exceptions. Historically speaking, the threesome rarely appeared on each other's recordings, although Hancock and Gilmore made an unplanned live album while touring Australia around 1990, and Hancock turned up on Ely's 1980 album Live Shots. By the mid-80s they were making impromptu appearances at each other's local concerts. As for the matter of shared songwriting credits, until the appearance of South Wind Of Summer and Now Again, that was never their way. The decision to collaborate as writers appears to have been totally conscious. According to Ely they road-tested the material featured on Now Again during three tours of the States in as many years (1999-2001). In addition, Ely has admitted that more than one version exists of most of the songs featured on the album, but that's one of the luxuries of being able to record in your home--in this case Ely's. As for Ely's role as producer, the overall result is somewhat glossy. It sounds great, and as you might expect the protagonists share vocal leads throughout while stylistically the songs take their inspiration from roots rock, folk and country music influences. In this respect, "Pay The Alligator", "My Wildest Dreams…Grow Wilder Each Day" and "Down On Filbert's Rise", respectively, make for one possible permutation of those genres. --Arthur Wood (c) fRoots Magazine all rights reserved -- fRoots, July 2002 Product Description Newest effort from Texas' most inspirational singer/songwriters, Joey Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock collectively known as The Flatlanders. If you love country pop rock with heart, brains and muscle, you'll dig The Flatlanders.