The Everly Brothers are legends.
Just about all of their albums are worthwhile whilst some are brilliant.
Unfortunately they, like so many of their era, are considered to be a singles act. This is unfortunate because their albums hold many treasures.
Check out my Everly Brothers comments on this blog.
More unfortunate still is the way their solo efforts are over looked.
Don (the older brother) made three solo albums whilst Phil made five.
I’m not going to compare the brothers and play favourites as they both have strengths (and weaknesses) but they are clearly brothers.
The Everlys, also, wrote a lot of their own material, especially earlier in their career, though by the mid-60s they seemed to concentrate on covers. That’s not to say their covers are straight. Their twin harmonies and personal tastes certainly transformed many songs into something entirely different. They heightened emotions, changed the philosophical point or just made the songs sound their own (a usual statement on someone who does a good cover but in this case it’s the truth).
Either way their albums tended to be a a good mixture of originals and (mainly) covers.
I assume their need for expression as individuals led them to both solo albums and their break up. They broke up in 1973 (reformed in 1983) but both had been moving towards solo material. Interestingly, and perhaps not surprisingly, they both expressed themselves as writers in their solo work more than they did in their duo work, well a least a lot more than they had in the preceding 10 years.
Don jumped the break up with this album, the first solo Everly album, and created an album which on its face is country rock at its best.
But, it’s not just that.
It is not straight – it’s personal, quirky and occasionally obscure. The melodies are gentle and there is a foreboding over the album. It is reflective and not dissimilar to The Beach Boys late 60s, early 70s releases. In fact, think Brian Wilson doing acoustic country and you wouldn’t be far wrong. Such an analogy isn’t outrageous either, given that The Beach Boys must have been influenced by The Everly Brothers harmonies.
Don had enough room to experiment. The Everly Brothers had lost a lot of their audience and were not picking up hordes of new fans. Such detriments though are really benefits, as long as you can get someone to front the money. You have no audience to please or expectations. You can break the mould and Don does that here.
Confessional singer songwriter with country overtones.
Haunting alt-country before that style formed rules and got a little boring.
Beautiful acoustic pop …that is never going to be mainstream.
I grant you that, on first listening, there is less than meets the eye (or, rather, ear) but a second listen will confirm there is a lot going on here.
Magnificent.
The music is nothing less than magnificently played. Check the personnel: Don Everly (vocals, acoustic guitar); ; Scott McKenzie (acoustic 12-string guitar); Ry Cooder (bottleneck guitar); Curtis Amy (saxophone); Spooner Oldham (keyboards); Paul Beaver (Moog synthesizer); Max Bennett (acoustic bass); ; Jim Keltner (drums); George Clinton Jr (organ): Milt Holland (percussion); Chris Ethridge (bass);Sneaky Pete Kleinow (steel guitar); Debra Clinger, Peggy Clinger, Donna Washburn (background vocals).
Google them.
Lou Adler produces.
Tracks (best in italics)
- Tumbling Tumbleweeds – (Bob Nolan) – a different version of the song. And one that works. Haunting.
- Eyes of Asia – (Don Everly) – Superior country rock
- Don't Drink the Water – (Don Everly)- I'm not really sure what the meaning of the song is, or even understand the analogy but any song that has a line "Dont drink water, drink wine" can't be bad. In fact the song is great.
- Safari – (Don Everly) – a strange though catchy song partially ecological and partly personal. The vocal is beautiful restrained and slightly desperate. . There is some channelling of Paul Simon (or vice versa).
- Omaha – (Don Everly) – a gentle little love song that's a little existential. It would make Brian Wilson proud. Originally done by the Brothers in 1968 (but unreleased till 1977)
It’s hard to remember Pittsburgh properly
It’s hard to recall what I did in D.C.
No vivid remembrance of things in L.A.
The times and the places have just slipped away
It seems that I found everything that I wanted
All in Omaha
Everything’s there my love and my laughter
It’s all in Omaha
I’m going back to Omaha
In Omaha
I’m going back to Omaha
In Omaha
- February 15th – (Don Everly) – Don Everly meets the counterculture. A good number driven by acoustic guitar which has slightly obscure stream of consciousness lyrics.
- When I Stop Dreaming – (Charlie Louvin, Ira Louvin) – a typical (ie: beautiful) Louvin Brothers song about love. Curiously, the album credits only Don as writer.
- My Baby – (Don Everly) – a gently funky little song.
- Thinking It Over- (Don Everly) – another introspective piece
- My Friend – (Don Everly) – introspection with psychedelic overtones.
- Sweet Dreams – (Don Gibson) – Don Gibson's great song done by a lot of people but normally associated with Patsy Cline. Like all the covers on this album Don changes the song into something different and more personal to him.
And …
Excellent, a neglected gem…. I'm keeping it.
Chart Action
Nothing, no where
Sounds
Tumbling Tumbleweeds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1US_0JE6PUA
Eyes of Asia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aZHWnaNSYQ
Omaha
MP3 attached
Don Everly – Omaha
When I Stop Dreaming
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSmwuCJ2WCU
My Baby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exmGTtai05M
Others
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb-4cmjTA1s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVHP7jR8_8o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lot1jjphtg0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAmotP1MjIg
Review
http://ibuyrecords.blogspot.com.au/2009_11_01_archive.html
Bio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Everly_Brothers
Website
http://www.everly.net/
http://www.everlybrothers.net/
Trivia
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