The Second Slice of Humble Pie
Wharf Rat | Texas | 05/12/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
""Town and Country" is Humble Pie's second album. You'll hear less 'heavy' rock on this album, but that's not a bad thing when it comes to this band. It really is the 'sister' album to "As Safe As Yesterday Is" and compliments that first album so well. Brilliant musicians/songwriters/singers that these guys were, they merely continued with the more 'country' and 'folk' oriented music that they occasionally performed on their first album. They are still searching for and working on forming a cohesive, collective identity here. Town and Country is a bridge to their third, self-titled effort "Humble Pie" [1970]. It's a pleasure to hear the tight rhythm section backing the excellent guitar playing and singing of Marriott and Frampton. This record is a necessity for all fans of Humble Pie. It serves as a great document showing how the entire band was only getting better with each effort. Highly recommended... you won't be disappointed.
This review is of the Remastered 2008 Repertoire Records [REP 5052] edition issued with two Bonus tracks: "79th Street Blues" (Which, showed up two albums later on 'Rock On' with the title "79th And Sunset") and a great instrumental entitled "Greg's Song" composed by Greg Ridley.
The 2008 Repertoire Remasters are highly recommended for their great packaging, liner notes, pictures and, most importantly, their overall sonic quality and faithful reproduction of these classic albums: "As Safe As Yesterday Is", "Town And Country" and the self-titled "Humble Pie" [1970]. If you want these albums and wish to spend less than half of the price of the Universal/Japan Imports, I highly recommend them. Hopefully, Repertoire will remaster and release the rest of the Pie's catalog. Peace!"